SUMO community discussions

Screencast Demo

  1. I've been thinking about how to improve sumo screencasts and how the screencast relates to a KB article. I think we should move to screencasts with narration that go over the common use cases for a feature or task and include them after the intro at the top of an article. This way, someone would click on an article, read a short introduction and be able to watch a short video that explains pretty much everything they need to know. Then if they want the details or need a reminder when they try it it own their own, they've got the article below.

    The idea is not that the video is a replacement for the article; it's more like a bonus. And that can also be a helpful way to think of it for localization. We've been talking with the Universal Subtitles guys about implementing that on SUMO but I can see where an English video, even with subtitles, is less than ideal. In that case (and especially without subtitling), the video should be thought of as an optional part of the article.

    So here is a demo screencast for Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history.

    The video covers why you'd want to use Private Browsing, how to turn it on, a warning about being tracked, and how turn it off. What it doesn't go into are the details of what's saved and not saved in Private Browsing and how to run Firefox in a permanent Private Browsing mode. I think I'd place this in the article between the second paragraph and the yellow warning. I also added a title at the beginning and the end so that it could be used other places (maybe we could have sumo youtube channel).

    I've been thinking about how to improve sumo screencasts and how the screencast relates to a KB article. I think we should move to screencasts with narration that go over the common use cases for a feature or task and include them after the intro at the top of an article. This way, someone would click on an article, read a short introduction and be able to watch a short video that explains pretty much everything they need to know. Then if they want the details or need a reminder when they try it it own their own, they've got the article below. The idea is not that the video is a replacement for the article; it's more like a bonus. And that can also be a helpful way to think of it for localization. We've been talking with the [http://universalsubtitles.org Universal Subtitles] guys about implementing that on SUMO but I can see where an English video, even with subtitles, is less than ideal. In that case (and especially without subtitling), the video should be thought of as an optional part of the article. So here is a [https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/gallery/video/147 demo screencast] for [[Private Browsing]]. The video covers why you'd want to use Private Browsing, how to turn it on, a warning about being tracked, and how turn it off. What it doesn't go into are the details of what's saved and not saved in Private Browsing and how to run Firefox in a permanent Private Browsing mode. I think I'd place this in the article between the second paragraph and the yellow warning. I also added a title at the beginning and the end so that it could be used other places (maybe we could have sumo youtube channel).
  2. With those big videos on the pages it looks like MozillaSupportTube.com In my opinion they all should be taken out. The question is, who will be making them in different languages? Do we have time for them? Are we becoming lazy to read?

    With those big videos on the pages it looks like ''MozillaSupportTube.com'' In my opinion they all should be taken out. The question is, who will be making them in different languages? Do we have time for them? Are we becoming lazy to read?

    Modified by Богданцев Сергій on

  3. Bogdancev, as Michael said, videos shouldn't be seen as a replacement for the text and images that build up a support article. Instead, they're a compliment to it, an alternative view, if you will, that aims to make things easier to understand for people who are less technical and unlikely to follow text instructions no matter how good they're written. So it's not about becoming lazy, it's more about making sure we help as many people as possible.

    Localization is an important topic though. Given that videos are a "bonus" to an article, they should probably be optional for localizers. If there are localizers who want to specialize in video creation, we could certainly help make it happen -- Michael is a bit of a video expert, so I'm sure he could share tips and tricks for how to make videos really good, with relatively little effort.

    Another idea might be to just subtitle the en-US video using Universal Subtitles (we don't have support for that on SUMO today, but we could implement it if people want to use it). It may work well for some locales (e.g. any Scandinavian language -- we're very used to reading subtitled English content), but might not be ideal for other locales like German.

    Yet another option for some locales might be to simply keep the en-US video but point out that it's in English. The Swedish locale would be an example of where this could be more than acceptable (a lot of our commercials in Sweden are actually already in English, some even without subtitles).

    At the end of the day, we want to make the Firefox support as good as possible for our users, so even if an en-US video might only be useful for 40-50% of our user base, it's still more than reason enough to create it. If a localizer doesn't want to use it, it should be completely fine to delete it from the localized version of the article.

    Bogdancev, as Michael said, videos shouldn't be seen as a replacement for the text and images that build up a support article. Instead, they're a compliment to it, an alternative view, if you will, that aims to make things easier to understand for people who are less technical and unlikely to follow text instructions no matter how good they're written. So it's not about becoming lazy, it's more about making sure we help as many people as possible. Localization is an important topic though. Given that videos are a "bonus" to an article, they should probably be optional for localizers. If there are localizers who want to specialize in video creation, we could certainly help make it happen -- Michael is a bit of a video expert, so I'm sure he could share tips and tricks for how to make videos really good, with relatively little effort. Another idea might be to just subtitle the en-US video using Universal Subtitles (we don't have support for that on SUMO today, but we could implement it if people want to use it). It may work well for some locales (e.g. any Scandinavian language -- we're very used to reading subtitled English content), but might not be ideal for other locales like German. Yet another option for some locales might be to simply keep the en-US video but point out that it's in English. The Swedish locale would be an example of where this could be more than acceptable (a lot of our commercials in Sweden are actually already in English, some even without subtitles). At the end of the day, we want to make the Firefox support as good as possible for our users, so even if an en-US video might only be useful for 40-50% of our user base, it's still more than reason enough to create it. If a localizer doesn't want to use it, it should be completely fine to delete it from the localized version of the article.
  4. I agree with Bogdancev when he asks, "do we have time for them?". Who has the time to create screencasts and keep them updated and do all the other stuff that's needed on SUMO? (The screencast in the Install the Flash plugin to view videos, animations and games article is out of date and no longer matches the screenshots and text instructions).

    I agree with Bogdancev when he asks, "do we have time for them?". Who has the time to create screencasts and keep them updated and do all the other stuff that's needed on SUMO? (The screencast in the [[Installing the Flash plugin]] article is out of date and no longer matches the screenshots and text instructions).
  5. Alice, as I said to Bogdancev in response to that question, even if no localizer have time for it, the en-US screencasts (which can be created by Michael if no one else wants/have time to help) can benefit up to 50% of the user base. Screencasts would be optional for l10n.

    I think one of Michael's points was that screencasts would be seen as a bonus that helps a certain demographic, not a replacement to a normal article. My guess is that from a SUMO community point of view, the type of people who will want to help with screencasts won't normally be the same people who help with "normal" articles.

    Maybe I am missing your point, though?

    Alice, as I said to Bogdancev in response to that question, even if no localizer have time for it, the en-US screencasts (which can be created by Michael if no one else wants/have time to help) can benefit up to 50% of the user base. Screencasts would be optional for l10n. I think one of Michael's points was that screencasts would be seen as a bonus that helps a certain demographic, not a replacement to a normal article. My guess is that from a SUMO community point of view, the type of people who will want to help with screencasts won't normally be the same people who help with "normal" articles. Maybe I am missing your point, though?
  6. If screencasts are supplementary staff - why they occupy the hole screen at the beginning of the article? Could they be done like in previous SUMO - just like a link - and you click it if you want.

    Currently, I just delete them.

    Subtitles are not good idea as they do not translate what is shown in the video and it will be no-good to say one thing and do another thing. Thus, screencasts must actually be made and be kept updating. But personally I would not worry about them if they were as links.

    If screencasts are supplementary staff - why they occupy the hole screen at the beginning of the article? Could they be done like in previous SUMO - just like a link - and you click it if you want. Currently, I just delete them. Subtitles are not good idea as they do not translate what is shown in the video and it will be no-good to say one thing and do another thing. Thus, screencasts must actually be made and be kept updating. But personally I would not worry about them if they were as links.
  7. If screencasts are supplementary staff - why they occupy the hole screen at the beginning of the article?

    Good question, and I agree it shouldn't take up the whole screen (not sure if it does today though). I'd like to see a smaller thumbnail (not sure exactly what size and shape would be ideal) with a clear Play button overlaid on it. That would presumably take up less space, and it would also make it clearer that it's a video as opposed to a normal screenshot. Looking at e.g. https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/How+to+set+the+home+page, it's not very clear that one item is a video and another one is an image.

    Your points about subtitles are well taken. I think it might be different depending on locale, but my guess is that the majority of locales wouldn't really prefer to keep the English videos with subtitles. Either way, for the locales that do want to have screencasts localized, we should make it as easy as possible to create those by providing decent tools and instructions.

    ''If screencasts are supplementary staff - why they occupy the hole screen at the beginning of the article?'' Good question, and I agree it shouldn't take up the whole screen (not sure if it does today though). I'd like to see a smaller thumbnail (not sure exactly what size and shape would be ideal) with a clear Play button overlaid on it. That would presumably take up less space, and it would also make it clearer that it's a video as opposed to a normal screenshot. Looking at e.g. https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/How+to+set+the+home+page, it's not very clear that one item is a video and another one is an image. Your points about subtitles are well taken. I think it might be different depending on locale, but my guess is that the majority of locales wouldn't really prefer to keep the English videos with subtitles. Either way, for the locales that do want to have screencasts localized, we should make it as easy as possible to create those by providing decent tools and instructions.
  8. I made some mockups of how we could restyle videos so they don't take up as much space and fit into articles a little better.

    The first set of mockups are for what I'm thinking of as "special" videos. These are included in the intro like the Private Browsing example in this thread. The idea is to use a 320 x 180 thumbnail floated to the right (for a widescreen 16:9 video) with a play button drawn with CSS overlaid (Mockup). When you click the image the full size video plays in an overlay. It should have a close button in the style of the new tab close buttons in Fx 4 (Mockup).

    The next set of mockups are for inline videos included with a list of steps like we have right now. For these we'd have a 480 x 270 thumbnail with a play button (Mockup) that when clicked played the full size video in an overlay just like the special videos (Mockup).

    I made some mockups of how we could restyle videos so they don't take up as much space and fit into articles a little better. The first set of mockups are for what I'm thinking of as "special" videos. These are included in the intro like the Private Browsing example in this thread. The idea is to use a 320 x 180 thumbnail floated to the right (for a widescreen 16:9 video) with a play button drawn with CSS overlaid ([http://sumo.graymattergravy.com/screenshots/special-video.jpg Mockup]). When you click the image the full size video plays in an overlay. It should have a close button in the style of the new tab close buttons in Fx 4 ([http://sumo.graymattergravy.com/screenshots/special-video-playing.jpg Mockup]). The next set of mockups are for inline videos included with a list of steps like we have right now. For these we'd have a 480 x 270 thumbnail with a play button ([http://sumo.graymattergravy.com/screenshots/inline-video.jpg Mockup]) that when clicked played the full size video in an overlay just like the special videos ([http://sumo.graymattergravy.com/screenshots/inline-video-playing.jpg Mockup]).
  9. This looks great Michael -- almost exactly what I had in mind (well, better!).

    This looks great Michael -- almost exactly what I had in mind (well, better!).
  10. Looks better, especially first one (somewhat more professional).

    Looks better, especially first one (somewhat more professional).
  11. Maybe I am missing your point, though?

    David, I guess my point was really wondering if the job of creating new English screencasts will be mostly up to Michael Verdi and if he has the time to create the new screencasts and keep them updated. I don't know SUMO priorities, though and it's possible that creating screencasts has a higher priority then writing and editing KB articles, reviewing KB revisions and the KB articles forum topics, SUMO blog, meetings, etc. (not to mention, the occasional answering of Firefox support questions, just to "keep in touch").

    ''Maybe I am missing your point, though?'' David, I guess my point was really wondering if the job of creating new English screencasts will be mostly up to Michael Verdi and if ''he'' has the time to create the new screencasts and keep them updated. I don't know SUMO priorities, though and it's possible that creating screencasts has a higher priority then writing and editing KB articles, reviewing KB revisions and the KB articles forum topics, SUMO blog, meetings, etc. (not to mention, the occasional answering of Firefox support questions, just to "keep in touch").
  12. Yeah, Michael would take the time to do it, at least for the top articles. But it would obviously help if others joined and helped with more articles. The priority up until about now has been to update articles for Firefox 4, but now we're getting ready to also create screencasts for the top articles to make them reach an even broader audience.

    The other things you mention are more thought of as "business as usual" -- things we do all the time. Hope this clarifies a bit.

    Yeah, Michael would take the time to do it, at least for the top articles. But it would obviously help if others joined and helped with more articles. The priority up until about now has been to update articles for Firefox 4, but now we're getting ready to also create screencasts for the top articles to make them reach an even broader audience. The other things you mention are more thought of as "business as usual" -- things we do all the time. Hope this clarifies a bit.