In the chat I proposed a survey of vvvv users.
I’m thinking more of a direct survey than the old ‘vvvv in numbers’ posts which analysed metadata.
Goal:
Understand
-who is using vvvv,
-how are they using it,
-what’s working well
-what’s frustrating
-what are the creative and commercial needs users have for features and documentation.
The hope is by sharing this information it increases understanding and empathy across developers, contibutors and users of vvvv.
Next Steps:
Question to the Devs, do you want to organise such a survey?
If you understandably don’t have the time I would volunteer to do it.
In that case I would post a question format here for feedback.
ja, looks like it is indeed perfect timing to do such a survey again after the previous ones:
i remember from those that i never really was happy with all the questions but just couldn’t pin-point the issues with them. so totally up for creating the list of questions in a communal effort. @tobyk if you want to take a lead on that, that would be very welcome!
Don’t take me wrong,
I’m not trying to make a competition here.
But wouldn’t be more appropiate that the survey is comming from the vvvv group, based on user suggestions and needs as Gregor pointed in the Element chat?
I’m afraid that an early survey can not tackle the entire spectrum like an open discussion can do.
@joreg Ok sound good. I’ll make a proposal of some questions and post here.
Compared to previous surveys I think a good innovation would be if these survey results could show what different types of users there are AND how these user clusters have different needs from the vvvv ecosystem in terms of frustrations and wishes.
So I’ll think about some question that would enable that kind of clustering.
@lasal I think the discussion initiative you have kicked off is valuable. I don’t see a reason not to do a survey as well.
Propose to start with the 2019 survey questions. Still allows you to compare some of those answers over time.
I’m proposing some updates to the questions themselves, but I would also extend the analysis to try to find clusters of users.
For example both the 2015 and 2019 results talk about ‘on average user is German, Male, artist etc’. I think that identifies one cluster of users but would be good to identify other clusters, particularly when it then comes to connecting the answers about what they need from vvvv development/community.
My hunch is that beginner-artist users may have different needs from intermediate-developer users
Demographic
Propose to bring back a gender question (was in 2015 results but not 2019).
Would be good to know if people see themselves as media-arts related or other types of users. However I think answers could be quite organic here it’s not just a few categories. So I think ask an open text question about ‘what title do you call yourself’, intended for a word cloud analysis. Would give a picture how much of the community is using artist-related or other titles.
Learning / Documentation / Community
Add a matrix question ‘how do you learn how to use vvvv?’ which is actually composed of multiple single questions about different ways to learn vvvv. Each uses the same scale to answer.
Scale answer for these something like
1 - This is my preferred way to learn about vvvv
2 - This is an important way I learn about vvvv
3 - This is a minor way I learn about vvvv
4 - I don’t learn about vvvv this way
Add multiple choice question do you follow on the other social media channels
Add a question do you attend the node Institute vvvv courses, maybe a ‘if not why not’
Maybe remove the question about the in-person node festivals
I would add an open text question about what is the highest priority topic you don’t understand now and would like to learn next. (EG types, reactive, projection mapping) Again intended for a word cloud answer. This is what could be interesting to see how the answers differ for users from different clusters.
Propose open text question ‘how do you find out about inspiring projects (vvvv or others)’. With word cloud analysis. Would be interesting to know where and how people are learning about cool impressive media-arts projects. (Because long term we want more vvvv representation on those channels)
Using vvvv
Instead of the ‘about VL’ and ‘what is gamma’ questions from 2019 I would Propose asking two questions ‘how often are you using vvvv beta’ and ‘how often are you using vvvv gamma’.
Proposing asking open text question ‘if you are using vvvv beta, why not gamma?’. Again intended for word cloud analysis.
Could ask if users are writing their own plugins, using preview builds, doing version control on github, using gamma launcher, publishing libraries, exporting apps, do you use feature XYZ etc… all of this gives a more detailed picture when it’s clustered with users self-identified level of experience. So we understand what people who call themselves ‘beginners’ ‘intermediate’ ‘pros’ actually do.
BUT I don’t have strong feelings on what exactly to ask here, I think that’s maybe down to you as devvvs just your interest what features are being used.
Your biggest challenges
I like the challenge responses from 2019, not sure how that question was asked.
I would ask it as ‘what is your highest priority request for upcoming vvvv development’, maybe with up to three answers, open text, word cloud analysis. Comparing this answer against self-identified experience (begginer/intermediate/pro) and commercial use would be a good way to ensure there are upcoming features exciting for everyone, enabling people to make money with vvvv.
