Flirt, Date, Commit: Injecting Design into an Open Source Project

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"I can't code, I can't contribute." Designer misperception of participating in Open Source.

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I can’t code,I can’t contribute.”Designer misperception of participating in OS

open source solutions

enterprise ready

200,000

1,000

Many OS projects may not need interface design.... but they need Design.

our evolution as designers=more engineering savvy

But where are the designers?

Learned Helplessness

Injecting Designinto an Open Source project

Case study

results TBD until Beta 2 release, community adoption

Juhan Sonin26.Jun.08

Business

Technical

Design

We need a data collection service

Current system was brittle, aging prototype, required lots of engineering TLC to update

More customers asking for the service because of the design and perceived business impact

from scratch

open source survey enginevibrant communityactively developed

LimeSurvey

worldwide users

total downloads

downloads/day

SF rank

languages

years since birth

current version.7

>1,000,000

218,000

400

100

36

4

1

May 08

Carsten Schmitz

Translators

Code contributors in 2007

mainstay developers

Corporate staff on dev + design

Prospective business partner

Global PL

40

17

5

2

1

Submitted patches + updates to Mule, Apache, CAS, Simile Timeline, JBOSS, etc

Never run an OS project from scratch or for any rev

We’re OS n00bz

Started from scratch of an existing service

ProsArchitectural visionCode + design control

ConsPHP (vs real languages a la Ruby)Core developers take longer to jump onto the project

futzing with 1.x issues, requires learning, new framework, etc

LimeSurvey2

Design process is not new.Just leveraging good design practices.

Prototype like crazyDesign for intermediates firstWork closely with stakeholders, users, and engineers

Just a few tweaks to the Design practice...

Design process =transparent and open to all

Openness = SUPER for feedback, community by-inInformation evolves quicklyDemocratizes knowledge management

design plans, ideas, prototypes on public sitefeatures, desirements, inspiration on wikiflickrdesign.limesurvey.org

Educate1st: core team and2nd: community

Just like dealing with clients/customers, Design often doesn't sell itself

Competitor analysis, what is Great design = must be part of the pitch

1-on-1 sessions with key developers + stakeholders

Interface design tenets

Style guides (upcoming for Beta 1)

Lead discussions, fight for design with the right stakeholdersco-lead discussions in dev sessionsprogress reports + ideas in forumembrace questions from dev team

replies viewsInterface design threads

Install threads

35,000 views

7,500 views

DataLet data screamReality Bites

FeedbackPrototype like crazyPixel PerfectBitch! Loud and oftenEat your own dog foodDate your users

LayoutGrid itType less + less typeColor carefully

InteractionWhat interface?Repeat customers ROCKDeja vu all over again

••

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INTERFACE DESIGN TENETS

Community engagement = 50% of your time

Engineers want their products to succeed + community clamors for great Design

Seed design in a project and designers + engineers + companies will join

Usability consultant on month 2, second QA/usability consultant on month 44x new engineers on ls2 (not part of ls 1.x development)Companies will notice good design and lock on (Harvard, Dexterra, US Gov)

Educate community - especially entire dev team - about good design

prototype, prototype, prototypeset guidelines, offer helpembrace your biggest critics

Lessons so far

Open development process (current mantra of OS)

Open design processpost often to public site highlighting design progress respond to forum questions FASTpublic feature request list + what we're implementing

Open business processall funding sources and accounting publicbusiness plan on public wikistill some resistance... tide is turning

Lessons so far

Case study will include:Metrics that show the design is successfulSurveys that show the design ROCKSHow to prove successData++ every quarter through 2009

LimeSurvey 2 TR1August 7, 2008

Special thanks to

Michael MacasekBrian O’NeillCarsten SchmitzBrian StaatsLimeSurvey International Dev Team

Paul KroftMike NosalHarry Sleeper

Flirt, Date, Commit

300 seconds to contribute a CSS cleanup...commit code

1800 seconds and clean up js...commit code

3600 seconds and clean up one, small aspect of visual design

...commit graphics and code

Engage with dev teamUsability reviewUser surveysFixes for key featuresUse the OS service at your company

Lead, evangelize, promoteCommit rightsBe a leader in the community, not just a contributor

...this is how design prospers

juhan@limesurvey.orgJuhan Sonin