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Where My Stitches At?Information and Community on Ravelry.comMeredith Slota | LIS 530March 14th, 2013
+ What is Ravelry.com?
+
“niche markets…”“micro-transactions…”“a site where financial and social economies co-exist…”(Humphreys 2009)
“The best social network you’ve (probably) never heard of…” –Slate.com
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2011/07/a_tightknit_community.html
+Bias in the System
EN and USA-centric
“Fiber Arts” vs. knitting and crochet? Broader category includes
spinning, weaving, etc. Inconsistent message throughout
Affects search functionality, etc.
[And some self-identified leanings…]
+ But what does it do?Hint: it’s an information system first!
= ?
+Yarn Information in Ravelry.com
http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/tscartyarns-tranquility
+Unique IDs + Faceted Metadata = <3
+Unique IDs + Faceted Metadata = <3
✓✓✓
✓✓
✓✓
✓
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✓
✓
✓
✓
+Ok, So Now What?
+Metadata = Faceted Search!
+ What about the PATTERNS?!
+Unique IDs + Faceted Metadata = <3
✓✓✓✓
✓✓
✓
✓
✓
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+Controlled Vocabulary
+CV = Access Points
+Tags = Descriptive, Instructional
+“Hover” Helps!
[fake hover, real text]
components or elements that are worked separately and either joined
as they are worked or seamed together after completion; does not apply to color-work design motifs.
+
Awesome Data + Usage Stats = Browsing Magic
+Static + Dynamic Metadata = !!!
+Leveraging User Data for +++UX
+Metadata = API = APPS!
+ Is this the perfect information system? It seems like you really like it, so …
+Well, no.
Duplicate entries exist!
Errors happen!
Worst of all? PATTERNS GO MISSING.
Lots of information!
Social network fatigue?
Restricted to registered users.
+Say Again?
What? Ravelry.com organizes yarns and patterns into a giant database. Domain experts and beginners alike use this very popular social network.
How? Tons of user-generated data. Associative relationships and controlled-vocabulary metadata + tags. Dynamic usage information enhances user engagement.
Why? Leverage an awesome information system for a better social experience
and less frustrated knitters fiber artists.
+The End
