Madpom > 2014/12/03 11:24

Yes. Agree with all that speculation. But have no firm answers to any of it. Unless someone comes up with a better suggestion, I keep plodding along - fixing bugs and improving usability issues, and adding more data. This will either result in people finding the site useful, or it won't. I'd love to get feedback from all those 'registered but contributed (saved) nothing' users we've had to see:
- Whether we are providing the right information in the right format
- What usability issues they encountered
- What help they needed
- What else they'd like to see here

But unless they do, I see no option other than continue blind.

btw: simpler, more visible 'how to use this website' help is next on the list.

Hugh vn > 2014/11/29 22:09

so developing an app on the net is complex and requires a team. You won't get real users until something they find useful is working. You need a team (including less experienced testers) who can see the potential and are dedicated to the project before there is anything particularly useful available?

Or just keep going alone until there is a critical mass of info and people start coming? maybe.

At the moment people aren't contributing because it appears to complicated. (?). People aren't coming for the info because .... (?) its not the info they want? (?) there isn't enough of it. (?)

Madpom > 2014/11/28 21:04

Yes - for me it raises two really concerning issues. One, the easy one to resolve is the one you mention - better help and more intuitive interface - that can be provided so long as people provide feedback let us know what problems they encounter. The more serious issue is how to get potential users to communicate in the first place. There are forums, There are personal messages. My email is there for all to see. But other than a few 'congratulations, good idea' messages there is no-one but you communicating. And that is the real issue I have. I'd hoped for a core of potential users giving suggestions and feedback to help develop the site and accompanying documentation - and without them it's hard to know what is really needed. You have been very helpful - but at the end of it you are just one person, and on your own can't provide a range of opinions required to reach a consensus on what is needed.

Hugh vn > 2014/11/21 17:56

Just how many people have tried to learn how to add content to this site?

I spoke with Paul - what he needed to know was - Start by adding 'Points' that are used to make 'Route segments' that are then grouped into Trips etc. Here follows my best effort at what every new user needs to read. Its not the specifics of how to do it but the overview of what you're trying to do.


This site is based on 'Places' and 'Route Segments' that show on the map. Later in the process 'Trips' and 'Stories' then use those basics.

To contribute new information to this site -

1) Start by adding places (Add - Place - name ... etc) .

(Hints - keep it simple and click to save everything you enter - you can edit in more info later but you need the start and end points at least before you can add routes descriptions then trips etc.)

2) When your 'Places' exist - add a Route segment (Add - Route segment - click to add start point...)
(Hints - most route guide information is actually in the 'description' and the 'route points' of a route segment) )

3) When your 'Places' and 'Route segments' exist they can be used to write about a 'Trip' or be referred to in a 'Story', linked to 'Photos' etc.

4) If someone else has already added your 'Place' or 'Route segment' (which you will see when looking at the map), its probably better to edit add to or use the existing item and so avoid duplication.