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Mathematics 29 Online
OpenStudy (chris):

How can we improve OpenStudy (customer feedback)?

OpenStudy (chris):

At OpenStudy - we’re trying to make the world one big study group. A place where people that need study help get help from those that can give it, and vice versa. Ideally help that’s “right now”, in real-time, and as fun and rewarding as possible. For people asking questions - what’s changes could we make to site or community to get you to ask more questions, or get better help faster? What would make it more fun or immediately engaging? For people answering questions - what’s would motivate you more or make it easier to help more people faster? What would make it more fun? What’s going to keep you here? For everyone! What were your biggest problems getting started with the product? There’s no wrong answers - we just want an honest dialog.

OpenStudy (anonymous):

Is it in the works for there to be user - to - user private messaging, for one-on-one help? I like helping in real-time through the chat window on the lower right, but it would be much less cluttered to help in a private setting.

OpenStudy (chris):

ok good question. The idea for isolated help was the question interface itself - what we're replying in now. Basically a side discussion around someone's particular need for help/question. But private chat has been requested - you mind suggesting it in the feedback tab on the left so others can vote?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

I think open study is great! The only thing that has to be improved is sometimes the site stops chat and stuff but other than that its great!

OpenStudy (amistre64):

heres an odd screenshot I just got...

OpenStudy (chris):

OK so you're saying the chat bugs out and you can't post? =) yes we're trying to track that down!

OpenStudy (chris):

wow - what browser are you on amistre64?

OpenStudy (chris):

also - I see a lot of high fan counts on here. What do you all think of the fan system?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

lol...explorer :) up here at my college

OpenStudy (chris):

how could we improve it?

OpenStudy (chris):

ack IE, the bane of all devs!

OpenStudy (chris):

we'll look into that

OpenStudy (anonymous):

have like a whiteboard area where you can like write out the problem

OpenStudy (chris):

ok so something like a drawing tool?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

the "fan" system can be misleading; a high fam count doesnt equate to intelligence.... take myself for an example :)

OpenStudy (chris):

@Sierra - would you mind suggesting that in the feedback tab on the left hand side so others can vote?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

It is a tad misleading, like amistre64 points out..

OpenStudy (chris):

ok @Amistre - great point lol. How do you think we can better reward/measure topic specific competence? would doing so motivate you to answer more questions?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

do you have different subjects on here? like english?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

i just like answering questions regardless... so motivation is inherent for me :)

OpenStudy (chris):

well, we don't have English *yet*. but you ALL can help us decide which study groups to launch next by going to our home page ("home"), clicking on "view all groups", and taking the survey that's linked

OpenStudy (chris):

well that's great to hear =). but we feel like you should get some more street cred. So for example, what do you all think about the ability to rate great/helpful answers, or a point system by topic?

OpenStudy (chris):

@Dancergirl - what other topics are you studying? Do you feel like you're getting the help you need on OpenStudy in math at least? What could be improved in that regard?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

rating answers eh......... maybe; but it aint so much as getting answers right as being able to communicate the concepts involved so that the viewers can learn from it.... IMO

OpenStudy (chris):

ok good point amistre64 - how about a way for the question asker to say whether or not they "get it"- so you know your answer was received, helpful, and they're on their way?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

I like the idea of rating highly a helpful response, it's just that out of more than 5000 users, if only around 60(?) people fan one user, it's considered a "Champion" status...with 1.2% of users rating up?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

thats sounds plausible :)

OpenStudy (chris):

Right Quantum - I think if we evolve the rewards system, we would make topic-specific titles/achievements more substantial.

OpenStudy (chris):

it's important to us that students know they're getting a good answer, and that answers know when their help is appreciated

OpenStudy (anonymous):

That sounds good. And we could do without that system entirely if someone's "rank" is determined by how many helpful answers they provide, I believe.

OpenStudy (chris):

ok good to hear =). That said, we want to reward ALL participation - some people learn passively, some are just really great answers, some are a mix. What are your thoughts in that regard?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

free vacation to hawaii??

OpenStudy (chris):

lol

OpenStudy (anonymous):

That sounds good; so one's participation could be gauged by how many helpful answers they provide, and there could be different options for how "helpful" it is - is that what you're getting at?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

If so, I think that would work.

OpenStudy (chris):

let me throw another question out there - for askers/answerers/lurkers alike. What was the most frustrating part about OpenStudy getting starting?

OpenStudy (chris):

could be usability, instant gratfication, anything

OpenStudy (chris):

yes quantum, that was what I was getting at

OpenStudy (chris):

I'm asking you guys to get creative - you're our target user, and we want to know how you would design things

OpenStudy (amistre64):

it aint that user friendly when I first started. And those "help videos"? they are too small to see whats going on in them to be useful...

OpenStudy (amistre64):

the equation option is not available to those asking a question, so there stuff can be hard to decipher alot of the time...

OpenStudy (chris):

@Dancergirl - what would make OpenStudy more useful to you, besides more topics like english? What would make it more fun?

OpenStudy (chris):

ok good point amistre, does that make you pause before answering some questions?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

Amistre's last point is very relevant. It would simplify things so much if the asker had the equation editing option.

OpenStudy (amistre64):

makes me scratch my head; but with my "superb" intellect and high fan base, I tend to get around it eventually :)

OpenStudy (chris):

lol right!

OpenStudy (chris):

@Amistre - anything specifically you found unintuitive geting started?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

yeah, that darned reply text box kept moving cause of the "live" preview.... I found that highly unnerving at times

OpenStudy (anonymous):

Oh, and Chris, when I don't use Group Chat for a period of about 5 minutes, anything I enter disappears and I can only see incoming messages - mine don't send. :P Btw, I'm using the FF4 Beta on Mac.

OpenStudy (chris):

yes quantum - just noticed that myself and had to reload. We're going to look into that

OpenStudy (chris):

@amistre heard on that

OpenStudy (amistre64):

just glitched me now .... after an answer is posted; we get a screen freeze...

OpenStudy (chris):

ok amistre - you're in IE?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

IE yep...

OpenStudy (anonymous):

ipad app would be WONDERFUL! unless this page is written with HTML... havent tried yet.

OpenStudy (chris):

we really want to get the freezing/chat bugs nailed down, and reply scrolling

OpenStudy (chris):

hi birdsell thanks - and yes, this site is pretty functional on ipad - but please try and let us know!

OpenStudy (anonymous):

WONDERFUL! thank you!

OpenStudy (chris):

@birdsell, if you were to change three things - usability, features, rewards, etc.. about OpenStudy - what would they be?

OpenStudy (amistre64):

say hawaii :)

OpenStudy (chris):

haha unfortunately that's an incredibly expensive feature to build out amistre

OpenStudy (amistre64):

lol...it was worth a shot

OpenStudy (chris):

ok guys, still looking for more feedback - not just what we're doing right, not necessarily what we can do next - what's confusing, what could we do *better* with what we have? (but please, keep feature requests coming as well)

OpenStudy (chris):

but no more hawaii :p

OpenStudy (anonymous):

@chris usability is great... im actually new to the site today and it is safe to say that I would have benefited greatly had I found it earlier, features are good... I found a bug that required me to stop the scrip 3 times and force quit firefox but it is working well now... as far as rewards... I like the system but it seems too "easy" to get fans... also i would love a "Solution Resolved" button or something of the sorts

OpenStudy (chris):

ok GREAT suggestions birdsell. What would make it more rewarding? something like rated answers?

OpenStudy (chris):

maybe "levels" and titles within topics based on answers?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

possibly... maybe in order to become a fan of a certain person.. they must answer a question for you and you give that person credit by becoming a fan

OpenStudy (chris):

right, that makes sense.

OpenStudy (chris):

ok so new question: Have you told your friends about OpenStudy?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

YES! i put it on my facebook

OpenStudy (chris):

haha awesome =) thank you.

OpenStudy (anonymous):

also love the facebook integration

OpenStudy (chris):

great to hear =)

OpenStudy (chris):

so if you could change one thing about OpenStudy, what would it be?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

quick question...I see you go to Stanford. Was this site a project or was it a "for-fun" thing?

OpenStudy (chris):

Well, I graduated from Stanford. We're actually a startup based out of Georgia Tech now, where I did my graduate studies. We're in an incubator based on tech campus.

OpenStudy (chris):

So definitely not a side-project - this has been an internal inkling in most of our team members for some time now. We've bitten the bullet and are trying to build and share it.

OpenStudy (anonymous):

good to hear... I am studying Computer Information Systems at Pitt. Thats why I ask

OpenStudy (chris):

Awesome, it's an amazing field to be in - more so every day.

OpenStudy (amistre64):

can we truncate the "notification" notices? some questions are lengthy and take up alot of room.... just a thought

OpenStudy (anonymous):

Thats what I am hoping :) I started as an Enginnering major but hated it. Gotta love what you do!

OpenStudy (chris):

you mean the length of them? good point - will bring it up with our designer.

OpenStudy (amistre64):

something like: if length.string > 5000000000; cut :)

OpenStudy (chris):

Yes - the best thing about CS is your ability to solve real world problems by yourself. If you see a need in the market - e.g. students need help and have nobody to ask - you can just build something that people will use.

OpenStudy (chris):

lol ok amistre - good point haha.

OpenStudy (amistre64):

'nother thought.... I noticed the question floats over on the LHside of the screen at times...intruncated form; but we have to scroll all the way up to get all the pertinent information while answering... is there a way to float the question to keep it in view? or am I just rambling :)

OpenStudy (anonymous):

Thanks Chris (also my name)...wonderful to hear creators actually caring what people think... but i have to get back to Calculus so I can graduate! :p

OpenStudy (chris):

no you're not just rambling amistre - we'll definitely consider it. It becomes an issue with longer answers/dialogs like this one =)

OpenStudy (chris):

lol, ok good luck Chris!

OpenStudy (chris):

hope to you see you around.

OpenStudy (chris):

@chris and thanks for the feedback - its invaluable

OpenStudy (amistre64):

oh...while im rambling on in my senility.... how about instead of having 50 notifications of the same post; they get "stacked" in a way.... so that all 50 notifications show up as on item?

OpenStudy (chris):

got it =) yep that certainly makes sense

OpenStudy (amistre64):

lol ... now your senile too :)

OpenStudy (chris):

haha, I always was in fact - not your doing

OpenStudy (chris):

But ok - thanks for the great feedback amistre - the whole team will read this thread. If you have anything else, hop into the OpenStudy Feedback group from the main page. We're usually hanging out there.

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