What Would You Like to See Happen to Project14 in 2018?

I would like to see a clear single chart of the all the schedule and deadline dates for all Project14s for the whole year.

Title (future Projects would simply be listed by their launch month)

Poll launch date to decide what the theme will be

Theme poll close date

Theme decision date

Project14 launch date

Project 14 deadline

Poll to choose winners launch date and close date

Winner selection deadline

Ideas

1. To incentivize earlier/more blogging perhaps some minor swag could be provided to members willing to blog their project plan.
2. I don't think there would be any opposition to having the odd project sponsored if the kit is a good fit for the theme. Perhaps members could opt in for the kit if they intend to use it and are willing to publish their proposed plan for its use.

You make some excellent points here.

Perhaps we can layout a doc where we plan out the next season.

We're coming up on a one year anniversary in April this year and would like to do something to commemorate the milestone as its pretty special.

Perhaps a single doc or proposed outline of how things shape up for the year with a spot to volunteer to participate in judging?

I would like to see the projects opened for more beginning makers

My understanding is the Project14 was developed to encourage newer participants and those that might not have the resource to tackle a Design Challenge.

The idea was to roll out a new theme on the 14th of each month and have each one run for 2 months.

Unfortunately I find the method of linking and being able to easily find the project themes and details, are less the user friendly.

I know it's a work in progress, and I'm not criticising what is/has been done, but rather trying to improve the hit rate for the project.

If the new comers can't easily find the info (without resorting to google) then the opportunities are not there.

IMO a page with the Project14 showing as a timeline with the names down the side showing and date along the top would allow better navigation.

When you click on the project, you should get a a standard page that is the same each time.

• What it's about,
• When you can apply,
• Link to apply,
• Some simple examples.

You should a have a seperate link to the posted entries to stop scaring people off.

While I like the look of the new and improved labels, it isn't really obvious you can click on them (I use Firefox), and they are different to other clickable content, so there needs to be some other options.

Also each entry should be required to be tagged, and this can be used to see the content, without resorting to filling in the search engine. (which IMO is hit and miss even knowing the content is there)

My perception is that the more experienced people are dominating the projects and creating a view that you need to be a good maker to participate.

I would have to agree that we are seeing some very high quality work, but having said that this is from a relative newcomer and IMO is EXCELLENT for Project14

Desktop Christmas Tree

The more experienced could be asked to provide a very simple example that is able to be displayed ....

The Project14 seems to relegated to a side panel, while other bits and pieces are centre stage.

I might be wrong but I'm guessing most people do not arrive at the welcome page to find Ben Heck, they have found the links either via google or Youtube and then discovered the site.

I'd prefer to see 6 boxes and with one as Road Tests, One as Design Challenges, one as Project14, one as webinars and then two others to fight out for other content.

To get to "What is ths Project14 all about" page, you need to click the Enter to Win, then click on the About Project14 which then takes you to ....

Project14: Monthly Project Competitions About You!

The other links also require a double clicking exercise simply to find out what is Project14.

So IMO if you want newcomers to enter (which was the intent of the project14), then you need to make it easy for them to find out about it.

Mark

My understanding is the Project14 was developed to encourage newer participants and those that might not have the resource to tackle a Design Challenge

I feel the same, it's a nice opportunity for us who cannot have the sustained resources to do a design challenge due to workload, to contribute some interesting projects too. I think it has not discouraged beginner projects, and we're seeing a nice mix of projects from newcomers and from those more experienced. Short and sweet projects.

I don't think that it is top-heavy or anything, we should continue encouraging more participation (e.g. improving navigation as you say) and not discourage anyone from entering, otherwise that leaves no way for people like ourselves to contribute, if we cannot sometimes enter a Project14 challenge either - I guess we would be Ronin. Wandering on our own : )

I don't see it as a competition anyway, the race is only to improve ourselves and have a bit of fun with electronics. Also some months people may need a bit of encouragement by seeing some projects, I certainly do, some stuff was really innovative that people did.

I missed that Xmas tree, thanks for posting it - it is truly awesome : ) I also really loved the coin cell one too, I thought it was inspiring: Gravity Assisted Blinking Coin Cell Christmas Tree

There have been contests that have been saved by going bust by some amazing project someone such as yourself submitted.

The one thing I've been really proud of so far is that we've had winners announcements for each one of our competitions.

There have been times where the competition was going down to the wire and as we're going to move onto the next one we get projects come in and breathe a tremendous sigh of relief.  :-)

This program is for all the members to submit projects regardless of skill set and that includes all the top members and experts we have on the community.

Whenever I want to try something new, its usually someone who is really good at something, that inspires me to try something for myself.

If you only have people that are doing it for the first time, it makes it hard to see the light at the tunnel.

Good projects are good projects wherever they are submitted.

Some people prefer to participate and post on their own blogs,  we welcome them to participate if they have a project that fits the theme.

The more the merrier.  

Its only a competition in the sense that a $5 game of poker is.

You're only there to have a bit of fun and compete for the sake of competition, not for monetary reasons.

Project14 is free for anyone to try and you can use whatever parts you want as long as it fits the theme and lists steps, video, and a title for your project.

There have been contests that have been saved by going bust by some amazing project someone such as yourself submitted.

I think you could reach out and ask any of the regulars if it's looking that way going forward.

While I agree with the comments above, I think you need to put yourself in the shoes of a newbie.

They may not have a circle of friends to show their idea to, so they turn to the project and see some really awesome work, and then start second guessing themselves.

They then look back at their own project and decide it's not worthy or they think it's no where as good, and they don't want to look bad.

Unfortunately that is human nature, and not everyone is wired to trust in themselves.

IMO It is a competition ... just not one that has money as a prize.

Mark

There have been contests that have been saved by going bust by some amazing project someone such as yourself submitted.

I think you could reach out and ask any of the regulars if it's looking that way going forward.

While I agree with the comments above, I think you need to put yourself in the shoes of a newbie.

They may not have a circle of friends to show their idea to, so they turn to the project and see some really awesome work, and then start second guessing themselves.

They then look back at their own project and decide it's not worthy or they think it's no where as good, and they don't want to look bad.

Unfortunately that is human nature, and not everyone is wired to trust in themselves.

IMO It is a competition ... just not one that has money as a prize.

Mark