Re: [lp-ca-on] Activism Location Re: Software Freedom Dialogue Strategy (was Re: SFD Street Activism)

[Blaise Alleyne]

On 07/09/16 09:41 PM, Logan Streondj wrote:
> I've found a LaTeX package we can use to make scannable surveys. [...]
> 

Oooh, in terms of the clipboarding, the way I've done this before might be a bit
different than what you were thinking (or what I explained)!

Rather than handing the clipboards to people to fill out a surveys to collect
data, we just use the clipboards to note people's responses to questions we ask.
It's not a very scientific approach or anything, the goal isn't to collect
quantitative data really, but rather:

(1) for the clipboards/questions to serve as a catalyst/excuse for conversations

(people are more likely to answer a few questions and start a conversation with
you on the street if you're holding a clipboard and taking notes, if it's a
"thing", if there's a "reason" to start answering questions)

and (2) to take some notes and collect some qualitative information, maybe a
little bit on people's actual opinions and initial responses, but even moreso on
how they respond to what we say in the conversation.


So, is someone who initially expresses concern about privacy issues more
receptive to free software? Or there certain arguments or ideas or analogies
that work to flip someone from not caring at all initially to see this as an
important issue?

Or, taking notes on our own "performance"... e.g. tried this line with someone,
but they responded like this -- didn't work... tried this other line with them
though, and that really seemed to resonate... stuff to talk about in debrief as
a group afterwards, to improve our conversation strategies and approaches for
future.

It'd be relevant to note if like, the majority of people respond one way or
another to an opening question or something, but still an inexact qualitative
thing IMHO.


In my experience, the clipboards and questions are really more of a conversation
starter and a way to be able to take notes on conversations and debrief
effectively afterwords and improve our conversation strategies, rather than
serving primarily as surveys intended to collect useful, quantifiable data or
anything.

That is, it's less about actually collecting information, more about having
effective conversations!


Does this approach make sense to people?

If so, it'd involve us using the clipboards to take notes on conversations and
as conversation starters, not creating surveys for other people to fill out
themselves so we can collect/store data.

*shrugs* I'm not sure if this is the best way or anything, just a method I've
had some experience with that works well for facilitating fruitful conversation.


> In terms of University Campuses, there are lots of residents that
> would still be there on the weekends, at least for the more remote
> Universities like Waterloo or Trent. They also are more likely to be
> involved in local groups and activities, so are actually much better
> to talk to than commuters. The weekend also means they are less likely
> to be in a hurry to get to class, so will likely have more time to
> talk and fill in a survey.
> 

Ooh, interesting. Good point!

I was UofT- or Toronto/GTA-centric in my thinking here. At U of T, most students
are commuters, being a commuter/resident isn't a good proxy for campus
involvement, and most residents wouldn't be doing stuff on campus on the
weekends (versus in their dorms or elsewhere downtown). I think this is pretty
true of other GTA campuses too, like York, Ryerson, UTM, UTSC, UOIT, etc.

I could see most of those things being very different at other universities.
Although I do wonder how many students would be out and about on the weekends on
campus specifically even at a residence heavy campus... that might be campus
dependent though... like, at Queen's, where almost everyone lives in residence
for first year and then the student ghetto, there are probably places with heavy
student traffic on or around campus on the weekends (even if it's a different
place that on weekdays).

For Toronto campuses though, I don't think there's a good way to find students
on weekends. But that might just be Toronto/GTA, or downtown campuses in larger
cities -- could be very different for Waterloo/Laurier, Western, Trent, Queen's,
etc.


> Also it has an email collection part at the bottom.
> Perhaps they would be interested in the results of the survey,
> or in doing an extended survey online, or joining the mailing list,
> all of which options could be different check boxes.
> 

Email address collection is the one case where I'd normally hand a clipboard
over to someone, usually using the back side of the notes sheet or another piece
of paper as a mailing list signup. *shrugs*

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