User:SignpostMarv Martin/Alert Request System Review
Overall Impression: Good idea! Being able to go directly to an individual seeking help is *much* more gratifying than jumping from OI to OI to HI to HI trying to find places to be helpful.
It's a great tool... when it works.
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Problems
What you got after clicking the location SLURL in the Pending Requests list was not particularly helpful... sometimes a blank page - with or without the link actually working, sometimes you get "mapped" to the destination, but the page didn't change, some other errors. Plus, you lose the information about the request you just clicked.
A couple people suggested, and I'm recommending, that it be changed as follows:
- Click to "Accept" from the Pending Requests list
- Request is flagged as "Met" and a new Page displayed which includes that Request's details - resident name, language, location, times, etc.
- Mentor can then click to Teleport, or pull up the Requester's Profile to start an IM conversation, while the details remain visible
- When finished with that "call," Mentor then clicks a "Done" link / button and returns to the Pending list
- Additionaly, a "Cancel" link or button can be made available, in the event the Mentor "accepted" the wrong request ("whoops, I don't speak Spanish" for example) The cancel link would "un-flag" the request, putting it back into the Pending queue.
- Optionally, there would also be a text field on that page, allowing the Mentor to leave comments (for himself or for others) on how the Response went
True, this requires one more click... but, it solves all of the problems people had with the SLURL links (see item #2); you don't forget the name of the requester; you can cancel a mistaken click; it allows for a feedback / comment addition; etc...
For a visual representation, please see http://donmisfit.com/sl/KioskFlow.htm
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Difficulties using external browsers and getting the SLURL links to work across SL Viewers / browsers / OS
With the current versions of SL, we can use the In-World Help browser (under the Help menu) to pull up external web pages, including the Pending Requests list. Unfortunately, with the way Marv was doing the page redirects, even using the In-World browser was problematic for some people. After a bit of testing, I *think* we've got link formats working for everyone. You can test them by opening the Help browser and going to:
NOTE: only the 1st link on this page will work if you're using the OnRez viewer... no way around that at the moment.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
False help requests (residents clicking the kiosk out of curiousity)
The kiosks may need to be redesigned to make it a bit more clear what clicking it will do.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Needs more language options (specifically noted are requests from Asian residents)
Marv has the system setup to handle pretty much all the languages in the world (well, by language code anyway)...
Let's see if we can come up with a good list of commonly requested languages... the kiosks will need a bit of redesign to allow additional buttons, while still being clear and readable.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Kiosks only provided feedback to the resident if English button was clicked
Likely due to a premature rollout of the kiosks. Proper feedback to the resident who clicks the sign is a must.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
TP from HI kiosks lands you in the center of the island, not at the kiosk location
This is due to the Landing Point routing on the HIs ... not much we can do about that. If you use the "show on map" functionality, you'll get the red beacon at the appropriate kiosk, even though you'll TP to the center of the Island.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Difficulty finding the resident who requested help
Having the Requester's name still visible (when using the in-world browser) may help with this a bit.
Maybe we can also come up with a "Requester Locater HUD" for people who would find that helpful.
One suggestion was that the kiosk feedback message ask the Requester to "hang out" near the kiosk, to make it easier to find them.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Kiosks on HIs located too close to Exit sign
Comments?
Auto-refresh, or at least a Refresh link, needed on the Pending Requests page
Marv should have this implemented prior to the next rollout phase.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
The "stats" list includes Requester and Responder Names
I thought this was a "bad" thing. I would have expected people to worry about it being a privacy issue, or about their volunteer activity being tracked.
The other side is that it's a "good" thing. Makes it easy for Mentors to contact other Mentors who are actively using the system to discuss it.
It's also been suggested that we get an interface for reviewing our own "Accepted" requests... which, naturally, would requiring continued tracking of names.
Any thoughts either way?
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Griefers playing SL version of "ding-dong-dash"
In case that doesn't make sense, it means someone running around repeatedly clicking the Call a Mentor kiosks, just to be a nuisance.
Possibly need a rating system or ability to add names to a "ban" list, so multiple requests from the same resident do not get added to the queue.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Language translation errors
Specifically pointed out for French: (False : Correct)
- Pour Français cliquez ici : Pour le français cliquez ici
- As-tu besion d'aide? : As tu besoin d'aide?
- Demands un mentor! : Demandes un mentor!
Translations should be checked (and fixed) before the next rollout.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Mentors sending IMs instead of TP'ing to the Requester
Should this be: Discouraged? Encouraged? Simply an option?
Any thoughts?
Not enough Mentors using the system
This is a big concern... if lots of newbies are Calling for Help, and nobody is responding, the kiosks will end up having a negative overall effect.
There are 2 parts to getting enough Mentors to use it:
- Spread the word that it's available... if nobody knows about it, it won't get used.
- Make it as easy to use as possible... if it's hard to use, or too quirky, many people will try it out at the beginning and then just drop it. If it's easy, and it works right, I think many, many Mentors will find it to be a useful tool.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Suggestions
Option to click a link to auto-open an IM window
Nice idea, but not possible with the current SL software
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Option to send a standard greeting
No way to auto-send a greeting, but it might be a good idea to come up with a good "standard" greeting and suggest that we all use it (could be shown on the "accept" page, for copy/paste)
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Filter Pending list by language
Or at least separate into boxes by language?
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Option to add comments to a Request record after responding
See item #1 in the Problems list
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)
Modify system so everything is In-World instead of accessing an external web site
This would be a good "ultimate" goal, but for now - due to SL technical limitations - it cannot be done.
There is no practical in-world data storage (on the scale needed here); object-to-object communication is slow and unreliable; SL -> external -> SL is slow and cumbersome.
There was talk about creating a HUD object for Mentors to wear, which would display the pending requests. However, along with the rest of the technical issues, the VTeam Lindens were very much *against* the idea. Comments ran along the lines of "we've tried Mentor HUDs in the past, and it's just too difficult to get people to wear them."
This does not mean it is out of the realm of future possibility... just that it's not really "on the table" for now.
Don Misfit 14:10, 11 December 2007 (PST)