Run 2024 Embedded WG Micro-Survey

[jamesmunns]

I realized that the Rust survey team has the option to run "micro surveys" on behalf of Rust teams: https://github.com/rust-lang/surveys/blob/main/micro-surveys.md

I wonder if it's worth us putting together a survey for the embedded ecosystem, asking things like:

• Are you currently using embedded rust for hobby/school/work/none/in the past but not now?
• How long have you been using embedded Rust (0-6+ years)
• If using for work, how many devices/year is your company shipping currently using Rust?
• What architectures are you using (Arm/RISC-V/Xtensa/other)
• What chip families are you using (STM32/nRF52/RP/ESP32/etc)
• What frameworks/RTOSs are you using (Bare/Embassy/RTIC/Tock-OS/ESP-IDF/Hubris/other)
• How are you using Rust? (Only Rust, Rust as primary with C components, C as primary with Rust components, Rust tooling only (off device))
• What tools do you use as part of your development process (Cargo, probe-rs, defmt, other)
• What are the most common crates/libraries you use in your projects (free entry)
• What are your biggest complaints or blockers for using Rust in your projects (free entry)?
• How happy are you with using Rust for embedded (1-10)?

Open to feedback and suggestions for questions, note that we should not ask for any PII or DEI information, as per the micro survey guidelines

Originally posted by @jamesmunns in #780 (comment)

[jamesmunns]

Next steps:

1. - We need to review the language of the questions (feedback welcome here for now), it is currently only in a rough draft state
2. - We need to plan the "PR effort" for this - where do we get this included, how much time do we need it open for, who do we need to coordinate with?
3. - @jamesmunns to open a PR to the /wg repo with the questions in the format required by the survey team
4. - We submit the PR to the survey team and go live

[adamhott]

I just want to reference the comment I made about the importance of keeping the person taking the survey engaged enough during the survey that they will complete the survey and click the submit button.

This typically means less questions, simpler questions, and anything we can do to reduce the amount of mental effort someone has to exert while taking the survey.

[adamhott]

On a separate thread, we mentioned two surveys with different purposes in mind.

@jamesmunns would you mind putting together a list of purposes for the survey. I can think of a few.

1. What is the current state of Rust adoption in Embedded, and trajectory for the future within organizations.
2. Collected data that would be useful for Silicon Vendors, that would further the purposes of Rust adoption in Embedded.

[U007D]

Hey James, great idea.

It's also important to ask where people want to go and what they want to do beyond where they are now. Things like Error in core, the demand for a fledgling microarchitecture, language changes and so on could all be uncovered with these questions.

Asking participants to identify their top friction point with the language and with the ecosystem could help too.

Thank you!

[jamesmunns]

@U007D and @CodingInGreen I've opened #787, please let me know if you have any feedback there!

[jamesmunns]

This survey is now live: https://www.surveyhero.com/c/uenp3ydt

I'll be tracking all of the places that it has been shared in this message. Please feel free to comment any additional places below, so we don't miss anything.

• Inside Rust Blog Post
• This Week In Rust
• Twitter Post
• Rust Council Zulip
• Bluesky Post (James' personal account)
• LinkedIn Post (James' personal account)

[diondokter]

I posted on my personal account on mastodon: https://fosstodon.org/@diondokter/113005581427839200

[adamhott]

Shared in a LinkedIn post!

[spookyvision]

shared on mastodon

[michelrandahl]

reddit

[chrysn]

Dropped it in the RIOT OS matrix chat

[kevswims]

Shared in the Embedded.fm podcast Slack