Uplifting One Another with 3D Printing:

The Social Impact of 3D Printing for People Struggling with Homelessness

The survey is the primary research in this project. It will be conducted on our tablets with the assistance of Switchpoint staff during the events at two affordable housing locations in Salt Lake City, Utah, and potentially other Switchpoint locations. In this survey, we aim to include the Switchpoint community, which consists of the residents, clients, staff, and probably some of their friends and family, to learn their perceptions of Spark Space and 3D printing and gauge and explain the potential social impact. We hope that will help to establish the Spark Space maker space and shop under Switchpoint.

The questions are progressively asked under the following categories in that order:

Basic 3D printing concepts are reviewed and the survey is introduced. Privacy is emphasized as the answers will be  "anonymous, and we will not collect your name or identify you in any way in this survey." No questions are asked in this category.

Affiliation with Switchpoint and optional age, ethnicity, and race questions are asked.

Questions that gauge interest in 3D printing and related skills are asked.

The views on 3D printing and the Spark Space concept are sought from the surveyees.

Through those questions, the needs and product interests are discovered.

Those questions measure and illustrate the potential social impact and engagement of the Switchpoint community of 3D printing and Spark Space.

Allows the surveyees to add additional comments.

We have found that the survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete on average. For some questions, using the tablets' dictation function will help provide as much information as possible in the text boxes.

This project page will be updated periodically in the coming weeks.