Meeting Mar 20th agenda and call details

[Mithu]

All,

For Friday’s meeting, Harriet will call Berkay, Dan, Alex and Sarah at 4.30 GMT (Dan at 10, Berkay at 11) as follows:
Berkay: + 1 203 466 96 35
Dan: +1 217-344-5847.
Alex: 07971346312
Sarah: 01483686977

I have the following points to run through, but please feel free to add more:

1. Site updates
There is still some further tweaking to do that John and his web team are working on. This includes:
– updating the left hand column to banner ads so it’s not all text
– reviewing the grey bars
– improving the format of the resources section so it is easier to read individual pages
– updating event information

Having been through all of the feedback we have made fixes and have had to leave other suggestions as follows:

– two column design: we tried changing the site to two-column but as the format for the homepage affects the format for the whole site, it meant that the ‘My page’ was severly compromised by switching to 2 columns. If we ensure that we keep text on the homepage to the bare minimum it’s not so overwhelming. It would be good to discuss this again in the meeting.

– Search blogs, search events: the search box at the top of both these pages is the best way to search the content within the sections. We are still looking at whether it is possible to add textboxes to explain the pages in more detail but at present you can’t do this.

– alphabetize events: this isn’t currently possible but I have put in a request with the Ning team to change this functionality. Similarly with the calendar you can’t currently remove it, but I have asked Ning to change the functionality.

– Invite members: unfortunately you do have to be connected to someone to invite them to join a group, although you can make a point of automatically sending connection requests to all new members?

– back button and ‘add content’ buttons: these should all be more prominent now?

– tabs: have rearranged these as much as possible: so all the discussion elements are grouped.

– invitations: issues regarding spam that you have raised can be avoided by sending a link to methodspace directly from your own email. However there is a way to re-invite people who you think should have received invites, but have not: if you go to:
– Manage members
– Check boxes for those people you want to re-send invitations to
– Choose re-send invitation from drop down ‘actions’ menu

(Or send them url directly http://sagemethodology.ning.com/?xgi=hPPD5Yu).

Please do raise other questions/problems if this list misses anything you wanted to discuss.

2. Surgery
After much searching and discussion with John, I’d like the group to discuss whether there is a strong need for a separate ‘surgery’ tab, or even a ‘surgery’ category in the forum. To date, anyone asking a question that would be appropriate for the surgery has done so in the main forum area, or within individual groups.
Options for discussion:
– I’d suggest we consider re-naming the general methodspace discussion category ‘Methodspace surgery: problems and solutions’
– An alternative option is to come up with some topics for the surgery section that you ask other members to generate.

3. Conferences/events
Sarah and Alex have contacted a few organizations who are adding events, which is great! There had been some discussion of how to link up with these organizations in a more structured way: it would be good to discuss your views on this.

4. Controversy topics
A chance to update the group on who you have made contact with and what the response has been like. A chance to review how we go about getting controversial topics for the blog. Note I have emailed David Silverman to ask if we can add his old blog post to Methodspace.

5. Other new content
A chance to discuss other hot topics/ideas for content

6. Methodspace launch activities: PR and Marketing
We are planning to push the site live next Wednesday (25 March): the site is now starting to generate some interesting content, and the ‘latest activity’ shows lots of people connecting in different topics. This doesn’t mean that the way the site is now is final: we can continue to make updates ongoing (like you see with facebook for example), so do feel free to keep throwing ideas onto the table.

Harriet will share some of the activities that SAGE are working on with you, and a chance for you to ask any q’s you have about this.

Apologies for my absence (and Patrick’s): I had planned to be in the office but have had a sudden change of plans, and don’t want to cancel the call. Harriet will be in touch on Friday

Best

Mithu

[Sarah Louise Bulloch]

Thanks for this Mithu,
Could you please have Harriet call me on 07759852376 rather than on the number you have above? Thank you!
Sarah

[Alexandra Cuncev]

Hi Mithu,
Thanks for this. I have a last minute request, sorry to ask so late. I am going to a three day course/event next week (it is featured on this site, the Research ethics and vulnerability) and I was wondering how I could use this opportunity for methodspace. Are there any flyers that I could make use of that you could email me? Unfortunately it is quite late in the day, as the course starts Monday next week. I’ll do my best to enthuse people either way.

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