EDT: Fargodome Expansion Vote vs Old Man Yells at Cloud (12-5-23)

[Buthockey]

To think that any group of students is as good or better than experienced professionals in ANY field is insulting. You've obviously never done it or hired a market research firm for anything. There is a difference. It won't be a simple survey if you want something meaningful. How you ask the questions can have a huge impact on the survey results. I've done more of this than any student, and I wouldn't hire me to do this project.

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But would you hire the professor who does stats research for a living in addition to teaching the stats class? Eh?

[GreenfieldBison]

Thinking a group of students can do a statistically significant survey with full analysis of the results as well as professionals diminishes the knowledge and experience of professionals. $25k is not a bad price for that level of market research.

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Sounds bargain basement actually. There must be some volunteer labor involved as well somewhere.

[GreenfieldBison]

The basic question is - would you have tied the idea of the convention center to the FARGODOME renovation as was done for the December 5th vote or would you want the FARGODOME renovation to be the sole item to vote on in future elections? Some other simple questions such as what things in the FARGODOME concern you most? Bathrooms, concessions, etc. Did you vote yes or no? Some of these respondents may not have even voted. You insult the capabilities of students being able to do a statistically significant survey. 400 people is in my opinion a statistically small sample of respondents. Fargo has probably 100,000 eligible voters. Sometimes people who are outside of your profession are not as dumb as you would like to make us out to be.

Your elitism towards survey professionals versus statistics students is on full display.

You gotta back up a little here AG and contemplate.

I've got a thing called a "box blade" that fits on the three point hitch of my little tractor. A nuclear physics degree is not a pre-requisite for operation this equipment. But I am worlds more accomplished with its use after 40 hours or so than I was in hour 1. Students in any discipline are not yet even up to hour 1.

There is a place for students discipline labor. That place is in the academic studies that the research faculty conducts, not in the real world. Academic and applied contexts are different*.

Edit: and yes, sometimes they do cross over.

[GreenfieldBison]

But would you hire the professor who does stats research for a living in addition to teaching the stats class? Eh?

If he/she has a side hustle with a properly papered LLC and the attendant liability coverage? Sure. Maybe. But as Indy points out, this effort is a bit more rich than just the statistical analysis. Without the front end that data will just be garbage.

[IndyBison]

If he/she has a side hustle with a properly papered LLC and the attendant liability coverage? Sure. Maybe. But as Indy points out, this effort is a bit more rich than just the statistical analysis. Without the front end that data will just be garbage.

Very possible and then use the students to help with guidance. But even then you have one person with experience. All legitimate market research projects I've done involved multiple people with various roles. The person who designs the questions is not the same person who codes the questions (especially if you have some dependant choice options) or the person who generates the results or cross analyzes them to try to understand what the data is saying. It usually involves a team of people.

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[HerdBot]

I watched the FARGODOME Authority meeting of a few days ago. Okay, I am appalled, they are paying $25,000 to survey 400 people. Why not put questionnaires into water bills and get thousands of comments. Get volunteers to sort through them. Typical bureaucratic. Having to hire a company to come to a conclusion on this for $25,000. It is OBVIOUS that the general sentiment was always that combining the December 5th convention center vote with the general FARGODOME upgrade was a problem and probably a good reason why the vote did not reach 60%. It reminds me of when NDSU paid $10,000 to an outside company decades ago to design a new logo and people were pissed. The general feeling back then was why not just get a graphic design class out at NDSU do it?

The FARGODOME needs to put their ears to the railroad tracks and could easily get a feel for what citizens want.

I think a lot of the FARGODOME Authority, especially Rob S. but the way they are doing this survey is very bureaucratic and corporate. Lazy survey.

This is so true. How about put up a friggin online survey that would cost nothing and share it across the media

[IndyBison]

This is so true. How about put up a friggin online survey that would cost nothing and share it across the media

Because that's what high school kids do to decide what theme to use for prom.

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[HerdBot]

It's also probably the correct way to do a survey. I worked a little with a market research firm and there is a lot to making sure a survey is statistically valid. Putting something in a water bill probably doesn't meet that requirement. Hiring a college class to do that is not the right thing to do. Would you hire a bunch of medical students to do your knee replacement surgery?

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Water bill ensures it's Fargo residents. It's quite effective and targeted. Although most people do their bills electronically these days so it could be a boomer only response

It should be multi faceted. Water bill. Social media. Signs at the Fargodome. Require a valid address

[HerdBot]

Because that's what high school kids do to decide what theme to use for prom.

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High School kids only use Tik Tok. My Grandparents use Facebook

[bisonaudit]

Water bill ensures it's Fargo residents. It's quite effective and targeted. Although most people do their bills electronically these days so it could be a boomer only response

It should be multi faceted. Water bill. Social media. Signs at the Fargodome. Require a valid address

It seems like they would want to understand the positions of people who are likely to vote, so perhaps land lines, local area code cell phones, and water bills are not a bad way to reach likely voters for an off cycle local election?