[Bf-docboard] Suggestions to improve wiki useability

[Raindrops From Sky]

The paragraph levels are wrong or inconsistent in many places.

If we see the entire wiki as a book, then the paragraph levels should
reflect their hierarchy (same as the tree on the left).
But this is not the case.

This problem has two different patterns:

1. Wrong level within a page:
Many of the topics are given a higher level, although they are actually a
sub-topic of the previous topic on the same page.

2. Wrong level across a set of pages:
Sometimes a page lists a few techniques.
These techniques are elaborated on subsequent pages (typically one
technique per page).
So, these subsequent pages should be treated as one level below the main
page.
Yet all pages start with H1.

Although these problems are not very apparent with wiki, if the wiki is
converted into pdf, this will create a weird hierarchy of topics.


Regards,
Narayan





On Fri, Jan 11, 2013 at 7:35 AM, Cal McGaugh <cal at cal3d.com> wrote:

> **
>  Hi Keston,
>
>   As I began to look closely at the current pages that Jim assigned me to
> edit (Sketching) ,  I realized why I hadn't been using the
>  wiki more in the past.....I find the current formatting very distracting,
> and difficult to extract & understand
>  the relevant info of the page.
>
>  So I took the liberty to remove most of the template code to see how it
> would look.
>  e.g. "Description",  "Options", "Usage" etc,  the in-line button images,
> numbering each heading (1.2.1.2 etc),
>  and the large darker boxes (at least in the Naiad skin version).
>
>  They are un-necessary, and in fact, counter-productive to useability,
> imho.
>
>  I showed this to Jim Tucker and he seemed to think it was an
> improvement.
>
>  Here is the current version of this page using templates
>
> http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.6/Manual/3D_interaction/Sketching/Drawing
>
>  And this is the one that I edited by removing most of the templates.
>  http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/User:Megacal
>
>  I kept the relevant headings with their font size & bolding, also
> bulleted points. The rest was redundant and distracting......at least for
> me, and
>  I think for many others as well.
>
>  Not only would it make the pages easier to use, it makes it easier to
> create & edit if we aren't constrained to use
>  the templates. This does not mean that pages would become
> inconsistant.....the style should always be consistant.
>
>  "The main purpose of wiki maintenance is to ensure that the content of
> each page provides the user with a clear,
>  concise and up-to-date description of the Blender function in the
> current version. Over and above this, the page
>  should conform with the User Manual context (see below) so that we keep
> a uniform User Manual layout." ....should always be the standard.
>
>  I'd also like to propose doing a user poll at Blenderartists.org (if you
> think it would be productive and help to improve useability)  to ask if:
>
>
>    - Do you use the wiki?
>    - How often % vs videos and/or books?
>    - Do you have any suggestions for improving it so you would use it
>    more?
>    - What do you think of this page vs this page?  (the current version
>    vs my proposed version).
>
>  BTW,  I didn't realize until after I had started the editing that Fade
> had already started working on the Sketching pages.......I tried to contact
> him/her to see if they wanted to finish
>  alone, with my help, or would want me to finish the pages....no reply ,
> so am not publishing the pages yet, though did submit it to Jim for
> review.
>
>  There's a good primer on website useability, Don't Make Me Think<http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Me-Think-Usability/dp/0321344758/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357869508&sr=8-1&keywords=book+don%27t+make+me+think>,
> and I believe the same idea makes sense for the wiki, too.
>
>  I was going to post this at the doc-board, but wanted to get your Ok
> first. It may have even already been proposed years ago.....I'm still wet
> behind the ears here & in Blender.
>
>  If you do think it's worth pursuing, I'd even be willing to limit my
> editing to cleaning up all the current pages.......it would be a good
> project to keep me off the streets. =)
>
>  Whatever you think is best, I'll abide with it.
>
>  Thanks,
>  Cal
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
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