The programmers are trying

Quilting brings calm

Today I got an email inviting me to complete a survey and then to participate in testing this website. So the organization is listening to us. However, they still have a few unrealistic expectations about the people using this website. Below is a partial paragraph about their test process:

—…will be reaching out to you in the next few days to schedule a date and time to test our website. This 45-minute session will be conducted over Zoom, so no travel is required, and you will not need to prepare anything. Please note, this activity must be completed on a desktop or laptop computer with a webcam. Screen sharing is required.—

I’m a retired programmer that programmed on a mainframe computer and I take exception to this paragraph.

1. I don’t use Zoom
2. I don’t have a desktop and I don’t come to Alzconnected on my laptop. I use my iphone.
3. I don’t want to be on a webcam
4. I don’t want to do screen sharing

So they still don’t understand who their audience is. Let’s help them out. Add comments below with the equipment you use to come here, whether you’d be ok with Zoom, a webcam, or screen sharing. Tell them how comfortable you are or are not with computers, the internet and social media.

The more they understand who we are, the more likely they will be able to improve the website.

[Deleted User]

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loveskitties

I also received the email. I replied that I would not be able to participate given the criteria they provided...re 45 minutes, zoom, split screen, etc.

I did offer my own suggestions regarding how to better accommodate member testing and including testing for those using smartphones.

I guess the part of their "process" that makes me feel they "don't get it" is that most of the folks here are caregivers...they can't find 5 free minutes to take a deep breath much less 45 minutes on zoom.

towhee

I went ahead and filled out the screener survey, but I probably should not have. I have used zoom and Teams and I think I know what screen sharing entails but would not know how to do that, and don't think I want to. So far they have skewed their sample to those who have a certain degree of computer savvy, free time, have a notebook/laptop, no concerns about security issues, and are not in Stage 8 (from survey). I wonder what demographics and user information they were working from when they redesigned the site? I see where being able to do screen sharing would be useful to them, but I am not sure that learning how to use the site is so much the problem, I think at least part of it is that the site design affects the way in which we use the site.

Pdxnewbie

I am also a retired software developer from mainframe to the latest technologies. I do believe those involved with enhancing the platform really do not understand their audience. I am on my kindle right now but could be on my laptop or phone but requiring a webcam is this day and age is naive.

Quilting brings calm

I think they want to interact with the tester via zoom- which is why they want the webcam. The shared screen is most likely because they want to see what the tester is seeing and doing. Those are things that a business help desk might do with their employees. However, we are not employees, and many people on this site aren’t tech savvy. Yet the email was geared toward tech savvy people who work in an office all day. I just don’t understand why a group dedicated to support caregivers doesn’t understand their audience.

Iris L.

I don't see why screen sharing would be necessary. Why don't they just read the comments people have been making. I gave some relevant feedback and I was told that they were not interested in my opinion, only if I had any questions. Actually, a few aspects are better.

Iris

M1

I got it too and had the same reaction-not to mention, satellite internet in the country is way too slow to support zoom without intolerable buffering delays. So agree, they are trying but operate in a different universe. Absolutely would not screenshare with anyone, period.

[Deleted User]

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GothicGremlin

I didn't get the email (still getting the 'please make a donation' emails though), but I bet I didn't get it because I look 'difficult', and scary. In reality, I'm neither.

However, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt - they probably do want to make things better for us. Although, my cynical self wonders if the site has lost a number of regular posters, enough that they finally noticed.

Whatever their motives are though, they still aren't reading the room. If I ever have a 45 minute block of time, I'm usually trying to squeeze in some aspect of my life that has been falling by the wayside.

As for the tech - I've used zoom, and I almost always use my laptop when posting here. As for webcams? I always have a cover over mine - with extra tape. And screen sharing? That would be a 'no', unless I know you very well and trust you. I'm pretty comfortable with tech. My s.o. is a software engineer who does a lot of computer security, and has answered a lot of questions from me over the years. :) I know my way around social media, enough that I tend not to use it (privacy issues).

But the biggest issue - caregiving! It's time consuming and hard. The programmers should have tested out the new software long before they dropped it on us. Retrofitting = not easy.

GothicGremlin

One more thing ...

What I really miss is being able to have the bird's eye view of the site. With the old software I was able to see all of the different sections at a glance, and I could see where there was a new post. With the change over, I can see the different categories, but I can't see any detail. I'd have to click on the category and then see. Maybe it's just me being lazy, but I haven't clicked once on the two of the 'living with Alzheimer's or Dementia' categories. I used to poke my head in once in awhile and if I had something helpful to say I'd make a post. Now I kind of forget those categories are there. And that's not good, imo.

BassetHoundAnn

If it's any consolation GothicGremlin I also didn't receive an invitation to join the Zoom discussion. (Although I still get regular e-mail asking for donations.) But honestly I don't have time for a 45-minute Zoom and I'm not going to let anyone share my screen. Many members have already voiced dismay at the problems of the new site, and been very specific in their critiques. Does that count for anything? The inappropriate badges and birthday cakes remain. One would think that would be a very easy tweak to remove such things, but the fact that they persist leads one to speculate that the forum software may have been licensed and installed by a third-party contractor that does not know how to, or cannot make such a simple change. Or maybe the forum software does not allow it. It lends doubt to the value of a Zoom discussion if contractors don't have much ability to make simple changes to the new licensed forum software in the first place.

GothicGremlin

You're right, BassetHoundAnn - the software is from a third party. My s.o. and I poked around in April after the changeover, and found Higher Logic forum software. I think they merged with Vanilla and their name is something like Higher Vanilla Logic (or something close to that). I looked at their privacy privacy and did a compare and contrast with the privacy policy of the ALZ site. They're very close, and not great, imo. I posted about it somewhere - maybe in the spouse/partner forum? My s.o. had been looking for forum software for something he was working on and he had come across Higher Logic at some point. He rejected it because he felt there were too many accessibility issues.

From what I know of forum software (which isn't much - I'm just a user, not a programmer), some things are really easy to do, while other things are baked into the software and are almost impossible to change.

loveskitties

FYI

I submitted a question on the Q & A thread regarding the issues raised here and asked if they were going to reconsider their testing process. At first got a don't have info on this subject response.

I then asked if they were going to try to get info. Response is that they are not considering changes at this time, but that my responses were forwarded to the right department.

[Deleted User]

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