What is the Main Deterrent to Participation?

Feels like the community is turning more into a top member hang out then the wider community it used to be. Just my 2c

Sometimes this is the case. Initiatives like the recent Bit by the Bug generate a lot of fresh member activity, but how do we motivate new members to stick around and enjoy other benefits?

I realize that a lot of stuff is driven by sponsors so that limits Element 14, but I wonder if there might be something that might reach out to new and even unknown audience along the lines of working with Lego and Raspberry Pi/Beaglebone/Arduino/etc... or a basic robotics setup simple enough to catch the eye of Facebook readers.  Robotics clubs seem to be appearing all over in schools from Elementary level to University.  And of course Legos are timeless and something that is more affordable than Mindstorm would intrigue and spark traffic. 

Just a thought...

Good point. There are a lot of reasons why clubs work. It should be possible to figure out the reasons and see if any can be incorporated into this forum. Some similarities already exist, but what else might be appropriate?

Along the lines of clubs, what about competitions that require collaboration between team members. So you find a partner and work on a project together whether that be across national or international boundaries. This would increase learning, engagement and all around community. Doing a project with you Douglas I think would be interesting and really increase my knowledge. I could say the same for a few other members here I would love to work on a project with, even if it is over skype or what have you.

The benefit to sponsoring companies, even if they may need to supply double or 1.5 times the gear (need to ensure some collaboration), is that teams these days are across borders what a way to encourage this type of collaboration and have others learn more about it. Heck some of these companies may even find people they want on their teams...

Kas

I think there is significant interest in collaboration, but the logistics can be a nightmare. It is fairly easy to exchange software but hardware is problematic. For example, I often build with miscellaneous stuff I have lying around, and a collaborator would have a different set. I like designing PCBs to keep wiring clean in challenge projects. It is not hard to have a duplicate set of PCBs delivered to a collaborator, but in may be difficult or expensive for them to build, since I design with parts I have in stock. It also imposes a lot more documentation requirements on a project.

On the mechanical side, transferring 3D printable designs is not hard, but it means both parties need 3D printing facilities.

As tough as the hardware is, the biggest hurdle is scheduling and timing.

I expect it would be a very rare collaboration that would end up with a successful project at both ends, completed on time.

One part of me is enthusiastic about collaboration, but another part has lots of reservations. None-the-less I am willing to give it a shot if the project is interesting enough.

I would have to imagine that unless the partners are at a minimum in the same country, simply shipping can be a nightmare.  Some Challenges have Radio specific equipment that are limited per the area the participant is in. 

Good point about the radios. Ordering parts such as custom PCBs just needs to be from a place that ships worldwide.

Good point about the radios. Ordering parts such as custom PCBs just needs to be from a place that ships worldwide.