The Dec.2011 Glaze Database and Education Survey

[George Lewter]

There were 209 responses to the Survey and the results are in. I never expected such a great response and particularly the number of people who took the time to write in expanded observations beyond the simple multiple choice answers. The survey gives us much to consider as we chart the way forward for our network.  Thank you, Thank you. The complete survey results are posted here for you to review. There are links to the individual written responses to the questions that allowed comments.

Cone6pots Network Glaze Development Survey

1. How many years have you been doing ceramic arts.
	answered question		209
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Less than 1 year		1.4%	3
One to three years		10.5%	22
Four to Six years		18.2%	38
Six to ten years		15.8%	33
Ten to twenty years		25.4%	53
More than twenty years		28.7%	60

2. Are you familiar with the properties of glaze raw materials and performing glaze calculation,
	answered question		205
	skipped question		4
		Response Percent	Response Count
Not at all familiar.		3.9%	8
Somewhat familiar.		24.9%	51
I work with existing recipes to get different colors.		31.7%	65
I sometimes modify glazes to improve performance.		25.4%	52
I frequently create and modify glazes to achieve preconceived results.		14.1%	29
Other (please specify)			8

See question 2 write-in responses

3. Do you mix your own glazes or have them mixed from your recipes?
	answered question		208
	skipped question		1
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes - I mix my own glazes		92.3%	192
Yes - I have them mixed to order		5.3%	11
I have them mixed from recipes I don't have access to.		0.5%	1
I use commercial glazes		21.6%	45
I don't use glazes on my work		0.0%	0

4. Do you or have you used any glaze calculation software to improve your glazes, or to store your recipes?
	answered question		205
	skipped question		4
		Response Percent	Response Count
No - I don't do glaze calculation.		37.1%	76
No - I do glaze calculation manually.		32.2%	66
Matrix		2.0%	4
Glazemaster		16.6%	34
HyperGlaze		2.4%	5
Insight		15.6%	32
GlazeChem		1.5%	3

5. If available on the cone6pots network, would you take fixed duration, peer-led, collaborative training in any of the following glaze subjects: Properties of glaze materials, glaze calculation, glaze chemistry, use of Insight (or other glaze software), use of the new Insight Live online glaze database.
	answered question		198
	skipped question		11
		Response Percent	Response Count
No		9.1%	18
Glaze materials		63.6%	126
Glaze chemistry		67.2%	133
Glaze calculation		73.2%	145
Insight software		54.5%	108
Insight Live online Glaze Database.		65.7%	130
Other software or glaze development subjects (please specify)			16

See question 5 write-in responses

6. Do you have the expertise and the desire to lead any online peer group classes covering glazes or other subjects of interest to our members?
	answered question		203
	skipped question		6
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		3.4%	7
No		96.6%	196
If yes, give the subject of the class(es) you would be willing to organize and lead.			11

See question 6 write-in responses

7. Are there any other subject areas you would like to study with a peer-group of other members?
	answered question		155
	skipped question		54
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		43.9%	68
No		56.1%	87
If Yes, what subjects would you like to study.			73

See question 7 write-in responses

8. The Insight Live Glaze Database will be undergoing testing very soon. If our network were to participate, how likely are you to participate by posting your recipes, and/or testing and reporting your results on existing recipes that are incompletely documented.
	answered question		206
	skipped question		3
		Response Percent	Response Count
Extremely likely		18.9%	39
Very likely		31.1%	64
Moderately likely		25.7%	53
Slightly likely		17.0%	35
Not at all likely		7.3%	15
Other comments(please specify)			29

See question 8 write-in responses

9. If you are not likely to participate, why not?
	answered question		35
	skipped question		174
		Response Percent	Response Count
No time		94.3%	33
Do not believe the effort worthwhile		2.9%	1
Want to keep my glazes private		2.9%	1
Don't like working collaboratively		0.0%	0
Already have too many glazes		2.9%	1
Other reason(please specify)			30

See question 9 write-in responses

10. Would you pay $10 per year for your cone6pots membership, if it includes group membership and access to the new Insight-Live Glaze Recipe Database, and expanded educational opportunities? An added benefit of paid membership would be to discourage scammers from joining our network.
	answered question		192
	skipped question		17
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		90.1%	173
No		9.9%	19
Comment			38

See question 10 write-in responses

[0dac1hbd3vdff]

Some of the results were interesting. I found it interesting that just 50% would be extremely likely or very likely to participate in the Live Glaze Database, but 90.1% would be willing to pay to use your site. That strikes me as very odd!

I tend to agree with those that say this site is hard to follow. There is some good info here although I've gotten lost a few times trying to follow a discussion through the links. I check in every few days, and am still waiting to feel a sense of community.

[George Lewter]

You are absolutely right about about the chaotic disorganization of the information on the network. We can comment on photos, on people's profiles, start or respond to discussions, post blogs, do status updates, send a message to an individual, or join groups. Our members do all of these and sometimes mix them indiscriminately, or use less appropriate communication tools, which makes following a topic quite frustrating.

If you have a burning question, you can start a discussion topic on it. Type in your thoughts, and paste in all the relevant discourse you can find scattered around the network, then you will have done your part to organize the network.  The network architecture  doesn't allow me to simply move content from one place to another. I would love to take the conversations that have cropped up around some of the photos and turn them into discussions, but even as the network creator, I can't do that without starting my own discussion and as I said, pasting in the content.

If you don't feel the community here, then it may be because you are standing on the outside, looking in, waiting for someone to come to you, instead of getting involved. I could really use some administrative help to work on the very problems you raise,.