Step 2 of 5
Tools & Environment
Set up the tools and environment you need to start working on tasks.
Tools & Environment
Two annotation platforms are currently in use across projects: the Henna platform and Feather. Your project will use one of them — or both. This guide covers both, along with Slack setup.
01The Two Main Platforms
Across all current projects, there are two annotation platforms in use. Your project lead will tell you which one applies to your project. Both are web-based and require no installation.
Henna Annotation Platform
A task management interface where you claim tasks from a queue, complete them, and submit for review. Tasks are organized by project. Covered in the Understanding Annotation section of this onboarding.
Feather
A structured annotation tool where tasks are grouped into batches within campaigns. Supports two roles: Trainer (Annotator/Judger) and Reviewer. Covered in detail in sections 03–07 of this guide.
Wait for your project lead's instructions before setting up any tool. Setup order can matter — acting before receiving instructions can cause access issues.
02Henna Annotation Platform
The Henna platform is one of the annotation interfaces used across projects. It provides a task queue per project — you claim tasks, complete them, and submit for reviewer feedback.
Getting access
- Your project lead will share the platform link in your project Slack channel
- Log in with the email associated with your onboarding
- Your assigned projects will appear on the dashboard after access is granted
- If you cannot see your projects, contact your project lead — access may need to be enabled
The full Henna workflow — dashboard, task queue, claiming, submitting, and reviewing — is covered with visual walkthroughs in the Understanding Annotation and Submission Workflow sections of this onboarding.
03Feather — Overview
Feather is an annotation platform that organizes work in a three-level hierarchy, and supports two distinct contributor roles.
T
Task
A single annotation unit — one piece of work to complete.
TB
Task Batch
Multiple tasks grouped together under a shared label.
C
Campaign
Multiple task batches organized under a project campaign.
Trainer (Annotator / Judger)
Claims tasks, completes the annotation work, and submits. This is the primary production role.
Reviewer
Evaluates submitted tasks, approves quality work, and returns tasks that need fixes.
Task statuses explained
04Feather — Finding Tasks
After logging into Feather, there are two ways to locate tasks:
To Do tab
Shows all tasks you have already claimed but haven't completed yet. Start here whenever you return to a session — your active work will be here.
Campaigns tab
Browse campaigns you are assigned to. Navigate to the relevant Task Batch and find available tasks to claim from there.
Always check the To Do tab first at the start of each session. If you have tasks already in progress, finish those before claiming new ones.
05Feather — Claiming a Task
To claim a task from a batch, navigate to the Unclaimed tab within the task batch. Review the task descriptions and choose one to work on.
How to claim
Go to the Unclaimed tab
Inside the task batch, switch to the Unclaimed tab to see available tasks.
Review task descriptions
Read through the task descriptions to find one you can complete.
Click the task
Open it by clicking on its title or row.
Select "Claim" from the action menu
In the upper-right drop-down menu, select "Claim task". The status will change to In Progress.
If you decide not to work on the task
Use Release task from the action menu to return it to the queue. This is the correct action when a task is not right for you — it goes back to Unclaimed for someone else to pick up.
Never use these actions in the task dropdown
Cancel task
This permanently removes the task from the workflow. Never use this button. If you cannot complete a task, use Release instead.
Escalate issue
This should never happen. If there is a problem with a task, release it and report the issue in your project's Slack channel so the project lead can handle it.
06Feather — Completing Tasks
Once you have finished working on a task and are satisfied with your annotation, you can submit it.
Submitting
Either click the Submit button directly, or open the upper-right action menu and select "Mark as Complete". The task status will change to Completed and enter the review queue.
Before submitting
- Re-read the task instructions one final time
- Confirm your annotation addresses every part of the task
- Check that your response follows the format specified in the guidelines
- Only submit when you are genuinely done — you cannot edit after submission unless the reviewer returns it
If the task comes back (Needs Work)
A reviewer may return your task with feedback. When this happens, the status changes to Needs Work. Read the reviewer's comments carefully, fix every issue mentioned, and resubmit. The task will then move to Fixing Done and re-enter review.
07Feather — Reviewer Workflow
As a reviewer, you evaluate submitted tasks and make the final quality decision. Reviewer access is granted by your project lead — not all contributors have it.
How to review
Go to the Completed tab
Tasks awaiting review appear here. Open one to begin evaluating.
Open and examine the annotation
Read the task instructions and compare them to the submitted annotation carefully.
If the task meets quality standards — Sign Off
Select "Sign Off" from the action menu. The task is complete and archived.
If the task has issues — Needs Work
Mark as "Needs Work" and leave at least one issue comment explaining the problem clearly. The task returns to the annotator.
Approving bad work is a quality failure too. If you sign off on a task that should have been returned, that is on your record. Be thorough — reviewers are held to the same standard as annotators.
08Setting Up Slack
Slack is the team communication platform used across all projects. You will use it to receive announcements, ask questions, coordinate with your team, and stay informed.
Step-by-step
Open the invite email
Look for an email from slack.com. Check spam if you don't see it.
Click the invite link
Opens Slack in your browser. No installation needed.
Create an account or sign in
Use your work email. Select "Create a new account" if you're new to Slack.
Land in #nectarine-experts.onboarding
This is the landing channel — your starting point for all onboarding materials.
Read pinned messages
Find and read all pinned messages in the onboarding channel before anything else.
Browser vs. desktop app
The browser version is fully functional. The desktop app is optional — you can install it later from slack.com/downloads if you prefer.
Invite link expired?
Slack invite links expire after 30 days. Ask your project coordinator for a new link. Do not create a separate workspace.
10Setup Checklist
Before starting your first task, confirm that everything below is in place.
You have joined Slack and read all pinned messages in #nectarine-experts.onboarding
You have joined your project's Slack channel and read all pinned messages there
You have received tool setup instructions from your project lead
You can log in to your project's annotation tool (Henna or Feather)
You can see your assigned projects or campaigns
You know who your project lead is and how to reach them
You have read the project instructions before starting your first task
Tool setup instructions are always project-specific. When in doubt, ask your project lead in Slack.