Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

RE: Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

Former Member — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:29:28 GMT

Unfortunately 9/10 it is lack of motivation, most others are excuses covering for lack of drive.

People are easily distracted and complete the less difficult/time consuming tasks before sitting for research or completing a hands-on project. I believe the best solution is to think deep into your mind and rediscover the initial point at which this was a fresh, exciting new idea and the reasoning that follows it. Rediscover the motivation and drive you once had for wanting to complete this task and then see how natural your want to accomplish your project is again. Surface thinking sometimes needs a dive.[View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-2bd7100c-0200-4317-a1ba-3b1883f01529/3010.contentimage_5F00_1.png:16:16]

RE: Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

kas.lewis — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 20:38:42 GMT

One of the issues I have is getting another project before I finish the first (usually be request by someone else). The other issue is loosing interest due to unexpected delays. When I need to wait a month or more for parts or to get a simple answer such as how to get an I2C module working that can take the wind out of may sails and really slow a project down or stop it all together. What does help is when you are in a team and each member can help keep the momentum moving.

I think an interesting idea would be for E14 to hold a team challenge, where they would require each team to have 2 or 3 people to achieve some goal. At the very least it would be a fun idea to see how such a challenge would work out. I would be very interested in teaming up with [mention:6e474abc33b64a82aa78c9813503c962:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] as he is geographically close and has a LOT to share as do so many others here. It would be fun to hear some other peoples ideas.

Kas

RE: Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

DAB — Sun, 06 Jul 2014 20:34:48 GMT

After over fifty years of hobby and forty years of work I put most of my unfinished projects into one cause: OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS!

I could make the argument about time, enthusiasm, priority issues, or others, but mostly it boils down to a change in the reason why I wanted to do the project.

I used to worry about it, but then I realized that it just happens.

At work, I am very goal oriented to keep the customer happy. Those projects were always done on time and within budget.

Home projects, for whatever reason, just do not have the same level of importance.

On some neat projects, once I figure out how to make it work, I lose interest in making it work. Don't know why, but I just do.

In the end I have concluded that as long as you are having fun, it just doesn't matter!

So have fun, stop worrying and occasionally make something neat.

DAB

RE: Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

Former Member — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 20:11:55 GMT

I'd split the reasons into two distinct camps. True hobbyists, and professional engineers doing something in their spare time.

Professional engineers tend to suffer to one degree or another from not really wanting to spend their spare time doing what they do 9-5. I certainly have this problem, and while my 9-5 has swung between software and hardware over the years I've generally found my out-of-work interest heading the opposite way. There's also that certain stage where you'll settle for good enough and sort the rough edges later that you simply don't get to do professionally.

The true hobbyist tend to stick out as they generally don't know what they're doing, don't have even basics like a multimeter and simply won't spend the money on the appropriate and required equipment. If they do buy some equipment they'll usually buy the cheapest crap they can find and then wonder why they have problems.

I also don't agree that a hobbyist has demonstrated the ability to learn new concepts, indeed a lot that pop up in visible places will happily demonstrate for you that they have absolutely no interest in learning anything.

One thing that I might add to your list is that the drive towards miniaturization tends to put some stuff out of reach of people doing things at home. For some of us that's going to come down to no longer having the necessary eyesight and the frustration of trying to deal with ever smaller parts. In other ways it can simply put the necessary equipment out of reach financially. Yet people will often still take on things with the certainty that a toaster oven is the answer to all problems [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-2bd7100c-0200-4317-a1ba-3b1883f01529/contentimage_5F00_1.png:16:16]

Personally I find that I've very few projects that I've not completed, but at the same time I do have various things where I'll have several prototypes, some completed, some abandoned, when it becomes clear that a certain approach isn't going to work out. I also find that I end up with finished and working things where I'd really like to do it all again and make different choices..

RE: Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

jw0752 — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 04:46:38 GMT

Mark you did an excellent job of outlining what I felt at one time was a flaw in my character. Eventually, however, I came to understand that my goals really weren't always the completion of projects. The projects were instead only a pretext to satisfy my curiousity and to learn new things. Sure, when I stumble, occasionally, on a real need the answer to that need gets designed and constructed, if I am clever enough to do it. If the need however is only a pretext to play with something new I usually read, and learn what I have to and then I put together enough hardware to confirm my understanding of the basics of the technology or hardware, document and file my notes and put the pieces of hardware back for future projects. I know from the start that I am going to stop short of completion of the project. I try to mix up my approach to learning just to keep it interesting. When I just need to relax I turn on the solder iron and salvage components from old boards. While I know that I don't even begin to approach the abilities and knowledge of most of the other members I am thankful that I at least know enough to appreciate some of the marvelous things they are doing and making. In summary I have to say that I have stopped even pretending that I will finish most projects and just enjoy working on them as long as they hold my interest. Thanks for your article.

John

RE: Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

mcb1 — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 00:51:34 GMT

Mark

How is the project de-railed .... you aren't pushing up daisies .... (well if you are the internet is still working)

So in theory you could still complete the project. [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-2bd7100c-0200-4317-a1ba-3b1883f01529/contentimage_5F00_938.png:16:16]

I have so many projects I need to live until about 148 by today's list ...

although by then I may not be sure if I have finished or not. [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-2bd7100c-0200-4317-a1ba-3b1883f01529/contentimage_5F00_53.png:16:16]

Mark

RE: Why do many hobbyist projects derail?

johnbeetem — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 22:15:20 GMT

"Life is a journey, not a destination, Grasshopper." Or, see the dog version in a recent New Yorker.

It sounds like you're buying boards to learn something. Once you have finished reading the documentation, you've learned 80% of what you're going to learn, without having to deal with the frustration of loading Windows drivers. You've also learned enough to spark your interest in learning something else. Recommendation: download the documentation and read it, only pretending you have the board. Then write software. Then buy the actual hardware.

Many of my projects are mostly software, and I only need hardware towards the end when I actually need to see it working with real hardware. So I write the software first, and only when the software is almost done do I order hardware. Sometimes it's possible to test most of the software using hardware I already have, so that helps postpone the day of ordering something new.

OTOH, there are products well worthy of support like Raspberry Pi, BeagleBoard/Bone, and Papilio, so even if you don't ever use the board you have helped a worthy project thrive, which helps others.

JMO/YMMV