History: Tiki_org_Homepage_content_ideas

General approach of content

First, it would be good to identify some strong points and features. These help focus the thinking. Second, based on these strong points, what should be the lead text? Then, how does the rest of the page strengthen and add detail to the points?

What are Tiki's strongest points and unique or superior features?

Trackers

If the benefits can be described clearly, and trackers can be configured easily enough by new users. How should these be described for new users?

Wiki

Strong in itself, and benefits from connectivity to other features.

Multi-language?

This is weakened by low level of UI string translations for most of the languages.

Friendly developer/user community

easy to get involved in code development or Tiki site configuration and use.

...?

....

How can the strong points and unique or superior features be phrased to be attractive and comprehensible to new people?

(These were phrased more than one way during brainstorming.)

• Dynamic data-handling
• Dynamically presenting information that is input via forms
• Comprehensive search-powered information retrieval and presentation
• Using a sophisticated search capability to display information formatted as pages, tables, galleries, etc.
• Multi-level, multi-section collaboration
• Friendly, approachable developer and user community (not sure where to make this point, but it seems significant)

What are Tiki's niches, its best use cases?

Considering the strong points, what are the uses cases that benefit most?

• Database-driven event web sites
  Anything more specific?
• Tiki is a useful "log-in" collaborative platform for organizations, etc.
  Being feature-rich is a plus if the user needs a combination of features which are tightly integrated.
• When can a Tiki consultant honestly recommend Tiki over other solutions?
  These use cases need to be described.

Who is the most likely user of Tiki?

(More specific is better.)

• Companies, organizations, individuals who need to collect, input, and present data efficiently and attractively

Who are Tiki's happiest/most-satisfied current users?

• Quotes from users
• Testimonials from users
• Reviews from users or others
• Related images or video

Headline/lead text

Background

"Tiki is the Free / Libre / Open Source Web Application with the most built-in features"

"And this is important to me because....?"

I think the standard "most-features" appeal isn't really so compelling. Most people don't need all these features, they need a subset, and then the question is does Tiki meet the specific need better than a more-specialized application. For many features such as a blog, portfolio site, brochureware, etc. the answer is probably no. So there's a danger that people might think that pattern is true for all of Tiki's features unless the superior features are put in the spotlight and not buried in a long feature list.

This bullet point and all of its explanatory sub-points being front and center displace more-relevant reasons for using Tiki.

Also "software made the wiki way" has less impact than before because wikis aren't as high profile as they used to be, IMO. It might be better to describe the Tiki developer environment rather than associate it with the idea of the wiki.

The "web app with the most features" as a catch phrase diffuses rather than focuses. Nothing tangible is highlighted and attracts users.

The "most features" point can still be made, but IMO it should be more of a footnote than a headline. After making the main points, the page can say something like "And by the way, Tiki is still the web application with the most built-in features." (I wouldn't combine the free/libre/open source point with this one - that suggests there's a commercial web application with more features than Tiki has.)

Next step - What is a better statement that describes Tiki's raison d'être ?

Based on the above strong points, some contenders for main description/catchphrase:

• - - -

Page flow through content

After deciding what information to show, and how to phrase it (at least as a first draft), then what is the best way to present the information on the page? Relevant points, IMO:

• Keep the page clean and relatively simple.
• Use white space and the visual organization of the page to help convey the message.
• Everything on the homepage should be focused on one goal: convey a good impression of Tiki to the visitor and give information that makes him/her want to find out more, in first steps toward using Tiki.
• The tone should be professional and the text and images should be at a high level and follow standard publishing styles (keep in mind the other websites people are comparing this one to).

About specifics

• The top of the page is important; make good use of it. About the big space containing the Tiki logo and small line of text, in the beginning I thought this was a good idea, but now I'm thinking maybe it's not the best use of the space. I think it would be good to increase its information content one way or another.
• We have to be sure the thin navbar and topbar work well (both in terms of design concept and hands-on functionality); otherwise, they're just gimmicky.
• I think it's a bad idea to clutter the page with extras like news feeds from the other project sites and lists or whatever from the community site. These overload the visitor with information that isn't really relevant to them (yet), and these things are often negative(bug reports, downtime notices, user questions, etc.) or otherwise distract from the message of a "marketing" page.
• Pages linked to from this Homepage, like "About Tiki", should be as clean and focused as the Homepage. They're part of the marketing info, not part of the community site. To have clean secondary pages might mean replicating some of the information on existing pages as new marketing-specific pages. These secondary pages should also be careful about linking to general community site pages. (Customers at a new car showroom can't usually open a door from the showroom and step into the mechanics' garage area.)