APNIC is continually focusing on ways to work together with the community to improve products and services.
The biennial survey is APNIC’s primary way to help inform future planning and activities, however, APNIC also collects more instantaneous and ongoing feedback on products and services. This is collected in a variety of ways including surveys on the training sessions, conferences, and helpdesk services, as well as other channels such as blog comments and interviews with the community.
The User Feedback Group, which comprises just under 500 community members, has been helpful in conducting research on these potential improvements.
In APNIC’s 2023 Activity Plan, APNIC committed to ensuring that 100% of these improvement suggestions are assessed and actioned. As of 31 July 2023, we have analysed 2,371 individual items of feedback provided. This is up 33% from the same period in 2022, so thanks to the community for being so helpful with their input.
Of those items, 643 identified required action or follow-up from APNIC. The key themes of those items were:
- The length of training sessions
- The content of training
- The delivery of training
- The presentation style of APNIC staff
- User Experience (UX) improvements across search and APNIC Academy
The high number of training-related opportunities can be correlated with the high amount of feedback received in that area. With a high volume of training activities in 2023 and surveys provided after each session, 71% of all feedback received was from this area.
Outside of the main themes identified, other important topics include membership application improvements, APNIC Login ease of use, and more consideration for time zones and language throughout the region.
All these feedback items are reviewed by a cross-functional group at APNIC to ensure they are investigated and followed up.
Some of the improvement suggestions by the community that have been implemented so far in 2023 have been:
- Improvements to APNIC Academy Cyber Security and IPv6 courses
- Updates to the time zone feature on the conference website
- IRT validation security improvements
- Improved signposting of help options for those with APNIC Login issues
- Reduced use of paid incentives in research
Further work is either planned or in progress on the following:
- Improving the membership application form process
- Introducing additional reminders and calendar additions for training registrations
- Improvements to the APNIC website search
- Review of all content of training courses
- Investigating more accessible methods for payments
In the next quarter, APNIC will be seeking feedback from, and conducting research with, APNIC 56 attendees. However, there will also be other opportunities available online.
To take part and help improve APNIC products and services that will benefit the whole community, sign up or get more information via the User Feedback Group or the APNIC User Feedback Group on Orbit.
The views expressed by the authors of this blog are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of APNIC. Please note a Code of Conduct applies to this blog.