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How does element14 influence which projects you work on?

dougw
  1. Do element14 contests and road tests influence which projects you work on?
  2. Do element14 projects reduce the number of other projects you work on?
  3. Do element14 discussions and blogs inspire or influence some of your projects?
  4. What observations, likes and dislikes do you have about the mix of project themes on element14?
    1. are they too technical? not technical enough? too onerous? not a good fit for your situation?
  5. Would you like to participate more but encounter obstacles?
  6. Do you find the prizes are a significant/sufficient incentive to blog about your projects?

To kick off the discussion, in my case, element14 does have some influence on my projects, but often it is more about influencing which projects get published than about which projects I tackle.

I always have multiple projects on the go or in the pipeline, but when an element14 contest is announced I often investigate if one of my projects can be adapted to fit the rules.

This can alter the priority of a project or even its objectives. Sometimes just thinking about contest themes, spawns a new project idea that goes in the queue.

Often an element14 project includes a subsystem that is useful in some other project in my queue.

Working on element14 projects always incurs a lot more documentation and blogging effort than private projects.

I like the contest / deadline format in the sense that it provides incentive to complete projects quickly.

Some of the other blogs on element14 definitely inspire new projects to be placed in my project queue.

I find that if I have no use for the prize, I am much less likely to participate, but the prize is not usually the main motive for participating in a contest.

Rarely, but once in a while, the prize is the primary reason.

Parents

  • element14 contests and RoadTests absolutely influence the projects I do. They also significantly influence the time in which I get them done. The limited timeframes force me to be disciplined about completing the project where I might otherwise drift off onto another project. So... e14 projects do reduce the number of other projects that I work on - at one time. This is actually a very good thing for me. I allow myself fewer distractions when I'm working on an e14 project.

    elment14 discussions and blogs do inspire or influence some of my projects. During Holidays Competition 2024,  made a comment to me that inspired me to do something I'd been telling myself I wanted to do for years. Some day, I'm going to build WirePulser - just because it's cool.

    As to the project theme mix, I think it ebbs and flows. Sometimes it's within my skill set and interest and at other times... it isn't. That's okay. It will cycle back around at some point. For me to participate more, I would have to up my game; increase my skills. Or I can wait for the cycle to return.

    I do think that the prizes are sufficient to warrant good blogs and reviews. Wanting the prize definitely redefines how far out of my comfort zone I'm willing to go in and with the project. Not wanting or needing the prize has the same effect - in reverse. Some day, I'll take the time to learn about servos and stepper motors - but I had no interest in an electric bike. So I watched Start A Movement from the sidelines. Now, if it had been a spectrum analyzer... I might have put forth some effort. Or just wait for the cycle to return. Laughing

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  • element14 contests and RoadTests absolutely influence the projects I do. They also significantly influence the time in which I get them done. The limited timeframes force me to be disciplined about completing the project where I might otherwise drift off onto another project. So... e14 projects do reduce the number of other projects that I work on - at one time. This is actually a very good thing for me. I allow myself fewer distractions when I'm working on an e14 project.

    elment14 discussions and blogs do inspire or influence some of my projects. During Holidays Competition 2024,  made a comment to me that inspired me to do something I'd been telling myself I wanted to do for years. Some day, I'm going to build WirePulser - just because it's cool.

    As to the project theme mix, I think it ebbs and flows. Sometimes it's within my skill set and interest and at other times... it isn't. That's okay. It will cycle back around at some point. For me to participate more, I would have to up my game; increase my skills. Or I can wait for the cycle to return.

    I do think that the prizes are sufficient to warrant good blogs and reviews. Wanting the prize definitely redefines how far out of my comfort zone I'm willing to go in and with the project. Not wanting or needing the prize has the same effect - in reverse. Some day, I'll take the time to learn about servos and stepper motors - but I had no interest in an electric bike. So I watched Start A Movement from the sidelines. Now, if it had been a spectrum analyzer... I might have put forth some effort. Or just wait for the cycle to return. Laughing

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