Austin Improv

Website ideas:

DO:
At its most basic, to the public, the site should provide easy-to-find (rarely more than 2 clicks deep) information on the AIC, shows, classes, and member troupes/individuals via calendars, media, and contact information. Second tier to this is to support these objectives by further offering external links to troupe/venue websites, links to merchandise, and other similar functions.
To members of the AIC, the site should also provide a place to access and exchange information (i.e. the forums) and other benefits that make being a member of the AIC and promoting the AIC easier, including links to other improv sites, templates for promotional materials like flyers and press releases, a media contact list, the forums, etc.

More specifically, Global:
--We should just do a general clean-up of design and follow standard design conventions. Yeah, we're improvisers, but this is not the place to buck tried and true convention. Punch up the colors and navigational contrast. Rearrage the buttons and add navigational functionality.
--Also, decide on one style convention and stick to it. The shows are just listed in a long list, but Classes are not. As a user, I'd expect Classes to behave identically to Shows for information architecture, but it's structure is entirely different.
I kindof like the "Main" column of info with the left hand support/deeper links, but there seems to be little rhyme, reason, or consistency to that philosophy. Again, with something like Classes currently, I'm staring at two lists of links and I don't know what to do. Also, those links tend to get lost without something to set them apart. A larger/bolder font, a colored background, etc.
--Reduce the screen real estate taken up by top graphic bar which serves no purpose or function beyond decoration.

More specifically, Navigation:
--Move Home to left of nav bar (see Amazon, cnn, MySpace, etc).
--Link logo to home page (see the same) and probably move to uppr left corner.
--Kill "Events Calendar." It takes up the most room and is blank. Besides, how is it different from shows or classes? What's left in the public's mind? Any "event" we care to invite the public to can probably be listed under shows. (As an outsider, I expect "Shows" to have a calendar, not just be a descriptor of formats).
--Minimize, prioritize, and order the links in the nav bar. My suggestion: Home, Schedule (or Shows), Classes, Media, Venues, Talent, Store, About the AIC, Contact Us
--Home would link to the index page. The Home page can double as a "news" or "announcements" page and we can have an archived link at the bottom or on the side if we choose.
--Schedule would have the integrated calendar of shows and events.
Repeating show slots (3fer, Double Barrel, etc) would have deeper pages of their own linked off the calendar or from a secondary menu beside or beneath the calendar.
As much as possible should fit on on the initial page load with only secondary and support information falling below the immediately visible line if at all possible. Right now, shows are in a long list (they are also linked on the side, but there is no structure (bullets, indentions), it just looks like a list of words).
As a general design rule, any time a scroll bar must be clicked more than twice you should rethink the amount of content on the page. Also, when it must be clicked more than twice, you should repeat the navigation at the bottom of the page.
--Classes would be a schedule of classes and workshops, highlighting improv, but maybe fleshed out with additional acting classes, etc.
Again, same as above, as much as possible on that initial load with supporting information below and on subpages and a calendar front and center.
--Media would house media (photos, video, audio, reviews) as well as link out to other sites like YouTube.
This brings up the programming of the nav buttons. Simple buttons take you to a page which you then use to navigate deeper. If the buttons were roll-over dropdown menus, you could get better content separation with less real estate and fewer clicks. For example, Rolling over the media button would instantly drop down a list with "Photos / Video / Audio."
--Venues would link out to the various venue websites as well as display exterior pics, simple line maps or links to MapQuest, and contact info. A sublink could highlight only shows in that venue.
--Talent can change names (I didn't want to say "Members" b/c the public may think that link is not for them), but that would house AIC member troupe, individual, and teacher bios. I think it would be nice for each troupe to have a very simple, templated subdomain page on austinimprov and then a link out to their main sites.
--Store would link to the AIC store, which again I recommend not being a Spreadshirt link, but similar to the venues page in that it link out to the various troupe's schwag and official sites. This would be another great use of the roll-over drop down menus (T-shirts / videos / CDs / other)
--About the AIC would house the history, structure, and philosophy (mission statement) of the AIC including the current "executive" structure and office holders.
--Contact Us would house "hire us" as well as contacts for the AIC general body officers and venue contacts (doubling up on that info). I don't think we need hire us on the front page for a number of reasons, and anyone wishing to do so would go here first. Besides, the current link neither says nor adds anything of value. No number, no rates, no nothing, which, as a user, is what I expect to find there.
--Maintaining the member login would be nice. This could bring up an additional menu with member-only options, such as the forums, links to support materials (like press release or flyer templates), a full AIC member contact database, and/or forms for AIC business.

I have more, but I'm out of time right now...

Wesley wrote: --Kill "Events Calendar." It takes up the most room and is blank. Besides, how is it different from shows or classes? What's left in the public's mind? Any "event" we care to invite the public to can probably be listed under shows. (As an outsider, I expect "Shows" to have a calendar, not just be a descriptor of formats).

Ordinarily the Events Calendar contains the complete schedule of shows and classes that have been scheduled. This is the way that someone would see what has been scheduled 2, 3 weeks or a month out from now, and not just what's coming in the upcoming week.

As much as possible should fit on on the initial page load with only secondary and support information falling below the immediately visible line if at all possible. Right now, shows are in a long list (they are also linked on the side, but there is no structure (bullets, indentions), it just looks like a list of words).
As a general design rule, any time a scroll bar must be clicked more than twice you should rethink the amount of content on the page. Also, when it must be clicked more than twice, you should repeat the navigation at the bottom of the page.

I disagree. Scrolling is a simple enough task, and people know to look for more information by scrolling. I'd much prefer to have larger fonts and lusher graphics than trying to cram everything onto the first page. I will agree that for things like the list of troupes, the list of shows, there should be a more concise table of links up top linking to the more detailed information below, though.

In general I think the left hand sidebar is underutilized and unecessary. I say we combine the information that is availabe onto one page for each category, or figure out how to do the drop down menus. Making those is simple enough, but I have no idea how to edit the page template with this system.

Roy Janik wrote:

Wesley wrote: --Kill "Events Calendar." It takes up the most room and is blank. Besides, how is it different from shows or classes? What's left in the public's mind? Any "event" we care to invite the public to can probably be listed under shows. (As an outsider, I expect "Shows" to have a calendar, not just be a descriptor of formats).

Ordinarily the Events Calendar contains the complete schedule of shows and classes that have been scheduled. This is the way that someone would see what has been scheduled 2, 3 weeks or a month out from now, and not just what's coming in the upcoming week.

And the events calendar includes classes and other perhaps more social events, like the awards ceremony or general meetings.

I think we need a few levels of "what's going on"

First and foremost, a listing of tonight's shows on the austinimprov homepage.

Next, a listings page, a la the Austin Chronicle's music listings.

Last, the full events calendar, for anal retentive people who simply must see everything laid out before them.

kbadr wrote:I think we need a few levels of "what's going on"

First and foremost, a listing of tonight's shows on the austinimprov homepage.

Next, a listings page, a la the Austin Chronicle's music listings.

Last, the full events calendar, for anal retentive people who simply must see everything laid out before them.

Yeah, I toyed with this idea... that the front page should only have the shows that are going on that night... or that at the very least those shows should be up top... But I have no idea how to do that short of manually editing the page every day.

Roy Janik wrote: Yeah, I toyed with this idea... that the front page should only have the shows that are going on that night... or that at the very least those shows should be up top... But I have no idea how to do that short of manually editing the page every day.

Yeah, editing it everyday is not an option.
I could hack it into submission if necessary.

arclight wrote:Backstory: The original AustinImprov page was http://news.austinimprov.com/ ; I still can't explain the rationale for migrating from it to http://portal.austinimprov.com/ because both pieces of software have roughly the same functionality.

First off, as a component (read: tool) that aided in Bob's misery, I would like to apologize humbly and publicly to senor bob. IN addition to all Bob's comments (which I agree and more than sympathize with) I would also like to add more on the backstory, that I think people should know and to keep in mind when making up this wishlist for what you want.

I believe we were using Mambo before. Mambo is a content management system and web portal that is extremely powerful. However, in my experience, and the experience of my clients who have used Mambo, it is also somewhat difficult for end-users to manage. Which kind of defeats the purpose for a content management system.

Additionally, one of the aspects of the new content management system (Exponent) was the ease of adding people to groups and the ability to allow for group management. (Like each troupe being able to manage their own area on the main website). Since "easy-to-use" is subjective, I setup Exponent on my own server and had Andy test drive it. I didn't really give him any other Content management tools to try out so the poor guy really didn't have any other frame of reference other than Mambo. So we decided to go with this. I tried setting up the system on Bob's server, but I kept having issues (mine. Not Bobs') and had to keep asking poor Bob to help out with silly stuff that wasn't even his concern (SSH access, FTP access, Symbolic link issues, etc etc). I felt bad asking him for help, especially since we were essentially transitioning to something else, that wasn't Mambo and so I suggested to Andy that we setup this site on a commercial hosting company for $10/month. The hosting company is fantastic and makes things easy for multiple developers to access and work on in a familiar environment, which was why I thought it would be a good fit. (And I still do). Andy begrudgingly acquiesced and made it happen. So I take full responsibility for that. I think I should have included Bob more in what was going on, but at the time I didn't know him that well and I'm very sorry that I didn't.

NOW, on to Content Management.
I think it should be clear to everyone that whatever happens to the site, it will probably need to have content continually added, edited and deleted by people who are NOT programmers. That means it's gonna have to be easy. SO far, the idea has been to use existing content management systems like Mambo*, or Exponent to allow for content updating.

However, that means that we're essentially taking someone else's code and bash bash bashing it into doing what we want. Some things are easy to change. Other things are not so easy to change.
It's like buying track housing and deciding that you want to change things to it. Some things are easy, like painting it. Other things are a lot harder -- like adding a second floor. So either we have a web programmer who has the time and energy to make those special custom changes to the code, or we just make do with what we have.

In summary, this means our options look something like this:
1)_ Web programmers donate time to modify an existing, agreed upon CMS (Content Management System).
2)_ We use an existing CMS with few modifications and put up with it.
3)_ Web programmers donate time to make a custom CMS from scratch.
4)_ ???


So far we're doing #2. Kinda. Except the part where we all agreed upon it. Why are we doing #2? Because I thought I was going to have time to do #1, but it turns out I'm a big turd. So I've only made minor minor minor modifications to the site. Roy's actually done more than I have.

This all being said,
I ask the programmers:
Am I way off on all of this?
What should we have done?

To anyone that has walked around in this current CMS:
How is it?
Is it easy?
Does it suck?
I wanna know you're opinion.


[flame on, people] It's ok. I have thick skin. And I am in no way attached to any CMS out there.

-eric



* For the programmers -- yes I know Mambo is technically a portal and much more than a content management system, but for those that use it, it's primary function will be content management.

chicocarlucci wrote: To anyone that has walked around in this current CMS:
How is it?
Is it easy?
Does it suck?
I wanna know you're opinion.

I've been playing with Exponent a lot lately.

Its problems are as follows:

* The WYSIWYG editor blows. It does some stuff very well, but it gets easily confused, especially with regards to fonts, sizes, and so forth. It also strips all formatting from html source, so editing in source mode is problematic
* Right now the resources and galleries and so forth are poorly organized, and so it's hard to know how to use them, or when it's appropriate.
* I can't figure out how to edit the overall them.. that is, to try and make drop down menus instead of a sidepanel. But maybe that's my own limitation

That being said, it has several good points:
* The componentized module interface is pretty awesome, and I've not seen anything like it. You edit everything in page, and you can easily link the same content into multiple pages. We're not really using it to its full potential though.
* Well, I guess that's really the only thing I can think of, but it's a pretty good one.

My vote would be to keep Exponent, but to organize the site better, and beat it into submission so that it's readily apparent how and when to do things.

I'm going to be updating the entire events calendar in the next few days.

I've been very busy and apologize. I deserve a swift crotch-punch. I'll save it for Wes's crotch-bustingly good Threefer sometime soon.

Ordinarily the Events Calendar contains the complete schedule of shows and classes that have been scheduled. This is the way that someone would see what has been scheduled 2, 3 weeks or a month out from now, and not just what's coming in the upcoming week.

Yes, but as an outsider, I see Shows, Classes, and Events and my expectations without clicking anything are "Shows will have a calendar of shows. Classes will have a calendar of classes. Events Schedule will have some calendar of left overs." If I don't see that when I click in, I'll be confused.
I may not even know there are different types of shows and even after I read through them and say "Oh, neat, I want to see this one", the navigation is not persistent (in that it scrolls away) and I cannot see a general calendar anywhere.
I think the differentiation between 1 week and 3 months--on two different tabs at that--is essentially arbitrary to an outside user. They just want to know when we have shows in a fast, easy format. One cannot just see that we have Friday shows on the Shows page without actively searching yhe list. We should use a more standard "see before search" methodology.
The functions can easily be combined and streamlined. We can still list the show info and graphics below or via a link within the calendar or off on the side bar (titled Show Descriptions), but I think an outsider will expect a calendar to be front and center.
In this case, I think when should come before what.


I disagree. Scrolling is a simple enough task, and people know to look for more information by scrolling. I'd much prefer to have larger fonts and lusher graphics than trying to cram everything onto the first page.

Studies show that people attribute, via attention span and conditioning, increasingly less meaning to information as they scroll. Like a newspaper story, they feel the first two paragraphs/screens are most important and everything below gets decreasingly less meaningful. (And I've seen enough focus groups on our own websites to believe it.)
Besides, you are requiring a lot more work from them to find a Friday show than by graphically illustrating it (via a calendar) in a 10th of the screen space. They have to scroll and read to find times.
Even within the list, it could be chunked to help. Tuesday could have a light yellow background, Thursdays are a blue chunk, Fridays pink, etc. So at least you'd have a visual cue while scrolling that chunks of information are linked and change.
We should also set off the times from the rest of the text somehow. Right now they are the same size and color. If that's the important part, it should be a differet color, in a different column, something.

And the events calendar includes classes and other perhaps more social events, like the awards ceremony or general meetings.

That's why I propose a show calendar on the Schedule page and a class calendar on the Class page. I would love to combine the two, but I think in this case the two functions are clear and separate enough to easily justify two calendars and numerous enough to produce information overload and confusion if slapped together on one. Besides, someone looking for one or the other would probably find the distinction benefitial and to an outsider now, I'd expect three calendars.

As for "events" they are so rare that I'd just roll them into "shows" (or the purposefully more encomassing "Schedule") because to an outsider (which is by and large who this site is for we must remember) they probably don't really know the difference anyway (and when they clicked on it a more detailed description would make it clear what it is).

Also, do we want to invite the public to all events? Maybe we do, but perhaps not. AIC specific functions like meetings might be better served in the member section.

Wes, go edit a fucking science textbook and save your long-winded scribbling for high school students. Sweet Jesus.

I just want to say that I agree with most everything Wes has said here.

One more note... anyone who sees something glaring on the website that they want to fix, should just login and fix it, especially if it's simple.

Obviously this could cause a "too many cooks" problem down the road, but there aren't exactly 800 people clamoring to edit the website right now.

If you don't have a login or don't have the proper access, talk to Andy, or maybe me. I'm sure I could figure out how to give you access.