2013 OPEN HOUSE: Suggestions for Next Time?

[sensei]

This is the official 2013 Open House thread! This opening message will be revised as needed during the event.

Participants/Links/Questions:

1. animeobsessed Feedback

• After you enter my home page, where did you visit first? Why? Do you only visit when my gallery is listed in the Rubberslug updates? Or is this your first visit to my gallery?
• Are you familiar with the series I have in my gallery? Do the images pique your interest for any series you haven’t seen or remind you of a favorite scene/or character of any series that you do know?
• I have series with two or less items in a Misc section since I have a long list of sections. Would you rather see cels/sketches as they are in the Misc section or in their own title sections? Should I have more or less separation for other series or do they appear okay?

2. cutiebunny Feedback

3. ginga123 Feedback

4. graymouser Feedback

• Since I am mainly looking for ways to improve my gallery, can you tell me what you like the least about its set up and organization.
• Last time I participated in the Open House, a fascinating pattern emerged. A few of the areas of organization that some people liked the least were the same areas that other people liked the most. In order to get a more balanced feel, can you let me know what part of the setup and organization of my gallery you like the most.
• Please feel free to add any additional comments or ask any questions. Thanks

5. JWR Feedback

• My gallery has a mix of Anime and Comic art. Did you find any particular pieces that made you wish to find out more about the series or artist?
• Since besides using my gallery to share our collection with those who would wish to view it I also use it as a reference of our collection for insurance purposes. I have been told in the past that even though I have some items not displayed (they are there but password protected) that the amount of items on display can be intimidating. Any suggestions on how I can possible better arrange or display series to make my gallery more "user friendly" (I am not very computer savvy).
• I can admit that descriptions and scans for some displayed items can be a little lacking. Any items stand out for attention, be it a more detailed description or a better scan?

6. Quacker Feedback

• Firstly, thank you for taking the time to visit my gallery. Do you have any suggestions or ideas - no matter how big or small, negative or positive - to improve the design & 'feel' of the gallery?
• Taking into the consideration the series already listed in my Gallery, is there a series you would like to see me start collecting?
• What has been your Best & Worst experience during your collecting years?

7. ReiTheJelly Feedback

8. Rekka Alexiel Feedback

• What section did you enjoy browsing the most and why?
• Were you satisfied with the style of organization (cels displayed in chronological order with oversized/pan cels separated out? If not, why and how would you like things organized?
• Please ask me anything you'd like to know more about my gallery as a whole, specific items, series, characters... anything!!

9. sensei Feedback

• After you landed on the gallery home page, where was the first place you chose to visit? Why?
• What is one problem or difficulty the you encountered while navigating through the gallery?
• What might make a visit to my gallery easier, more productive, or more fun?

10. theultimatebrucelee Feedback

• From the series in my gallery, is there any anime that you recall both finished watching and have enjoyed? If so (more obscure the better), who's your favorite character and why?
• Please state at least one thing you would like to see changed/improved that would make this gallery more interesting, and please give an example if applicable.
• What are some basic collecting principles you have been following/followed during the time you actively collected animation artwork?

11. toonybabe Feedback

• What is your favorite piece in my gallery? Why do you like it?
• Based on the series and features I collect from, the cels I choose to purchase and the production art listed in my wishlist, where do you think my values are as a collector? in other words: What kinds of characters and stories do you think excite me the most?
• What do you like about my gallery and what can I do to improve it? This could by anything: layout, descriptions, size of the images, graphics, organization of information etc.

12. Yupa Feedback

• What is your opinion on showing complete cuts? Does each genga and layout deserve its own page or would you rather just see the best sketch in the set?
• Which subgallery do you think is the best from an art perspective (the quality of the items displayed)? Is this also your favorite subgallery?
• If you could change one thing in my gallery, what would it be?

Procedures:

1. Gallery curators may ask visitors to answer up to three specific questions about their reaction. Or two. Or just one. Or none. Just not more than three.

2. In any case, visitors should respond with their general impression of each gallery, along with "most liked" features and constructive suggestions for improvement. They may also ask the curator questions about their anime interests, their collecting habits, and their design strategies.

3. The public phase of the open house will begin on Friday, July 26. The list of participants includes links to each curator's gallery and to feedback blanks (using Beta's PM tool). Also the questions (if any) that each curator wishes to ask visitors.

4. Visits and feedback should take place during the following ten days. Participants experiencing the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune may take extra time to finish up. But, out of courtesy, they should post to this thread to let others know when they will complete their feedback.

OK? Get ready to enjoy some summertime fun, full of anime eyecandy and interaction with fellow aficionados!

Schedule:

July 18-July 25: Time for Beta members to express interest, submit questions, refurbish galleries.

July 26-August 4: Open House in progress: visit galleries, leave feedback, get feedback.

August 5: Wind-up: Leave feedback in this thread on the event, its good points, negative points, and how it could be improved. If you need extra time to finish, please leave progress reports here so curators know when you will get to their galleries.

[animeobsessed]

In regards to Items #2, we should visit all the galleries and not subdivide the list If the number stays around 12 galleries.

[sensei]

Yes, but if a bunch of people jump in and want to participate I want to keep the option of subdividing the list so we keep the event short, fun, and easily doable. Newbies? Here's a chance to get some serious eyetracking of your galleries.

[sensei]

Any more participants? If we stay at this number, then I'm willing to forego the step of dividing the list, as animeobsessed suggested. But I'm also happy to accommodate a bunch more, especially newbies who have not had a chance to do this before.

I have questions from animeobsessed and from theultimatebrucelee, and I'll write a short set for myself. Others?

My gallery refurbish (just a visual makeover plus a Quirky Gallery renew) is more than half done, so I'll be ready to reopen Thursday in time for the event. I'm looking forward to it and hope others are as well!

[Quacker]

In case I get swamped with work & business again - I would like to pass on a "Thank-you" to Sensei - for not only suggesting the latest 'Open House' but also for taking the reins, gathering interested participants & implementing the procedures and schedule.
I for one, am looking forward to scoping out each gallery, discovering the individual styles & quirks on offer; I am sure there will be some Brilliant ideas I could 'borrow' and utilize to help improve my own

For those 'thinking' of participating or unsure; take this as an excellent opportunity to receive some constructive feedback from fellow collectors, some of whom have now been in the collecting 'game' for over a decade whereas other collectors may be more program/web wise - in which the feedback provided may prove invaluable & otherwise would not be received in the normal course of events?

[sensei]

Thanks, Quacker. At it looks like we are (alas) not going to have 35-38 participants this time around, I'm taking animeobsessed's advice and not subdividing the list. (A pity: I'd bookmarked a site that generates random sequences of numbers for use in such situations...) If we need a little extra time in August to finish up, then I think that's OK.

I'm generating a new list of participants with links to the gallery and to the Beta PM engine to make it easy to work. Each item on the list should look like this:

9. sensei Feedback

If you click on "sensei," you should go to my gallery. If you click on "Feedback," you should go to a page where you can send me a personal message with your reactions. (And you can right-click this and select "open in new window" so that you can browse my gallery on one side of the screen and note down reactions in the PM blank on the other side of the screen.)

OK? I'm not pimping for early reactions, just checking this out so that when I do this for all participants tomorrow morning it will work as planned and not create massive amounts of confusion.

[Rekka Alexiel]

Could we get a list of gallery links and/feedback links put them with the questions in the first post in this thread? It would certainly help with time. :p

[Yupa]

Yes, I think those two links for each participant will work fine.

[sensei]

Could we get a list of gallery links and/feedback links put them with the questions in the first post in this thread? It would certainly help with time. :p

Yeah, that's what I'm doing. Sorry if this wasn't clear. Being an aging sensei with limited RAM, I like to have everything all in one place too.

[Rekka Alexiel]

Could we get a list of gallery links and/feedback links put them with the questions in the first post in this thread? It would certainly help with time. :p

Yeah, that's what I'm doing. Sorry if this wasn't clear. Being an aging sensei with limited RAM, I like to have everything all in one place too.

Ah, no worries!! Thank you SO much for adding the links!! I was really starting to wonder if I would have time otherwise.

I'm going to start on the list, if that's okay! I want to get to them as quickly as I can because I don't know when another random interview will pop into my schedule. :p

[sensei]

I'm going to start on the list, if that's okay! I want to get to them as quickly as I can because I don't know when another random interview will pop into my schedule. :p

OK, I've started the event. Participants let me know if there are any glitches or rough spots in the process. Like Rekka I've found that the "start soon, go slow and steady" process works best, whether there are eleven galleries to visit or thirty-seven. But do the visits as is convenient for you: whatever works and is enjoyable.

[Yupa]

Being last on the list, I did not expect to get feedback from two participants on the first day. Their feedback was really helpful. I wonder if they are already done visiting all galleries.
I decided to take my time and visit two galleries on each day. Then I should finish a few days before the end.

[sensei]

Some contrarian folks start at the bottom and work up. I actually generated a random list of numbers that scrambled the list, so I've done 2 in the middle. I'm glad that the system is working smoothly so far.

BTW, if you copy the list into MS Word, with the links intact, you can use CTRL + Click to open the galleries and feedback pages without having to go back to the Beta thread. You can also save a draft of your PM and come back and finish it later.

[Rekka Alexiel]

What shall we do with those who haven't posted questions yet?

[cutiebunny]

I figured that you would just give a general rating on what you liked about the gallery, what you thought could be improved, etc. I never got around to creating any questions and I know my layout could use improvement, so those are things I know that I should work on when I find some time after con season. Or if you have any ideas for improvements or things that you might like to see, those thoughts would be helpful too. I guess I'm just looking for any insight, good or bad.