RealTown's RealTalk

Terry, I still get RT as individual emails, I prefer it too, as I feel I don't miss anything....(when I go to the "web interface" and am confronted with the list of threads, OMG, no way would I attempt to wade thru all that....I might read one or two, but then exit.... and that's sad to think how miuch I would never see....) However, I do NOT want snippets of the previous email... it jacks up the size of the email (albeit not much, but mulitplied, is a lot).... and if I am in doubt as to what they are replying to, usually the subject line tells me, and failing that I can click on the subject line and see everything.....just one click and I get to see the whole thread.....much better than snippets (which are often out of context anyway). Lindy in Houston

Ways To Improve The New RealTalk Platform

In a previous post (in a thread that was hijacked by folks wanting to start the bimonthly discussion of client gifts) I asserted, "The new RealTalk 'web delivery mode' has made roadkill of the other delivery modes." Upon reflection, I was a bit premature. I do believe that with improvements, the web mode of RealTalk delivery will be the delivery mode of choice for the vast majority of RealTalkers and eventually John and the folks will need to decide on when to stop supporting the other modes of delivery.

With the power of server-side and client-side programming and other technologies, I do not see any way to "fix" the individual or digest modes of delivery that will be more user-task oriented and less messy than a well designed web mode of RealTalk delivery.

Been There, Done That

I had not planned on abandoning the individual mode of RealTalk delivery. A definite change of posting style became obvious almost immediately after the web mode of RealTalk delivery became available. Too many posts did not contain enough context to understand the post.

I went to the web mode of RealTalk delivery and found the "threaded discussions" and "flow of conversation" features good enough reasons to never look back. Having said that, I also compiled three pages of notes of things that I think can improve the web mode of RealTalk delivery.

Usability

According to usability guru Jakob Nielsen, "Usability is a quality attribute relating to how easy something is to use. More specifically, it refers to how quickly people can learn to use something, how efficient they are while using it, how memorable it is, how error-prone it is, and how much users like using it. If people can't or won't use a feature, it might as well not exist."

I think that there are a number of areas where the usability of the web mode of RealTalk delivery can be greatly improved. I would like to see most of the resources used to produce RealTalk focused on the continued improvement of the web mode of delivery. At the very least, I hope that John and the folks will not let "fixes" to the individual and digest modes of Real Talk delivery reduce the usability of the web mode of delivery.

Changes That I Would Make First

The main thing that I like to do with RealTalk is to scan all the posts and read posts selectively.

(1) I would like to log on to Realtalk and immediately see a "Hit List" with all of the RealTalk threads listed in reverse chronological order with threads containing unread posts clearly marked.  I have a large screen so I would like to see more than 20 thread subjects without asking. I would like to easily scan the list of thread subjects.

(2) I would like to wait for "search and sort" as little as possible. Therefore, I would like to be able to mark as read threads that I have absolutely no interest in reading. I would also like to be able to mark threads as unread on those rare occasions that I change my mind. I would then like to refresh the page with the resulting "Hit List" containing only "recent" (e.g., within the last week) threads containing unread posts.

(3) I usually select the thread containing the earliest unread post. On the "Detail / Thread Page" containing all the posts to the thread, I like to make a quick decision on whether or not to read any new posts on that thread. At the top of the page, I would like to see, added to the Contents, a title for each post distinct from the subject of the thread. I would like the "Detail / Thread Page" to be easy to read.

(4) When I am done reading a thread, I would like to easily find a link to the next most recent thread.

Here's a short list of specific changes that I recommend.

Improve the Usability of the Log In

* Include a choice of community as a preference or remember choice from previous visit.
* After a successful log in, immediately display the "Hit List" / "Thread List" page for the community of choice.
* Display important notices / announcements / changes one time for each user at the top of the hit list.

Improve the Usability of the "Hit List"

* Include number of thread subjects in "Hit List" as a preference or remember choice from previous visit.
* Trash the open envelope icons; they are unnecessary.
* Move other icons to after the thread subject.
* Make "RealTalk" in Home >> RealTalk bread crumb a link to refresh the page.
* Provide for an option to include only threads containing posts not yet read.

Improve the Usability of the "Detail / Thread Page"

* Provide for a title for each post distinct from the thread subject.
* Include the post titles in the Contents section.
* Include the post title in the post "header" / title bar.
* Expand the navigation bar at the bottom of posts to include previous / next thread.
* link the "to top" anchor text to the top (including the navigation bar).
* Make the "Detail / Thread Page" readable:

• Extend the timeout.
• Use only the most readable font; Verdana - black font on white background.
• Use one size font; 10 point.
• Use a standard signature format; enforce by using a form.
• Name, Broker, City, State, Tag Line, e-mail, web site address

fred ward
ann arbor
fcward@mindspring.com