The main problem I see with the polls is there is lack of participation. There are 1207
members and usually it's only 20-30 people who reply. And I suspect it's the same small
group who vote in every poll.

So it may be a tiny group influencing your product designs. Suppose this group is mostly
newbies who want only grunge and fat bass sounds. That's going to steer the product in a
specific direction and may reject many good mainstream ideas.

To increase participation, people need an incentive. Cash is always a good incentive. If
you want better data from these polls, it won't come free. Also include a small
questionnaire so you know something about the poll-takers to weigh the results.

--- In Doepfer_a100@yahoogroups.com , <yahoo@...> wrote:
>
> > I can't believe that a simple uncontrolled poll of only 29 users
> > is meaningful to you to base
> > your product planning around it. I bet that only those who are
> > emotionally invested will
> > bother to vote and most everyone else will ignore the poll. It's
> > meaningless data.
> >
> > It's like asking a 29 people what food they like and opening a
> > restaurant menu based on
> > that. I think you're better off to rely on your vision, business
> > and marketing expertise than
> > these useless polls.
>
> Of course the polls from the group are not the only criterion for the
> decision of new modules. We also discuss new designs with musicians outside
> the Yahoo group and - believe it or not - some are even our own ideas. When
> you take a look at the list of the latest new modules there are a couple of
> devices that were not discussed in or suggested by the group (e.g. the XP
> VCF A-106-6, the Dual lin/exp VCA A-132-3, the Dual VC Crossfader A-132-2,
> the Wave Multiplier II, the new Midi interface A-190-2 or the Synthesizer
> Voice A-111-5). But in the past the poll results were very helpful (e.g. for
> the BBD modules A-188-x, the Vactrol modules A-101-X, the SOU modules
> A-149-x, the morphing filter A-107 or the bit modifier A-189-1).
>
> After all the poor sales of some newer modules did not surprise me and of
> course it was also my own mistake. I should have listened to my inner voice
> :-) I was not convinced by some of the polls but have been persuaded by a
> couple of users to manufacture the modules. I think in the future I will
> listen more carefully to my inner voice. I made the experience that if I was
> convinced by a new module myself more than 95% of the users had the same
> assessment.
>
> Best wishes
> Dieter Doepfer
>