Please Read: RoadTest Program Change #2

Even now its not clear for all road tests when the final selection will be. For most its about one week after the submissions close, so you know that you will need to be able to respond during that time. But for some there is no defined date, so its difficult to know beforehand. Also, plans sometimes change. When you apply for a test right at the start, there is one month left until the final submission. That is plenty of time for employers to send you on a road trip, lose your phone or whatever.

And even though we are techies this doesn't mean we should be slaves of our phones and computers. Its quite relaxing to sometimes turn them off. During this years summer vacation there won't be internet for our son, and so no internet for me. We parents should be role models, at least sometimes...

Hendrik,

From what I can tell, the 1-month enrollment, 1-week selection and 60-day roadtest was the ideal goal for the timeline. But it was theory, not reality. I have to order the parts and then I have to ship them. Sometimes the suppliers don't get back to me for weeks. It's not like a triggering a circuit to cause it to turn on an off. I interact with people with a varying set of priorities. I would like to change to notion that 1mo/1wk/60days is the standard. I really think the enrollment period should be long enough to find people who really want to test the product and do it well and want to write about it. I also think that the 60-day roadtest period is too long for some products and not long enough for other products. But given the changes occurring, I'm going to stick with the established timeline.

I am wondering if you are misunderstanding what I have put forth in #2 when you say "even though we are techies this doesn't mean we should be slaves of our phones and computers." Slaves? Really? Isn't that a stretch or are you using hyperbole to make your point. Look at this scenario:

I am ready to ship out the roadtest parts. And I privately message that I am sending them out. and I get no response by the RoadTester. I contact him after a few days. Should I send them out? What would you do? Likewise, I sent my additional questions to a roadtester and he has not responded in two weeks. And then I see he hasn't logged on since January. (I also saw that this one was a university student. So I wondered if he had graduated?) Do I keep waiting for him? Or do I move onto other applicants who are responsive and have placed the element14 Community as a regular part of their life so they check in at least once a week?

As far as being in contact during vacation time. Well, I am taking a few days off this week and next. I have notified people that need to know about my availability. I think most people do that. So, if you are on summer vacation and I can't get in touch with you, what should I do?

I decided I will stick with the 1-week time period for now. I will attempt to notify Roadtesters through more than 1 channel. If this doesn't solve the problem, I'll have to modify it. Now, it's back to work for me.

Cheers.

Randall

PS I have noticed that you have been a great RoadTester. I appreciate your efforts.

These changes need to be made or we may lose our sponsors. If I were to be away at the time of announcement for a few weeks I wouldn't apply. None of the changes are out of line and the reply time is appropriate. Being awarded a road test is a contract, there are rules we need to follow.

Dale W

1) the 'slaves to our phones' comment was to Robert Peter Oakes who said that we techies surely always have access to our email, and I think this isn't necessarily true.

2) when you expect a timely response from the road testers, you also need to tell them beforehand _when_ this will happen. See my example with the KeySight road test - when there is a possible timespan of multiple weeks or even month, should anybody to whom it _might_ happen that they won't be available not apply then?

3) when I apply for a road test because I'm really interested in it, and there is no defined date for when the finalists are chosen (so I might need to response to the questionnaire), and no defined date for when the kits will be send out, I probably will state in my application the time when I will not respond as quickly as you might expect. In the case you really need to reach me during that time, I would _hope_ that you take that into consideration and don't skip as fast as you might do otherwise. Yes, I would try to be reachable during that time. I would also understand when I'm not selected because of that, but I would be very unhappy.

4) I think it kind a case-by-case decision, just as it is when somebody doesn't write a timely review: when its a first-time road tester, you probably skip earlier than when its an active member of the community and a tester which had proven in the past to write great reviews, and normally responds quickly.

5) I'm fine with that 1 week grace time. Its actually quite generous. But please also keep your side clean and make sure everybody knows beforehand what is expected, and _when_ its expected (so please add the missing dates to the Keysight road test And I was not complaining that the 1 month enrollment period is too long, I just wanted to point out that between the date of application and the date the tester actually get their kit there can easily be three months. For many people this is a long time to plan for in advance. Who knows which other great road test come up during this time?

6) Thanks. I just like to stick to my commitments. I think this is very helpful in life

This is a great idea. Of course! Thanks.

Hendrik,

I hope to keep my side clean! As for the missing dates on the Keysight RoadTest:

Enrollment Begins: Mar 2, 2017

Enrollment Ends: Apr 7, 2017

RoadTesters Selected: TBD

Product Shipped: TBD

RoadTesting Begins: TBD

Status Reminder/Update Email: TBD*

Submit Reviews By: TBD

The bolded ones are all I know for now. The supplier selects the official winners and I can't always predict when they will select them. Most of the other dates depend on the supplier. I am ordering parts much earlier now. So I hope to eliminate any delays there.

But it's not a perfect system. I'll try my best.

Randall

If a RoadTester will be unavailable (vacation time), he/she should not be applying

While I think your email being sent to the address shown in the application is fine, and the one week is reasonable, I'd be careful with the above statement.

For no blame on the applicants, winner notifications in the past have been delayed.

Mark

One week is more than sufficient, provided the road test page spells out what the communication method will be, the timing and the consequences. If you feel more grace is needed, I think it is still worth shipping kit to the members who have responded, while waiting for the stragglers.

It would also be most helpful if the decision date was published at least at the time the enrollment closes. Decision dates often slip, so it is hard to know when you need to check for a result.

If the decision date slips, it would be very useful if it was reset and re-published at least by the original decision date. If a new date is not known, at least a schedule for an update allows members to plan and not miss the notice.

I understand and sympathize with element14's problems with tardy and delinquent road testers and I am fine with measures to get better control; but of course communication is helpful in both directions. I'm not sure how prevalent it is with other members, but it seems many of the road tests, contests and design challenges I attempt have their schedules messed up, often without any notification. Last year I waited 9 months for some road test kit to show up, without any idea of the schedule. I still haven't got my kit back from the Sudden Impact challenge in 2015. (although I think it is finally in the mail thanks to Jane) (she also is scaring up my prize from the Halloween contest last year) I've had a couple of other douzies as well but these examples aren't intended as a complaints or a comprehensive list, just pointing out that delays can occur on both sides and better communications would help in all cases.

I do hope notification is not via Action Items in our Community Inbox. I have never been able to see any Actin Items in my Inbox although I get email notifications that there are Action Items pending.

Doug,

What you say is correct. We have to do better.

Randall

Hi Randall,

You have made a good start.

You have identified the issues and you have proposed new solutions.

At this point, all you can do is implement the new procedures and monitor your results.

You should also set improvement goals, like a 75% road test posting result over a time period, say in ;the next six months.

That approach gives you a quantifiable success of failure metric that you can then assess and review.

Make not mistake, you have a difficult job.  Luckily, the TM's give you a cadre of dependable road testers, so you can immediately show the vendors an improvement by skewing the testing to TM's.

You use the remaining 25% of the products to those newbies who write good proposals and who have at least some history with the community.

Look for people who can be enticed to participate with the other members, not just do the road test.

There are no guarantees.  All you can do is your best and that is all that can be expected of you.

DAB