Colour coding matches

[Rosinish]

depending on age compared to you
if its a non parental event
most likely to me a half aunt uncle
or half neice nephew
or half 1st cousin

I'm pretty sure he's 1 of the above which I discussed with you via PM.

Annie

[brigidmac]

i didnt know anything about other sites coloour code systems but as usual a helpful rootschat member had this to say ..
 copied with permission from guy ..slightly abridged

 "colour coding can be used to show a how you match a common ancestor. However, it does not stop there you can use different colour to identify different groups and a person may belong to a number of different groups and therefore display dots of different colours which instantly inform you specific things about that person.
There are many “standard” methods to colour code perhaps one of the most common or most used is the one used by Dana Leeds the creator of the Leeds method. Ancestry use a slightly more basic method. MyHeritage allows up to 30 colours to be used while other systems limit you to I think 18. From memory Johnny Perl of DNA painter suggests (when painting segments) using darker colours for the oldest (i.e. those furthest back in time) as light colours may be superimposed on the darker colours but tend to be hidden by darker colours.
Depending on the matches you have it may be possible for you to indicate by colour matching an ancestor and the segments they pass down through the various generations.
My view is as long as you have a key that explains the colour codes used there is no need to follow any particular choice of colours. Just as you choose what to add to your genealogical tree you are free to add what you want to your genetic tree "

[Biggles50]

I have been using Colour coding for a few years and it has proved useful.

Firstly when I have linked a DNA match into my tree I give them a Star, this is more useful than using the Common Ancestor feature as it includes many DNA matches who I have linked to via the hard slog method and not the Ancestry cobbled together via online trees that is the common ancestor method.

Like Guy, I use colour matching in a similar manner to the Leeds Method but without its limitations.

I use Ancestry’s add Note feature to show which xGGP pair are shared between the DNA match and I.

Taking my highest DNA matches I assigned each a colour and gave the same colour to each of the shared matches.  Soon the list was pretty colourful.

I then transferred the top twenty to a spreadsheet as a pre cursor to categorising them al a Leeds Method.

Roll on a few years and now the Colour Coding is due for a review to rationalise the system

Below is my colour coding transferred to a spreadsheet and printed on three A3 sheets, if you try to expand it the names on the top are all blurred so you cannot see and names of living persons.

EDIT
After producing the spreadsheet I set about assigning them to a specific Grandparent, as per the Leeds Method and alas that is where I came unstuck as so many of my DNA matches do not have a tree and I could only match known Cousins who are already in my tree.

[brigidmac]

Thanks for that wonderful example biggles

I tag my tree with common dna ancestor and then tag each person thru to DNA match as DNA connection and I use the blue tree symbol to indicate who person is on treeeven if their trees are unlinked or wrong

I use stars for mysteries that I want to come back to later but definitely use notes function

As reminders to myself
" Connects to Abiah probably via Dorcas "
Or" connects to our  ship builders "

I don't think notes or colour coded  are visible to DNA matches

But alternative parents are visible if matches click on common ancestor profile .I add tags on trees for adopted in or out of the family so surname differences can be quickly explained

" Links to Jacobstadt could Litven be another name change variety from LEVINE)

[brigidmac]

How long does it take to learn how to use colour coding .

In past I have done the work for people to add colours to their matches .

I don't remember  how long it took me

But I do remember one common mistake was I'd type a surname in the middle bar then tap the general search at the top instead of search button underneath and would get ALL my.matches instead of only the ones with the surname I was interested in on the tree

To tell the truth ..I still do that a lot when I'm tired !

[Rosinish]

How long does it take to learn how to use colour coding .

I used colour coding when I 1st got my results back, my own method at the time with shared matches which was along the lines of the Leeds Method...

However, I quickly found out about the LEEDS METHOD & would highly recommend.

As soon as you begin to use any colour coding system you're on your way as it doesn't take any specific amount of time to learn, you're following names, giving each shared match a colour.

It can take a good bit of time to go through all your matches, their matches (matches matches) but time comes down to the amount of matches.

I've mentioned previously, the Leeds Method can be done off computer by drawing lines just like an excel spreadsheet which is very easy & felt pens/highlighters for colour coding.

Annie

[brigidmac]

Thanks Annie
I must start using the LEEDS. Method more

For me ancestyr is useful because I can keep it all in one place . I've had so many moves in past 3 years that bits of paper are all over the place .

Maybe sorting out paperwork can be one of the relaxation activities I can do this month under doctors orders not to get stressed

[Rosinish]

Brigid,

Have another look at Biggles post Reply #20 especially his last sentence...

"After producing the spreadsheet I set about assigning them to a specific Grandparent, as per the Leeds Method and alas that is where I came unstuck as so many of my DNA matches do not have a tree and I could only match known Cousins who are already in my tree."

In other words, the LEEDS METHOD helps a lot when there are no trees to compare with.

Annie

[Guy Etchells]

Thanks Annie
I must start using the LEEDS. Method more

For me ancestyr is useful because I can keep it all in one place . I've had so many moves in past 3 years that bits of paper are all over the place .

Maybe sorting out paperwork can be one of the relaxation activities I can do this month under doctors orders not to get stressed

Why do it on paper, the same result can be achieved digitally on your computer and future changes more easily effected, plus it keeps everything in one place.
Cheers
Guy