Citizen Science in Practice: How (not) to Fail?

This article presents a collective work led by researchers and project leaders in the field of citizen science (CS). Our approach is part of the “culture of error” in CS, introduced by Westreicher et al. (2021): We share our vision of the errors and difficulties we have experienced, what we have learnt from them, and what we would do differently. This work is based on ten French projects covering a variety of goals, disciplines, and the nature of the public involved. This diversity enabled us to conduct a cross-disciplinary and free-from-specificities reflection on our practices. We have identified 3 types of errors or difficulties, which we illustrate with examples drawn from our own experience. The first type of errors is the kind we would not repeat. In contrast with these “plain” mistakes, the following two types of difficulties are an invitation to defend a more realistic vision of CS. The second type refers to the uncertainties that are inherent to the plasticity of CS projects. The third are difficulties that may lead to unexpected positive consequences, both in terms of scientific objectives and community-wise. We encourage a change in the way we look at mistakes and difficulties: Uncertainty is inherent in CS and we assert our right to experiment, make mistakes, and change practices during the life of a project.