The weekly survey for the diary study participants was the same each week with just the week number changed
At Superbloom, we’re researching how designers of all disciplines contribute to or work on free and open source software.
The stories and processes of how designers (that's you!) contribute and are involved in free and open source software are hard to find. Despite how ‘invisible’ design is in OSS, there is a growing interest in OSS technology and projects — and that’s why we’re supporting designers to tell the story of their life in open source.
These diary entries will be made over a 10 week time period in December 2022 through to March 2023.
For questions that are not relevant you can enter 'Not relevant this week' and give a short reason e.g. I didn't speak to any users this week.
1. Your name/alias/email
[Short text answer]
2. What week number is this diary study response for?
Let us know roughly what week this diary study response is for. Examples below. 'Week 1' 'Week beginning the 5th of December 2022 12.05.2022 to the 12.11.2022
[Short text answer]
3. If you're submitting a video/audio response to the questions - please paste the URL where we can download the audio/video (and passcode if applicable) here:
Skip this question if you're typing written responses.
[Short text answer]
Your OSS contributions this week Questions about the contribution/work you did this week
4. What are the top 3 (or more) tasks you worked on this week as a designer contributing to OSS projects?
These tasks can be as granular as 'I replied to a comment from a developer on issue X' as well as 'I made progress on some design UI/UX/Research for issue/problem X' or 'I spent time this week understanding how to get the tool set up locally on my machine'.
[Long text answer]
5. What was a single challenge you want to highlight this week being a designer contributing to an OSS project?
This doesn't always have to be about the 'design' work - it could be any challenge you've faced this week.
[Long text answer]
6. What was a single success you want to highlight this week being a designer contributing to an OSS project?
This doesn't always have to be about the 'design' work - it could be any success you've had this week.
[Long text answer]
7. Roughly what types of design did you spend what percentage % of time on and how do you feel about that ratio?
e.g. 80% UI visual design 10% communications 10% user research etc. It's possible that you spend 100% of you time some weeks on 'comments/emails/clarification' which is still important to any design work.
[Long text answer]
8. What tools, softwares or products did you use this week to contribute to the OSS project/tool?
This might include non design specific tools as well as design tools.
[Long text answer]
9. Did any users of the OSS tool get involved in contribution or other aspects of the OSS tool this week or did you speak to any users this week?
For example, users might have talked in a communication channel or opened an issue or you may have done some user testing or asked a user a question etc.
[Long text answer]
10. Did any of the other people (developers, maintainers, docs writers etc.) in the OSS project contribute to 'Design' in the last week? If yes who are they, what is their primary role and what did they get involved in?
You can define for yourself what a 'design contribution' from another community member looks like. Some examples might be:
- A developer commented on UI design
- A user provided feedback on their accessibility needs in the OSS
- OSS community members participated in a workshop/user research insight conversation
- Another designer helped with graphics, visuals, UI or user research
[Long text answer]
11. Please paste any links to issues, projects, design files, documents here:
[Long text answer]
Processes, methods and practices
12. Did you get the time and/or the resources you needed to work on the things you think are needed on this OSS project this week?
[Long text answer]
13. Did the design work you did this week follow a process that you were satisfied with? If not, what small change would you make to improve it?
[Long text answer]
14. How do you determine the success (if applicable) to the processes methods and practices you used this week?
e.g. I know that my comment was understood after some asked for clarification and I explained, I know the design file was well received when I asked for feedback by a certain date and on specific needs and people gave me feedback that addressed these needs.
[Long text answer]
15. Did you do anything to make your design more (or the same amount as usual) of 'open' this week?
[Long text answer]
16. Are there any tools, softwares process or methods that limited you in your contributions this week? How did they limit you?
e.g. I tried to share a user research plan outline this week but in a markdown text file people cannot see the sections I needed feedback on clearly so I used a google document which is also difficult as not everyone wants to use google accounts.
[Long text answer]
17. What are the ‘hacks’ or processes have you tried or used this week to problem solve or reduce time on repetitive or tedious tasks?
e.g. I tried to record a video of my design file and the UX flow so that those that want to give feedback can get context along with the file.
[Long text answer]
Collaboration and Communication in the OSS project
18. How was communication across the project this week?
We're interested in any changes from normal methods of communication, misunderstandings, when communication went really well and why you think it went well etc.
[Long text answer]
19. What (if any) key 'design' or 'product' decisions were made this week on the OSS? Who made those decisions and how did the decisions get made?
It's also possible that no decisions were made this week for whatever reasons.
[Long text answer]
And finally...
20. What else, outside of the OSS project's need compete's for your attention and time?
You don't have to give us detail, but an idea of the competing priorities in life would help us understand you as a whole person better :)
[Long text answer]
21. What are you looking forward to next week in the OSS project?
[Long text answer]
22. Anything else you'd like to tell us about the last week you think is important?
[Long text answer]