Ed Avis wrote: > Note that David Ellams is one step ahead and has already created some > video > tutorials on how to use Potlatch 2. > http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Video_tutorials > That's only one piece of the puzzle.
Agreed. Not everyone likes watching videos, nor are they very easy to go back to as a reference. We need some proper user documentation for (non-geek) absolute beginners. I think video would be even better integrated into this. My two-penn’orth… A prolific OSM contributor gave me some really interesting and helpful feedback by email after I put up the first video. He felt that even five minutes might be too long and that the stuff about getting acquainted with Potlatch, zooming in and out, etc., should be split off into a separate video – keep the number of messages per video as small as possible. This has got me thinking about how breaking videos down into shorter snippets might work. I think integrating them into user documentation would be the answer. I envisage a Quick Start Guide, with headings covering: • Starting editing • Parts of the screen • Moving around the editor • Editing existing POIs • Adding a POI • Tracing a road • Etc (but not many more headings – no bells and whistles, just enough to have a go). Under each have very simple step-by-step instructions. Under some of the sets of instructions, include a link to a video snippet to demonstrate the instructions. That way if a user is happy enough with the instructions, they can skip that video, but if they are not sure they can go ahead and click. It would work best using software that would allow the video to be embedded in a hidden panel that can be opened if the user chooses to click. However, not sure this is vital; it could probably work well enough as a wiki page with links to video snippets (the important thing would be making sure that a beginner would easily find the page without having to wade through oodles of wiki treacle). I’d love to do this myself, but I am afraid I am going to shirk responsibility. I will shortly be taking at least a six-month sabbatical from OSM for family reasons. However, if someone does come up with such a guide I might be able to find the odd moment to help snip up the videos (or you could do it yourself – happy to send the OpenShot project files if it makes it easier). Anyhow, a Quick Start Guide would be darn useful even without integrated video. The Potlatch developers did an amazing job getting P2 ready for the road. However, it is really down to the rest of us to sort out the user documentation. Cheers David P.S. If anyone wants to take this on, a look at Tom Chance's guide on openecomaps.org or the guide on cyclestreets.net for inspiration. -- View this message in context: http://gis.638310.n2.nabble.com/OSM-Analysis-New-Data-and-bot-tp6455312p6504016.html Sent from the Great Britain mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ Talk-GB mailing list [email protected] http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-gb
