UserNeeds_IfTomHanks

= **User Needs Analysis** =

__Step 1__
The project introduces a new product for the users of the social networks. It exclusively allows the integration of user generated jokes/puns. The user requirements constitute the primary features while the features that add to the value of the product are termed as secondary features.The various steps that led to the understanding of user needs and requirements are outlined below

Our initial brainstorm involved asking ourselves a few questions, of which the answers populated our task list.

//Questions included//:

**“How do you contribute?”** - Submit as an anonymous guest account, or to register an account with the site to track history, rating, popularity, etc. We looked at our user experiences with existing mediums to come to this decision - sometimes we just want to make a quick comment / correction and the effort of only allowing registered users to comment can deter browsers.

**“How do you want to browse the site?”** - Time is a primary factor in how people will interact with the site. Regular viewers may want the best of the day, and those who don’t browse regularly may want the best of the past week. Still, others who have hours to spend may want to go through the entire archive, sorted by rating, popularity, or date. Searching became essential because many times we remember something hilarious and want to be able to go back to it with a few keywords.

**“What about spam, junk, inflammatory remarks?”** - Manual moderation by designated admins might be feasible on a small scale. The most reasonable solution, and one that is heavily adopted by existing User Created Content sites such as YouTube is to have peer moderation. Users can down vote, report, or flag content that will either be removed or denoted.

**“What would make you want to contribute to the site?”** - The application will only enjoy success when it can harness the creative powers of the users to in turn attract more attention to the application. In order to do this there needs to be motivation for wanting to contribute. Things like accruing points and milestone achievements (most popular joke of date) provide incentives to create original content.

__Step 2 __
To validate our tasks, we interviewed a client who regularly visits similar websites such as Reddit, Imgur, and Youtube. He commented on our tasks description and provided the following suggestions:

 Most visitors will just access the website to read the jokes and not care about contributing new jokes. Make the jokes are available to everyone and limit the posting of jokes/comments to registered users.
 * How do you contribute: **

 For registered users, give them the ability to bookmark their favorite topics and contributors. So when they login, they can see the list of jokes made about their favorite topics and by their favorite contributors.
 * How do you want to browse the site: **

 Limiting the posting of jokes and comments to registered users will help control spam. If a certain user has been flagged many times by other users, he/she will receive a warning and have limited privileges for a certain amount of time. If the abusive user continues to spam, he/she will be banned from the website. Also, add a human validation system during the registration process.
 * What about spam, junk, inflammatory remarks: **

 Add a hall of fame section that displays the top and funniest contributors. This can be grouped by week, month, or all time.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What would make you want to contribute to the site: **

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 3 __
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While our site is open to everyone, some content/language may be offensive and inappropriate for minors.


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Absolutely must include **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Be able to view jokes
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Be able to submit jokes
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Username
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">guest accounts (maybe tied to an [hidden] email)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">registered accounts
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Should include **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to comment on jokes
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sort comments by rating to see best first (like imgur)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sort comments by date so conversations can be seen
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jump to comments (particular peeve, in youtube some “top rated comments” are responses to other comments. Unfortunately the inital comment may not be in the immediate vicinity, which makes it difficult to grasp the entire context.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">with ability to have comments not be visible at all, so you only see jokes and joke add-ons
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">comments are a good form of positive/negative reinforcement to spurn ideal user interactions
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">comments should not detract or distract from the main joke line
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rating system
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rate of five stars or have a count for thumbs up and down
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sorting system
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">best of the day
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">best of the week
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sort by rating
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sort by date
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sort by popularity
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Profiles
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">recognition
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">has joke with x upvotes
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">most popular of certain date
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">similar to youtube achievements
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">search for jokes
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">moderation
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Report system (spam, thumbs down, etc)


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Could include **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Top contributors list
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">edit/delete jokes
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">in case of typos
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">keeps an edit log in case of trickery
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">share buttons (social sites)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">age limitation exclusion (mature jokes)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">possibly a mature section
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">or some “mature” content that is only visible to registered/of age users

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">References

 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Concise, SCANNABLE, and Objective: How to Write for the Web** - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://district4.extension.ifas.ufl.edu/Tech/TechPubs/HowToWritefortheWeb.pdf__]
 * 2) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**The Simple Image Sharer** - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__www.imgur.com__] Similar layout and design needs as our idea
 * 3) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__User Needs Publication__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> gives a list of some user needs
 * 4) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**My Favorite Joke - read, rate, and submit jokes** - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.myfavoritejoke.com/__] Similar site to what we are doing, but it lacks the social “build upon the previous joke” element, as well as comments, achievements.
 * 5) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**reddit: the front page of the internet** - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__www.reddit.com__] Original posts and comments are rated and moved up/down, can be sorted in various ways (hot - popular, trending; controversial - most discussed; best - rating; old - date)
 * 6) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**YouTube - Broadcast Yourself** - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__www.youtube.com__] Profiled achievements, comment structure.
 * 7) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Discover the Meaning of Rap Lyrics | Rap Genius** - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__www.rapgenius.com__] User contributed content with guest/registered accounts and the earning of “Rap IQ.
 * 8) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Digg** - <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__www.digg.com__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The best news, videos and pictures on the web as voted on by the <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Digg <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> community. Allows users to vote the stories up or down.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An unobstructive comment structure that doesn’t overload the user with information.

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