The LEGO Group: NXT MDP

Developing What’s NXT

Last year, the new MINDSTORMS NXT system was
released to much fanfare - but before the system reached
production, LEGO fans were involved with designing
the set and software. BrickJournal talked with Steven
Canvin, Director of the MINDSTORMS Development
Program, about how the LEGO Group and the fans
worked together.

Article by Geoff Gray

BrickJournal: So as the leader of the MINDSTORMS Development Program, can you give us a little insight into how the program came about and what your expectations were going into this?

Steven Canvin: Our experience with the first generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS, centered around the Robotics Invention System and the RCX microprocessor, was that an enormous community evolved after its launch, with thousands of passionate followers, not only among the children, who were the target group but also a sizeable amount of AFOLs, who literally split our various Robotics sets to pieces, hacking and cracking the hardware, software and firmware (the software for operating the RCX microprocessor),
baring it all to the world. Since its launch in September 1998 numerous alternative programming languages have been created as well as home-made sensors for the set. Around 40 books have been written about LEGO MINDSTORMS by hardcore fans and technical writers, thousands of truly ingenious robotic inventions
have been created, and I can only say that the buzz around LEGO MINDSTORMS is mind-blowing. I am awed by the zeal of the users out there and we have truly been inspired by them when considering how to continue the development of LEGO MINDSTORMS. We realised that the potential of actually putting all this invaluable insight and knowledge to good use was really big.

Hence the MINDSTORMS Developer Program, which came in succession to a 14-month process where hardcore users were invited to participate in the development of the new generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS. First, we created the MINDSTORMS User Panel, MUP for short, with 5 so-called MUPpets on board, working close with the development team, giving inputs on all aspects of the product. Later, the MUP grew to 13 MUPpets, each active contributors to the community, through building great inventions, creating programming languages, FLL and RoboCup,  hardware and writing books.

The MUPpets added their knowledge, insight and creative input to the product during development,  collaborating with the team, and it was this synergy we hoped to maintain when we decided to create the MDP and invite 100 users inside for the beta-test. If we could have a quarter of the same kind of ping-pong and feedback with this larger group as we’d had with the MUP, we’d count it a great success.

BJ: The LEGO Group received over 9,000 applications for helping out. We know that this was way more than you expected. How did you manage to sift through all of the applicants and narrow down the team? What were some of the things you looked for on an application?

SC: To be precise we got 9,610 applications. We were hoping for 1,000 and were prepared to get up to  2,000. Luckily our database setup was capable of handling the big number of applicants. As we said in the application process we did split the group up into three subgroups. Those who wanted to focus on building great robots, those who wanted to write about MINDSTORMS NXT (books, reviews, blogs, training/teaching material etc.) and those who wanted to hack the product, develop new software, hardware or tinker with the Bluetooth connection. Then we tried to mirror the MINDSTORMS community regarding age and what country
people were from. In the application process there was a blank area where you were free to write a  comment or extra info. We read through all of these comments! And then we spent a lot of time looking at the database. First we narrowed the field down to 400, then to 200, then to 150 and final to the 100 chosen ones. So as you can imagine we did spend a lot of resources picking the 100 MDP’s. We wanted to give everyone a chance and we did take every application very seriously. Out of the 9,610 I guess that appr. 8,000
people were very qualified to participate so it was tough to choose.

BJ: Once the team got started, did you think that the expectations of the LEGO Group were met? Were you able to get as much feedback as you had hoped for, and did the success of the team inspire the LEGO Group to decide to create more teams like this in the future?

SC: I have to be honest and say it truly exceeded our expectations! Within the first week the NXT microprocessor was stripped of any secrets, the first try at an alternative programming language [from one of the newcomers] was made and we were really overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the members who jumped to the occasion and started giving the product an overhaul. We asked them to take the product to its limits and beyond if possible – and they did! We hoped to see 50 per cent of the new 100 members being active in the MDP, and had in many areas up to 70 per cent being active. Adding to this we had the 13  original MUPpets engaged in the discussions, sharing all their knowledge with the new members, helping us herd this crowd of very active users, by e.g. acting as moderators in the various discussion groups.

We got much more feedback than we had ever hoped to get, and thanks to the collective efforts of the 113 members of the MDP we got a very successful beta-test of the product, and not only did the MDP add the finishing touches, we also received a lot of inspiration for the future development of LEGO MINDSTORMS  NXT...

User groups have been actively involved in other LEGO product development, but having a process where so many users were so deeply involved in the development of a LEGO product is unprecedented, but I  believe it will not be the last time we do this.

BJ: Can you give us some of the stats from the program (# of posts, # of bugs, # of projects used by the  LEGO Group, etc)?

SC: To start with we had 8 forums with product-related topics, in which the MDP pioneers could meet up and discuss and exchange info, programmes, pictures, video and what have you, but within two days after we started the newcomers had requested for 3 extra forums to be assigned for special topics!

In the 3½ months the MDP ran the 113 members exchanged over 4,100 messages, hundreds of pictures  and many videos (over 200 MB of files...), program and sound samples, listed over 150 bugs, of which many of course were known to us.

BJ: I know there was a lot of serious discussion on the bulletin board, but there was a lot of fun/humorous banter as well. What were some of your more favorite or memorable moments during the program?

SC: It is true that most of the messages were about serious issues, but as the days and weeks went by the members started to warm up and make some serious fun, like sending funny pictures of models, giving them weird names, inspiring each other to go crazy with wild models. Some were sending photos and video of events they had been to with fellow MDP’ers, showing their robots beating each other up. At one time the German members started to write in a regional German dialect that was unintelligible for everybody else, I guess even for themselves! I’m still waiting for a translation.

Another funny incident was when we had a serious building competition, where the goal was to get a robot to get over a wall. That made for a lot of funny videos and comments – and model solutions. One that  stands out was a robot capable of time travel – yes, time travel! It created a lot of comments from the other
MDPers, who claimed it could not be done. I have only seen the video of the robot disappearing on one side of the wall to then reappear on the other side. I still have to see it with my own eyes to believe it.

I am very thankful that the MDP members also had so much fun to offer and seemed to really enjoy  themselves in the process we had.

BJ: What kind of feedback have you received from the participants about the program?

SC: The members started sending thank you notes from the very start, but when the MDP session officially ended,I received many mails from members who thanked us for being allowed to be part of this, and they all felt that it was a truly unique experience, and they felt really involved and many wrote they were ready to do it again, asking when that would be. All in all, they believed it was big step for the LEGO Group to take, in a  very crucial part of the product development, and many said that it is something we should continue doing. To which I can only add that with this buzzing community around us, it is definitely a concept we will use
more in future projects.

BJ: Can you give us any insight into the next steps with the Mindstorms brand?

SC: Yes, of course. As you can see on the document with our plans for 2007 products we have a lot in store, but honestly, I am not allowed to tell anyone about it. And neither can you. I would have to erase your memory first...

One thing for sure is that LEGO MINDSTORMS has come to stay, and you will see much more of us in the future.

Can I have my 2007 document back, please? Now? No, don’t put it on the website! NO!

You can find out more about MINDSTORMS at their website:http://mindstorms.lego.com/default.aspx

Geoff Gray asks a lot of questions and also is Photo Editor to BrickJournal.
BrickJournal does not confirm nor deny the possession of a MINDSTORMS document.