An idea

Someone with admin rights would need to start a new section in the forum for it. We could then have one sticky thread in that section, containing the questions. Then when someone wants to do the questionaire, they could start a new thread in that section, with an agreed title convention so we can tell what it is if we hit 'New Posts', and with their username in it. They then copy and paste the questions from the sticky thread into the first post of their specific thread, and answer them. Then when we all spot that they've done so, we all pile on and read it and fire our own questions and comments at them.

How does that sound?

 

Perennial questions from GQT:

If you were a plant or flower, what would it be?

If you could have a garden anywhere in the world, where would it be?

 

Sounds like a great idea. All questions sound good. No one talked about how often yet. Perhaps only Monthly, is that good? Or twice monthly. And how do you pick the person of the month, bi-monthly--what would be the method ??? Can't have a pick from a hat here. By alphabet---boring. By date of membership, or length of time in membership, age of person, how long gardening?

 

Let people who are willing to be interviewed add their names to a list, the list could be compiled by one of those round robin posts asking if you are interested please pm such and such a body-that body being whoever is happy to run it.

Maybe 5 set questions and five of the best that are submitted by members to that said same body who would be so kind as to offer to run it. The 5 submitted questions posed being entirely at the discretion of the organiser?

 

I'm game to put some effort in and help in any way I can

I agree we need admin to get us going then hopefully we can run it ourselves?

We seem to be getting a good idea now of the sort of thing we want. I am relatively new so will await instructions. I am keen though!

 

this sounds like fun. I'd definately go for a mix of 'serious' horticultural questions and fun questions...... I would need the 'lighter' side as may not know much about the technical stuff!!, hence why I joined this site.
maybe bring in other interests too.....heaven forbid there should be any!:hehe:

 

I think a list of set questions would be boring, I have on another forum done a member profile your life from start to now you can be as detailed as you want it makes for very interesting reading some people have fascinating lives.

 

I'm going to start a new thread with a poll to verify the interest.

In the OP will be some suggestions for how to start such a thread off.

I need the weekend to sketch this out so watch for the poll in here on Sunday night. If it's not up by then then it won't appear till Tuesday as I shall be busy on Monday.

 

As walnut says, I agree a set, set of questions would soon become repetitive, and also if as has been suggested "we then can ask our own questions" it seems to me its pointless asking any questions, because if a specific question a member wanted to ask is not asked they will ask it anyway.

Also how will the questions be asked?

You can't post them on here first because the person being asked will have had time to decide on an answer.

Is the idea of an interview not to know the questions until they are asked, and then reply instantly.

How about its done over the phone* and the Q & A posted here

*That way the person being asked has no idea what they will be asked, but the asker does have the question already written out

 

I cant for the life of me see how it could be repetitive when every answer would be quite different to the questions below, also posted at the start of this topic by me.

1. How long have you been gardening?
2. How many gardens have you developed?
3. Are you organic?
4. What style of garden do you like best?

Answers to the above questions would vary and spark conversation/discussion and questions in other gardeners minds and the person who is being asked the questions could be encouraged to give more than one word answers. For example "Are you organic?" could be answered "Yes" or it could be answered thus "Yes, I'm organic because..." similarly "How long have you been gardening?" could be answered "15 years" or it could be answered "15 years, since the day my Dad gave me a strip of bed to work on and...."

The way I have in the past used this scenario on other forums with other topics in mind is that I supply by pm the list of questions and the answers come back to me whereupon I post them in a new topic, this topic could include a photo of the interviewie (if they are willing) and a few shots of their garden. After that initial topic starting post the topic turns into a discussion/Q&A session.

Questions that could springboard from the above answers may be "When did you go organic and was it difficult to change?" or "Did your father encourage and help you or where you left to do your own thing?"

Its important for this to work that the original interviewie answers with other than one word answers and questions that are asked are broad range to allow a good selection of answers.

Steve...

PS I'm up for helping organise, or taking part as may be required.

 

It would be repetitive if the same questions were asked all the time. eg


Person 1

How long have you been gardening? 7 years

How many gardens have you had? 3

Your best style of garden is? Kitchen

Do you garden organically? no


Person 2

How long have you been gardening? 23 years

How many gardens have you had? 5

Your best style of garden is? formal

Do you garden organically? yes


Person 3

How long have you been gardening? 17 years

How many gardens have you had? 1

Your best style of garden is? Kitchen

Do you garden organically? yes


Yes the answers are not the same, but the questions are. (does not matter how long the answer is, its still the same question) That is why a good TV chat show host never asks the same questions all the time.

 

Thanks for clarifying that , but to reiterate please read in bold above. Your example shows one word answers which I agree would be repetitive, if the interviewies are encouraged to answer with other than one word answers then it simply cannot be the same.

Answers are then never the same or repetitive.

I've used this successfully on other forums and its a popular forum area. due to its Q&A session that follows.

I also stated above that questions are pm'ed to people and answers pm'ed back to someone who then posts them as a new topic, the topic is not posted if the answers are only of a one word nature...therefore avoiding the now dreaded repitition.

Regards

Steve...

Note:
TV Chat show hosts have a team of researchers behind them looking into the history of their guests, therefore they are forewarned and forearmed, and specific questions can be asked due to this.
Here, the idea and object of my idea for GC is to find out a little bit about each member by a generic set of questions which would then spark activity and discussion from the membership due to the searching questions first asked...its a win win situation.

 

I can, and have read, its not the what or the why I am asking about, its the how.

 

I think it is a good idea in principle to let the admins pm people, then post up the responses. The only downside is that it places a burden on the admin folks. If it was up to each member to start a new thread in the appropriate new section, and cut and paste the questions into their thread, then after the initial setup of a new section and a sticky post, the whole thing would look after its self. There would be no issue in the interviewee seeing the questions in advance and having time to think about them, as that would be the case no matter it is worked, and would it be such a bad thing anyway?

 

This is child’s play, I don’t understand why people are so truculent about some set questions. It is the questions that are boring ( really sorry Steve but they are), the answers………well- whether they are boring or not is down the interviewee. .


Just a few ways in which you can spark a full answer to those questions.


So, instead of………………..

1. How long have you been gardening?
How about…….
What first sparked your interest in gardening, and how has it affected your life?

2. How many gardens have you developed?
How about……..
Tell us about the gardens you have had in your life, and how they were developed.

3.Are you organic?

How about……………………..
How do you feel about organic gardening?


4.What style of garden do you like best?
How about.............
How would you describe your favourite style of garden?




You will all have done this in primary school-instead of what and when questions you ask the how and why questions.


"Here, the idea and object of my idea for GC is to find out a little bit about each member by a generic set of questions which would then spark activity and discussion from the membership due to the searching questions first asked...its a win win situation. "


I wholeheartedly agree, if it is step by step instructions that are required then I suggest you look at the more specialised subforums to post a question.