[OSM-talk] Report on the OSMF 2021 Survey after One Week

[Mateusz Konieczny]

Jan 24, 2021, 22:20 by allan.mustard at osmfoundation.org:

>
> Niels, et al,
>
>
> The Central Limit        Theorem does not predict that answers to a questionnaire will        follow a normal distribution.  Rather,
>
>
> > when independent        random variables are added
>
>
The problem is that this assumption does not hold at all. Variables (people answering)
are not independent at all.

Someone spreading info about survey in their mapping community will cause
sort-of-similar people to answer, especially if given group is focused on some 
topic or characteristic.

Effect is greater for people efficient at convincing their community to answer survey.

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Also, variables are not random. For example, lying or answering strategically
is clear case of non-random distribution that will increase error.


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Survey will likely be useful, but error will be much greater than it would be in cases
where answers could be assumed to be independent        random variables.

>
> In an ideal world we        would a) identify all members of the OSM global community and b)        conduct a census of them.  This is impossible.  
>
>
I agree.

> We thus conduct        a survey, make it as large as possible, and advertise it widely        so as to reach as many corners of the OSM community as        possible.  We have translated it into 15 languages from the        original English.  We are promoting it through all manner of        communications channels.  If we are missing something, please        suggest how to address it.  
>
Spam PMs/changeset comments to active mappers? May be to aggressive.

I would go through https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Automated_Edits_code_of_conduct
process before doing this.

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