[DDI-users] Re: Lets make DDI more user-friendly
Jyoti Savla
ddi-users@icpsr.umich.edu
Sat, 19 Apr 2003 09:22:15 -0700 (PDT)
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Dear Richard:
Thanks for responding back. I think training workshops would have certainly helped. DDI documentation examples are helpful, but they are helpful only after you have discovered the meaning of it yourself. Looking at web-sites such as www.cpanda.org is very inspiring too. NESSTAR associates like Margaret and other beings on this list-serve did a great job helping me out as well. However, being a graduate student I would go around asking advice from people, but i doubt if researchers in the field, especially professors in a research institute have that kind of time. And then, again how many researchers really understand all the web-designing, developing languages, such as XML, HTML, XSLT and so on? People want something more easier. It just seems like each time someone wants to use DDI, they have to re-invent the wheel. Comprehensiveness is one thing, and Being USER-FRIENDLY is another. I seriously do hope that the people on the DDI committee are looking at this e-mail and would consider my critique. I think DDI is doing a great job by trying to make documentation styles more universal. However, there are a few suggestions that they ought to consider if they want to make it available for everyone and reach their goal of universality.
Workshops to teach how to use DDI and softwares that work in collaboration with them
A list-serve is helpful, but a list of people and places that already use DDI would be extremely helpful.
Step by step guidelines on the web-site that tells a person where to start from and how to reach the end-product, more like a flow-chart, would certainly be helpful too.
And finally, am i no only one who feels this way?????
Thanks,
Jyoti Savla
Department of Child & Family Development
University of Georgia
--------------------------------------------Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 13:56:07 -0400
To: ddi-users@ICPSR.UMICH.EDU
From: "Richard C. Rockwell" <richard@ropercenter.uconn.edu>
Subject: Re: [DDI-users] Lets make DDI more user-friendly
Reply-To: ddi-users@icpsr.umich.edu
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Would training workshops have helped you, Jyoti? How about examples of
DDI
documentation that may be closer to the kinds of data with which you
are
working?
At 10:42 AM 4/16/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>Hello Everyone:
>I am a doctoral student trying really hard to use DDI specifications
for a
>research project. However, I am jumping all different hoops trying to
>figure out the HOW TOs and what is the right software to use.
>
>There have been some folks on this listseve who have been extremely
>helpful with their suggestions, thanks to them. However, I think that
if
>researchers do not get clear guidelines and instructions (esp. people
like
>me who have no clue about HMT, XML, XSLT and so on) they would not
bother
>to use the DDI specifications, solely because the "learning curve IS
quite
>steep".
>
>Trying hard,
>Jyoti Savla
>Department of Child & Family Development
>University of Georgia
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
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<P>Dear Richard:</P>
<DIV>Thanks for responding back. I think training workshops would have certainly helped. DDI documentation examples are helpful, but they are helpful only after you have discovered the meaning of it yourself. Looking at web-sites such as <A href="http://www.cpanda.org">www.cpanda.org</A> is very inspiring too. NESSTAR associates like Margaret and other beings on this list-serve did a great job helping me out as well. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, being a graduate student I would go around asking advice from people, but i doubt if researchers in the field, especially professors in a research institute have that kind of time. And then, again how many researchers really understand all the web-designing, developing languages, such as XML, HTML, XSLT and so on? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>People want something more easier. It just seems like each time someone wants to use DDI, they have to re-invent the wheel. <U>Comprehensiveness is one thing, and Being USER-FRIENDLY is another.</U></DIV>
<DIV><U></U> </DIV>
<DIV>I seriously do hope that the people on the DDI committee are looking at this e-mail and would consider my critique. I think DDI is doing a great job by trying to make documentation styles more universal. However, there are a few suggestions that they ought to consider if they want to make it available for everyone and reach their goal of universality.</DIV>
<OL>
<LI>Workshops to teach how to use DDI and softwares that work in collaboration with them</LI>
<LI>A list-serve is helpful, but a list of people and places that already use DDI would be extremely helpful.</LI>
<LI>Step by step guidelines on the web-site that tells a person where to start from and how to reach the end-product, more like a flow-chart, would certainly be helpful too.</LI></OL>
<P>And finally, am i no only one who feels this way?????</P>
<P>Thanks,</P>
<P>Jyoti Savla<BR>Department of Child & Family Development<BR>University of Georgia</P>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>--------------------------------------------</DIV>
<DIV>Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 13:56:07 -0400<BR>To: <A href="http://us.f214.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=ddi-users@ICPSR.UMICH.EDU&YY=53880&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b"><FONT color=#003399>ddi-users@ICPSR.UMICH.EDU</FONT></A><BR>From: "Richard C. Rockwell" <<A href="http://us.f214.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=richard@ropercenter.uconn.edu&YY=53880&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b"><FONT color=#003399>richard@ropercenter.uconn.edu</FONT></A>><BR>Subject: Re: [DDI-users] Lets make DDI more user-friendly<BR>Reply-To: <A href="http://us.f214.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=ddi-users@icpsr.umich.edu&YY=53880&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b"><FONT color=#003399>ddi-users@icpsr.umich.edu</FONT></A><BR><BR>--=====================_5113625==.ALT<BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed<BR><BR>Would training workshops have helped you, Jyoti? How about examples of <BR>DDI <BR>documentation that may be closer to the kinds of data with which you <BR>are <BR>working?<BR><BR>At 10:42 AM 4/16/2003 -0700, you wrote:<BR>>Hello Everyone:<BR>>I am a doctoral student trying really hard to use DDI specifications <BR>for a <BR>>research project. However, I am jumping all different hoops trying to <BR>>figure out the HOW TOs and what is the right software to use.<BR>><BR>>There have been some folks on this listseve who have been extremely <BR>>helpful with their suggestions, thanks to them. However, I think that <BR>if <BR>>researchers do not get clear guidelines and instructions (esp. people <BR>like <BR>>me who have no clue about HMT, XML, XSLT and so on) they would not <BR>bother <BR>>to use the DDI specifications, solely because the "learning curve IS <BR>quite <BR>>steep".<BR>><BR>>Trying hard,<BR>>Jyoti Savla<BR>>Department of Child & Family Development<BR>>University of Georgia</DIV><p><br><hr size=1>Do you Yahoo!?<br>
<a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/search/mailsig/*http://search.yahoo.com">The New Yahoo! Search</a> - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
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