[OSM-talk] Survey coming

[Allan Mustard]

The respondents constitute a sample of the target population. Since we
don't really know what the population looks like (we don't even know the
breakdown by gender, do we?) we are aiming for as large a sample as
possible.  With a large enough sample, the law of big numbers [1] takes
over.  So please amplify my original message and get the word out far
and wide that the survey is coming and that the Board wants as many
people as possible in the OSM community to take it.  E-mail, social
media, all communications channels, please!

apm

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_large_numbers


On 1/10/2021 2:54 PM, Mike Thompson wrote:
>
>
> On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 11:45 AM Allan Mustard
> <allan.mustard at osmfoundation.org
> <mailto:allan.mustard at osmfoundation.org>> wrote:
>
>
>     Surveys are conducted to collect information about what
>     respondents think, believe, and prefer.  Those are the intentions
>     of this survey, as they should be for all surveys.
>
> Perhaps it is just a casual substitution of terminology, but this
> isn't exactly correct. Surveys are conducted to learn about a *target
> population*, not to learn about the *respondents* per se.  Those
> conducting the survey generally take steps to ensure that those
> invited to respond, and those that actually respond, accurately
> reflect the target population.  If one only cares about respondents,
> then one doesn't have to worry about any bias in the way the
> respondents were selected (self or otherwise).
>
> Having said that, the task of conducting an accurate survey of the
> "OSM Community" is going to be difficult, and sometimes one must do
> the best they can with the resources they have, while acknowledging
> the limitations of their approach. 
>
>
>
>
-- 
-------
/Allan Mustard, Chairperson/
/Board of Directors/
/OpenStreetMap Foundation/
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