[okfn-help] feedback homepage

[Rufus Pollock]

Dear Sebastian,

Thanks for this -- it is fantastic! I've cc'd our help list and we
will also post it on our website wiki page:
http://wiki.okfn.org/WebsiteRedesign.

Just to note: we used to have a front page with more content (albeit
text) but were told to simplify -- hence the move to the very basic
overview with links to more information elsewhere. However, perhaps
what we need is not more text but more short summaries and pictures.

More comments interleaved below.

Rufus

2009/4/2 Sebastian Hellmann <hellmann at informatik.uni-leipzig.de>:
> Dear Rufus,
> here is some feedback about the front page of OKF.
>
> In total there is about 2 sentences about the foundation and then
> basically 7 links embedded in a short text.

See comments above. I take your point that people don't click through though ...

> The rest of the page is about how to get involved and how to support it.
> When I looked at it I was not quite sure about the purpose of OKF. The
> visitors have to follow the links to get a basic overview about the
> foundation, which most probably won't do. Also, if you follow the link
> labeled "Find out more>>>" you basically get a slightly extended version
> of the front page:

What more should be there.

> What is open knowledge? repeats the message and links to somewhere else.
> What is the Open Knowledge Foundation? repetition
> What do you do? more links ...

So are you suggesting we embed stuff from projects and events directly
into this page ....

> Who are you? very generic and more links

Again should we just embed the info from the people page?

> What is your legal status? not interesting

OK but it should probably be there :)

> Besides the usual corporate identity, I really like the setup of
> http://aksw.org/About our front page:
> Basic description, links to broader context, then goals, then our
> commitments and the a list of projects (including a short description).
>
> So basically there is no need to leave the front page to get a basic
> idea about AKSW and its projects. You can quick scan it and pick what
> you like.
>
> So my concrete suggestions are:
> -Either tell more about the foundation directly on the front page or
> formulate goals.

OK so embed more stuff directly onto the front page.

> -Choose your major projects and invent a slogan for it  (one or two
> sentences) and list them on the front page with their slogan. Add a
> "more" link at the end.

Great. We already have this done in that each project has a one
sentence purpose.

> -include the latest entry of your blog somewhere (I know it is getting
> lame right now, because it starts to feel like I want to make the OKF
> front page look like ours, but we have some people in our group that
> worked as paid web designers, so they probably know, what they are doing.)

Yes, we have been planning that for a while.

> - avoid linking if you can tell information directly. e.g. there could be an
> summary about the open knowledge definition instead of a link to it.

The "free to use, reuse and redistribute" is the summary. Maybe on the
about page we can list the main principles.

> - include some pictures

Or more of them :)

> - move or copy some content from http://www.okfn.org/governance/ to where
> people can find it more easily e.g. http://www.okfn.org/about/
> (the introduction is very good)

Will do.

> it is ok to have long pages if you put a tree on top. many links with few
> information is an annoyance.
>
> Minor:
> http://www.okfn.org/wiki/MicroTasks/
> Basically sounds like low-level work. Who wants to correct spelling mistakes
> or do wiki gardening. People want to contribute their ideas.

Excellent point.

> So you could write something like "Browse in the Wiki and see if you can
> help us formulate new goals and ideas (and by the way correct the spelling
> or wiki if you find something)". This is more high level work and appeals to
> people. If I find time I will change the microtasks section myself next
> week.

That would be very appreciated. I was just about to make the change
you suggested right now but I'd rather leave as "the critical
outsider"

> I stated my opinion and I hope you don't see it as an offense (I really
> wouldn't have written such a long email just to offend you;)

Not at all. This is fantastic and very useful criticism.

> Feel free to forward it to the mailing list, if you think this is were such
> a mail belongs.

OK. Will do.

> Hope I could help, I didn't have the time to look at microfacts yet.
> It was nice to get to know all of you at the conference.

It was a pleasure to meet you!