Cian, an environmental fieldworker and committed citizen scientist — let’s say he’s a birdwatcher who often contributes to environmental monitoring surveys — finds himself drawn into a new cause during one of his early morning nature walks. While observing wildlife around a particular lake, he notices a great crested newt, a species often at the centre of ecological debates in the UK due to its protected status. At that time, Cian is angry. The current Labour Party government is pushing legislation that deregulates planning in ways that ignore environmental concerns. Species like newts are seen as red tape, preventing progress in housing and transport projects. Cian views this legislative trend as a personal attack on his life's work. He spontaneously records an impassioned voice memo on his phone — a raw, emotional plea explaining why these newts matter. He captures a photo or two. And this is where the idea sparks: he's going to create “A Guide To Newts.”
## Tools and Methods Cian decides to use a new media platform referred to as “the Guide” — a system that allows creators to build collaborative guides around particular subjects. These are part encyclopaedia, part oral history, part multimedia mixtape. Initially, Cian uploads audio recordings and pictures to his personal guide. This platform supports voice note uploads, integrates with public information sources like Wikipedia, allows image contributions, and supports collaborative annotations from other users with similar interests. Over the following weeks, Cian interviews fellow conservationists, documents sightings at different ponds, and slowly creates a patchwork of entries — a kind of reflective ecological diary. Each entry can include: - Audio stories - Photographs of newts and their habitats - Snippets of factual text - Reflections or even rants about environmental policy In time, the guide evolves from a simple collection into something denser — a personal yet richly informative multimedia experience.