I trust I'm not intruding. I apologize in advance for the length of this post. Bear with me please.

My name is Crip, I'm a 43 y/o Brit living in Japan. I've been running a XOOPS based community for foreign sailors out here for almost 3 years. It's my only experience of XOOPS, so I'm not posing as a dev or anything even remotely like it. I'm an end-user, and a fairly new one at that.

I have been following this forum since it's outset, and have made the occasional comment. I have a proposal to make, and ask that it be given consideration.

I see proposals here for the formation of the following teams:

Core-Dev Team
Module-Dev Team
Project-Council
Advisory-Team
Community-Communications (edited) Team (ex News?)
Design Team
Documentation Team
Server-Admin Team
Promotion Team
Moderators Team

Sometimes these teams are referred to as combined, sometimes separate. Sometimes in different combinations

I hope that they all spring into existence in their own rights as I think each category needs undivided attention.

I wonder if there's room for one more though.

I propose that an End-Users' Team be added to the list.

I think that while the teams listed above will give voice and direction to a large part of this community, a very important and possibly even a majority of the people involved with XOOPS will not have a direct, non technical voice in the process of building our future together.

Let me try and explain a little more clearly by breaking down the roles (as I interpret them, and as a largely "analogue" person) of the Teams listed above.

The Core-Dev Team, obviously, will be working on the XOOPS core. Fixing bugs, making improvements and mapping a future for XOOPS the app.

The Module-Dev Team, I presume, will be there to assist independent mod devs with their development of new and existing modules. They may also develop modules that are seen as essential for increasing the utility of XOOPS but which no-one seems interested in/able to develop independently. They would also, unless I'm mistaken, be responsible for assuring certain standards are met and that information on said modules would be made easily available.

The Project-Council would appear to be an over-all management team, charged with having the last word on all aspects of XOOPS, and probably a role/voice in the XOOPS foundation.

The Advisory-Team would be a team of massively experienced XOOPSers who would be a kind of oversight team both technically and ethically. These folk would probably be called upon at times of indescision/doubt, but may not be logging on every day to check in on us.

The Community-Communications (edited) Team would be in charge of making sure that each team is talking, and maybe more importantly, listening carefully to what each other are saying. They would also be collating input from the various Teams and making sure that the news section of xoops.org carried timely and open reports on all things XOOPS.

The Design Team would presumably be working on a standardized "image" for the site here at xoops.org and official sites. They may also be made available to advise on GUI and usability matters for independent module devs. I wonder if these folks will also be handling Theme guidelines and cataloging.

The Documentation Team would be in charge of making sure that documentation of the XOOPS core was thoroughly maintained and publicly available. Not sure if they would be handling module docs, maybe not seeing as how there's a Modules team. They would also be responsible for XOOPS installation docs, of course, and possibly security and hack documentation.

The Server-Admin Team would be responsible for the day to day maintenance of xoops.org . Additionally, this would probably include implementation of themes and modules deemed required here.

The Promotion Team, I assume, will be making sure that XOOPS gets the attention it deserves. Maybe it would also be charged with assisting module devs in the promotion of their modules, writers with their books and webmasters with their XOOPS built sites.

The Moderators Team would be charged with maintaining decorum on the forums and assisting posters with finding answers to their questions.

Now, I may have gotten ahold of the wrong end of the stick in some of my assumptions here, if so I bow down to your superior powers of deduction, you will no doubt feel, rightly, free to put me right I have no doubt. I'm also sure I've left glaring holes in the tasks being undertaken by the various Teams. None the less, I still see a hole that needs filling.

Let's imagine a situation arises (peril the thought) somewhat similar to what we've been experiencing the last few months. A general feeling of abandonment or alienation in the community.

Let's also imagine some less drastic and maybe more likely situations. Imagine a significant number of XOOPS users find a new implementation in the core, while technically a great idea just overly complicated from an end users point of view. Similarly, something that a near-dev might be able to handle with minimal fuss proving to be a major headache for run-of-the-mill webmasters. Maybe there's a section of the documentation that just doesn't state things clearly enough, or maybe we find that the tech requirements for installing XOOPS get ramped up to the point that we risk losing a significant number of potential new users. Maybe a module slips by the standards team and the problem goes unanswered in the forums. Basically, and with the utmost respect, I'm worried that you guys are all in XOOPS so deeply that you may at times overlook the ordinary user.

Now, with diligence and luck, it may be that none of these things ever happen, or if they do, that they get caught and dealt with by one of the Teams mentioned at the beginning of this post. Maybe there are roles that I've missed in one or other of the various teams' assignments that would make an End Users' Team largely superfluous. Maybe you really are going to open up the site to more user input and not just build it so that your decisions and actions get reported more openly. None the less, I do think it would be good to have a direct channel to the 'inner halls' for the XOOPS end user community. Reassure us, your loyal fans.

It can be intimidating expressing opinions here sometimes, hence my belief that there may be a role for a Team such as I propose. If such a team came into existence and remained silent for lack of problems, so much the better, but just in case...

Thoughts and opinions humbly requested.

Crip.

A voice for the end user--sounds good to me. I like the way you put everything that's been happening as of late in one post.

I'm sure if anything you wrote needs clarification or correction someone in the know will step up.

By the way, this sounds like a team that most XOOPSers could be a part of and enable even the newest of the new to contribute to the XOOPS project. I certainly would like to help XOOPS in any way I can.

CRIP,

I surely hope your suggestion is implemented.

I nonimate you to be the leader in this effort to get this END-USER TEAM sailing Japan, along with the rest of the world. I can hardly wait to join.

WE NEED IT!

I am going to pm this thread to phppp, so he doesn't miss it.

Thanks,
BlueStockings -
[size=xx-small][Stuck in America and loving it of course.][/size]

Raising the issue of end-users, and useability, is a good idea. The users' perspective is often overlooked in software development.

Thank you very much for compiling the list. I was kinda loosing track myself reading over and over again. And yes i agree its an important point.

Just one clarification. I believe it was not forgotten but did not get the attention it deserved due to to close naming with another group. I assume this end-user aspect was actually part of what phppp listed as "Community-Coordination Team".

In your list at the top you should replace that term actually with "Community Communication Team".

Original threads:

Community Communication Team

Community-Coordination Team

And yes the names are to similar. Earlier there was the suggestion from dj to join Moderators and Community-Coordination Team into one group. After giving it some thought the last hours i would more likely vote for splitting the listed tasks and instead have seperate teams. Some of them are more likely fitting into your suggestion of an end-user orientated group and some of them in moderation.

So we might find a name a bit more differentiated and further task definitions for that group?

So you are available for taking the lead on that as Blue Stocking suggested?

Quote:

Indeed. edited.

Quote:

Should have kept my mouth shut... meeting/report once a month? Take on a forum somewhere for input? Yup, reckon I can manage that.
Before making that official though, let's wait a few days and see what else gets added to this thread.

Crip

THIS is what BLUESTOCKINGS is supporting. AN END-USER team, that can speak for END USERS.

BECAUSE XOOPS is all about what XOOPS needs and wants.
The end-user is not of primary importance in the current team setups.

MY EDITS... of what I would suggest for SailJapan to lead.
He seem to have a finger on the pulse of the end-user that current team members are unaware of.
______________________________________________
Quote:


As you can see above the original contract is all about the user understanding xoops... nothing about XOOPS understanding the end user.

That is WHY this team is needed.

The END-USER team should be ALL ABOUT THE END USER, its want needs and desires. With a ME FIRST attitude.

My opinion.
BlueStockings.
FYI: BlueStockings nic explaination

@Vaughn
from the explaination of my nic a portion of its meaning.

"They invited various people to attend, including botanist, translator and publisher Benjamin Stillingfleet. One story tells that Stillingfleet was not rich enough to have the proper formal dress, which included black silk stockings, so he attended in everyday blue worsted stockings. The term came to refer to the informal quality of the gatherings and the emphasis on conversation over fashion."
______________
This may explain, in part.. why when I saw the caps fashion being more important than the message the post brought it struck a nerve. I am sorry I over-reacted.
BlueStockings.

Well, I am confused again. Having many “Teams” it sounds to me like to have “too many chiefs – no Indians”

Firstly, I’d like to say that I am in the same exactly condition as ‘sailjapan’ (a little bit older though…) with whom I agree on most.

The actual question now is WHO LEADS and TAKES THE RESPONSIBILITY of the whole project.
I think that we should firstly define the organization and secondly the roles. This way, anybody who joins a team will now what to do and which are his responsibilities.

ORGANISATION PROPOSAL
XOOPS Foundation

Project Council
Formed by the Leaders of: Core-Dev Team (all members), Module-Dev Team, Design Team, Documentation Team, Promotion Team.
Each team (except Core-Dev Team) can have up to 3 persons (no more), who can cooperate with as many other they like to invite or voluntary offered. Some teams can be combined in one.

Community Council
Formed by the Leaders of: Server-Admin Team, Moderators Team, Community-Communications – Advisory Team (one team), International Official Support sites team. Except the Moderators and International Official Support sites Teams, each other team can have up to 3 persons (no more). Again, they can cooperate with as many other they like to invite or voluntary offered.

- Both councils are consisted by similar-task people / functions.
- Each member on any Team can be a member on any other Team but mostly on two.
- Each Team Leader can be a member on any other Team but not Leader.

Community Council advices the Project Council on any idea, request or remark generated from the XOOPS Community, since they will have the daily contact with the community.

Project Council gathers all requests, evaluates and implements them. The Project Council is the decision-maker and actually charged with the responsibility of the project in whole.

Now the question is: Who selects whom for what?
For the time being, I would politely pass this responsibility to phppp (D.J.), since he voluntary offered to and bears the acceptance and respect from everybody. Later, the Project Council should decide how it should be done (there is another thread on that…).


Thanks for the patience and please do not take this proposal as anything more than an idea from a simple XOOPS user.

It seems that I was not so clear (may be due to my mother language in not English)
Quote:

It has nothing to do with the above mentioned.

I looked up an old friend...
upsadaz

came across this thread .. apparently, she was a previous team member.

https://xoops.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=48945&forum=11&post_id=216720#forumpost216720

It is hard to tell the difference, between then and now.