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DRAFT

Survey: Community Platform Requirements

Introduction

We would like to determine whether an online network would be valuable to visually impaired musicians and audio engineers, and how such a network should be structured to have the biggest impact.

Anyone connected to music, audio, or sight loss is welcome to answer this survey, but we are particularly looking for responses from two key user groups:

  1. Blind and partially sighted music and sound creatives – whether you are just starting out, a hobbyist, an aspiring pro, or a professional. Musicians, composers, music industry roles, sound engineers, audio producers, voiceover artists etc.
  2. Sighted people who may support or work with members of the group above. Teachers, support workers, parents, Music Hubs, employers, non-profit organisations, designers of music-making products, etc.

Please note: if you are under 18, then you must be supervised by an adult when completing this survey.

This survey should take 10-15 minutes to complete and is split into 6 short sections. Most questions are multiple choice radio buttons. The survey has been tested for accessibility using VoiceOver on Mac and iOS, and Narrator on Windows.

We hugely appreciate you sharing your thoughts. If you would like to be entered into a competition to win one of two £20 Amazon vouchers, please enter your email address at the end.

Part 1 – About You

How would you describe your sight?
Do you identify as being disabled?
To which age group do you belong?
Which types of assistive technology do you use to access software? (Select all that apply)
What kinds of device do you use to keep in touch with people online? (Select all that apply)
Which areas of music and sound interest you? (Select all that apply)

Part 2 – Purpose and use of a community network

How strongly do you agree with the following statements?
It’s important for me to be able to connect with blind or partially sighted people who have an interest or career in music or sound.
An online network would be an effective means of connecting with others.
I would like to reach out to such a network for advice, recommendations, or peer support.
I would respond to community requests for advice, recommendations, or peer support on topics I am familiar with.
I would like to promote my work and get feedback on it.
I would be interested in providing supportive feedback on community members’ work.
I would like to find musicians, producers, industry professionals to collaborate with.
I would like to connect and collaborate product developers to support them to design hardware and software accessibly.
It's important to me that community-led conversations play a part in influencing the content that the Sound Without Sight project commissions.

Part 3 – Preferences about online environments

How important are the following design decisions to you?
The community platform is appealing and easy to use for blind, low vision, and sighted users alike.
Conversations on the platform are only visible to members of the community, so that the platform feels like a closed and private space.
Conversations on the platform are visible and discoverable to non-members, so that new users can find the community when searching the internet for advice.
The platform includes the ability to message community members directly and privately.
The platform keeps my personal contact details (email address, mobile number, etc.) private from other users.
Discussions on the platform are moderated thoroughly and reliably.
There are experts within the community who regularly take part in discussions.
There are some very engaged community members who regularly respond to conversations and begin interesting discussions.
I can log in to the platform using the same credentials that I use for the Sound Without Sight Knowledge Hub.
I can log in using my credentials for external platforms (e.g. Google or Facebook login) without needing to register for an account with Sound Without Sight.
I can interact with the community using email only, without needing to use a website or app.

Part 4 – Online platform preferences

Which of the following platforms are you likely to use?
Email list (e.g. groups.io, Freelists)
Web browser based forum
Web-based community that can be interacted with both as an email list and in a browser
App with push notifications (e.g. a new app, Discord, Slack, etc.)
Group on mainstream social media platform (e.g. a Facebook Group, Instagram broadcast channel, etc.)
Mobile-based group (e.g. a WhatsApp community or group)
Audio messaging platform (e.g. Clubhouse, Twitter Space)

Part 5 – Existing Communities

We are not looking to reinvent the wheel. These questions refer to the list of relevant external communities that are already signposted to by Sound Without Sight.
Before taking this survey, were you aware of the existing online communities listed at the link above?
Before taking this survey, were you already a member of the existing online communities listed at the link above?
Do you feel that these communities are aimed at you and relevant to you?
Do these existing communities offer everything you need already?

Part 6 – Closing thoughts

There is value in Sound Without Sight hosting a community for blind and partially sighted musicians, tailored to the results of this survey.
Such a community could help to bridge the gap and breakdown barriers to participating in mainstream music and audio related opportunities.
Such a community could have a negative effect, and isolate blind and partially sighted musicians and audio engineers from mainstream opportunites.
I would be more likely to interact with a mainstream online community, rather than one that specialises in supporting blind and partially sighted people.