[pianotech] New Website - New Forum Site

[Encore Pianos]

Dear Phil:

 

I must say at the outset that I am still not much of a fan of the new
website.  Familiarity has not increased my enthusiasm, particularly for the
new my.ptg.org for the pianotech forum.  I continue to have the feeling that
the new system is less friendly,  more work to use, and too often just a
pain in the ass. 

 

It struck me as mind bending that you would launch a new website and forum
with so little in the way of help files.  Ok, here you are this new thing to
use, but we're not going to tell you much about how to use it.  Figure that
out yourself.  It's now 4 months later and we have a "User Help Group" who,
bless their souls, who have figured out a way to do things and are willing
to share it with us.  It took me about 10 minutes to find it (finally!!),
after clicking into my.ptg.org, clicking on Home and then FAQ - help
information. Scroll down to my.ptg.org and there is down on the list barely
visible.  Nowhere else does it even tell you that it exists!  THERE IS
NOTHING ON THE FACE PAGE THAT TELLS YOU WHERE TO FIND THE HELP FILES..  

 

It just seems like poor layout design to me.  Why is there no HELP on the
masthead along with HOME, DIRECTORY, etc.?  Virtually every other software
programs has HELP in a clearly visible place at the first tier of the
ladder.  And it seems clear that the most logical place for the "User Help
Group" would be a sub heading under HELP along with FAQ-help information,
instead of being buried somewhere else where you have to chase around until
you are lucky enough to stumble on it.  Then you forgot where you found it
and have to chase it down again later.  Good interface design is simple,
direct, and seemingly intuitive - there seems to be a natural order to it.
Not here.  

 

I have been wondering for some time where the archives are and had no clue
how to get to them from the new website.
https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/  is where to go, which by
happenstance I stumbled on reading a post on searching the archives.  I
understand that the new website is still    incomplete, but until there is a
new place for the archives, how hard would it be to post a link in an
obvious place for the time being so that someone lacking my instance of dumb
luck would actually be able to find it without too much trouble?

 

I know that this is a generic software package sold to organizations like
ours.  A lot of navigational needs will be similar for many organizations.
But most will still require some customization that addresses those places
where they have specific needs.  I don't think that nearly enough legwork
has been done to completely meet our needs

 

It is my impression that fewer people are using the new pianotech forum.  I
have no numbers, but it seems like usage has dropped by half or more.  We
are certainly not seeing those hundred posts a day or more that we had seen
as recently as a few months ago.  Are people voting with their virtual feet?
When you do so little to help people to use  the website and the forum, I
think you are shoveling dirt onto your chances for widespread usage and
success.  

 

I have long regarded the pianotech forum as one of our most valuable
resources and have begun to fear that it is becoming something less than it
has been in the past.

 

I am really curious.  HOW MUCH DID THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE COST OUR
ORGANIZATION?  I have not seen those figures anywhere.

 

Will Truitt

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Phil Bondi
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 9:17 AM
To: Pianotech at ptg.org; caut at ptg.org; ptg-l at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] New Website - New Forum Site

 

 


Hi all.

Many of you may be getting this email more than once, if so please accept my
apologies for that. I am trying to save myself a step or two.

First: If you have not been to the new website - www.ptg.org, please take a
moment and take a look. Much time and effort from many different sources
have put together a public website we hope you are pleased with. Navigate
through the pages, and if there are any questions, I will be happy to answer
them, or direct you to the correct source for the answer.

Second: In case you haven't heard, we have a new web-based forum for our
discussions. All of the discussions that are presently on this server, and
then some, are now available at www.my.ptg.org. That site will be replacing
this one very soon. Please make your way there and sign up for the
discussions that would interest you. Instructions are available, help if
needed is available and there is a "User Help Group" of members who have
been using that forum for a few months. There is also a FAQ (located under
the Home tab), and a "Getting Started" section at the top left of the page.
Again, alot of work has been done to the site to make the transition as easy
as possible. I anticipate some questions and some confusion. This is not
uncommon with a new way of doing things. Change can be disconcerting, but
there is plenty of help available. All you have to do is ask.

I am sure you will find the website a member benefit, easy to navigate with
very informative content, and an up-to-the-minute capability that is new to
the organization.

Again, if there are questions, please feel free to ask. I can be reached at
phil at philbondi.com

I look forward to seeing all of you at my.ptg.org very soon.

-Phil

 

 

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