In September 2009, Controlled Environments sent out our annual reader survey. Hundreds of people answered a variety of questions about the magazine, trade shows they attend during the year, and buying power, among others. It’s an opportunity for feedback from all of you and gives us information we hope to incorporate in the upcoming year to make the magazine reflect needs and trends in the industry.

The star of the survey for those of us in the editorial department is always the final question, “What future topics would you like to see in Controlled Environments Magazine® or weekly E-newsletter?” We don’t offer multiple choice options in this section; it’s an open-ended question, free for any type of comments and thoughts directly from those who responded. We look forward to reading each individual comment and this year was no exception. The lengthy list of areas of interest, challenges people face in operating and maintaining a controlled environment, and just whatever they feel is relevant to add is never a dull read. The responses are also a good gauge of how we are doing and a roadmap of places we should look at going in 2010.

In addition to looking at this year’s survey, we also took a quick look back at past surveys to note any changes or similarities over the years. The 2009 survey didn’t break any new ground — the survey results have remained consistent in recent history which was somewhat unexpected given the economy but may also be an indicator of the maturity of the industry.

Going back to the question of what topics should we be covering, we’ve come up with our Un-dirty Dozen — the top twelve areas that were mentioned as challenges, concerns, frustrations, or issues where it’s critical to remain informed on the latest developments for cleanrooms. Here are the general categories where most of the comments fell:

1. AMC control
2. USP 797
3. Cleanroom certification
4. Environmental monitoring
5. Safety
6. HVAC
7. Nanoparticle control and monitoring
8. Standards and ISO regulations
9. Validation
10. Cleaning and disinfecting
11. New products and equipment for contamination control
12. Green alternatives and energy savings
    

     

We thank everyone who took part in the survey and will look to incorporate these topics into the articles and columns in 2010.