Frequently Asked Questions
Table of Contents
General user questions
Submitting trends
Prizes and Judging
General user questions
How can I create a profile?
Register on the site (or login if you have already registered). Click on your user name in the upper right corner of the screen and select "My profile." Once on your profile page, select "Manage profile and settings." Fill out and save your profile--and don't forget to upload a photo!
How can I retrieve my password if I've forgotten it?
Go to Login on the top right, and click "Forgot your password?" Enter your username or email, whichever you remember . Click "Request new password." A message will be sent to the email address you used to register. In it will be a link. Just click on the link to set a new password.
Why do I keep getting error messages on the site?
If you're receiving error messages, it may be because you're using Internet Explorer. The Crowdsensor site functions best on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. If you encounter difficulties while using those browsers, please describe your problem in the discussion forum called, Report bugs and request features.
How can I get fewer emails from Crowdsensor or unsubscribe?
Crowdsensor sends members emails about site activity to which they have subscribed and occasional newsletters. To change how often you receive messages, follow these steps:
- Log in to your account and select "My profile"
- Click "Manage profile and settings"
- On the right column under "Message settings," select "Only send me a daily summary of all activities I'm subscribed to" (you will receive a once-a-day digest of notifications) or uncheck all the checkboxes to stop all notifications.
- Click Save
To unsubscribe from the email newsletters sent to the Crowdsensor community, you can simply click on the "Opt out" link at the bottom of the message.
Can I message people on the Crowdsensor?
Yes, you can send messages to other members via the Crowdsensor messaging system. Open the profile of the person you'd like to contact and select "Send message." They will receive notification on the Crowdsensor site and, if they have selected the option to be notified, an email message as well. Members can send a maximum of 15 messages per 24 hour period.
Do you have a policy or guidelines on community etiquette on the Crowdsensor?
Yes, please see our Community Philosophy and Policy.
Trends
How can I submit a trend?
Register on the site or log in if you have already registered, then go to the Entries page. Select whichever category for which you would like to create a trend. A new page will open. Simply click "Create trend" and fill out the fields in the template.
What if my trend falls under more than one category?
Select the category that you think is most applicable. Trends can sometimes touch on more than one category—a technological advance can shape both how the economy works and what security threats we may face. The most interesting contributions to this competition may cut across several categories, by reflection on the broad repercussions a trend in one category may have in others. It is best to think about the root cause of the trend you are considering and to choose the most relevant category based on that.
Do you have an example of what a good trend might look like?
Refer to this Sample Technology Trend to get an idea of how a complete and comprehensive submission might look.
How do I delete a trend?
Go to the Admin tab on your trend page and click the delete button.
How can I save a draft of a trend?
Unfortunately, it is only possible to save and publish trends at the same time, but you can always go back and edit after your contribution is initially published. Don't worry about posting work-in-progress on the site--other members may see your draft and make useful comments. Give the online community a chance to help!
Can I edit my trend after submission?
You can always edit your submissions by logging into your account and clicking Edit.
How can I join a team? How can I add people to my team?
To join a team, you should first log in. Then go to the "Contributors" tab of the trend you would like to join and click the "Request membership" button in the upper right. The system will send your membership request to the trend's owner. If the owner approves your request, your username will show up as a team member in the Contributors tab and you will have the privileges of a team member, that is, the ability to contribute by making edits.
Can I participate in more than one category?
Yes, you can submit as many times as you want in any trend category.
Who can submit a trend?
The Crowdsensor is open to anyone in the world, regardless of age, nationality, or political viewpoint, though participation is void where prohibited by law. It is your responsibility to check to make sure that participation in the Crowdsensor does not violate any applicable law or ordinance and to make sure that you are eligible. If you are under 18 years old, you will need your parent or legal guardian to register on the Crowdsensor website and submit your ideas for you. You may submit ideas that you have previously published or exhibited so long as they conform to the entry guidelines and the rules.
What is the format for submissions?
When you start to create a trend, a template will appear, showing the sections that need to be completed.
How can I include images in my proposal?
If you would like to include images in your proposal, you will first need to upload them on a public image hosting site (such as ImageShack, Flickr, or Imgur). Once the image is on the hosting site, you can select the "Insert Image" icon (a small square that looks like a landscape painting). A pop up menu will appear. Copy your image's URL from the image hosing site and paste it into the "URL" field in the pop up. You may also want to adjust the image's dimensions by selecting its height and width (which are measured in pixels).
Here is an example of how you could follow these steps, using the image hosting site Imgur as an example. Go to imgur.com, click on "Computer" just under "Upload Images" on the right hand side. Browse you folders to select the image, click on "Start upload," and your image should show up on the site. On the right hand side of the screen displaying your image, you can see a little table. Go to "Direct Link: and copy the link you find in there to your clipboard. The URL will start with http://i.imgur.com/ and then include some other characters. Go to your proposal on Crowdsensor and select the place in the text field where you would like to insert the image. Select the image icon (the small square that looks like a landscapre portrait) or click on the text field as though you want to write something. If you do the latter, several buttons will show up just below the upper border of the text field. Select "Image" which is located to the very right. Paste the link to your Imgur image into the URL field and click "OK." To adjust size of the image, you cabn use Width and Height fields in the image edit dialog box.
Do we translate submissions?
Currently we do not have the capacity to translate submissions. We recommend using a trusted translation website to assist you.
What are the copyrights on this proposal?
Everything posted is subject to our Creative Commons License, which is at the bottom of each website page and linked here: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/
How can I make sure my submission has been entered?
Once you click "Publish," it will automatically appear on the page and be considered entered.
Prizes and Judging
How are prizes awarded?
Prizes will be awarded for 5 trends, based on these criteria:
- 2 prizes of $500 SGD for trends that represent opportunities for Singapore
- 2 prizes of $500 SGD for trends that represent challenges for Singapore
- 1 prize of $500 SGD for the trend judged to be the most novel
Selected winners may also have an opportunity to present their ideas to the public at the coming International Risk Assessment and Horizon Scanning Symposium (IRAHSS) 2017.
How do judges decide on finalists?
Finalists evaluate trends based on their uniqueness, likelihood, and potential impact.
I saw the number of supports for my trend go down. What's going on?
To prevent abuse, we require a valid email address in order to count support received by any trend. Any supports made by accounts with invalid email addresses are removed on a regular basis.