Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Help me improve the CVGS Member Survey

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) surveys their members every two years, before the next Board is seated, in an effort to understand the capabilities and needs of their members.

The society is planning to improve the survey, and I thought it might be a good idea to ask my readers for their help. The survey questions are listed below.

Which ones should be deleted from the survey (and why)? What questions should be added to the survey (and why)? The survey is limited to one page in length, so there are only 26 questions in the available space. The survey is oriented to San Diego County because that is where CVGS is located.

Here is the late 2008 survey question list:

1. How many years have you been pursuing genealogy research? How many years have you been a member of CVGS?


2. What caused you to start doing genealogy research?

3. How often do you do some genealogy research activity? (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly?)

4. In what areas of the USA do you have ancestry? Have you been to these areas to perform research?


5. In what foreign countries do you have ancestry? Have you been to these countries to perform research?

6. Have you done research at the San Diego Family History Center? If so, how often do you go there? (weekly, monthly, yearly?)


7. Have you done research at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City? If so, how often have you been there?

8. At what San Diego County libraries have you done genealogy research? (CVPL, SDPL, SDGS, Carlsbad, others?)


9. Do you have and use a computer system? Is it a Windows system, or a Macintosh system? Do you have a laptop computer?

10. How would you describe your Internet skills? Are they non-existent, poor, fair, good, great, expert?


11. How often do you go on the Internet to pursue genealogy research? (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly?)

12. Have you posted your genealogy research on a family tree or social network web site? If so, which site(s)?


13. Have you used the LDS www.FamilySearch.org web site? If so, how often do you use it?

14. Have you used the www.USGenWeb.org web site? If so, how often do you use it?


15. Do you subscribe to www.Ancestry.com? If so, how often do you use it?

16. Have you used Google (www.Google.com) to find genealogy data? If so, how often do you use it?


17. How often do you go to the CVGS web site? Do you read the CVGS newsletter at the CVGS web site, or download it to read?

18. How often do you read the Chula Vista Genealogy Café blog (http://CVGenCafe.blogspot.com)? (Daily, weekly, monthly)


19. Have you posted messages on either the Rootsweb/Ancestry or Genforum message boards (surname or locality)?

20. Do you subscribe to any Rootsweb email lists for surnames or localities? If so, how many?


21. What other genealogy societies do you belong to?

22. What genealogy magazines or periodicals do you subscribe to?

23. What genealogy database software do you use? Do you need more training in using the software?


24. Have you attended the monthly CVGS Research Group? If so, how often?

25. Have you attended the monthly CVGS Computer Group? If so, how often?

26. What suggestions do you have for ways that CVGS can better serve you, or help you pursue genealogy research?

Note: CVGS also sends out a program survey every two years to determine the topics that members are interested in learning about.

Does your local society do a membership survey of this nature? I would greatly appreciate a copy of your society survey if you want to share it with me (rjseaver@cox.net).

Thank you for your help! I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions.

2 comments:

Jennifer said...

I'm surprised you don't ask why they joined CVGS. Could be enlightening to find out what, exactly, people are expecting to gain when they join.

Unknown said...

GREAT COMMENT, JENNIFER!!!