[Talk-GB] Video tutorials (was: OSM Analysis New Data and bot)

davespod osmlists at dellams.fastmail.fm
Wed Jun 22 13:22:27 BST 2011


Ed Avis wrote: 

> Note that David Ellams is one step ahead and has already created some
> video
> tutorials on how to use Potlatch 2.
> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Video_tutorials
> That's only one piece of the puzzle.

Agreed. Not everyone likes watching videos, nor are they very easy to go
back to as a reference. We need some proper user documentation for
(non-geek) absolute beginners. I think video would be even better integrated
into this. My two-penn’orth…

A prolific OSM contributor gave me some really interesting and helpful
feedback by email after I put up the first video. He felt that even five
minutes might be too long and that the stuff about getting acquainted with
Potlatch, zooming in and out, etc., should be split off into a separate
video – keep the number of messages per video as small as possible. This has
got me thinking about how breaking videos down into shorter snippets might
work. I think integrating them into user documentation would be the answer.

I envisage a Quick Start Guide, with headings covering:

•	Starting editing
•	Parts of the screen
•	Moving around the editor
•	Editing existing POIs
•	Adding a POI
•	Tracing a road
•	Etc (but not many more headings – no bells and whistles, just enough to
have a go).

Under each have very simple step-by-step instructions. Under some of the
sets of instructions, include a link to a video snippet to demonstrate the
instructions. That way if a user is happy enough with the instructions, they
can skip that video, but if they are not sure they can go ahead and click.
It would work best using software that would allow the video to be embedded
in a hidden panel that can be opened if the user chooses to click. However,
not sure this is vital; it could probably work well enough as a wiki page
with links to video snippets (the important thing would be making sure that
a beginner would easily find the page without having to wade through oodles
of wiki treacle).

I’d love to do this myself, but I am afraid I am going to shirk
responsibility. I will shortly be taking at least a six-month sabbatical
from OSM for family reasons. However, if someone does come up with such a
guide I might be able to find the odd moment to help snip up the videos (or
you could do it yourself – happy to send the OpenShot project files if it
makes it easier). 

Anyhow, a Quick Start Guide would be darn useful even without integrated
video. The Potlatch developers did an amazing job getting P2 ready for the
road. However, it is really down to the rest of us to sort out the user
documentation.

Cheers

David

P.S. If anyone wants to take this on, a look at Tom Chance's guide on
openecomaps.org or the guide on cyclestreets.net for inspiration.


--
View this message in context: http://gis.638310.n2.nabble.com/OSM-Analysis-New-Data-and-bot-tp6455312p6504016.html
Sent from the Great Britain mailing list archive at Nabble.com.



More information about the Talk-GB mailing list