Last week I announced that I’m [finally] doing a redesign of this site – and I need your help to make it as valuable as possible. I’m really lucky to be working with Matt Chevy, a designer who’s totally supportive and even into this approach of involving all of you in making this a better site. So let’s get started:
How this works:
This week, there will be 3 (yes, 3!) blog posts asking for your feedback, each with a specific topic and options. Hopefully that means it’s really easy to weigh in and you’ll give lots of feedback 🙂 After all, this process is designed to make it easy for you to get even more of what you want from me!
Redesign topic #1: The Content You Want
For today’s topic, I want to talk about the kind of content that is interesting to you and keeps you coming back for more. Figuring that piece out means that Matt and I will be able to highlight content for you, design the site to feature what you’re after, and even help me write more of the interesting stuff! There are two focus areas below and some options for answers – please note there’s an “other” listed for both as I’m sure there are things I haven’t thought to include and hope you’ll feel open to listing them!
Focus: What is the content you come here for most?
- blog posts and conversations
- presentations or speaker slides/notes
- case studies or examples
- other resources (please describe)
Focus: What elements would make content easiest to find?
- search for tags or categories
- search for titles or conferences
- search for organization names or case study topics
- other (please describe)
Please share your responses in the comments – that way others can respond/reply to your feedback as well as leave their own. Matt and I will be both be responding, asking questions, and participating as well! Please share your ideas and feedback!
Need your input! Blog Redesign: The Content You Want – https://amysampleward.org/2010/08/02/blog…
RT @amyrsward: Need your input! Blog Redesign: The Content You Want – https://amysampleward.org/2010/08/02/blog…
@nickmhalliday @osCharity @dkrumlauf thanks so much for sharing the redesign post for today! https://amysampleward.org/2010/08/02/blog…
@amyrsward I find it useful 🙂 Hehe, you’re welcome! ^JC
Come here for:
— case studies/analysis
— speaker stuff
Useful:
— I really like the “You may also like…” links at the bottom of a post, either auto- or hand-generated
— I also like when I see “Top posts” in the sidebar
I agree with Deanna on all of the above 🙂
Thanks, Sarah – great to have “seconds” on what’s wanted! 🙂
Hi Deanna-
Thanks so much for the input! Great to know what you’re after. I really appreciate the notes you included about other ways to get at content (the “you may also like” and so on) – those are excellent ideas, and just why I put “other” in the list!
I think we can definitely make this happen.
Thanks again!
It sounds like Amy’s NPTech is going to be bigger and better. Looking forward to the new content and design.
I love your blog because it’s full of great content and resource — and it comes in many different forms (blog, presentations, case studies, etc.) But, my favorite is your perspective of the NPTech community and how to curate it to for social good. Your vast knowledge on collaboration and collective mind-harvesting is valuable.
If you are going to redesign your blog to become the hub of NPTech I would refrain from using a business or organization name because it would take away the personal connection we have with you. There are already several websites out there used as aggregators and community forums (NetSquared), but I can’t think of one that is personal — a website with a leader (facilitator).
What would my vision of a community website look like? The layout and transparency of http://www.mercycorps.org/ , the information and resources like http://www.casefoundation.org/ , and community input like Ning.com.
Hope this helps. Looking forward to the new website
Noland Hoshino
Hey Noland-
So great to have your take on things! I wanted to clarify that I am doing a redesign to better show/highlight content and conversations; but I am not going to change to be an organizational blog nor an aggregater. I do have a public NPTech RSS reader here: http://netvibes.com/amysampleward that I think is a bit of an aggregater already. This site is remaining a personal website/blog; the redesign is just to make it more useful and valuable to readers.
I really appreciate your opinion on direction and am happy to hear that part of what draws you in the most are opinion pieces and posts about collaboration, etc. I definitely plan to continue writing about those topics and hope to continue having thoughtful comments driving the conversation from you!
Thanks again
Amy, love how you’re planning out your site redesign (coincidentally am redoing mine as well and changing the name). I come here most for #1 presentations or speaker slides/notes
#2 case studies or examples. And I agree w/ Deanna on the *You may also like* as well as *most popular* or *most commented on*.
Hi Pamela-
Thanks for adding your feedback! It’s great to hear what kind of content brings you over and good to hear that so many people really do come for the presentation notes and slides – I can do a better job of presenting that information, for sure.
Good to hear that you are also in favor of the “you may also like” and other recommendation options – will certainly see what we can do to get related content popping up all over the site!
Thanks again
I agree with Deanna re: “You might also like…”
but in terms of content, I come here for:
# presentations or speaker slides/notes
# case studies or examples
And I’d also love a search case study topics function.
Thanks, Ehon! I would have never guessed that everyone was missing recommendation features on the site – I’m so glad to hear that so many want it; Matt and I know just where to concentrate!
Thanks also for the suggestion of a case study topics search – very clear and probably quite doable as well 🙂
Thanks again
Hey Amy,
Mostly I come to the site because you look so happy in your picture! But besides that, here is what I find most useful:
Blog posts & Case Studies. The case studies always help to verify hunches or debunk them. Your blog posts always do a great job capturing what is happening on the web now. I am not a slideshare fan, as for some reason I can never get enough context. And I have found your conference notes helpful, but mostly for conferences that I am at.
I think search tags and case study topics would make it easier to find the information.
Good luck!
Zan
Hi Zan-
Thanks so much for weighing in here; I really appreciate it. Great to hear that you aren’t a fan of slideshare slides – this will help me remember to post more of the notes on the blog. And, in case it’s helpful, I always post my speaker notes along with my slides (to view on slideshare, just click on the “Notes” tab beneath the slides).
Will definitely work on case study searching and more!
Thanks again
Amy,
I appreciate you taking the mystery out of “Market Research”. No need for wild speculations, just ask the people what they want and give it to them.
Focus: Why I visit
I visit for the blog posts and case study examples.
I also enjoy the “You may also like” options at the bottom but really don’t like the top posts because they are a bit deceiving. If something gets featured, it gets more clicks simply by being featured, which means it continues to be featured. You see what I mean?
Focus: Easiest to navigate
I like being able to search by tag, then conference. I also support the case study search option.
Thanks again for asking for input and I am looking forward to the magic happening in a newly redesigned world according to Amy.
Ash
Hi Ash-
Thanks so much for sharing this feedback. I feel the same way you do about “featured” or “popular” items and have always worried that maybe the reason they were popular was because they were listed as such. It’s definitely something I want to take into consideration for the redesign and ensure that I’m not misleading content and activity.
Good to know that conference titles are useful for searching/tagging – and that one more person is interested in case studies by topic. Who knew that was so popular!
Thanks again for the input; definitely taking it all in and will see what we can make happen!
Amy,
Hi! Just back from Africa & saw your post. While I love, love, love your case studies & presentations, I actually most appreciate your personal perspectives. You have such broad visibility and experience, I love it when you inject your voice & views into important conversations, or spur on challenging discussions in our field that should be held openly.
As for search functionality, if it’s here, I’ll find it – but I do prefer a simple set of tags/categories to choose from.
Thanks Mama!
Stacey
Hi Stacey-
Thank you so much for your feedback! I hope the Epic Change trip was amazing, trust that it is, and look forward to your updates 🙂
I’m really glad to hear your opinion on what’s of value to you here. I really hope to use some categories or other tags to help pull different kinds of content out, including case studies and opinion and news – hopefully that makes it easy for folks to find the kinds of content they are after, but also encourages comments.
Thanks again!
Hey Amy ~
Sorry I’m slow to respond but just getting back from wilds of British Columbia. You have gotten a lot of good stuff already. I definitely agree with Stacey that the reason I read your blog is to get your great perspective & thoughts, but also to get the pulse of the nonprofit tech community, and to read some good case studies.
A tag/category organization would be super helpful — to put case studies/presentations/posts/etc. all under subject headings, that would be groovy.
You rock! Thanks for making your site more useful!
Hey Anna-
No worries at all! Glad to know that you are getting a bit of vacation in this summer 🙂
It’s great to hear more echos that people are coming for analysis and opinion – I’ll definitely keep it up! I’m also excited to see what can be done with the tags and categories both to make content easier to find and help the usability of the site, but also to share with others using looking to add a bit of dynamics to their site.
Thanks again