The seeds of a feedback ecosystem

A few posts ago I kicked off a series of talks here on the subject of a feedback ecosystem and how such a thing could enhance user engagement, particularly on mobile devices.

While I did touch on what such a thing might be, I want to explore in deeper detail tonight.  First some personal background.

How I Originally Got Into This

Nokia hired me in 2005 to be a Quality Feedback Analyst in support of cell phone factory operations.   I had never performed in such a role (I had never even owned a cell phone!) and was surprised to get the job offer.  But my new manager said she saw all the right pieces in my engineering past and that the passion I had for quality was obvious.

I was glad she gave me the opportunity, as that turned out to be the most enjoyable and rewarding job I’ve ever had.  The challenge to analyze and improve the error reporting and corrective action processes was a real thrill!  I had finally found the right home for my problem-solving inclinations.

Diary of a Qt noob

As noted in a recent status filler, I plan to orient much of the upcoming content here around the MeeGo User Engagement Framework (MUEF) project.  As part of that, and for my own general interest and education, I’ll start including coverage of the Qt application development platform.

Now, the bulk of my programming background is with Visual Basic, from COM-based version 2 up to VB.Net 2008, and I’m a complete stranger to Qt.  But with the advent of MeeGo along with Qt’s evolution toward something comparable to Visual Studio, I’ve decided it’s past time to tack on some new skills.

I’ve started by downloading the Qt 4.7 beta and will proceed very slowly as I explore this new territory.  Along the way I will share my experiences, good and bad, in the hopes that other beginners may be helped.

It may be time for me to bite the bullet and get back up to speed on C++, but I also hope to learn more about Python as well.  Whatever I discover will be shared here, journal-style.

If you’re interested in following along, use this RSS feed.  I’m also open to guest articles on the subject as well as comments from the gurus.

Next: downloading and installing Qt!

America Offline: fall of a walled gardener

This is a Tale of Two Internets, with a vivid beginning but no clear ending yet.

Technophiles of my ancient generation fondly ruminate over the early glory days of wide network communications, when there were basically two modes:  ARPANET, and Bulletin Board Systems (BBS).  As many know the former was a US government-sponsored networking project that was originally closed to the general public, while the latter was a collective prototype Internet rooted in normal telephony infrastructure and was easily accessible by anyone with the right equipment.

But something curious happened over time.

Will 2011 be make-or-break for Nokia?

As many know I was recently privileged to attend the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit 2010 in San Francisco, California.  After running out of juice trying to maintain community enthusiasm at maemo.org while simultaneously whipping it up for MeeGo, I was reinvigorated by the fresh energy permeating the conference.  Seeing old acquaintances again, finally greeting others in person for the first time and making new friends always helps… as did the endless talks at various pubs and eateries about MeeGo’s future.

One aspect that renewed my faith was that even though 2009 did not turn out to be the breakthrough for open source that I had hoped, it looks like 2010 is setting the stage for this to be the case in 2011.  For one, Nokia and Intel’s MeeGo venture strengthens the possibilities in my opinion.  True, proprietary solution drivers are hardening their positions more now than ever, setting the stage for an eventual showdown that’s long overdue– but I expect open source to ultimately prevail and allow us to move past that exhausting argument and into the next awaiting world.

But even with its 5-year Maemo (along with Moblin) legacy, MeeGo still represents a beginning of sorts, and it will indeed be 2011 at least before it truly bears fruit– especially if recent product launches are any example.  Meanwhile, what else will Nokia be doing to ensure its continued relevance?

Input on a feedback ecosystem

I am about to plunge this often-erratic blog over a sharply-defined edge and into a sea of clear certainty.

Now that I have your attention, let’s talk feedback.

How many times have you been presented with a survey in which you were highly interested but failed to complete?

How often do you play a song you enjoy yet neglect to rate it?

How many software bugs have plagued your mobile device of choice and were not followed by reports sent to the developer(s)?

I think it’s safe to say that the one aspect of feedback that keeps our complaining (or praising) confined to unproductive quarters is the frequent disconnect between the usage and the feedback opportunity.  At least in my experience, far too often the feedback mechanisms are separated from the origin of their need, especially when that starts with a mobile device.  The greater the gap, the less likely we may be to take the step that can actually serve to prevent future aggravation.

Finding focus

One drawback of keeping up with a blog like this is that it often must take a back seat to more immediate or practical matters.  That’s certainly been the case the past few weeks as my draft backlog builds while nothing is published.

The economic crisis has definitely been personal for me, ostensibly playing a part in the loss of my last paid position (with Nokia) and now pitting me against a growing workload at my current employer.  As much as I enjoy researching and writing for this corner of my life, the work that puts food on the table takes precedence.

That said, I’m making an effort to allocate some quality time to both maemo.org council duties and an exciting project, the MeeGo User Engagement Framework (MUEF).  Thanks to the latter I just had a paper accepted for Akademy 2010 and I’m excited at that prospect.  Still looking for help with the project, too!

Since my free time has been so impacted by recent employment needs, I’ve decided that once I wrap up and post the current drafts in queue I’ll make the MUEF project the main focus of the blog for a while.  There’s a lot of ground to cover so there will be no shortage of material.

So stick around– things should get interesting soon!