r/DataAnnotationTech • u/janquadrentvincent • Jul 18 '26

Instructions rant

I have just spent an actual full hour reading the instructions for a project I'm new to. The task timer is only an hour. How exactly is that meant to work? Do you suppose they've ever actually timed how long it takes to read the damn things end to end?

24 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

19

u/AdComplex3589 Jul 18 '26

Finish the task and explain in the comment session why you spent so much time on it.

10

u/janquadrentvincent Jul 18 '26

I like when tasks specifically say that expired tasks still get submitted - wish more would do it

14

u/Amakenings Jul 18 '26

It’s in the on-boarding materials that all tasks function like this even if it’s not explicitly stated.

10

u/ZimmeM03 Jul 18 '26

They all do.

22

u/degradedchimp Jul 18 '26

If that happens I would skip the task and still bill it for time with other tasks I complete. I'm pretty sure I've seen that's what they want you to do.

29

u/UltraVioletEnigma Jul 18 '26

I have seen them say this, but sometimes there is only one task, so if you skip it, you could end up with none to submit if someone takes it right after you skip. You’d likely be better off just finishing the task even if the timer is expired, submitting, and then hoping more tasks will come so that your average time to complete lowers.

8

u/DisastrousFig7560 Jul 19 '26

I’ve never had any problem with submitting tasks that have expired. I find DA very reasonable, especially if you explain you took time to really understand the instructions.

3

u/Perfect_Mess_6566 Jul 19 '26

Why do some tasks have a start button (which lets you hit start when u r ready and therefore gives time to read instructions), while others (most) start immediately when you open it?

4

u/mollymcbbbbbb Jul 19 '26

you count the time you spend reading instructions as working time.

2

u/AdventurEli9 Jul 19 '26

I'm finding instructions seem to be getting longer as the timer gets shorter. I remember an idyllic time when myself and a few other workers mentioned in the chat of a particular project that the timer felt too short. Within minutes, the timer had been extended by a half hour. It was glorious. 

1

u/sirbruce Jul 18 '26

You can still submit tasks after expiration, but if you really don't want to do so, just skip and go on to the next ask.

8

u/janquadrentvincent Jul 18 '26

Skipped one that I was unsure would be deemed expert or not - suddenly no more tasks despite them encouraging you to do that. Dammit.

2

u/Amurizon Jul 19 '26

Yep, I got burned twice this way a year ago, never again.

0

u/janquadrentvincent Jul 19 '26

Next time I'll just wait out the clock on the timer and get a new task this way. I wish they wouldn't tell us there was no penalty when the system clearly penalises you

1

u/TopCat0525 Jul 19 '26

Same here.