{"id":66595,"date":"2019-05-14T09:30:15","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T16:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/?p=66595"},"modified":"2019-05-21T09:37:24","modified_gmt":"2019-05-21T16:37:24","slug":"results-of-2018-cache-quality-survey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/results-of-2018-cache-quality-survey\/","title":{"rendered":"Results of 2018 Cache Quality Survey"},"content":{"rendered":"

In mid-2018, we invited the geocaching community into a <\/span>conversation about cache quality<\/span><\/a>. As we said then, HQ has taken steps in recent years to bring cache quality into greater focus, because we think it is very important to the continued vitality of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But before we continue with more projects to encourage cache quality and expect the community to focus on quality, we first wanted to hear geocachers\u2019 thoughts on the subject. We started with <\/span>feedback threads<\/span><\/a> in our User Insights forums. We then <\/span>built a survey<\/span><\/a> directly from your feedback and ideas. For example, cachers gave qualitative feedback about what makes a high-quality geocache in the forum threads. For the survey, we turned those results into questions to receive quantitative feedback.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nearly 12,000 people from 58 countries participated in the survey. The respondents were some of the community\u2019s most experienced and engaged players: 80% own a cache, 85% have found 500+ caches, and 95% are Premium members.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following are the results of the survey, broken down by categories.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most important factors for a high-quality geocache<\/b><\/p>\n

Around 92% of survey respondents ranked accurate coordinates as very or extremely important for a high-quality geocache. By comparison, only 24% said that the largest container for a location was very or extremely important.<\/span><\/p>\n

The factors, in order of importance, were:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Accurate coordinates<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Does not harm the environment<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Owner maintains the cache regularly<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Container suited to the environment<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Accurate Difficulty and Terrain ratings<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Well hidden from non-geocachers<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Interesting location<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. Well-written description<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. Accurate attributes<\/span><\/li>\n
  10. Helpful hint<\/span><\/li>\n
  11. Clever or custom container<\/span><\/li>\n
  12. Fun and\/or challenging puzzle<\/span><\/li>\n
  13. Includes parking coordinates, if available<\/span><\/li>\n
  14. Largest container for location<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If more geocache finders took certain steps, how helpful would each be to improving geocache quality?<\/b><\/p>\n

    Unlike the first question, there wasn\u2019t as much separation between the top and bottom ranked answers here. According to respondents, the best step finders can take is to log \u201cDid Not Find\u201d, \u201cNeeds Maintenance,\u201d and \u201cNeeds Archived\u201d logs whenever necessary. 79% said it would be very or extremely helpful. But a strong majority (74%) also said assisting geocache owners with minor maintenance would be very or extremely helpful, while 72% said the same about writing honest, constructive online logs.<\/span><\/p>\n

    All answers, in order of how helpful they would be to improving geocache quality:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Log \u2018Did Not Find\u2019, \u2018Needs Maintenance\u2019, and \u2018Needs Archived\u2019 whenever necessary<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Assist geocache owners with minor maintenance (e.g., replace wet or full log sheets)<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Write honest, constructive online logs<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. Do not install new cache containers (e.g., throwdowns) without consent of cache owner<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. Award Favorite points more often<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If more geocache hiders took certain steps, how helpful would each be to improving geocache quality?<\/b><\/p>\n

      The results showed the best things hiders can do is to be more thoughtful about the cache location\/container, and maintain their geocaches more regularly. Around 80% of respondents ranked those steps as very or extremely helpful.<\/span><\/p>\n

      All answers, in order of how helpful they would be to improving geocache quality:<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Be more thoughtful about cache location and container<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. Maintain your own geocaches more regularly<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Hide the kind of geocaches you would like to find<\/span><\/li>\n
      4. Provide mentoring to new cache hiders<\/span><\/li>\n
      5. Host workshops to teach about hiding and finding geocaches<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        If Geocaching HQ were to adjust the requirements for hiding a cache, how helpful would certain ideas be to improving cache quality?<\/b><\/p>\n

        The top ranked idea was to require players to find a geocache before hiding one of their own. Nearly 60% said it would be very or extremely helpful. A similar percentage said the same about requiring cache owners to address maintenance issues on their current hides before permitting new caches to be placed.<\/span><\/p>\n

        All answers, in order of how helpful they would be to improving geocache quality:<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Require finding a certain number of geocaches before hiding a cache<\/span><\/li>\n
        2. Require cache owners to address maintenance issues on their current hides before hiding new caches<\/span><\/li>\n
        3. Require new cache owners to successfully complete an online tutorial before placing a cache<\/span><\/li>\n
        4. Speed up the process for problem caches to receive reviewer attention<\/span><\/li>\n
        5. Require cache owners to include a photo of their cache placement when submitting the cache for review<\/span><\/li>\n
        6. Restrict total number of geocaches one person may own<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          We also asked about possible tools and projects that Geocaching HQ might undertake to encourage higher cache quality. Keep in mind that these ideas were the ones most mentioned in the User Insights forum threads.<\/span><\/p>\n

          Tool ideas, ranked by how helpful they would be to improving cache quality:<\/b><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Add function to search by Favorite point percentage<\/span><\/li>\n
          2. Create rating system (such as 5 star) for caches<\/span><\/li>\n
          3. Create a place for cachers to say why they favorited or rated a cache<\/span><\/li>\n
          4. Allow Basic members to give Favorite points<\/span><\/li>\n
          5. Provide unlimited Favorite points to Premium members<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Project ideas to recognize cache owners, ranked by how helpful they would be to improving cache quality:<\/b><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Create visible website status for owners of high quality caches<\/span><\/li>\n
            2. Give option to hide a unique cache type (like Virtual Rewards)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Other project ideas, ranked by how helpful they would be to improving cache quality:<\/b><\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Souvenir promotions that reward a variety of caching, rather than high number of finds<\/span><\/li>\n
              2. Rename the \u201cNeeds Archived\u201d log to \u201cNeeds Reviewer Attention\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                As noted when the survey was conducted, we can\u2019t guarantee implementation of all these ideas. But these results give us a much clearer picture of the community\u2019s feelings about cache quality. Your feedback will help us prioritize projects and greatly inform our work in general. The survey results also show how geocachers can directly improve quality, both as finders and hiders of geocaches.<\/span><\/p>\n

                We\u2019re very grateful to everyone who participated!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                In mid-2018, we invited the geocaching community into a conversation about cache quality. As we said then, HQ has taken steps in recent years to bring cache quality into greater focus, because we think it is very important to the continued vitality of the game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":66611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[137],"tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-66595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/blogassets.geocaching.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Mailer_Suite_092518_3_Quick_Tips_for_Successful_Geocaching_vFINAL_v2_Mailer_Blog-800x450-1.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/blogassets.geocaching.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Mailer_Suite_092518_3_Quick_Tips_for_Successful_Geocaching_vFINAL_v2_Mailer_Blog-800x450-1.jpg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/inside-geocaching-hq-podcast","embedCode":"

                Results of 2018 Cache Quality Survey<\/a><\/blockquote>