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If you wonder why, there's a really simple explanation: the current Beta Labs feedback and conversation system doesn't scale too well. In the Linux world, there's an old saying that "Linus doesn't scale", meaning that Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux kernel, can't deal with everything and everyone in the Linux community. As it happens, I don't scale either, in the Beta Labs context. We need to figure out something new.
So how should we solve this problem?
In addition to deploying new tools, I can see two alternatives:
- bring the middlemen back (wrong solution, I believe)
- get rid of the last one (gee, this just might work!)
The proposal in pictures:
How does this sound?
Please note that most Nokia development teams have been focusing on their day-job, developing cool stuff for you. Typically they don't have enough experience or resources for whole-heartedly engaging in public dialogue with the beta user community (= 1% of the most passionate Nokia users). Therefore, even if everybody would love the idea, it will probably take some time before everything works flawlessly. I hope you can bear with us, and accept the fact that Nokia will not reply to most of your comments. But trust me, we are listening.
Getting rid of the last middleman
Fri, 2008-02-15 16:25Folks, I have some good news, and some bad news.
- Good news: Nokia Beta Labs traffic quadrupled this week. Yay!!
- Bad news: people have started complaining that we at Nokia (especially me) don't respond to feedback as actively as we used to.
If you wonder why, there's a really simple explanation: the current Beta Labs feedback and conversation system doesn't scale too well. In the Linux world, there's an old saying that "Linus doesn't scale", meaning that Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux kernel, can't deal with everything and everyone in the Linux community. As it happens, I don't scale either, in the Beta Labs context. We need to figure out something new.
So how should we solve this problem?
In addition to deploying new tools, I can see two alternatives:
- bring the middlemen back (wrong solution, I believe)
- get rid of the last one (gee, this just might work!)
The proposal in pictures:
How does this sound?
Please note that most Nokia development teams have been focusing on their day-job, developing cool stuff for you. Typically they don't have enough experience or resources for whole-heartedly engaging in public dialogue with the beta user community (= 1% of the most passionate Nokia users). Therefore, even if everybody would love the idea, it will probably take some time before everything works flawlessly. I hope you can bear with us, and accept the fact that Nokia will not reply to most of your comments. But trust me, we are listening.
Comments
"With success comes responsibility" stealing a line from Spiderman.
This problem is not easily solved as Ricky has pointed out above, some people just don't listen, nor are they interested in reading FAQs or useful information posted in regards to content supplied.
What is key is to reply to essential feedback, constructive and informative posts. The simple and cruel option is to ignore the posts where the answers can be easily found on the exact same page.
If one cannot be bothered to read up on what they download and are too ignorant to read up on it, they have themselves to blame. Ignorance isn't bliss, focus should be aimed at "valuable" feedback.
Maybe Ricky's idea is not bad at all, these Labs must require some kind of registration. Maybe an invite-only system based on pertinent received (app) feedback via the contact form? In fact, why "advertise" in public some useless or bad feedback comments? Did Nokia N series PC Suite team received with joy that huge negative feedback after their first public disaster? This is a Lab not a circus:-).
Hello Tommi,
Discussing with my friend he still sugests Bugzilla for you because that is what's being used by the maemo community and you might be able to utilize some of the synergies... (the preference change on his side I mentioned before was for our in-house needs)
I will check the name of the MS based tool we are piloting. I must say also that it might include something extra also what my company already built on top of it so I am not sure how much help the name of the tool will be, but anyway I will check it tomorrow...
T.: Aron
p.s.: What do you think about taking some hints for the ticketing system from the Maemo team as my colleague suggested? Although I do see some fundamental differences how that works and what you need, it still seems to be a good idea to consider their tools...
p.s.2.: The goodies for the good guys I cannot oppose... :-)
Aron,
I still find the ticketing system a good idea.
About technological solutions, we are pretty agnostic here: there's no reason not to use MS. Which solution are you talking about?
Regarding openness, I want to keep it that way. Open for everyone, but something extra for the most valuable contributors :)
I think that Ricky's idea sounds good. You may split the forum into two areas: one where users may help users, and one (invite-only) where users may directly talk with the Developers.
So, users that help quite a lot in the public area gain access to the other area and may talk directly with the Developers.
Just my two cents ;)
I think the root of the problem is highlighted by Tommi's sentence "Please note that most Nokia development teams have been focusing on their day-job, developing cool stuff for you." It is clear from this that there is not yet a clear reason for these teams to engage with the users of this site, it is an overhead and not a value i.e.something that helps them achieve their day job goals. It should not be like this as all products need to be devleoped 'with' and not 'for' users so something radical needs to change within the Nokia development process. I suggest Tommi starts a conversation with the teams to explore how this initaiative can help them rather than hinder them and focus on developing a WIN/WIN scenario - I am sure it is there for the taking! Happy to help....
Hello Tommi,
Could you please "shortcircuit" me with the E70 developmet team?
Or just deliver a message to them if I send it by e-mail?
Regards:
Aron
Really good comments. Thanks guys!!
(I need some time to work this out)
Coming from a publisher and social community angle, we most often find that setting up enormous solutions to sort a problem of information overload is often the wrong take on things. This orientation often gives MORE work and even more demanding readers, opposite of the wanted effect.
Don't go changin' the gun when you can just tweak on the sight. It's a lot quicker way of aiming bulls-eye.
I think most of us is happy to put in some more data on who we are, what device we're using, firmware, pros/cons, issues, ideas.
In that way I can go into, say Maps 2.0, I can quickly find other people with a N95 8GB that has tried and see what experience they have. If no-one has tried it with my phone yet, encourage by saying "be the first to try on this device", and make sure you show if there is any kind of support for that device that would make it likely to work.
Make streams between users and offload some from your own shoulders. We are willing to help each other out here.
P
Hello Tommi,
I can only repeat what I suggested about a year ago: I still belive You need a ticketing system combined with a moe extensive discussion forum.
This could allow you to give administrator rights for certain beta application's comments to the right development team leaders and - you can also let the user community mature and allow discussions and light controll over the discussion forums by development team leaders.
As I mentioned a year ago, I was searching for a solution that time to manage international collaboration in a totaly different industry. I had to start running a community with a weak tool, but lucky for me my company is piloting a new cool tool now for collabration management purpose. It looks good but it is probably not an option for you. (MS based)
I also mentioned before that I have a friend/colleague - another Tommi - who is an expert on ticketing systems. At the time he suggested Bugzilla, however now there is another one he prefers. If I do not forget I will post it tomorrow...
I like the Betalabs site and happy for your "problems" as it is just the sign of success! I only wish I could have tested here the standalone browser with Flashlite 3.0 beta already... ;-)
T.: Aron
p.s.: ... a comment contrary to some previous suggestions here, keep it OPEN... as open as it is possible...
I love the idea, but I wonder how it would ultimately look in real life?
As you mentioned, these guys have real lives, and I don't know that it would be worthwhile for them to sacrifice even a portion of their day to talk with us, instead of working on the things they're..working on.
I know how easy it is to get lost in conversation with users/readers/online community members, and not actually get anything accomplished, aside from communication.
My first thought would be a users forum, but unless it's invite-only, I think it would greatly dilute what Beta Labs is all about. I also don't think an invite-only setup would encourage the open-ness that beta labs is (or seems to be) all about.
It's obvious that Beta Labs has gotten much bigger than I think was anticipated, and with users who are only interested in having the latest, not really for testing. As example, I see TONS of comments in the Maps 2.0 thread complaining that it won't work on their non-Feature Pack 1 device. That's clearly stated above, but I think most people skip the reading, get the app, and go, then think that Nokia's putting out garbage and complaining about support (which was never promised or intended in the first place).
Perhaps require free registration?
Think the direct link between Developers and the NBLC (Nokia Beta Labs Community) will take a while.
The format will probably take the form of Tommi having a few guys working with them to filter and help inform the NBLC (whither they are Nokia employees or Community volunteers is unknown)
But there should be a few Community members to act as helpers to deal with the general day to day queries. It's started already with a regular number of people commenting and responding to user comments.
I agree the expected success of the Beta labs has far stripped expectation and it will take a while to settle.
A Ranking/Registration system of members or their comments would be a great help.
OK That's my essay on Beta Labs finished :D i'm going back to play with my beta apps :D:D
Some really interesting comments here. I especially like what Brendan said - he's got to the hearth of it. For Beta Labs to reach its potential, the developers need to work in partnership WITH the users, not write apps FOR us. This is a culture change that is sorely needed throughout Nokia.
A great example of how Nokia ignores its users is the fact that in S60.3 FP1 firmware (e.g. N95), Nokia STILL hasn't fixed the bug in the Call Log that shows all entries incorrectly as mobiles. This would surely take a very short time to put right, and the lack of it is a real nuisance to the user which has been raised countless times by the Nokia user base as an issue, yet firmware after firmware goes by, and the problem is not addressed. The loud and clear message is that Nokia just does not have enough interest in, or even respect for, its user base.
On the plus side, Beta Labs is one of the signs that this is beginning to chance, but there is a LONG way to go yet.
So your job, Tommi, is to get this message across at the highest level, to get wome weight behind this much needed culture change within Nokia. Will you do that?
In terms of Beta Labs itself,I think that until this culture change is embeeded, which will surely take years, we need a hybrid model, where the developers speak (we hope) to the beta labs community, but where you act as a facilitator - checking how things are going, keeping pressure on to make sure it all works as its supposed to and that the developers are actually responding and working in partnership with the user base, and with the facilitator responding where someone raises a really salient or important point, to reassure the community directly that we are being listened to.
Plus a requirement from the developers to read the blogs and feedback for their specific apps daily, and publish a response, acknowledging the key issues raised (if any!). Set this as a performance indicator for the users base. And give the users a chance to feedback their scoring of the developers on whether they are listening and responding.
Example, there
1) Maybe you should put in some mandatory response boxes on each application comment instead of making into a username based forum (fields being such as - device, firmware version, type of problem) in order to sort responses more easily - both for you and for us)
2) Why should we all demand a personal oh-thank-you-siree-for-taking-part on everything. I would easily be happy just to see a green light next to my comment saying it has been seen/read/taken note of. Tick Tick Tick. Happy Happy Happy.
3) More visible disclaimer (for the dufuses thinking this is to-go-software. Well, you should think the word Betalabs would give it away, but apparently not.
4) A clear and visible "KNOWN ISSUES AND DON'T YOU GO INSTALL THIS SUCKER IF YOU HAVE A SUCH AND SUCH SETUP" :)
5) Clone Tommi
Free up your blog to be more of a commentator and move discussion threads more closely to the app-page.
Just fooling around, but you get the general idea:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2111/2274496660_44fbae3759_o.gif
My Opinion. Use the forum for technical issues, developers discussion and stuff like that, and canalize all the "public" side in mosh, that way you have those two areas separated and you cna assign people to take care of each =)
Greetings!
Hello,
The MS based cooperation software we are piloting is based on MS Share Point.
Although now after digesting the topic, I would like to emphasize my colleague's Tommi's proposal who suggested Bugzilla and utilizing synergies between Betalabs and Maemo team...
Sorry for the delayed feedback...
T.: Aron
Carbide.c uses bugzilla and opened their bug database...
Read about their experience and decision here:
http://blogs.s60.com/creatingcarbidecpp/2008/03/introducing_bugzilla_for...
Although I am pretty sure you already knew it right?