MDN�Web�Developer�Needs�Assessment

Kadir Topal

The�Case�of�CSS�Grid

Prefixed (IE)

2012 2013 2014 2015 201820172016

Unprefixed

Prefixed (Edge)

Prefixed

Prefixed

Unprefixed

Unprefixed

Unprefixed

5 years totalCoordinated release

<- 4 years to unprefix ->

<- only 2 years ->3 years to ship prefixed ->

Web�Platform�Lifecycle�

ResearchStandards

&Implementation

Adoption

We don’t formally do this part.

Browser vendors, standardization bodies, interested parties

MDNDeveloper Relations

Interviews�of�Lifecylce�Participants

“We haven’t tried formal research”

“All ears at this point”

“Well, it’s partially based on guesses”

“We need to hear the voice of developers.”

“Nobody can keep up.”“The process is anarchistic, amorphous.”

“It’s all ad-hoc.”“Success is when devs stop complaining.”

“Someone filed a bug.”

Developer�Needs�Assessment

Prirorized list of web designer and developer needs

Published on MDN

Reproduced annually, tracking changes over time

THE�VOICE�OF�DESIGNERS�AND�

DEVELOPERS�WORKING�ON�THE�WEB

January�2019

Transcribing

Coding

Bucketing

July�2019

The�MDN�Web�DNA

● Localized into 8 languages: Arabic, Chinese (zh-CN) , English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (pt-BR), Russian, Spanish

● Fielded in July 2019 for four weeks (July 16 to August 14)

● 76,118 responses

● 28,475 completes

● 173 countries

● Almost 10,000 hours of developer time

Sample�Questions

● How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the Web, as a platform and set of tools, to enable you to build what you need or want?

● What are things that you would like to be able to do on the Web but lack web platform features to do?

● What are the biggest pain points for you when it comes to JavaScript development?

Sample�Results

Next�Iteration

● Report for first iteration in November 2019● Second iteration starts in March 2020● Fielding starts May 2020● Results wil be published in September 2020

Prioritized�List�of�Needs

Goal: Single and simple tool for harsh prioritization representing diverse populations and a huge feature space.

● You are the target audience● How useful is that for you?● What level of granularity?