[maemo-community] No-target users (was Re: maemo.org redesign)

[From: Quim Gil]

Still on the target uses and main cases...

ext Graham Cobb wrote:
> On Wednesday 01 October 2008 12:31:58 Quim Gil wrote:
>> I wonder how useful is to prioritize users that don't know what is Maemo
>> or why they ended up in our website. The comparison with SuSE doesn't
>> really apply since I can be a SuSE user with my same laptop 1h after
>> visiting that page. Not the same case for someone knowing about Maemo
>> for the first time because of the simple fact that you need specific
>> devices.
>>
>> And if you already have one of these devices probably you have an idea
>> of what is Maemo and what maemo.org might have for you.
> 
> I strongly disagree.  I think www.maemo.org should have two main goals:
> 
> 1) Explain what on earth this Maemo thing is which they have heard someone 
> mention.  Include enough about what we are about to encourage the newbie to 
> follow a link to a more detailed introduction and an explanation of what they 
> can find here.  This initial paragraph should be written by a marketing 
> person because the goal is to get the newbie to click on the link to the more 
> detailed introduction.

This is basically the mission of maemo.nokia.com. Now these users end up
in maemo.org or ITt because there is almost nothing else (all the stress
in nokia.com is on devices or the OS2008). Nokia will do its best to
make sure those random users that not even own a device end up by
default in the official and marketing driven site. And anyway most of
those random users are probably interested first in the
device-with-Maemo rather than Maemo-apart-from-the-device.

This is why I think it's safe to assume that the majority of users
landing in the maemo.org homepage will be already Maemo-deflowered or be
sent there by an insider person/website with some kind of idea of what
is all this about.


> 2) Include enough top level links that an experienced user who does not 
> bookmark stuff much, or is away from their bookmarks, can quickly go to the 
> section they are looking for.

Sure, and this is why navigation bars are important - and all mockups
have one. But most of the people who doesn't bookmark stuff much (the
majority of users actually) will just start searching from google.com or
from the search at maemo.org (that should work flawlessly).


> I do NOT think www.maemo.org should be some sort of "homepage" for community 
> members (with news, etc.) -- that could be www.maemo.org/home -- anyone who 
> is a community member can bookmark the community homepage if they wish (and, 
> of course, it should just be one click away from the top level page).

That's a good idea. Your home as logged in could be then the homepage
for community members. Simple as that.


>> You and me know the problem very well: is http://www.gnome.org/ homepage
>> showing how exciting is to be part of the GNOME community?
> 
> I take the point that we need to include enough exciting stuff on the top page 
> to get people interested about joining the community (maybe that includes 
> News, maybe it doesn't, opinions?).  But the focus must be on capturing the 
> first time user, who has no idea what Maemo is, not on providing a useful 
> homepage for the already hooked community member.

There is the important detail: "who has no idea what Maemo is" falls out
of the scope of maemo.org in my opinion. Just provide an "About" nice
block with a device, a screenshot or something really simple to identify
and let the basic introduction of the platform to Nokia and Wikipedia.

What you mean is capturing the *maemo.org* first time user. Probably
already a Maemo user or someone with an idea about the platform. A
potential user of the community software or support channels. A
potential community member. Someone that don't necessarily know what he
wants, but with a rough idea of what is this Maemo and the devices that
run with it.

-- 
Quim Gil
marketing manager, open source
Maemo Software @ Nokia