User feedback

Sources of User Feedback for Open Food Facts

Open Food Facts (OFF) benefits from a diverse range of channels for collecting user feedback. These channels offer unique advantages and considerations, allowing the project to continuously improve and cater to its users' needs.

In-App survey

• We have an in-app feedback form, with feedback arriving into a spreadsheet
• We have a specific prices survey
• Please ask for access if needed

Issue Tracker (GitHub)

• Various repositories, mostly openfoodfacts-server and smooth-app.
• Feedback can be direct like here or be in the form of an issue (there's some upvoting of issues, but it's biased to GitHub users).

Advantages

• Centralized platform for bug reports and feature requests
• Detailed discussion and tracking of issues

Caveats

• Technical focus may deter non-technical users
• 10 years of feedback
• Hard to get quantitative impact

Community Forums

• https://forum.openfoodfacts.org/

Advantages

• Open and collaborative discussion space
• Community-driven support and knowledge sharing
• Opportunity for users to help each other
• Ability to contact users for followups

Caveats

• Less structured than issue trackers

Real life events

• Events/Upcoming

Advantages

• Potential for in-depth discussions and hands-on testing

Caveats

• Bias, depending on the event

Social Media

Advantages

• Real-time feedback and engagement
• Informal and accessible communication
• Ability to contact users for followups

Caveats

• Less structured and harder to track specific issues

User Surveys and Polls

Advantages

• Targeted data collection on specific topics
• Quantifiable feedback and insights
• Ability to reach a large user base

Caveats

• Requires careful design and analysis
• May suffer from low response rates or bias

Where ?

• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.openfoodfacts.scanner
• https://apps.apple.com/us/app/open-food-facts-product-scan/id588797948?see-all=reviews
• Beware, those reviews might be filtered by country, and you might not see all of them. We do periodic CSV exports.

Advantages

• Direct feedback on app experience and usability
• Easy to collect and analyze

Caveats

• Often focused on specific issues or bugs
• May not represent the broader user experience
• Publicly visible, influencing potential users

Email Support

Advantages

• Personalized and detailed feedback
• Opportunity for in-depth discussions and problem-solving
• Direct contact with users

What

• Last massive wave in Fall 2023 for the Proof of Concept of the Mobile app
• Past: Some by ShareIT, Google.org volunteers and more

Advantages

• In-depth understanding of user behavior and needs
• Identification of usability issues and pain points
• Opportunity to observe users directly

Caveats

• Resource-intensive and time-consuming
• May not be representative of the entire user base