Annotation guide

1

Start a session

From your dashboard, choose Let's Annotate!, pick how many photos to do (5, 10, 20 or 40), and choose Start Session.

2

Say whether there is a sidewalk

First, check whether the photo has a sidewalk raised above the road on a curb, or only a path for people to walk on. Answer this before the objects. With only a path, each object asks only whether it obstructs the path, and Step 3 asks two questions instead of six. If you change this answer later, some objects ask again.

3

Answer each suggestion

Dashed yellow boxes are suggested objects. A box is only a suggested object, it doesn't necessarily mean it's on the sidewalk or an obstruction. Click one, or tap it on a phone, to open its panel.

Check the category, then answer Question 1, “Is it on the sidewalk or the path people walk on?”, with Yes or No.

• The path is the sidewalk, or any paved path made for walking.
• No sidewalk in the photo? The path is the edge of the road people walk along.
• More than one sidewalk? Only the one nearest you counts. Answer No for objects on a farther one.

With only a path, there is no Question 1. Each object asks only whether it obstructs the path.

If it is on the sidewalk, then Question 2 asks “Does it obstruct the sidewalk?” Answer it for yourself if you believe the object obstructs your path or not. If it does obstruct, rate the severity of its obstruction from 1, a minor inconvenience, to 5, impassable.

Sometimes, you will see what the model thinks. It can be wrong, so answer for you and from what you can see in the photo.

4

Mark boxes with nothing in them

If an object is not on the sidewalk, choose No to Question 1. If it is on the sidewalk but not an obstruction, choose No to Question 2. If a box does not seem to be a real object, choose Not an object. The box then leaves the photo and is listed under Not an object, where you can open it and choose Restore.

5

Draw the objects we missed

Box every object on the sidewalk or the path people walk on that we missed, whether or not it is an obstruction. Leave out objects that are not on the sidewalk.

With a mouse, drag a box around the object. On a phone or tablet, tap Add box and drag its corners to fit.

Pick its category, or choose Other... to type one, and answer the same questions. To remove a box you drew, choose Delete box.

6

Rate the sidewalk

Step 3 asks six questions about the sidewalk nearest you as a whole, the same one as in Step 2, or two if there is only a path. On a phone or tablet, tap the Step 3 line in the answers sheet to bring them up.

Sidewalk Width

How wide is the sidewalk?

Narrow, Limited, Wide

• Narrow: room for one direction only.
• Limited: two people can pass with no room to spare.
• Wide: people pass both ways with room to spare.

Not asked when there is only a path.

Ease of Navigation

How easy would it be for you to walk through here?

Fully obstructed, Heavily obstructed, Moderately obstructed, Slightly obstructed, Unobstructed

• Fully obstructed: there is no way through, as with an Impassable obstruction in Step 2.
• Heavily obstructed: getting through means leaving the sidewalk or path.
• Moderately obstructed: getting through means weaving between objects.
• Slightly obstructed: getting through means a short step aside.
• Unobstructed: the way is clear.

Evenness

How even is the walking surface?

Uneven, Sloped, Flat

• Uneven: it rises and dips, as at driveways.
• Sloped: it tilts.
• Flat: it stays level.

Surface Type

What is most of the walking surface made of?

Concrete or asphalt, Tiles, Paver blocks or bricks, Unpaved

• Concrete or asphalt: a poured surface.
• Tiles: tiles laid on the surface, common on shop and house frontages.
• Paver blocks or bricks: blocks or bricks laid side by side.
• Unpaved: soil, gravel or grass.

Not asked when there is only a path.

Surface Condition

Is the walking surface cracked or broken anywhere?

Broken, Cracked, Intact

• Broken: something is missing or out of level, such as a hole, a chipped edge, a missing tile or paver, or a sunken or raised piece.
• Cracked: lines in the surface, with every piece still in place and level.
• Intact: neither cracked nor broken.

Not asked when there is only a path.

Road Barrier

Is there anything between the sidewalk and the road?

No barrier, Barrier

• No barrier: nothing stands between the walking space and the road. A curb alone is No barrier, since a raised curb is what makes it a sidewalk.
• Barrier: a railing, bollards, plants or anything else standing between the walking space and the road.

Not asked when there is only a path.

7

Go to the next photo

Click Next Image once every object has an answer. Previous takes you back to a photo you already did, to change it.