Update: Change in RoadTest Applications

Hi Randall,

I tried out a 'mock roadtest application' on my PC and the instructions are clear and straight forward. The only minor point was I had to hold CTRL + click the link (Windows 10 + Mozilla Firefox) to get it to work - but everyone knows that don't they?

Rod

Sounds great Randall!

It is the worth that submitters spend some more time on thinking and writing a more detailed scenario on what they are enrolling...

Thinking to this last resolution and some kind of quasi-null roadtests, maybe that many of them have not so clear what it is really. Ok, it's silly as there are plenty of documents etc. but in this way at least they should face to what it is, a short "entry exam" is not a bad idea

Enrico

Hi Randall rscasny ,

During writing the application for the PicoScope_5444DMSO roadtest there are problems with the form fields.

I sent this information via email as well. Hopefully that is not a problem for me.

There are missing two text fields.

This problem was also last year, or maybe some browser cannot display correctly.

I use normally the IE11.

Maybe this can appear after saving as draft.

Best Regards

Gerald

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It's great that you're making people consider their application more carefully and put a little more thought in. I'm sure that will help screen out some of the poor quality applications.

However, I think that the prominent promotion of winning the FREE product attracts the sort of people who might be persuaded to spend some time filling out an application properly, but then feel they now have their FREE product and don't have to do the important bit afterwards which is the road test. It's a trickier problem to solve, but I think "FREE" will get you more applicants when perhaps you would be better served by fewer but better applicants.

UPDATE: I just realized that I'm going over stuff we've previously discussed at length. Let's not drag this update off in that direction. Sorry.

As a frequent applicant to the Road Test program I appreciate the quality control measures you are implementing on the intake funnel.  I think the changes you are implementing will deflect applicants that still hold the belief that Road Test is a lottery.  Your changes will also deter those that have no intention of developing a complete test plan, and furthermore may guide the efforts of those considering a comprehensive plan, but in need of a prescriptive framework.

It seems to me that the quality of Road Test reviews, especially for higher valued items, is improving, but not necessarily because of higher quality applications. What I sense, but have not verified through investigation, is that the field of Road Test reviewers is consolidating around a group of reliable, talented, and prolific members.  I'm not sure this is the case for dev kits and tools, but I feel it may be true for test equipment.  However, in the list of recently completed Road Tests, new names stand out among familiar names.  This should encourage new members to take your advice and put in the effort to compose a well considered and well written application. The probability of being selected for a Road Test is directly proportional to the quality of your application.

Of all the skills I brought to my career, or developed along the way, writing clearly, factually, and persuasively has had the most impact on moving me ahead.

Mark A.

Update:

I skimmed through all the applications for current roadtests. Only 25% are answering the 5 questions. From my point of view, this means any decent application has a great chance of winning because I am screening out people now who do not submit a complete application.

Up coming roadtests:

a DMM from Keithley

an Arduino engineering Kit (worth ~200 Us)

an NXP rapid Iot prototyping kit

2 NFC kits

some Pansonic BT and Wifi kits

Randall Scasny

RoadTest Program Manager

The formulation of question b) is in principle very simple.

However, answering this question can sometimes be very complex, especially if you get a lot of emotions when filling out the text boxes and writing your application.
Answering this question can range from technical discipline with a factual description to the description of his personal inner feeling, or motive.

Therefore, you can easily get nervous, hoping to get it right.
Yes, that can be a challenge.

I need to think about this for a few days, because the planning of the project and the necessary preparation have to come with that as well.

Needing to answer these 5 questions is just right, to separate the chaff from the wheat.

Best Regards

Gerald

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Gerald,

You makes some good points. Yes, it may take some time thinking about why you want to apply. But there are so many people who so nothing. At the very least, they could say: I want to roadtest this because (a) it will give me hands on experience for my final semester project or (b) it will give me experience for a project I am doing at work, or (c) I want to show my kid about technology or (d) I have done one project with it and want to gain more experience.

Randall

From the issues that have been raised so far, I wonder how long it will be until one of those sentences appears verbatim in an application

Rod

Murphy's law