Vision for OneVille documentation - Revision history

Micapollock at 14:13, 11 July 2012

2012-07-11T14:13:49Z

68.107.118.212 at 02:51, 16 September 2011

2011-09-16T02:51:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:51, 16 September 2011
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	None of us have done a lot of online documentation before. This website still is too wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave Sullivan put it~~, but~~ as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."		None of us have done a lot of online documentation before. This website still is too wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave Sullivan put it. But as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."

			Those of us who do research for a living also found this initial writing process unusually fast -- and unusually collective!

	We wanted to share our overall hopes for the documentation.		We wanted to share our overall hopes for the documentation.

Micapollock at 06:37, 10 September 2011

2011-09-10T06:37:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:37, 10 September 2011
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	None of us have done a lot of online documentation before. It still is too wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that." We wanted to share our overall hopes for the documentation.		None of us have done a lot of online documentation before. This website still is too wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave Sullivan put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."

			We wanted to share our overall hopes for the documentation.

	==Overall hopes for our documentation==		==Overall hopes for our documentation==

Micapollock at 06:37, 10 September 2011

2011-09-10T06:37:32Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:37, 10 September 2011
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	None of us have done a lot of online documentation before.		None of us have done a lot of online documentation before. It still is too wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that." We wanted to share our overall hopes for the documentation.

	==Overall hopes for our documentation==		==Overall hopes for our documentation==

Micapollock: /* Overall hopes for our documentation */

2011-09-10T06:37:06Z

Overall hopes for our documentation

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:37, 10 September 2011
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	We might offer a bibliography or index that also talks about other things to read.		We might offer a bibliography or index that also talks about other things to read.

	~~It's still wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."~~


	===Of particular concern: including participant voices===		===Of particular concern: including participant voices===

Micapollock: /* Overall hopes for our documentation */

2011-09-10T06:36:40Z

Overall hopes for our documentation

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:36, 10 September 2011
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	We might offer a bibliography or index that also talks about other things to read.		We might offer a bibliography or index that also talks about other things to read.

			It's still wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."

Micapollock: /* Plan to set each working group free to document */

2011-09-10T06:36:23Z

Plan to set each working group free to document

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:36, 10 September 2011
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	This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.		This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.

	~~It's still wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."~~

Micapollock: /* Plan to set each working group free to document */

2011-09-10T06:36:04Z

Plan to set each working group free to document

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:36, 10 September 2011
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	This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.		This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.

	It's still wordy and ~~more~~ designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."		It's still wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."

Micapollock: /* Plan to set each working group free to document */

2011-09-10T06:35:53Z

Plan to set each working group free to document

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:35, 10 September 2011
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	o 4.4 Things we’d expand/do differently		o 4.4 Things we’d expand/do differently

	The goal was for each working group to use that basic category structure to document, while being creative and having fun with ways to represent the work visually and accessibly. ~~It's still wordy, but as Dave put it, "~~		The goal was for each working group to use that basic category structure to document, while being creative and having fun with ways to represent the work visually and accessibly.

	This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.		This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.

			It's still wordy and more designed for "people who like to read," as Dave put it, but as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."

Micapollock at 06:34, 10 September 2011

2011-09-10T06:34:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:34, 10 September 2011
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	==Overall hopes for our documentation:==		None of us have done a lot of online documentation before.

			==Overall hopes for our documentation==

	Documentation should be coherent -- glued to our core research questions, throughout.		Documentation should be coherent -- glued to our core research questions, throughout.
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	-simple language.		-simple language.

	-examples of "ahas," "main realizations," products (e.g., screen shot of dashboard), and “how to” take precedence so that we show what we learned and made in this work and help others tackle the same sorts of issues where they live.		-examples of "ahas," "main realizations," products with explanation (e.g., screen shot of dashboard), and “how to” take precedence so that we show what we learned and made in this work and help others tackle the same sorts of issues where they live.

	-(We hope to point out "ahas" and "main realizations" in colored text boxes so that they strike the reader. Right now, we're trying "ahas" as a label for the many realizations had throughout the working group's work and "main realization" as a label for the biggest thoughts/findings from the working group.)		-We hope to point out "ahas" and "main realizations" in bold or colored text boxes so that they strike the reader. Right now, we're trying "ahas" as a label for the many realizations had throughout the working group's work and "main realization" as a label for the biggest thoughts/findings from the working group.

	Documentation should be visually inviting, even playful/fun. Think of enticing a teacher or young person or parent to tackle similar efforts where they live. Use lots of visuals and photos and color.		Documentation should be visually inviting, tone should be even playful/fun. Think of enticing a teacher or young person or parent to tackle similar efforts where they live. Use lots of visuals and photos and color.

	~~Use lots of real examples of products -- screen shots~~ of ~~tools or data, perhaps with arrows pointing things out.~~		(On that one, we've realized that we took fewer pictures and videos throughout the beginning of this project than we wish we had!)

	Show individual and group photos (or short video clips) of our participants, particularly next to their voices or work.		Show individual and group photos (or short video clips) of our participants, particularly next to their voices or work.
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	The documentation should perhaps also include our contact info, so that people can ask questions of us and our participants. Should we urge people to “please contact us"?		The documentation should perhaps also include our contact info, so that people can ask questions of us and our participants. Should we urge people to “please contact us"?

	We might offer an index that also talks about other things to read.		We might offer a bibliography or index that also talks about other things to read.


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	==Platform thoughts==		==Platform thoughts==

	In our Memorial Day planning meeting, we agreed that the platform needs to allow us to update it over time. We at least want the potential to grow a conversation bicoastally and, to let continuing projects report out on what they are doing (texting pilot; dashboard updates, parent connector network in particular. ~~Even eportfolio~~ as it continues to grow, ~~if they want~~ to ~~report their ongoing realizations online here~~!)		In our Memorial Day 2011 planning meeting, we agreed that the platform needs to allow us to update it over time. We at least want the potential to grow a conversation bicoastally and, to let continuing projects report out on what they are doing (texting pilot; dashboard updates, parent connector network in particular. Eportfolio as it continues to grow.)


			==The platform we have used==

			We've used a wiki to organize our thoughts, but the public facing website is not a wiki for anyone to edit. That's because we figured that having strangers edit our documentation would be problematic. Comments are more than welcome!'

	~~Seth’s suggestions/responses to Susan’s points questioning the choice of~~ a wiki:		Why we used a wiki as a platform:

	~~-fonts: we can find any font available on the web.~~
	-googlesites are not PDFable.		-googlesites are not PDFable.
	~~- a googlesite also allows you to link w/in the site. A wiki allows you just to [[ ]], but, with a googlesite you’d just link the hyperlinks.~~

	~~-the default wiki skin is less attractive but a wiki can get just as attractive. (e.g. the audacity documentation Mica sent out as an e.g. of exciting visuals is a wiki.)~~

	-~~wikis allow font to be consistent across~~.		-the default wiki skin is less attractive but a wiki can get just as attractive.

	~~TBD: Seth calls for consistency in~~ font ~~size and hierarchy of info~~.		-wikis allow font to be consistent across. (We can find any font available on the web.)

	-wikis have less technical problems.		-wikis have less technical problems.
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	***the ultimate point: more easily enabling co-creation now and, possibly, later.		***the ultimate point: more easily enabling co-creation now and, possibly, later.

	a wiki can be as rich as a website~~. (Mica’s main worry about wikis)~~		a wiki can be as rich as a website.

	~~a wiki could afford later co-creation~~.

	googlesites may at some point shut down, a la Google Translate’s recent restrictions.		googlesites may at some point shut down, a la Google Translate’s recent restrictions.
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	==Plan to set each working group free to document==		==Plan to set each working group free to document==

	Over Memorial Day weekend and in a week of work afterwards, we set basic initial categories for documentation that we wanted to hold across the project. We honed them ~~in lots of work~~, tweaking what didn't work. Here's what we came up with:		Over Memorial Day weekend 2011 and in a week of work afterwards, we set basic initial categories for documentation that we wanted to hold across the project. We then honed them over the months through September 2011, tweaking what didn't work. Here's what we came up with:

	* 1 Summary		* 1 Summary
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	o 4.4 Things we’d expand/do differently		o 4.4 Things we’d expand/do differently

			The goal was for each working group to use that basic category structure to document, while being creative and having fun with ways to represent the work visually and accessibly. It's still wordy, but as Dave put it, "

	The goal is now for each working group to use that basic category structure to document, while being creative and having fun with ways to represent the work visually and accessibly. We want to entice and assist others to do the same kind of work.		This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.

	This plan ~~allows~~ us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation ~~simultaneously~~ most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.

	~~==Technical instructions aiding OneVille colleagues in the documentation==~~

	~~===How to upload an image to the wiki:===~~

	~~http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Managing_files~~

	~~from ^ but modified for our theme slightly:~~

	~~Upload a file~~

	~~1. Prepare the file for upload. Make sure the file is exactly as you want it.~~
	~~2. In the sidebar, under “toolbox”, click “Special Pages.”~~
	~~3. On the Special Pages page, click "Upload File"~~
	~~4. Click “Browse” next to the “Source filename:” to locate the file on your computer (the name of the “browse” button depends on your web browser).~~
	~~5. Change the “Destination filename:” to something descriptive, if necessary.~~
	~~6. Fill in the “Summary,” if necessary.~~
	~~7. Click the “Upload file” button.~~


	~~To use an image in another page, you treat it much the same as a wiki link:~~

	~~[[Image:Cane Portrait Chevreuse.JPG \| thumb \| Female Mallard ]]~~
	~~^ File name \|size to display \| caption ]]~~

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:13, 11 July 2012
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	None of us have done a lot of online documentation before. This website still is too wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Dave Sullivan put it. But as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."		None of us have done a lot of online documentation before. This website still is too wordy and feels designed for "people who like to read," as Somerville parent and OneVille participant Dave Sullivan put it. But as Dave also put it, "People want information and the wiki provides it, it's as simple as that."

	Those of us who do research for a living also found this initial writing process ~~unusually fast -- and~~ unusually collective!		Those of us who do research for a living also found this initial writing process unusually collective!

	We wanted to share our overall hopes for the documentation.		We wanted to share our overall hopes for the documentation.
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	-simple language.		-simple language.

	-examples of ~~"ahas~~," "main realizations," products with explanation (e.g., screen shot of dashboard), and “how to” take precedence so that we show what we learned and made in this work and help others tackle the same sorts of issues where they live.		-examples of ¡Ahas!, "main realizations," products with explanation (e.g., screen shot of dashboard), and “how to” take precedence so that we show what we learned and made in this work and help others tackle the same sorts of issues where they live.

	-We hope to point out ~~"ahas"~~ and "main realizations" in bold or colored text ~~boxes~~ so that they strike the reader. Right now, we're trying ~~"ahas"~~ as a label for the many realizations had throughout ~~the~~ working group's work ~~and "main realization" as a label for the biggest thoughts/findings from the working group~~.		-We hope to point out ¡Ahas! and "main realizations" in bold or colored text so that they strike the reader. Right now, we're trying ¡Ahas! as a label for the many realizations had throughout each working group's work.

	Documentation should be visually inviting, tone should be ~~even playful/fun. Think of enticing~~ a teacher or young person or parent to tackle similar efforts where they live. Use lots of visuals and photos and color.		Documentation should be visually inviting, tone should be informal, to share info with a teacher or young person or parent who might want to tackle similar efforts where they live. Use lots of visuals and photos and color.

	(On that one, we've realized that we took fewer pictures and videos throughout the beginning of this project than we wish we had!)		(On that one, we've realized that we took fewer pictures and videos throughout the beginning of this project than we wish we had!)
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	(More details:)		(More details:)

	Documentation should ~~in the end~~ be ~~downloadable, and~~ distributable by people; something they can email around their school.		Documentation should be distributable by people; something they can email around their school.

	The documentation should perhaps also include our contact info, so that people can ask questions of us and our participants. ~~Should we urge people to “please contact us"?~~		The documentation should perhaps also include our contact info, so that people can ask questions of us and our participants.

	We might offer a bibliography or index that also talks about other things to read.		We might offer a bibliography or index that also talks about other things to read.
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	We hope that the more direct quotes, products, and videos we have from youth, parents, and educators, the better we will convey what we've been doing.		We hope that the more direct quotes, products, and videos we have from youth, parents, and educators, the better we will convey what we've been doing.

	We might get quotes from participants ~~through targeted interviews now~~ as we co-construct the documentation, or, take them from data collected throughout the project.		We might get quotes from participants as we co-construct the documentation, or, take them from data collected throughout the project.

	We might include short video interviews that enrich the content but aren’t required by site visitors to watch if they want to understand what we've been doing.		We might include short video interviews that enrich the content but aren’t required by site visitors to watch if they want to understand what we've been doing.
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	Not all of our participants will want to work on this documentation from scratch with us. Some will and we'd love it! But some will want to comment on examples as they take shape. We should invite any version of participation.		Not all of our participants will want to work on this documentation from scratch with us. Some will and we'd love it! But some will want to comment on examples as they take shape. We should invite any version of participation.

	====Some prompts for getting ~~those voices in interviews:~~====		====Some prompts for getting participants' take on the work====

	(What communication supporting students did this working group make a bit more possible?		(What communication supporting students did this working group make a bit more possible?
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	(What are particularly thought-provoking examples or stories from your project, that say something about improving communications in public education?)		(What are particularly thought-provoking examples or stories from your project, that say something about improving communications in public education?)

	More specifically: was there some moment in the pilot when you realized something about who needs to share which information with whom, via which ~~media~~, to support young people in Somerville? [COMMUNICATION ~~AHA]~~		More specifically: was there some moment in the pilot (an ¡Aha!) when you realized something about who needs to share which information with whom, via which channels, to support young people in Somerville? (COMMUNICATION ¡Aha!)

	(What are continuing barriers to needed communications?)		(What are continuing barriers to needed communications?)

	More specifically: was there some moment in the pilot when you redirected the work to make something succeed? When the project stumbled and you had to come up with a solution?[IMPLEMENTATION ~~AHA~~]		More specifically: was there some moment in the pilot when you redirected the work to make something succeed? When the project stumbled and you had to come up with a solution?[IMPLEMENTATION ¡Aha!]

	(Should others do what you have been doing? What would you tell them to make that possible?)		(Should others do what you have been doing? What would you tell them to make that possible?)
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	==Platform thoughts==		==Platform thoughts==

	In our Memorial Day 2011 planning meeting, we agreed that the platform needs to allow us to update it over time. We at least want the potential to grow a conversation ~~bicoastally~~ and, to let continuing projects report out on what they are doing (texting pilot; dashboard updates, parent connector network in particular~~. Eportfolio as it continues to grow~~.)		In our Memorial Day 2011 planning meeting, we agreed that the platform needs to allow us to update it over time. We at least want the potential to grow a conversation in different locations and, to let continuing projects report out on what they are doing (texting pilot; dashboard updates, parent connector network in particular continued in 2011-12.)


	==The platform we have used==		==The platform we have used==

	We've used a wiki to organize our thoughts, but the public facing website is not a wiki for anyone to edit. That's because we figured that having strangers edit our documentation would be problematic. Comments are more than welcome!'		We've used a wiki to organize our thoughts, but the public facing website is not a wiki for anyone to edit. That's because we figured that having strangers edit our documentation would be problematic. Comments are more than welcome!

	Why we used a wiki as a platform:		Why we used a wiki as a platform:
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	***the ultimate point: more easily enabling co-creation now and, possibly, later.		***the ultimate point: more easily enabling co-creation now and, possibly, later.

	a wiki can be as rich as a website.		-a wiki can be as rich as a website.

	googlesites may at some point shut down, a la Google Translate’s recent restrictions.		-googlesites may at some point shut down, a la Google Translate’s recent restrictions.

	In the end, we recommitted to the idea of using a wiki for this documentation, as long as it follows the vision above of being visually exciting!		In the end, we recommitted to the idea of using a wiki for this documentation, as long as it follows the vision above of being visually exciting!
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	o 4.4 Things we’d expand/do differently		o 4.4 Things we’d expand/do differently

	The goal was for each working group to use that basic category structure to ~~document~~, while being creative and having fun with ways to represent the work visually and accessibly.		The goal was for each working group to use that basic category structure to add documentation, while being creative and having fun with ways to represent the work visually and accessibly.

	This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.		This plan has allowed us to brainstorm with each working group about how to make the documentation most useful to specific audiences of concern, including Somerville teachers, district staff, and community members.