[HacktionLab] Workshop proposal

[zoe young]

Greetings from a lurker

I probably won't be with you and so won't comment on procedure etc, 
except to say this:

As someone who has been commissioning, testing, using and moderating the 
Absolutely Amazing Drupal Media Aggregator (AADMA?!) developed by Ekes 
for our test case at http://ifiwatch.tv, I cannot emphasise enough the 
need to put Streamlined User Workflows at the heart of any new 
implementation. This includes a Simple, Intuitive Interface for moderators.

Based on my experience, it is not sufficient to do 'usability/feedback' 
at the end of a geek-led process. User experience needs to be 
prioritised and built in with Equal Status from the start.

For ifiwatch.tv, User Interface Expertise is urgently required to devise 
strategic masking of excess form fields (with option to open up only if 
needed) and guide people through a complex process step by step, with 
maximum facilitation of submission and editorial roles and minimum 
tweaking of settings, offering preset flows for set tasks etc.

I realise this is a whole extra area of work, but do not apologise for 
raising it. Because if these Absolutely Amazing tools are to be taken on 
and WIDELY USED they need to be made fully ACCESSIBLE to people who are 
time poor and not tech headed. Web media tools like youtube, facebook 
and twitter succeed primarily because they are easy for 'ordinary 
people' to use.

If anyone (organised) wants to take this side of the work forward, I am 
working with a charity (Bretton Woods Project/Action Aid) that is in a 
position potentially to to raise substantial funding to develop the user 
interface. All we need to start that process is committed people with 
relevant project management expertise in a technical/design focused 
organisation, ideally with charitable status, to collaborate with. Any 
offers or suggestions very welcome.

Cheers all, and good luck to yous!

Love, Zoe


   the JimDog wrote:
> Hey all
>
> i'd like to make a proposal for a big session at the camp on doing a code sprint for the proposed uk indy aggregated front page based on the development site mick and ekes have been working on.
>
> This could potentially start out as a large group brainstorming session, then split into smaller practical working groups for varying levels of nerdiness, perhaps deployment (for the ubergeeks), core code writing, the prepublish page, stylesheets and usability/feedback gathering (for non techies).
>
> This could maybe form the practical centrepiece of the camp, to get something together that works and can be presented to the london imc uk network gathering in 3 months time.
>
> Does anyone think this is a good or bad idea?
>
> Jimdog
>
> ps, i.ll try and get ents sorted :-)
>
>
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