Poll: What Motivates You to Apply for a RoadTest?

These are the reasons to apply for a Roadtest.

1) Free products

2) Building technical skills

3) Using the dev. boards for hobby projects

4) Trying similar hardware products from different vendors and compare them

5)  Have something to write in my CV to showcase my skills and side-projects/interests

6) Get involved with like minded people

You are right, the deadline aspect of road tests is an important and underrated motivator. It is complicated, but it stems from the fact that I don't like having obligations "hanging over my head" for long periods.

• Free stuff is always nice.
• Fun.
• Learning new skills.
• The most important is the deadline which pushes me to finish something fun, a cool mini project with the product.

As others already stated a multiple choice option would’ve been great.
Even though I have applied to several road test and not been picked yet, I am still cautious about applying for some of the choices. I have little experience with programming so I try to avoid boards and products that require extensive knowledge in regards to programming. I don’t feel comfortable taking on something that needs programming because it would probably take longer than 60 days to learn it.

So for now I try to stick to easier hardware and most tool options. I really enjoy making things and building things many of which have nothing to do with electronics, so anything that pops up that gives me an idea or could be integrated into something currently in the pipeline or already on one of the many benches gets a raised eyebrow.

Don’t get me wrong, I will not lie and say free stuff isn’t what caught my eye when I stumbled onto the website. I mean, who doesn’t want some kick ass gear that you wouldn’t be able to purchase or planning on purchasing anyway? To be honest how many people here can make a $10K tool purchase and not miss the money, or not be relegated to sleeping in the dog house for a couple of weeks. If I could afford it, I would still have to tell the wife a lie about needing something that fancy!

Also I have a 16 year old daughter that enjoys her STEM classes at school and we have built many of things together and even rebuilt the top half of the engine in her car together, so products that can enable some precious father daughter time in the last 2 years she is home cannot be overlooked.

If I could request something for testing, it would be motor and motor control oriented things that would catch our eyes.

When a roadtest comes up and I see a project and can visually see myself using that product and how often I will use it is the first things that come to mind.  Then if a bunch of projects come to mind or ways to test the device then I apply.

There has been many roadtests that have push my limits and caused me to learn a extensive amount through out them.  This being said I really enjoy the learning process for myself that comes along with the roadtests as well and sharing my experiences with it.

I have done quite a few roadtests and find that at least 80% of the stuff from them still gets used on a regular basis either in projects or tools that have been acquired.

Also I not being able to just drop money on some of the products are also a big thing.  Sure you can read reviews and watch youtube video's on a product but its so much more personal when its in your hands.  There has been items I have tested that afterwords I have purchased more because they were just that good and great to use in projects.

I think at times we all just like a free toy to play with tho, its the curiosity in us and either be financial or just ah "ooooo shiny" moment or even "dang that would be perfect for a project I have always wanted to do."

Over the years that I have been roadtesting I give so much credit to the program as it has sparked so much learning and projects that I would have never have done otherwise.

rscasny  and its all your fault for putting together such a diverse product line that always seems to keep us all interested and wanting to learn more.  your contribution and hard work with the program has and will always be greatly appreciated and respected by me. 

But don't get me wrong when I first started doing roadtests there was a few products I was just curious about and had next to no idea what it would even do. But the curiosity was there.

So the main reason I apply tho is because the spark of ideas that flow in my mind when I see a product.  I ask myself a few questions before tho.

1. IS this something within my scope or could it be?

2. IS this something I will be able to continue to use or will it sit on a shelf?

and finally.

3. Would I purchase it regardless of a roadtest?

And once you get some roadtests where you can then use what you learned in a design challenge really makes it even more fun to bring those bigger projects to life.   I quite enjoy them on the site here and I know other sites do challenges as well but I prefer the platform on the best community out there.  I always say if it wasn't for the roadtests I would have never taken part in a design challenge.  (or the community)   The roadtest program gave me the confidence to step out from the shadows of scrolling through posts and blogs and actually taking part in lots of ways on the community.  It was a few years after I joined the community that I first took part in a roadtest....then everything changed.

That's my roadtest story and once again thank you rscasny your doing a wonderful job!

and a shout out to tariq.ahmad  who has also been a huge inspiration and wonderful I have had so much fun with  Project14  as well.

To me you both are a huge backbone of the community and deserve a raise

Though I haven't applied for any road test yet, I might apply for one soon.

But I think what motivates me to apply for a road test is getting a new technology or high end device which I can use to make hobby projects that I find fun in doing so, which would eventually lead to developing my skills also, and all these things for free.

I've always been fascinated by technology and I enjoy learning new hardware and software to develop new applications.  So, I chose Building my technical skills for I consider everyday that I learn something useful a good day .   Like many others I'm also learning to really value my time so I'm starting to be a lot more selective about which road tests that I apply for.  One aspect of road testing that I really like is being able to interact with the people that develop the products - recently with engineers from Avnet and Xilinx.

For me it is combination of:

• Free Product
• Building my technical skills
• Having fun

Free hardware? Yes-

But not quite.

If you gave me a RoadTest, I'd have to consider:

If it's in my skill set, and/or if I can learn the skills needed in a short amount of time.

Cutting Edge? No doubt. Working with AVR chips and Arduinos grow boring.

Technical skills? Yes. I learned quite a bit with my first RoadTest.

THen:

Prototype?

The MAX31889EVSYS comes with a MAX32630FTHR which is a capable prototyping board I would have wanted to use.
Hobby? Possibly-

Applied to the Avnet Pi HAT one, I'm a challenger for 1 Meter of Pi, I could likely use the Pi and HAT to assist with my project.

Lastly, yes, free hardware.

Just like most of other fellow members of the community, there are several reasons I would apply for a roadtest. Just like Nico, unfortunately, since the first lockdown (as we are now into our second one in England), I have been extremely busy with work commitments, and haven't had much time for anything else (hence I haven't been able to engage much with e14 lately).

But, back to the poll, my main motivators are:

- something that has direct connection with my work (or as close to)

- something I need/want to do some research into

- something I can prototype with

I do like the challenge of learning new platforms/acquiring new skills as well, although this is not one of my main motivators, just like the value of the product isn't too (I only apply for roadtests I see value for myself, regardless of the actual value of the item).

Fabio