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Short Abstract

This study presents a non-intrusive, participant-centered and dialogic evaluation of the Delft Meet Regen (Delft Measures Rain) citizen science project. Using qualitative, deliberative methods, we capture nuanced outcomes on personal experience and project outcomes, while avoiding objectification.

Abstract

Evaluating the outcomes of citizen science participation often risks framing citizens as study subjects rather than collaborators, especially when using rigid survey instruments or requesting larger amounts of demographic data. In Delft Meet Regen (Delft Measures Rain, DMR (https://www.tudelft.nl/en/tu-delft-science-centre/discover/researching-together/delft-measures)) a local, city-based weather monitoring initiative, we explored an alternative approach, prioritizing participant voice, experience, and agency. We present the methodology and results of a recently published paper in which, instead of relying solely on predefined evaluation frameworks, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=16) that began with open-ended reflection on meaningful experiences, followed only later by discussion of existing frameworks such as the Individual Learning Outcomes (ILO) and Impact Domains (ID). This method allowed participants to articulate their outcomes in their own terms before situating them within structured categories and frameworks, and reflecting on that process..

Foregrounding participant narratives and enabling them to co-reflect on evaluation categories, reduces the sense of surveillance while capturing nuanced impacts. We argue that such qualitative, dialogic methods contribute to more inclusive and non-intrusive impact assessment, supporting citizen science practices that empower participants rather than objectify them. Findings revealed a diversity of valued outcomes, many of which did not fit neatly into existing frameworks, demonstrating the value of including participants in the impact assessment methodology. Importantly, several participants described participation as an expression of prior values rather than a transformative change, underscoring the need for evaluation approaches that respect personal context rather than impose external measures.