Plaza Electra Status Report 10/7/02

Status Report

Online Community Center (Plaza Electra)

Joanne K. Graham

October 6, 2002

We launched our new site on August 28, 2002 along with the first release of the Integrated Data Viewer.� The community's reaction to the new site has been largely positive, and some of the not-so-positive feedback is being used as food for thought for the next version.� To improve the site we are working to understand messages like the following, and where feasible, to incorporate useful ideas into the site's design:

I don't suppose the new site is too difficult to navigate, but I am unhappy with the changes. The username/password entry is a hassle, and I expect lost productivity while I either search for the slip of paper with the info or email you for it.

Comments like the following show that we are on the right track:

I like the ability to customize for my needs. Considering the wealth of information available to me on the site -all free of charge- I couldn't be happier. I also like the "community" feel you've added. Thanks to all of you at UCAR.

Not unexpectedly, the reaction has been mixed.� We are pleased that overall our community seems positive about this first step toward building a community center.

Since our launch on 8/28 over 200 new registrants have signed up.� It is a bit disappointing that only �60� community members have taken the poll that has been a site feature since its initiation:

Is the new My Unidata site easy to navigate? (as of 10/6)

Very Easy	29.03 %
Easy	25.81 %
Average	16.13 %
Difficult	9.68 %
Very Difficult	19.35 %

General:

The plaza sub-committee met prior to the site launch (via the internet) and provided significant feedback for the site's future.� A presentation is available by visting the committee home page for Plaza.

Other UPC staff members have volunteered to be "guest stars" on this project, working on specific site-related tasks.� For example, Jeff McWhirter developed a new concept for the content framework which will make life for staff members who post information to the site much easier. He is going to help develop the first phase of on-line support as well.� I feel that this project is understaffed by at least 1 technical FTE.�

The plaza group was aiming to have personalization in place by October, but other priorities that took precedence proved to make that not possible.� We are now aiming for the first of the year to have this fully functional, and hope that some preliminary customization will become accessible to the user in the nearer future.

Next Steps:

1. Phase one of on-line support.� (Ask about this if you are interested.)

2. Site personalization.

3. More frequent news delivered to the front page is another short-term goal.� This is especially important when customization becomes a possibility, as community with very narrow criteria will wait a lont time to hear anything new from us if we don't keep it fresh.

4. Make it possible for community members to contribute news and job postings.� (This may have to �moderated.)

5. Research collaborative tools.� What do we want that community members can share?� How far do we go with this?

Once we get some of these steps into place, we will be stepping back, assessing what we've done, and planning for the future.�� This phase is probably six months out, at least, but we are gearing up for "version 2" in all of our thinking and weekly planning.

Finally, a big thanks in particular to key plaza staff:�� Scott Kehoe and Jeff Glidden for MAKING IT HAPPEN!