Hello, first post.
I’m researching data collection options for my organization. We’re a conservation nonprofit that does survey and control work with invasive species. We use geo-tools in the field to track our survey progress and to mark locations where invasives are found. Over the course of the season we have 6-10 surveyors collecting data over a period of 6-7 months. Previously we’ve used a collection of tools–google maps, Caltopo, and ArcGIS. We’re looking to streamline the process and I’m looking into QGIS and QField for that purpose.
However, it seems getting QField set up and using it, plus post-field analysis, requires a good technical working knowledge of QGIS, which no one on our staff currently has. It also seems apparent that using the QField app requires greater technical acumen, or at least much more instructional time, than a simpler tracking app like Caltopo. This is significant b/c a portion of our surveyors are volunteers and we need to keep things straightforward for them.
From where I sit right now, my concern is that without someone very competent with QGIS on staff, the difficulty of creating, teaching, using, syncing, and maintaining our data collection will be too steep a learning curve and lead to a quagmire during field season.
Field season starts in May, so the time to decide, and to get QGIS/QField set up and tested is limited.
I welcome any thoughts as to whether this is even a route we should be considering.