GÉANT User Survey: Awareness, Views, and Needs

1. GÉANT User Survey Objectives, Methodology, Experience Dale Robertson, DANTE PR Manager 18 March 2005, UNI-C, Lyngby, Denmark

2. Basics • Large-scale GÉANT user survey, performed between May 2002 and June 2003 • Major piece of market research commissioned by DANTE as part of GN1 contract • Conducted by Prodata Consultants, a specialist Market Research company with expertise in the telecommunications sector

3. Objectives The survey’s main objectives were • to assess awareness and views of GÉANT amongst the User Base • to segment and size the current and potential User Base of GÉANT • to directly obtain users’ views about their requirements for international connectivity, the extent to which their needs are being met today by GÉANT, and any areas of un-met need In addition it was felt a survey could help to establish whether increased awareness of the network would lead to an increase in its usage. Additional requirements: • Enable findings to be reported clearly to GÉANT’s stakeholders • Deliver practical recommendations for raising awareness and improving usage of GÉANT

4. Methodology (1/3) • Survey performed in two phases, starting with the NRENs, and then focussing on users further down the “supply chain” • Phase 1: interviews with NRENs, GÉANT’s stakeholders and immediate customers • Interviews completed with NREN representatives (GÉANT Policy Committee members), July-Sept 2002 • 25 interviews: 14 face-to-face, 11 telephone • End users thought by NRENs to be highly unaware of both GÉANT and NRENs

5. Methodology (2/3) • Approximately 3,500 user contacts supplied to Prodata by the NRENs • 50% staff in technical departments of universities, research institutes and other organisations connected to the national networks – network decision makers and specialists • 50% academic staff, researchers, students - categorised as end users

6. Methodology (3/3) • Phase Two used two methods : a telephone survey and a web-based survey • E-mails used to invite users to log on to a URL to complete the survey on-line • Two rounds of reminders sent out • Surveys split approx 30% phone and 70% on-line, although there was also a mixture of on-line and telephone in some cases • Questionnaire made available in 8 languages – Croatian, English, Estonian, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish • Languages selected based on NRENs’ advice on importance of having questionnaire available in local language, plus the quantity of contacts

7. Survey Timetable

8. Phase 2 Numbers

9. Phase 2 Outcomes • Successful result due to various factors: • careful design of questionnaire • pilot phase • dialogue with NRENs • variety of contact strategies adopted by Prodata, following consultation with NRENs • End User data : 342 Data Tables. Data broken down by country, institution type, job function, etc - 42 different variables

10. Variation in Response Rates Variables impacting on the number of responses were: • Levels of interest in participating (impacted by awareness and interest/experience with GÉANT) • The existence of any “warm up” prior contact by the NRENs • Incentives – some effect, but survey relied mainly on interest in the subject matter • Profile of the survey – EC was mentioned as sponsor to raise the profile • Method – e-mail response rates vary depending on the above factors. “Cold calling” by e-mail produces response rates from 1% to 30%, average is 10% • Cold calling using telephone typically yields a 10% hit rate in the European research sector

11. Low Response Rates Main reasons why some countries’ response rates were lower than average: • Prodata didn't have direct access to mailing list (some NRENs sent e-mails themselves) • Poor sample quality (high rate of e-mail bounce backs) • Poor sample quality (no named contacts) • E-mails screened out as spam (resorted to telephone contact)

12. Overall Result • The surveys have confirmed some characteristics and trends in the user population which had already been widely observed on a less formal basis by members of the European research networking community. These include the importance of pan-European connectivity and the expected future growth of GRIDs and large international scientific projects. • The overall picture which emerged was one of positive perceptions of GÉANT and high levels of user satisfaction with the service provided, but relatively low levels of awareness and understanding of GÉANT and its potential. Perhaps most significantly of all, it was found that increased awareness of GÉANT’s capabilities is likely to increase its usage.

13. Thank you! Questions?

14. Findings • 1 Users unaware pan-European and international service is being provided by GÉANT specifically • 2 European digital divide leads to inequality of opportunity for researchers • Large-scale international scientific projects are heaviest users • 4 Relative importance of connectivity to other world regions likely to increase • Several segmentations used, and segments do not have accurate definitions • 6 No data on overall size of GÉANT user base • 7 Pan-European connectivity needs are significant and growing

15. Findings • Strong expression of interest in videoconferencing services • 9 Latent demand may exist amongst non-network literate researchers • Home-based connectivity requirements significant and growing • 11 Users are uninformed about the applications GÉANT supports • Increasing awareness is likely to result in increased network usage • 13 Some research projects would appreciate ongoing direct contact with DANTE to communicate requirements • 14 Some researchers would like to discuss their networking requirements with other researchers