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Telling the Story

 

In addition to writing a ton of code, I'm writing the user manual, and I would argue that every developer needs to write their own manual.

Not because it's for the user to read, but rather because it's for the developer to be forced into eating his own dog food, step by step. There is no better debugger than documenting your own path for others as they would use it.

That process has been helpful to me to figure out the best way to help a person manage their activity as a non-administrator in 247Toolset.

Beyond creating their initial profile, a person has three reasons to return to the portal:

  1. Record their response to a request for engagement
  2. Manage their current assignments
  3. Manage their RSVP's to events
I've spent three hours so far this morning walking through this experience for the user again and again, clarifying my words and cleaning up the interface to give them what feels simple.

When on an assignment, the administrator can issue tasks for the person assigned, and the person can record their status on the task.

They can also record their time on an assignment.

This is not only applicable for the recruiters who use 247Toolset, but for non-profits as well, who have told me that they need an easy way to log a volunteer's hours - because sometimes the "volunteer" is compelled to be there because of a community service requirement.

Walking through it, I thought of the enhancements I'm sure I'll be asked to make down the road. That clarity in what exists and that vision for down the road wouldn't have come were it not for the exercise of writing it out.

 


by Brett Rogers, 3/23/2011 8:32:32 AM
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