What Changes Would You Like to See Made to Project14?

Hi Tariq,

I kind of like the way things are set up right now, I just wish I had more time to spend on it.

I've just had a few meetings with my managers and they've allowed me to free up my Friday afternoons for random tech projects, so I should be back soon

> Shorter Contests or Longer Contests?

I wouldn't mind seeing more weekend- or afternoon-sized quick projects happening. Maybe there can be an in-between kind of contest with that kind of criteria?

I love seeing what people are building, of all kinds of sizes and budgets, so I wouldn't want to discourage that, but shorter quick-builds would allow for more try-this-at-home participation.

It's great to see all those amazing projects people have built, but I wonder if that might discourage novice makers from participating when shadowed by such greatness.

> Should we have a giveaway before we launch every contest?

This runs the risk of encouraging users to sign up just for the free stuff, never to be seen again. I'd be more interested in seeing element14 offer parts for builds, which would require participants to outline their project and provide a parts list - something that maybe shows a bit more commitment.

Another contest style that would be interesting would be along the theme of "build something with this specific set of $10 worth of parts".  Or even "build something that uses an old power toothbrush".

Best,

-Nico

Another option could be an extension or variation to the short evening/weekend projects, making it more of a teaching/learning thing: encouraging others to copy the project for themselves. Bonus points for every time your project gets built by another member.

Thanks ntewinkel ,

>> Another option could be an extension or variation to the short evening/weekend projects, making it more of a teaching/learning thing: encouraging others to copy the project for themselves. Bonus points for every time your project gets built by another member.

Perhaps we do more workshops around existing projects.   Do you think members would be interested in conducting workshops based on existing builds?  

>> I wouldn't mind seeing more weekend- or afternoon-sized quick projects happening. Maybe there can be an in-between kind of contest with that kind of criteria?

I love seeing what people are building, of all kinds of sizes and budgets, so I wouldn't want to discourage that, but shorter quick-builds would allow for more try-this-at-home participation.

It's great to see all those amazing projects people have built, but I wonder if that might discourage novice makers from participating when shadowed by such greatness.

We have design challenges which are longer and more complex so wouldn't want to turn it into that.   What I would consider is doing some sort of activity whether its a meet-up, a workshop, or project proposals.  The workshop with Enrico generated a lot of great project ideas and produced some really cool projects after it was done.

>>This runs the risk of encouraging users to sign up just for the free stuff, never to be seen again. I'd be more interested in seeing element14 offer parts for builds, which would require participants to outline their project and provide a parts list - something that maybe shows a bit more commitment.

Giveaway might not be the right word, in the past when we've done these its always been around project proposals.

> Another contest style that would be interesting would be along the theme of "build something with this specific set of $10 worth of parts".  Or even "build something that uses an old power toothbrush".

This sounds like an interesting idea.  Especially,  with people being locked down and forced to be frugal.  

Great work tariq.ahmad. Project14 is a great program that enjoys sufficient participation to keep the monthly project pace lively. If you calculate the time between when the new topic poll looks conclusive and the project deadline, there is what - about 14 weeks, which is enough time to complete a decent project.

I had fun with Project14 in 2020 and did submit some projects, but I also had a terrible struggle with supply chain issues and medical problems due to Covid, which combined to make me miss at least 3 Project14 deadlines. Hopefully those projects and others I worked on in 2020 will get published at some point even though 2021 is starting out worse that 2020. Despite the missed deadlines (one project was just missing a single component that came in a few days too late), I would not want the deadlines extended. Project14 was perfectly successful without my projects.

I really like the fact that Project14 does not require one to commit to submitting, as is the case with road tests and design challenges, so the 3 projects I did not submit do not end up as failures to honor a commitment.

In the case of the Recycle & Retrofit project which did involve a kind of proposal, I had to submit a different project from what I was planning because the original parts arrived too late. It was distinctly uncomfortable for me because it wasn't what I proposed or what people were expecting, and this detracted from the experience. The bottom line is I wouldn't want to inject more commitment into Project14.

One area that might be improved is keeping track of topic suggestions. Currently it is difficult to know if a topic has already been suggested. The main posting that solicits suggestions has so many pages, it is tough to even scroll to the end and consequently members are not using it much anymore.

On the topic of increasing participation, The motivation to participate needs to increase without significantly increasing demotivation.  Many incentives cause both effects, because the competition for desirable incentives can discourage members who have not won anything.

One incentive might be to reward simple participation with some swag - for example if a member submits 2 or 3 Prjoject14 entries in a year, they might get some swag or a special badge, even if their projects did not win any prizes.

I like the idea of projects that multiple members end up building.

Perhaps if participating members buy the BoM kit from Newark and elemen14 paid the shipping, it would be enough to encourage participation - assuming the project had fairly wide appeal to start with.

For example several members expressed interest in converting a PC power supply into a bench power supply.

You could start with a contest to design the best conversion.

The winner gets a gift certificate to order PCBs - delivered to element14 - to be included in the order when someone buys the BoM parts.

Hi Tariq,

I'm glad you are having a look at how to improve the program but I have to say it is already very good.

• I think monthly is about right.   It is probably more work for you but I find all of the Project14 contests interesting, even the ones I don't enter and I always look for Project14 first when I log on.
• I think contest length is about right also.  I am fortunate to probably have more time than most due to retirement but I am still pretty busy :-)  and last year was unable to participate in several I was interested in due to various circumstances.  So shorter might be nice at times if things are already on hand to do the project.
• I like Nico's idea for quick projects.  Several Element14 members like John Wiltrout, Jan Cumps and Jon Clift have published quick projects that are educational and interesting.  Example projects might be make something with a 555 timer, build a useful circuit with no more than x components, demonstrate how a certain active component works, those sorts of things.  I'm not sure how much general interest there would be though.
• How to get more people entering - the quality of the winning entries is frequently quite high in my opinion.  Maybe that is discouraging but high quality isn't bad.  Maybe do an analysis of what projects have generated the most entries.  I was surprised there weren't more entries in the holiday contest this last year as there were great prizes and the theme was not restrictive.
• I don't know about prize size.  For me at least the prizes are recognition and the real reward is learning and applying new skills.  Giveaways beforehand might work for some.  What about the grand prize winner being able to award some amount to one of the entries that didn't win like is done for the holiday winners?

How to make it more fun?  How about a badge for the best title, most educational, or the project that brings the most joy that month regardless of the theme.  Maybe it could change from month to month and be announced beforehand and have a prize.

But again, I have to say the program is already very good.

Hi Tariq,

I love the Project14 program, it's a much more relaxed environment than the Design Challenges as already pointed out by dougw. I didn't finish a couple of projects this year for the Project14 but I'll publish those at some point, while you have to publish your progress for the Design Challenge. As for the topics you've put out:

• I like the monthly new theme format, but I like when there is a special Project14 theme like the Month of Robots Project14 or something like that. I think those are great and push all of the people participating to make bigger and more complex projects.
• On the other side, I would like to see more relaxed themes as well. As ntewinkel mentioned, putting a cap on building a project for a given theme with a max budget of 10$, a lot more people would be confident to participate I think and the creativity would go higher when you have to make it work for only 10$.
• Something similar to do that could also be to maybe have some of those shorter projects which would be aimed more towards hand tools. By that, I mean projects that don't use 3D printers, CNC machines and laser cutters for example, since these are machines that can really help with projects, but not everyone has access to them.
• Another idea for shorter contest would maybe be to have a weekend style contest, since most people are off work then, where the theme can be presented on a livestream on Friday, where people could ask questions about that theme and people would have until Sunday to post a blog on the given theme.
• I think the prizes are a great size for Project14 and the value shouldn't change, but I think to get more people involved, specially who aren't a lot on the site, an addition of a gadget or something like that to the grand prize would draw more members to participate.
• Another thing on the prize side would be something that fmilburn mentioned. Besides the normal winner having a special category winner, which would come with a special prize and badge. To add onto this, if there was a rotation of those special prizes, for example, most educational, most polished, best presented, and if someone managed to get all 3 during a year, there would be a special badge. That would pose a unique challenge.
• Giveaways before the monthly theme could maybe work, but with shipping delays everywhere, I don't know if it would work right now with the monthly schedule.
• I like your idea about workshops around existing projects done by members. I think it would be fun to see what would people make based on someone's project, to see their take and unique perspective while still following a rough guideline.

Thanks for all of the hard work around Project14, it's an amazing program!

Milos

>>Douglas wrote:

>>The bottom line is I wouldn't want to inject more commitment into Project14.

That's a really good point. I've had so many cases along the lines of "the contractor can only be here this weekend" or "the water line is broken, it must be fixed immediately", that I just don't need the stress of another commitment.

>>One incentive might be to reward simple participation with some swag - for example if a member submits 2 or 3 Prjoject14 entries in a year, they might get some swag or a special badge, even if their projects did not win any prizes.

Ooh! that's really good. I will second that motion!  I would rather see more smaller prizes than a few bigger prizes.

>>One area that might be improved is keeping track of topic suggestions. Currently it is difficult to know if a topic has already been suggested.

That's a good idea - this could be in the form of a bug tracker. I recall a while ago some companies having public bug lists and users could vote to increase priorities. In our case such a list could simplify tracking ideas, submitting new ideas, and voting on the whole ideas list can help identify which project theme is next.

I'm following this thread with interest, but I have to confess that I have my head down so deeply into my own project(s) that I have never managed to find time to participate in project 14

Neil

Thanks dougw ,

The high quality of your work has been amazing so this is especially high praise.  On a side note: I will always have a fond place in my heart for Sparky the Power Chick as that Sparky the Power Chick that sort of helped establish the mood of the program at the very beginning of the program.

>> Project14 is a great program that enjoys sufficient participation to keep the monthly project pace lively. If you calculate the time between when the new topic poll looks conclusive and the project deadline, there is what - about 14 weeks, which is enough time to complete a decent project.

This program is set up to be timely and relevant to the community for every theme we launched and the two months has been established as a fair enough time to submit something decent for members who wish to participate and it also allows enough time for people who want to submit more than one project to do so.

>> I had fun with Project14 in 2020 and did submit some projects, but I also had a terrible struggle with supply chain issues and medical problems due to Covid, which combined to make me miss at least 3 Project14 deadlines. Hopefully those projects and others I worked on in 2020 will get published at some point even though 2021 is starting out worse that 2020. Despite the missed deadlines (one project was just missing a single component that came in a few days too late), I would not want the deadlines extended. Project14 was perfectly successful without my projects.

No doubt, these proposed changes can't be separated from everything that has happened in 2020.   We weren't able to do things like Makevember, and while we were able to maintain this program, one of the things that became an issue would be some shipping issues due to the nature of what was going on.  It sort of created a domino effect on things.   No longer having access to the mailroom and a reluctance to travel to the downtown office (recently received communication discouraging unnecessary visits) means that some things (such as shipping to certain regions) or items shipped to the Chicago office were necessarily delayed.   Most importantly, there's nothing more important than health. 

Most importantly:  The health of our members and the health of the members of our team. We found a way to keep things going but it wasn't easy for anyone that had to do shipping which was for the most part Dan and myself.   To hear what you went through, and these stories from other members, brought what was occurring with the Pandemic, down to earth in a very chilling way. 

Almost immediately after the lockdowns happened we got together as a team and wanted to do something rather than just sit there and passively take in what was happening.   Because of the rapid nature of Project14, this program made the most sense, especially as it was likely going to be the theme in April anyway. 

>>Despite the missed deadlines (one project was just missing a single component that came in a few days too late), I would not want the deadlines extended. Project14 was perfectly successful without my projects.

Having deadlines extended, although in some cases made sense, runs the risk of making the program something different and don't want to do that.   I was slow to come around to this but shifting rather than altering may be the best way to keep things intact as they were.    There's not a theme I didn't love or see something amazing in.  Even the ones early on with 3 or 4 projects. I don't think this program would have survived, or at least in the way it is today (if that makes sense), if we did things differently.   However,  maybe we can keep what we love and keep the pace alive at the same time.   This in itself is a design challenge.

>>One area that might be improved is keeping track of topic suggestions. Currently it is difficult to know if a topic has already been suggested. The main posting that solicits suggestions has so many pages, it is tough to even scroll to the end and consequently members are not using it much anymore.

I remember you brought this up before.   This is something that definitely does need to be addressed.   It use to be a really great discussion and it has gotten a bit too long.   You started a thread but maybe a form is suggested.   Keeping the fountain of ideas running is essential for keeping this going.   This will definitely be an action item which will need to be addressed.    How do you encourage more ideas, which in my opinion makes these polls more exciting and again, its one of what I would consider the things I personally wouldn't want to be touched.   Turning ideas into a reality.

>> On the topic of increasing participation, The motivation to participate needs to increase without significantly increasing demotivation.  Many incentives cause both effects, because the competition for desirable incentives can discourage members who have not won anything.

One incentive might be to reward simple participation with some swag - for example if a member submits 2 or 3 Project14 entries in a year, they might get some swag or a special badge, even if their projects did not win any prizes.

Badges are another thing that needs to be revisited. Early on,  this was easier to maintain manually but as the program has grown, there's no automated way to do the kind of badges we award.   It got put on the back burner, as order fulfillment takes a front seat, as does maintaining competitions month after month does as well.    Like the poll ideas, this is another action item for maintaining more fluidly for 2021.   I also think enough time has passed that adjustments can be made.   I will be looking to send out some long overdue swag in the near future, especially as February 15th is random acts of kindness day.   Also,  want to create some breathing room so we can do something like Makevember again this year, or what we did to celebrate the community's birthday by having that big Arduino giveaway.