Future of TRIRIGA Docs?
TRIRIGAFEEDIA started as a social-media experiment to boost the findability of our less visible docs in a “single, searchable, and social stream”. Similarly, our TRIRIGA UX Articles also started as a technical-writing experiment to build a brand new vision of “cool, casual, and consumable” docs. Although they’re both still new, you could argue that they’ve already outgrown the term “experiment”. So what’s next?
- Process Flow Diagrams?
- Online eLearning Lessons?
- Wiki Experiments?
- Forum Experiments?
- Other Experiments?
Process Flow Diagrams?
In the same spirit, following the posts about finding our TRIRIGA process flow diagrams (Dec 2015) and welcoming our Knowledge Center beta (Jan 2016), I had a brainstorm about redesigning the TRIRIGA process flow diagrams themselves. Why should they look like traditional flowcharts? Why not rethink them in a more modern “infographic” style? Here are my Inkspace experiments. Is this the future?
Real estate overview
Here’s my Google Translate experiment using the Korean language. In terms of users, more than 500 million people translate over 100 billion words a day on Google Translate. In terms of contributors, more than 1 million people speaking 117 languages have made 50 million contributions through the Google Translate Community. Why not translate the TRIRIGA process flow diagrams myself?
Compare with original Korean →
Here’s the official Korean translation from the IBM translation team:
| Korean (IBM Team) | English (Google Translate) |
| 포트폴리오 계획 사용 여부? | Portfolio planning, whether to use? |
| 포트폴리오 계획 프로세스 | Portfolio planning process |
| 트랜잭션 관리 사용여부? | Whether using transaction management? |
| 부동산 트랜잭션 프로세스 | Real estate transaction process |
| 부동산 계약 요약 및 작성 | Summary of real estate contracts and creation |
| 임대 회계 가정검토 | Lease accounting assumptions review |
| 부동산 계약 관리 | Real estate contract management |
Here’s my independent Korean translation using Google Translate:
| Korean (Google Translate) | English (Google Translate) |
| 포트폴리오 계획 사용되고? | Portfolio planning is being used? |
| 포트폴리오 계획 과정 | Portfolio planning process |
| 트랜잭션 관리가 사용됩니다? | Transaction management is used? |
| 부동산 거래 과정 | Real estate transaction process |
| 계약 추상화 및 생성 | Contract abstraction and generation |
| 리스 회계 검토 | Lease accounting [assumptions] review |
| 부동산 계약 관리 | Real estate contract management |
Real estate contract abstraction and creation
Lease accounting assumption review
Online eLearning Lessons?
YouTube
Back in Sept-Oct 2015, inspired by the MinutePhysics YouTube channel, and the Grovo microlearning service provider, I wanted to try out a 1-minute video proof-of-concept (POC). So I spent about 26 hours to storyboard, script, then design the “slides” in Adobe Photoshop. Eventually in March 2016, I spent the final 4 hours to record with SourceForge Audacity, edit the audio with Adobe Audition, and assemble and sync the audio and video in Movavi Video Editor. A total of about 30 hours for a 1-minute “microlearning” POC. But I’m pretty proud of it.
The idea is to prove that a 1-2-minute learning experience can be effective for more mobile, on-the-go eLearning. Which is why I followed the examples of MinutePhysics and Grovo. So I’ll very likely carry the same tone, pace, and flow to any future Adobe Captivate projects. Will it be quicker to create in Captivate? I’m not sure yet, but I hope so. It would also be more flexible and robust than pure video, with templates, characters, animations, interactivity, and simulations. How much more flexible and robust? I guess I’ll have to find out, won’t I?
Adobe Captivate
Last month, in March 2016, I revealed my 1-minute YouTube as a “microlearning” proof-of-concept (POC) for more mobile, on-the-go eLearning. But I hadn’t plunged into Adobe Captivate too deeply yet. Well, in April 2016, I finally finished my first eLearning beta module (of about 12) in Adobe Captivate! While I wasn’t too strict about tracking my hours, I’m guessing that I spent about 30-40 hours to adjust the script and audio, design the look-and-feel, and edit the final 1-minute session.
In terms of technical setup, not only did I install Adobe Captivate on my work laptop, I also willingly subscribed to Captivate on my home PC ($30/month) and purchased web hosting ($6/month) so I can easily FTP-upload the files and deliver the HTML content with a simple URL. In terms of responsive output across various screen sizes, while the desktop version plays smoothly, my smartphone Chrome for Android has lagging and choppiness. Luckily, Firefox for Android performs better.
So was it easy to create in Adobe Captivate? Was it flexible? Was it robust? Well, it depends! In many ways, yes, it’s much quicker to insert audio and visual elements, and design motion and transition effects. At the same time, there are so many elements and effects to coordinate or synchronize, not only in one screen size, but in several screen sizes, especially if you want to cover a wider range of devices. But if you can keep track, Adobe Captivate is definitely flexible and robust! No regrets!
See UX Lessons.
Wiki Experiments?
In Oct 2019, IBM announced that it will retire or “sunset” its developerWorks wiki platform in Jan 2020. So, while the TRIRIGA team worked on our official wiki alternative based on the Wiki.js platform, I prepared for a worst-case scenario by experimenting separately with my independent “TRIRIGAFEEDIA Wiki” alternative based on the Notion.so platform. Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best!
Unfortunately, in Dec 2019, IBM didn’t approve the direction of our proposed Wiki.js alternative. So, although our current developerWorks wiki will remain frozen in read-only mode until the end of March 2020, if we can’t find a wiki-compatible option, we are still left with the worst-case possibility of losing our wiki presence after the quarter ends. Naturally, I returned to my personal Notion.so experiment.
How will this story end? Who knows? When will I reveal the URL? Again, I don’t know. But the first pieces are out there now. I guess it depends on the next few months. In any case, sooner or later, I hope our TRIRIGA community will find this companion TRIRIGAFEEDIA Wiki to be as helpful as the TRIRIGAFEEDIA blog and eLearning lessons. Wish me luck! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2020!
Forum Experiments?
In Feb 2020, after the TRIRIGAFEEDIA Wiki Phase 1 “safety net” was completed, I began to turn my attention to the developerWorks forum. Although IBM migrated our forum to IBM Support, I still prepared for another worst-case scenario by experimenting separately with my independent “TRIRIGAFEEDIA Forum” alternative based on the Flarum platform. So far, so good. Wish me more luck!
Other Experiments?
Stay tuned for other brainstorms or experiments that might affect our future TRIRIGA documentation.
