Good, positive, suggestion Clair.
Birding-Aus is a wonderful resource for information on birding...
BUT
... I find the usability of Birding-Aus excruciatingly painful.
I think it would be wonderful if the information that is generously shared
here could be presented in another form, such that it is easier to read and
filter, yet does not detract from the overall experience of the user. I am
not sure that a forum design is the way to go, but there are plenty of
models out there now that could be considered. What about incorporating
wiki's for RFI's on birding sites so that the same questions don't get asked
repeatedly?
For those of you that did not like Clair's suggestion, I wonder if you made
that decision based on well-founded knowledge and experience of what works
(as some of you have demonstrated in your replies), or just purely based on
resistance to change, and what is best for you? Do you really think that a
dozen or so replies against the suggestion is an accurate representation of
all of the users of Birding-Aus?
I don't think it's a question of "If it aint broke don't fix it". The
website works, but there are now better solutions available. I believe it is
possible to create a website that can be simple to use and intuitive, retain
current users (and even make them happier!), and attract more. Surely the
more people who participate and contribute, the richer our resource becomes,
and the greater benefit for all? Isn't that what we should be striving for
here?
I wonder what the stats are like on this birding website et al? Are the same
people logging in all the time? What percentage of users contribute vs how
many read? How many hits are there a day? How can we translate that into
what percentage of the birding population in Australia are using the
website? These are the kind of things professional web developers keep an
eye on all the time.
On top of that, usability testing is a key component of any successful
website design. Ponder this: What would happen if you put someone in front
of a computer and asked them to go to www.birding-aus.org and find some
information on birds? Give them something specific to look for that you know
is there, but give no hints, no help. Try it with someone who has never been
on the site before and watch what they do. Where do they click? Do they get
it straight away? How long does it take? Ask them for feedback afterwards.
Over the past few months, there has been a lot of chatter about how modern
technology, particularly the internet, can be used for birding. This topic
is just another facet of the same theme that has been occurring over that
time; the current birding websites are not meeting the demands of the modern
birder.
I will end there and start a new post in the next few days, as I do not want
to take this topic off on a tangent (apologies if my response causes such a
tangent).
--
Luke
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