Research:Teahouse/Hosting/Lounge use

This page breaks down the use of spaces in the current host lounge. The goal is to:

• Examine what is being used and what isn't being used.
• Update and cut back on what isn't being used.
• Develop fewer pages with concise information that doesn't overwhelm and proves useful.

General content improvements for Lounge

• Quick start guide
• Combine redundant pages
• More community based spaces to hosts can share their tips, templates, responses and ideas

Allow hosts to praise others (thumbs up/down) suggestions

Responsibilities

Page goal

To explain the tasks that Wikipedians take on by signing up to be a host. Often shared with new hosts.

Pros

• Works as a gentle reminder to hosts and non-hosts answering questions about how to be pro-active in the space.
• Helpful for brand new hosts

Cons

• Too wordy
• Needs updating, expectations of hosts should be less demanding now that the process has moved out of the pilot phase.
• After a bit of experience, hosts are no longer in need of it.

Suggestions

• Add a link for potential hosts to sign up after reading this page.
• Change the name from "responsibilities" to "Expectations"
• Merge into a "how to be a host guide"
• Combine with tips

Next steps

• We have already discussed creating a "new host space" which will guide new hosts through the process of signing up and what expectations are of them as host. Let's merge this page into that.
• Rename the section "Expectations."
• Merge "Host tips" with this page.

Invite guide

Page goal

Provides the ultimate how-to on inviting.

Pros

• Has all the details on inviting and where to find new editors.
• Features the handy email that Sarah created.

Cons

• Needs updating, goes into GREAT wordy detail.
• Explains how the hosts go about things as if they have no clue how to use Wikipedia and how to find new editors. Most hosts are experienced enough that we all know how to do that.
• Has a second template we never use.
• Doesn't include the newer templates we've created and alterations to the language we've done
• Has details on emailing people but no one really does that anymore, do they? (they should!)
• Appears to be tedious based on the amount of information.

Suggestions

• Bots to invite.
• Improve the design and layout of the space
• Running list of people to be invited with log of those who have been invited.
• Remove templates and keep them with the template page.
• In contrast, add more templates to the page.

Next steps

Host tips

Page goal

Provides tips on how to be a great host. It also includes responses to common questions by hosts - such as how to deal with AfC requests.

Pros

• Serves as a gentle reminder for hosts and non-hosts on how to engage in the Teahouse and with new editors.

Cons

• It's really wordy!
• Too dumbed down? Don't need to be treating hosts like they are the newbies.
• Redundant of responsibilities page

Suggestions

• Combine with responsibilities page
• Create a section to include tips answering certain questions
• Remove email suggestion
• Talkback should be done by a bot
• Keep it - useful for new hosts

Next steps

How-to guides

Page goal

This page was intended to provide hosts with a guide on how to respond to common questions about editing Wikipedia. Hosts were originally invited to participate in it's creation before the launch of the Teahouse.

Pros

• It was a nice way to engage hosts before the Teahouse opened.
• Has lots of decent copy and pasteable content on how to handle questions.

Cons

• It's long and lengthy.
• It looks like it hasn't been touched since before the Teahouse launched.
• Most hosts probably don't need this type of help at this point, there are lots of live examples on the Q&A board now

Suggestions

• Seems redundant, so combine with tips/responsibilities.
• Keep the more specialized how-to's (i.e. COI, copyright)
• Make it one page by transcluding subpages
• Remove, adds clutter

It looks like half the people use it (or have used it) and half don't.

Next steps

Templates

Page goal

Collects all of the Teahouse templates in one place.

Pros

• Lists all of the Teahouse templates.

Cons

• Lists all of the Teahouse templates. Every. Single. One.
• It's overwhelming and hard to find things when organized into a big old list of templates...barnstars, for example
• Some templates in here may not even be used?
• Most are also housed in scripts and other places.
• LOTS of userboxes
• Doesn't include the language variations for invitations
• Invites are also posted in the invitation guide

Suggestions

• Keep it
• More templates to "spice it up" - hosts do visit it to see if anything is new, so keep updating

Perhaps a design spree with community?

• This page should implement Ryan Vesey's "welcome-only" idea and provide a space for hosts to share these messages.

Next steps

User scripts

Page goal

Showcases all of the awesome scripts hosts have made.

Pros

• It's full of awesome scripts!!
• Writ has his contact information there and offers help.

Cons

• It's overwhelming
• Lots of text, can be overwhelming or intimidating if you aren't savvy or aware of how to use scripts
• Many people have no clue it exists, rumor has it.

Suggestions

• Make it part of "Welcome to the Teahouse!" template used to welcome new hosts.

Next steps

Five pillars

Page goal

A rewrite of the Five Pillars in "simple" terms which hosts could share with new editors.

Pros

• These pillars are easier to understand than the original 5!

Cons

• They are long
• No one probably uses them, may not be very important for Teahouse hosting

Next steps

• DELETE!!

WikiProjects

Page goal

This page was originally created to provide a place for Teahouse hosts to find quick links to WikiProjects and people within them that would be point people for new editors. This has evolved into a new page where new editors can do that themselves.

Pros

• Up to date list of general projects that are active
• Easy to maneuver through

Cons

• Less than a handful of Wikipedians signed up as point people despite pinging projects to participate
• May not make sense in the lounge if not being used, hasn't been promoted to hosts specifically
• Most people had no clue it existed

Suggestions

• Simplify & streamline the table
• Many hosts suggested deleting it.

Might not be a good idea as we will be using it for new editors. Perhaps a redesign?

Next steps

Glossary

Page goal

This space provides easy to understand definitions of wiki-speak that hosts can use with new editors.

Pros

• It covers most of the main wiki-speak things.

Cons

• It hasn't been touched in a long time
• It wasn't used

Suggestions

• Link to another glossary that already exists
• Add more stuff to it
• Delete it (2/4)

Next steps

Host lounge main page

Page goal

To serve as the host lounge "portal".

Pros

• The announcements box is nice and eye catching.
• Has the basic goals and scope of the Teahouse
• Goals and scopes are nice

Cons

• Lengthy
• Announcements might not be utilized as much
• Do people really read the goals and scope?
• Is the page too exclusive?

Suggestions

• Will be better when other pages are merged or removed.

Next steps

Announcements

Page goal

To provide announcements for hosts about recent news and metrics

Pros

• Eyecatching design
• Short and simple news about the project

Cons

• It's the only place metrics is mentioned outside of the Tea Leaf and the HL talk page
• In order to know if it's changed one has to watch the actual announcements page (not the host lounge)

Suggestions

• Encourage people to add it to their watchlist.

Next steps

Host navigation template

Page goal

A template used by hosts to navigate easily around the Teahouse.

Pros

• Ease of navigation
• Created by community

Cons

• Appears at bottom of page except on the Q&A page.
• Color scheme doesn't match Teahouse exactly?

Suggestions

• Move to the top of most pages (where it is at the Q&A) as opposed to the bottom.

Next steps

Host breakroom

Page goal

Where inactive hosts go to "hangout." In theory they should move themselves back if they want to be active, but many don't come back.

Pros

• Houses all the former hosts profiles in one place.

Cons

• Serves no purpose by it's..well, one purpose
• Clunky to find your profile and add it back to the main host page

Suggestions

• Have something on there as to why the host stopped. Depending on the reason, they could be asked to restart :) Without something like that, it's pointless (everything's in the history), get rid of it.
• WP:NOTMEMORIAL

Next steps