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Disappointed - My opinion

dwinhold

Looking back at the latest design challenge Design for a Cause, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. Before I continue, congratulations to everyone who competed and completed or tried their best. I always feel if you tried your best and didn't complete you still succeeded. This challenge was for a great cause and potentially help many people for little to no cost. This challenge was even more important as part of the winners prize goes to charity!! I personally put 100% of my effort and knowledge into creating my project as I truly hope one day it will become a reality for the seeing impaired. Now for the disappointing part:

 

16 competitors chosen / Unknown number of applicants

16 kits sent out

8 competitors completed

4 competitors started but didn't continue past a couple of blogs

4 competitors didn't even start

Now this means 50% took the challenge serious and wants to make a difference. 25% started and gave up (Reasons unknown). 25% didn't even start.

 

So what happened? 8 competitors got the kit for free and did nothing for it. They took away 8 others from competing in the challenge who could have made a difference. The kit was worth $250.00USD, so $2000 worth of electronics was wasted. That is wrong and disappointing....

 

 

Please leave a comment about this

 

 

Dale W

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  • Hi Dale,

     

    This discussion comes up every couple of years.

    There are very few ways to make anyone fulfill their promise to complete a design challenge or road test.

    I would suggest that element 14 include a clause that failure to participate results in an immediate request to return all items shipped, but that is very unenforceable.

    So I think we have learned over the years that about 50% of all challenges and road test come to naught.

     

    Over the last couple of years the staff at element 14 have done a very good job in trying to properly screen the participants, but even then, we still see this recurring problem. Some people are very good liars and get selected where some people who would actually complete the challenge get bumped because their proposal writing skills are not up to the task.

     

    In the past I have suggested creating a group of trusted testers, but that method then impedes new people from participating.

    I have also suggested a progressive challenge, where you provide the equipment in stages based upon performance in completing each stage of the challenge. This approach increases the work for element 14, but might save the venders some money in the long run.

     

    I do not see anyway to create a fool proof system. Fool's are just too ingenious in writing a winning proposal and then not participating.

     

    So while I feel your pain, I am at a loss as to how we can do much against those who just slash and burn the venders.

     

    DAB

  • in reply to DAB

    fools may have an easier time fooling the “for humanity” contests. It’s easier to fake real human compassion than to fake real engineering skills ...

     

    and maybe the judges are mellower when soft  feelings are at stake ? (I see similar things happening on other sites. I’ll name hackster because that’s an element14 related site. )

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  • in reply to DAB

    fools may have an easier time fooling the “for humanity” contests. It’s easier to fake real human compassion than to fake real engineering skills ...

     

    and maybe the judges are mellower when soft  feelings are at stake ? (I see similar things happening on other sites. I’ll name hackster because that’s an element14 related site. )

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