Import devices into the Fixometer from CSV

[ngm]

It's been requested a few times but needs some discussion.

My initial thoughts on this:

• It is technically possible, however...
• The spreadsheet would need to mirror exactly the information that is collected in the Fixometer - (at present: category, brand, model, problem statement, repair status, repairable substatus, spare parts needed?)
• category names would have to match exactly the existing categories in the Fixometer (could be achieved with a dropdown)

So there is some work required in order to get the spreadsheet with the required level of information. In which case, why not input directly into the Fixometer? Why input into a spreadsheet first and then into the fixometer?

This leads to a second question:

• why is the information being input into a spreadsheet first? e.g. Is it because it's difficult to enter into the Fixometer? Is the spreadsheet being used for another purpose? Is it being exported from somewhere else?

A partial import could be an option, where some information could be imported and then the rest of the information filled in manually. However, this wouldn't necessarily be a major saving of time, if still some of the info needs to be completed.

Is the issue that perhaps the fixometer interface is cumbersome to use? In which case would improvements to the interface resolve this issue? Or is the issue that as a host we also want the information in a spreadsheet for other purposes? In which case would having an export of the device management screen be of use?

It feels like there might be some other issue underlying the need for a CSV import.

[forste]

Hi there,

Stephan from Restarters Barcelona here.

You are on the right track with your thoughts. We put the information in a excel because we derive the excel from our registration with google forms. Also excel is a known tool, flexible and easy to use for everybody. From other hosts at Restarters BCN I sometimes hear things like "I need a course in Fixometer". Don't know if these are usability issues or just fear/laziness of learning a new tool.

Having said that, it's been even hard for us to introduce the repair data in excel sheets (not even talking about introducing the data into fixometer) due to lack of resources and organization.

One way to incentivize data introduction into fixometer would be offering event managing functionalities (signup, email reminders, ...). This way we would probably end up using it for the whole process (event signup, communication, input of repair information, ...).

[SSebti]

Hi, I suggest to have a common Excel template downladable in the Fixometer. To avoid the errors, many of the answers would be dropdown lists. Then we fill the Excel spreadsheet and upload it in each event page. Thank you, Saad

[ngm]

Hi @forste & @SSebti, thanks, great to get your feedback. @JamesPickstone will be interested in this too.

@forste Stephan, interesting points. We definitely recognise the need to improve the ease of data capture and decreasing the load on hosts for data entry.

Some avenues we are taking on this:

• improving the UX and user journeys through the app in general - e.g. making the process of selecting the category / model / brand much simpler;
• making the site easy to use on mobile/tablet, which means capture could be done at the event itself;
• activating the Restarter account in the Fixometer, so Restarters could help add some of the information either during or after the event;
• adding the ability to take photos of devices at the event and upload them, to make it easier to add some of the info afterwards
• asking online volunteers to microtask to help with some of the data input

If you have picked up any specific comments about problems people have when using the Fixometer, please send them through so we can work on them!

With regards to the fear of learning a new tool, like you say one way to alleviate that is to highlight the benefits of using the tool. Current benefits are easy reporting on environmental and social impact for the group, which we've heard often helps with funding applications :) You mentioned more event managing functionalities as an incentive, could you elaborate a little?

• for signup - do you mean members of the public signing up, or Restarters signing up to a particular event?
• for email reminders, what kind of reminders are you thinking of (i.e. what is the content of the reminder; who is the reminder sent to?)

@SSebti Saad - thanks for the suggestion. Do you think it would be easier to download a spreadsheet, fill in the data, then reupload the spreadsheet? Wouldn't it be simpler to remove some steps and input directly into the Fixometer? What would you say is blocking you from entering it directly into the Fixometer? e.g. is it frustrating, or e.g. do you also use the spreadsheet for something else? (e.g. for example we could also allow export of the devices recorded for a party to be exported to a spreadsheet.)

Thanks both for your input - keep it coming, we want to make this as simple to use for everyone :)

[SSebti]

Thank you for your answer. It's faster for me to copy/paste identical cells in a spreadsheet (CTRL + drag&drop), instead of selecting each element in a dropdown list. If such functionalities are allowed in the Fixometer, then I agree with you to remove the spreadshhet steps.

[forste]

regarding signup and reminder, yes, this would be for the public.

currently, we ask participants to register for the event and provide a google form for this. then a couple of days before the event, we send out a reminder to registered people.

if the fixometer provided facilities for registration and email reminders, it would already have the signup data with participant and device info. after the event, we would only need to update that data, i.e. indicating whether a participant actually came, if the device they brought was repaired, etc.

also as a plus, if signup was part of the fixometer, we could then also get better data insight about e.g. how many people signup vs how many people come

[ngm]

Thanks @SSebti - so for your case it sounds like the UX tweaks to improve data capture would definitely help. I'll break this out into a new issue. (edit: I've created issue #236 for this)

@forste - really interesting, thanks. We've discussed more participant involvement too. We've kind of shied away from it so far to avoid collecting information on members of the public, but it's worth revisiting. Our next round of development is enhancing the event management side with regards to restarters at events, and we can think more about participant involvement going forwards. There's lots to discuss so I'll break this out into a new issue too. (edit: I've create issue #235 for this)