Survey - Collaboration on Google Groups Conference

[Watt]

Hi,

This is a survey preparing for the forthcoming 'Conference on Collaboration on Google Groups' to be held from the 11th October 2019, from which I hope to produce a report of some kind.

This survey builds on this earlier post, which is now 'closed'.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/TiddlyWiki/2Dm_CrEfe3Q

If you copy paste the survey below into your reply post and then delete the answers you don't want then this might work.

Alternatively please number your answers with the question number.

All questions are optional, of course. I'll avoid thanking each response but take it as read that I'm very grateful for your interest!

Please read the 'Hypothetical Project' below before answering anything as it illustrates what I mean by 'Collaboration'. If you are able to answer any of the questions there with practical suggestions please do, but that's even more optional. Thanks for your time!

Survey

1. Have you ever collaborated with others on a shared project here on the forum?

a) yes b) no

2. Have you ever wanted to collaborate with others on a shared project here on the forum but been inhibited from trying?

a) yes b) no

3. What are the most inhibiting factors for collaboration in a thread here? Can you put these in order of importance?

a) time commitment b) personalities c) difficulty of organising it d) lack of practical tools e) Google Groups forum limitations f) Other (specify if you want).

4. Which option best describes how you feel about collaborating with others on a project in a GG thread?

a) Powerful b)Exciting c) Effective d) Distracting e) Debilitating f) No interest

5. Can you put these mechanisms in order of importance for the purposes of project collaboration on this Google Groups forum?

a) election b) task monitoring c) decision making d) task allocation e) voting f) leadership

6. If tools were available within a thread that enabled those collaboration mechanisms on shared projects would you use them?

a) yes b) no

7. If you had to click and exit this forum in order to use an external tool that enabled collaboration, e.g Google Forms, would you find it;

a) acceptable b) distracting c) unacceptable

8. In your opinion does this Google Groups forum inhibit collaboration on shared projects?

a) yes b) no

9. Are you happy with Google Groups as a forum?

a) yes b) no

10. What do you normally access this forum with?

a) desktop b) mobile phone c) both

11. What do you think are the forum's greatest strengths?

12. What do you think are the forum's greatest weaknesses?

13. Would a 'sticky' guide to Google Groups usage be useful to you?

a) yes b) no

14. Would you like to move to alternative forum software or stay on Google Groups?

a) move b) stay

15. Would you like to vote on a list of alternative forum software or trust the choice made by the people who'd have to implement it?

a) vote b) trust choice made c) don't want to use alternative software

Hypothetical Project

Imagine you are participating in a thread here on Google Groups about a Tiddlywiki you are building to cover the Rugby World Cup. 10 other rugby loving forum users are participating in the thread.

The World Cup has started so there is some time pressure. You decide that collaborating together to construct the wiki would get the job done better and faster.

The other participants are very strong willed, with very different opinions on how things should be done, they each support different teams.

You can't take the project out of the google group thread and you can't use external software solutions.

(If you have a practical 'how to' suggestion for any of these questions please do put it in, but it's not part of the survey)

How would you initiate formal collaboration?

Would you elect a team leader?

Do you think not having a leader could work?

What problems do you think the leader/collaborator roles might encounter?

How would you hold an election?

How would you reach decisions?

How would you hold a vote?

How would you agree who does which tasks?

What tools would be useful to manage the project?

How would you agree deadlines with the 10 collaborators?

How would you monitor progress?

[@TiddlyTweeter]

Survey

1. -- a  

2. -- b

3. -- f (lack of skill) a c d e b

4. -- c

5. -- d b c ...

6. -- (bit unclear what you mean) but "a" I guess

7. -- a (if results come back to GG)

8. -- b (but depends on type of prj)

9. -- b 

10. -- c

11. -- easy flow; easy comment; chatty style

12. -- finding stuff more than a few days old (serious problem)

13. -- b (but if just starting out "a")

14. -- a (if its a move, not a partial move)

15. -- b 

TT 

[Mohammad]

Hi Watt,

 Thank you for your efforts. Why not use Google Forms?

--Mohammad

[Watt]

Hi Mohammad,

For this experiment I'm trying to keep everything 'in house' here on the forum. Google forms or external solutions will work I'm sure but;

*It's an additional step, this way tests the most basic method available.
*Results on Google Forms are obscure and not immediatley visible to forum users.
*Everything is here in one place.
*Kiss principle

Give it a go, or TT will be the first, as well as the last, to cast a vote on the forum ;)

[ILYA]

Survey


> 1. Have you ever collaborated with others on a shared project here on the forum?

no


> 2. Have you ever wanted to collaborate with others on a shared project here on the forum but been inhibited from trying?

no

> 3. What are the most inhibiting factors for collaboration in a thread here? Can you put these in order of importance?

time commitment

> 4. Which option best describes how you feel about collaborating with others on a project in a GG thread?

collaborating with others - Exciting
via email or GG thread - too hard

> 5. Can you put these mechanisms in order of importance for the purposes of project collaboration on this Google Groups forum?

decision making
leadership
task allocation
voting
shared documents
referencing tasks

> 6. If tools were available within a thread that enabled those collaboration mechanisms on shared projects would you use them?

yes

> 7. If you had to click and exit this forum in order to use an external tool that enabled collaboration, e.g Google Forms, would you find it;

acceptable


> 8. In your opinion does this Google Groups forum inhibit collaboration on shared projects?

the one who wants to collaborate will find the way anyway.

> 9. Are you happy with Google Groups as a forum?

no


10. What do you normally access this forum with?

desktop without google account
mobile phone via email

11. What do you think are the forum's greatest strengths?

people

12. What do you think are the forum's greatest weaknesses?

search and indexing

13. Would a 'sticky' guide to Google Groups usage be useful to you?

Personally I will not be able to remember all the rules and will brake them because of that.

14. Would you like to move to alternative forum software or stay on Google Groups?


a) move

15. Would you like to vote on a list of alternative forum software or trust the choice made by the people who'd have to implement it?

vote - but new system should work in parallel for some time

--
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

[TonyM]

I hope using this quote method to respond is ok

 

Questions are optional, of course. I'll avoid thanking each response but take it as read that I'm very grateful for your interest!

 

Survey

1. Have you ever collaborated with others on a shared project here on the forum?

a) yes b) no

No, Shared effort, but not a project.

 

2. Have you ever wanted to collaborate with others on a shared project here on the forum but been inhibited from trying?

a) yes b) no

Yes, Tried but did not work 

3. What are the most inhibiting factors for collaboration in a thread here? Can you put these in order of importance?

a) time commitment b) personalities c) difficulty of organising it d) lack of practical tools e) Google Groups forum limitations f) Other (specify if you want).

C, D, A - Because of C/D this has too high a time commitment.

 

4. Which option best describes how you feel about collaborating with others on a project in a GG thread?

a) Powerful b)Exciting c) Effective d) Distracting e) Debilitating f) No interest

A - but more complex than need be

 

5. Can you put these mechanisms in order of importance for the purposes of project collaboration on this Google Groups forum?

a) election b) task monitoring c) decision making d) task allocation e) voting f) leadership

F C D B A F

 

Most election/voting online being optional and limited to votes being submitted by those who know the vote is on, usually results in useless results. Simple like and don't like is the best we can get in my view. Sentiment only.

6. If tools were available within a thread that enabled those collaboration mechanisms on shared projects would you use them?

a) yes b) no

Yes

 

7. If you had to click and exit this forum in order to use an external tool that enabled collaboration, e.g Google Forms, would you find it;

a) acceptable b) distracting c) unacceptable

A - if not internally inconsistent.

 

8. In your opinion does this Google Groups forum inhibit collaboration on shared projects?

a) yes b) no

A / Somewhat

 

9. Are you happy with Google Groups as a forum?

a) yes b) no

Yes - for what it does, No for what we could do 

10. What do you normally access this forum with?

a) desktop b) mobile phone c) both

C 

11. What do you think are the forum's greatest strengths?

Key participants, regular new visitors, valuable abstract or systems oriented discussions

12. What do you think are the forum's greatest weaknesses?

No Simple indicators against both thread and replies. Submitter completed flag, answers (multiple) highlighted, thumbs up/down.

Reply model of response, when the previous is copied in the reply and not used  

 

13. Would a 'sticky' guide to Google Groups usage be useful to you?

a) yes b) no

Yes - but must evolve 

14. Would you like to move to alternative forum software or stay on Google Groups?

a) move b) stay

Move - When we can find better, But maintain GG as first point of contact

 

15. Would you like to vote on a list of alternative forum software or trust the choice made by the people who'd have to implement it?

a) vote b) trust choice made c) don't want to use alternative software

I would vote but but would not trust the result.

[Watt]

Thanks Ilya and TonyM.
The survey closes on Wednesday, if anyone else would like to take part please do. All questions are optional. Thanks for your interest!

[Mohammad]

On Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 9:37:02 PM UTC+3:30, Watt wrote:

Hi,

This is a survey preparing for the forthcoming 'Conference on Collaboration on Google Groups' to be held from the 11th October 2019, from which I hope to produce a report of some kind.

This survey builds on this earlier post, which is now 'closed'.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/TiddlyWiki/2Dm_CrEfe3Q

If you copy paste the survey below into your reply post and then delete the answers you don't want then this might work.

Alternatively please number your answers with the question number.

All questions are optional, of course. I'll avoid thanking each response but take it as read that I'm very grateful for your interest!

Please read the 'Hypothetical Project' below before answering anything as it illustrates what I mean by 'Collaboration'. If you are able to answer any of the questions there with practical suggestions please do, but that's even more optional. Thanks for your time!

Survey

1. Have you ever collaborated with others on a shared project here on the forum?

a) yes b) no

a

2. Have you ever wanted to collaborate with others on a shared project here on the forum but been inhibited from trying?

a) yes b) no

b 

3. What are the most inhibiting factors for collaboration in a thread here? Can you put these in order of importance?

a) time commitment b) personalities c) difficulty of organising it d) lack of practical tools e) Google Groups forum limitations f) Other (specify if you want).

e, d, c

 

4. Which option best describes how you feel about collaborating with others on a project in a GG thread?

a) Powerful b)Exciting c) Effective d) Distracting e) Debilitating f) No interest

d

 

5. Can you put these mechanisms in order of importance for the purposes of project collaboration on this Google Groups forum?

a) election b) task monitoring c) decision making d) task allocation e) voting f) leadership

f,  c, d, b

 

6. If tools were available within a thread that enabled those collaboration mechanisms on shared projects would you use them?

a) yes b) no

a

7. If you had to click and exit this forum in order to use an external tool that enabled collaboration, e.g Google Forms, would you find it;

a) acceptable b) distracting c) unacceptable

a

 

8. In your opinion does this Google Groups forum inhibit collaboration on shared projects?

a) yes b) no

a 

9. Are you happy with Google Groups as a forum?

a) yes b) no

a, there is no alternative so bad is better than nothing! 

10. What do you normally access this forum with?

a) desktop b) mobile phone c) both

 c

11. What do you think are the forum's greatest strengths?

kind and helpful members

 

12. What do you think are the forum's greatest weaknesses?

if you use forum as an Q&A it is enough for this purpose! but it is not good for collaboration.

 

13. Would a 'sticky' guide to Google Groups usage be useful to you?

a) yes b) no

a 

14. Would you like to move to alternative forum software or stay on Google Groups?

a) move b) stay

a 

15. Would you like to vote on a list of alternative forum software or trust the choice made by the people who'd have to implement it?

a) vote b) trust choice made c) don't want to use alternative software

a

[Watt]

Thanks Mohammad and all other survey participants, I'm now closing the thread and survey here but hope you'll all be able to attend the forthcoming 'Conference'. Thanks for your patience!