CommunityCentral sneak preview
On the CommunityCentral blog you’ll a find a sneak preview of the new homepage. The web-based platform is a friendly place for tangata whenua, the community and voluntary sector, public health workers, advocates and others in Aotearoa New Zealand to come online to converse, share and work together.
We’ve decided to let people see the design for the new web-based platform. After we made a demonstration to attendees at the NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisation’s AGM in mid-September, we realised it was time for a show and tell.
Over the last few weeks we’ve been doing a fairly intensive amount of usability testing. This has included a series of formal tests by AccEase who draw on a pool of people using screen readers and other assistive devices. I’m doing some more informal usability testing with a small group of typical users. And finally, the reference group we set up as been probing the e-newsletter function.
In developing the informal testing I’m doing I’ve drawn on some straight forward guidance that Rachael McAlpine wrote up a few years ago (see “Web site usability testing: recommended procedures“). I’ve followed Rachael’s advice before with good results.
A fairly large volume of usability feedback is being generated which all has to be analysed. This will be sorted into two lists: urgent; and nice to have but can wait. It’s not going to be possible to make the changes immediately as sometimes even simple things are both difficult and costly.
Of course, once we’re up and running we’ll be inviting visitors and members of CommunityCentral to post suggestions for improvements. Over time we plan to add features that will help further support people involved in community and voluntray organisation members.
If you’ve got any feedback on the sneak preview, post a comment.
PS We’re looking for a dynamic person who enjoys setting up systems, uploading content, and giving people really good support. Our ideal scenario is finding an intern or volunteer who will take on the role of webmaster and support person – for something like four or six months. Please get in touch if you’re interested or know someone who might be suitable (email Stephen Blyth).
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
You might like to read these posts too:
Could your idea change the world? Tell Google
Submission Deadline: October 20th, 2008.
To celebrate its 10th birthday Google has created Project 10 to the 100th, with US$10 million funding:
Project 10100 is a call for ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible.
Never in history have so many people had so much information, so many tools at their disposal, so many ways of making good ideas come to life. Yet at the same time, so many people, of all walks of life, could use so much help, in both little ways and big.
In the midst of this, new studies are reinforcing the simple wisdom that beyond a certain very basic level of material wealth, the only thing that increases individual happiness over time is helping other people.
In other words, helping helps everybody, helper and helped alike.
The question is: what would help? And help most?
At Google, we don’t believe we have the answers, but we do believe the answers are out there. Maybe in a lab, or a company, or a university — but maybe not.
Maybe the answer that helps somebody is in your head, in something you’ve observed, some notion that you’ve been fiddling with, some small connection you’ve noticed, some old thing you have seen with new eyes.
If you have an idea that you believe would help somebody, we want to hear about it. We’re looking for ideas that help as many people as possible, in any way, and we’re committing the funding to launch them. You can submit your ideas and help vote on ideas from others. Final idea selections will be made by an advisory board.
[Via : Project 10 to the 100th.]
You might like to read these posts too:
You could lose Internet access on a whim
Colin Jackson speaks regularly on National Radio about New Zealand Internet matters. Recently he spoke about Section 92A of the Copyright Act:
… it says that ISPs have to cut people off the Internet if a music company accuses them of copyright infringement. There’s no trial, no proof, and no accountability on the record companies to get it right.
[Via : Cutting off your Internet if you are accused of infringement.]
In other countries the music companies have a history of accusing anyone and everyone of copyright infringement by downloading or sharing material. Cases have been thrown out of court because the accused didn’t own a computer, or even was dead!
Section 92A of the Copyright Act goes against our well-establised right to a trial. As written, Internet access can be cut off if someone is accused of copyright infringement, not if they are found guilty of it.
This is something we should know about, and probably act on. Read Colin’s post for full details, and the link to an article:
which quotes the head of the music lobby as saying that it would be totally unacceptable for them to have to prove their case in court.
Links:
You might like to read these posts too:
Did he break the Internet?
We get all serious around here, bringing you news and ideas about the Internet. Today is time for a break.
If you’ve ever been worried that you may break the Internet, watch this 3 minute video, direct from YouTube:
[Via : MacWomen mailing list.]
You might like to read these posts too:
Why a professional web site designer can save you money (and tears)
Amongst community organisations money is generally in short supply. It’s tough to make good choices for wise spending, and always tempting to see where you can save a few dollars. After all, the more you can spend on your actual services the better.
And in that climate of careful spending websites often look like something where you don’t need the ‘luxury’ of a professional web designer. After all, there are so many places where you can make your own website, or get a friendly volunteer hobbyist to help.
But in the Scottish Business Blog professional web designer Heather Burns explains how sometimes taking the ‘cheap’ route can turn out more expensive, and even sometimes disastrous. She writes about businesses, but everything she says is also valid for community organisations. In her post, Why hire a web site designer?, these are her concluding remarks:
… to quote a Scottish Business Forums member, “If you think professionals are expensive, then just wait until you see how much amateurs cost”. Web sites are complex and they are technical. But they are not expensive. Cleaning up the damage caused by homemade web sites, “e-z site” builders, and bruised family egos is what costs companies far more than they budgeted for in the long run.
A trained web professional will take a genuine interest in helping you and your business to succeed. Whatever issue arises with your web site - whether it involves search engine optimisation, visitor tracking, legal requirements, e-commerce, marketing, copywriting, design, security, or the brave new frontier of web 2.0 - your professionally trained web site designer will work with you throughout the life of your site to give you the best web presence possible.
You just won’t get that in a DIY kit. Get your web site right the first time - hire a professional.
Read Heather’s article at : Why hire a web site designer? | Scottish Business Blog.]
You might like to read these posts too:
