Re: [libreoffice-design] Kicking Off the LibreOffice Design Team

Hi Christoph, all,

On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 11:30 AM, Christoph Noack
<christoph@dogmatux.com> wrote:
> [... paragraphs that I could only add +1 to]
> But where to start? Well, I drafted a proposal and I'd like to hear your
> comments if this fits - in general. Details, e.g. how we solved this or
> that within OpenOffice.org might be added later, I think.
>
> But for now, please have a look at the list and add stuff you might to
> see / talk about as well.
>
> Steps:
>     1. Invite people who want to join / listen via a blog posting and
>        on TDF discuss --> nobody should be missed

+1

>     2. Summarize the current status of work / collaboration within the
>        LibreOffice project --> get an overview what happened until now

Very much +1 - issues regarding mailing lists have come up on the
website list, so it's important to document major discussions,
decisions and progress made so far in a more permanent and easily
accessible area.

>     3. Do some introduction to get to know each other --> guess why :-)

+1. Maybe a wiki page similar to the OOo UX Team one?

>     4. Collection of thoughts what we do need to organize / to do our
>        work

I'd like to see some clarification about processes:

1) Outline the way we want to work - in a collaborative iterative
environment ... communicating across lists where necessary, (e.g.
website list)
2) Describe proper ways to raise ideas and make progress with them
3) List preferred or recommended tools (e.g. Inkscape) and formats (e.g. SVG)
4) Give easier access to established resources and design some kind of
'scope' to the design project by creating something similar to the
'Branding Areas' page on the OOo wiki [1] (but also adding UX areas)

>     5. Working on the "urgent needs" of our current project --> e.g.
>        there have been requests to feed the development ;-)

Relevant tasks from Marketing/Work_Items should be moved to Design/Work_Items

>     6. Planning how to collect and to prioritize the future tasks -->
>        think about what we want to archive mid- and long-term

We should make a 'roadmap' page or something similar.

>     7. Kick of one or more serious projects ...

Now that the initial branding and website design are more or less
established (i.e. no major changes ahead), we should focus on design
within the application itself - that is, beginning to visually
distinguish LibO from OOo. The Mimetype icons are a great start.
Application backgrounds could be another area to investigate (this
would offer instant screenshot differentiation). Default fonts could
also be considered. If we have developers willing to take on bigger
tasks, we could look at the welcome center. We could identify UX
issues that need fixing or improving (e.g. sorting out Tools ->
Customize vs. Tools ->Options).

Once we have become more comfortable working this way (e.g. with
developers, with design community processes), we might begin to make
the transition to community branding later on in the year. We've spent
lots of time on the initial branding; let's do some work on design
inside LibO before reworking it all again.

Of course, these are just my thoughts and ideas.

> Anything missing, misleading, or even wrong? Please raise your hand :-)
> If you think it'll work, then we'll start.
>
> What do you think?

Sounds great to me!

Regards,
Ivan.

[1] http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Branding_Initiative/Branding_Areas

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