Freegle Research. Structure, Content and Branding.

Freegle Research

This is the website that I would like to redesign applying UX design, usability, accessibility  web standards and responsive design in order to work cross platform.

Initial conact

I contacted Freegle to ask information:

====================================

Hi Maribel,

You have access to all our logos already

http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Logos

As I've already explained we are all volunteers with jobs, families etc a zillion things to do....so

Please carry on with your ideas and come back to me when you can show me examples of work you have done before and an idea of what you want to do now!

But remember our main website is fine and functional  :-) but feel free to have a play around but whether we adapt any of your ideas I cannot say until we see some of your work 

We do need graphics help with our Freegle Direct pages though as explained the other day.

Anyway, get back to me when you've got something to show us,

Thank you!

Cat

media@ilovefreegle.org

Hi Cat

I feel so grateful that you take time to answer me.  I think your site and organisation is amazing, and since I joined Freegle Eastbourne I change my perspective about buy new stuff and send to the pit.

Cat: Great!

I think the concept of your site is great, I just want to apply some principles that I learned during these 3 years in terms of web standards, crossplatforms, usability and accessibility. 

Cat: Ok

I just started the research yesterday, and I would like to ask you some questions that will come up during this process if you don't mind. I just want to be sure how freegle works in order to redesign the website.

Cat: Ok

I found the link of your logo here: http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Logos, I just wanted to be sure that I can use it. Copyright issues that I need to be aware.

You are welcome to use these :-)

Sorry to ask, but are you Cat Fletcher? 

Cat: Yes

From: Melissa EastbourneFreegle-owner@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Message Returned:: Offered: WEB SITE (BN229RR)

Date: 17 March 2014 18:50

To: m_trillo_graziosi@hotmail.com

Hi, and thanks for your email.

The man Freegle website is run centrally by a group of tech volunteers - I'm sure they'd be happy for you to get in touch centrally with

your offer of help.

The central Freegle contact page is here:

http://www.freegle.org.uk/contact/

Kind regards,

Melissa

Freegle Moderator

http://Freegle.in/Eastbourne

You wrote:

Hi

I would like to design a new layout for freegle.org.uk. I want to know what are the principal options that you need. Also if you consider

that Freegle would include additional info, just let me know.

Cheers

--

Get Freegling from Facebook - see http://freegle.in/Facebook

====================================

Hi Maribel

Our website is okay I think, thanks and it is here btw

http://www.ilovefreegle.org

We could always use good graphic digital skills for our Freegle Direct interface where you see local

Freegle activity ( like here http://freegle.in/Eastbourne ) but we are all volunteers ourselves so we don't

always have time to support other volunteers. Do you have an idea of what you'd like to do with our site?

Examples of other work?

Our logo is freely available to download online in a myriad of formats-surprised you've not searched and

found them during your research....

I am still at work but can send you the link later and discuss options then

Thanks

Cat

Head of Media

Freegle UK

Sent while out and about.....

On 17 Mar 2014, at 17:00, Maribel Trillo <trillomaribel@yahoo.com> wrote:

Regards

I am student of BA Digital Media Design, and as part of my degree I need to

produce an independent project in this area. I am a Freegle member of the

Eastbourne Group, and I would like to work in a new Layout for your website

freegle.org.uk. Please be aware that you don't need to feel any obligation towards

me, however your help is valuable. I want to know if you can provide me your

official logo and also answer some simple questions that would help me to design

the new Layout.

Thanks for your time

Maribel Trillo

====================================

They like their website, however I would like to propose a new Layout more User-Centered, applying UX design, Design Thinking, Usability, Accesibility and web standards.

They said that the have very little time to support others volunteers, and this platform is supported by them, so the y have very little time to fit this around their day to day activities.

freegle.org.uk

I started my research to be able to understand how Freegle works and in this way prepare a list of questions for them. I hope they can answer.

http://www.freegle.org.uk

"Don’t throw it away – give it away" 

"Freegle is a UK-wide umbrella organisation, formed in 2009 by experienced volunteers and members of the free reuse community. The aims of Freegle are:

• Promoting the keeping of usable items out of landfill.
• Promoting and supporting local community groups working in the area of reuse.
• Empowering and supporting volunteers working for local Freegle groups.
• Informing and educating the public about environmental matters related to the reuse and recycling of unwanted usable goods.
• Promoting sustainable waste management practices.

Each Freegle local group is run independently and has affiliated to Freegle UK. The local volunteers who run each group are the official members of Freegle UK. Freegle UK provides central services to these volunteers and their groups.

Freegle UK is an unincorporated association, is registered as a charity with HMRC (ref. XT32865), has a constitution and banks with Unity Trust Bank. Local volunteers have elected a group of national Representatives. Important decisions are made by a poll of all volunteers.

History

Many Freegle groups were previously affiliated to Freecycle. Unfortunately, the grass roots ethos was gradually eroding and this created an untenable situation for hundreds of volunteers in the UK. After lengthy and patient negotiations with the founder failed, Freegle was formed. We continue to be pleased to welcome new groups into the Freegle family.

We are still really excited to be Freegle! A purely volunteer run movement which values and respects its members and volunteers, in the process continuing to keep usable items in use and out of landfill. It’s a win-win situation for us all.

FREEly Given, Locally, Easily"

I want to find out why the break up with Freecycle. I need to know how they want to run their organisation. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2009/sep/10/uk-freecycle-us-network

"The acrimonious split follows unsatisfactory negotiations which could have given Freecycle's UK moderators the ability to localise their web pages and allow them to serve the community better. For example, a moderator for one local branch was not allowed to ask a moderator from a neighbouring locality to act as locum while they go on holiday. Ideas on the ground, such as a Freecycle bay at the local tip, were ruled out."

"All UK moderators have lost their freedom of speech within the organisation. So here in Brighton we have decided to go our own way along with the majority of other Freecycle UK groups."

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/329180/what_went_wrong_with_freecycle_in_the_uk.html

"So why has it all gone wrong? Cat Fletcher, one time moderator of Brighton Freecycle and creator of replacement group GreenCycleSussex, says the founding US network was becoming increasingly 'autocratic and unreasonable'."

"‘Any moderators expressing opinions not exactly in alignment with what the Americans wanted were being deleted from their groups and asked to step down,' says Fletcher. 'These people started groups out of the goodness of their hearts and devoted thousands of hours of time. All of a sudden they were told to go, just for expressing an opinion’."

I can see how it is important the moderators of the Groups, and they want to have a say. But I think in this open world and global, Users also have their say and improve their experience through their website should be over any moderator interest.  Moderators are important to filter spams and to empower the local community, however users should have the freedom to look at others groups.

"'I quite honestly don't know why Deron has done what he's done. I'm actually gobsmacked that someone would allow an organisation that has such great potential to be run the way it is run. You need to enhance the enthusiasm and efforts of volunteers, rather than hold them back.’"

Users are also important they are the base of the organisation.

AIM

"Our aim is to keep anything usable in use for as long as possible. Meeting new people helps to develop local community networks and friendships in the process. The local group moderators will be happy to help you if you need advice about anything."

"FREEly Given, Locally, Easily"

? What happened with Freecycle? What they mean with Grassroots ethos?

? Freegle is run by independent groups, so I would believe that every group manage online differently. It should be a link between the main site and all these groups? They said that they value and respect its member and volunteers. Is this linked with Independent work of volunteers?

? What is the purpose of the main site?

I researched what is Unincorporated association: https://www.gov.uk/business-legal-structures/unincorporated-association

"An ‘unincorporated association’ is an organisation set up through an agreement between a group of people who come together for a reason other than to make a profit, eg a voluntary group or a sports club."

"Freegle is a network of local groups where you can give stuff away when you want to get rid of it – but don’t want to throw it away because it still has some useful life left in it. Or if there’s something you’d like, perhaps someone has just what you need that they don’t want anymore."

Freegle is run by locally based volunteer run groups. 

"It’s free to sign up, then post a message with an OFFER of something you want to get rid of, or a WANTED message for something you need."

The process is simple sing up, offer or request something.

They need to find funding for their charity. 

"Remember, if you can't find what you need through Freegle, then please shop online through Give as you Live and raise funds for Freegle, without costing you a penny extra."

"All offers and requests must be freegle (free and legal)."

There are 1,616,668 Freegle members in 393 reuse groups all over the UK

They have standardised their email:

"AmbridgeFreegle-owner@yahoogroups.com (just replaceAmbridgeFreegle with the name of your group)."

They want to see Freegle grow:

"We would love people to help make Freegle grow in a multitude of ways."

wiki.ilovefreegle.org

http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Welcome_to_the_Freegle_Volunteer_Wiki

Freegle Aims and Ethos

http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Aims_and_Ethos
Freegle is an UK umbrella organisation, protecting the environment, by promotion and support of online local groups who facilitate the reuse of items. Our ethos is to support active participation in local and the wider community, caring for the environment and each other within a democratic and inclusive organisation.

The aims of Freegle are to:

a. promote the keeping of usable items out of landfill

b. promote and support local community groups working in the area of reuse

c. empower and support volunteers working for local Freegle groups

d. inform and educate the public about environmental matters related to the reuse and recycling of unwanted usable goods

e. promote sustainable waste management practices

In order to fulfil these aims we intend to:

a. run the Freegle website and ensure that affiliated groups abide by minimum standards

b. admit and maintain a list of affiliated groups and provide a point of contact and support for Freegle Volunteers and users

c. facilitate mutual support and technical help for groups and volunteers and develop resources for use by volunteers, such as handbooks

d. manage central PR and marketing. and maintain an up to date information centre

e. speak on behalf of all local Freegle groups within an approved mandate

? Freegle is a family, why not integrated as one?

"Freegle centrally will not use any group's membership list kept by Freegle Direct without permission from the group Volunteers.Volunteers are assumed to be those who receive -owner emails for the group."

"

Definitions
Reps - Members of or the body of the elected Freegle Representative Group.Central - Freegle UK Central Yahoo group, Central Group the discussion forum for Volunteers; Freegle UK Central provides a space for Freegle Volunteers to mutually support each other.Wiki - The Freegle Volunteer Wiki link to Wiki

Volunteer - A voting member of Freegle, being an owner, moderator or volunteer of a group affiliated to Freegle.

Central Mod Team - the Central Mod Team consists of the members of Central Mod Group" http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Central_Mods_Team

The organisation of Freegle is complex, they form by volunteer in different forms of groups.  The website I want to develop for Freegle is for the final user and the moderator of the groups. Here a example of the architecture of the workflow.

FDArchitecture

. http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/File:FDArchitecture.png

? I feel that they need to integrate better this different platforms that could facilitated them to have a better view of the size of the organisation and obtain better data of their members. Design to work cross platforms?

There is a Central groups that stablish guidelines to follow by moderators of the gourds: http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Policies,_Procedures_and_Remits and http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_UK_Central_Group.

It seems like they have their own guidelines for the central group.  However, I would like to see the guidelines for Moderator groups.

Editing website procedure

 http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Website_Editing_Procedure it doesn't say that much, only that the Geek Team is responsable of that. They define the main website as  "our collective 'face to the world'" When I joined in 2011 ago I found this process quiet daunting and complicated. They also say that "This wiki is our shared resource that we use to help each other with running our groups and our network." They consider themselves as a network of different groups. I value that they want to keep themselves Local (by local groups) however the branding should be appreciate as one, not as difference options.

Group Affiliation Team - GAT

http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Group_Affiliation_Team_-_GAT

Affiliation Requirements

http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Basic_Requirements_of_a_Freegle_Group

"

• All items offered or requested have to be free – mandatory

• All items offered or requested have to be legal – mandatory

• Selling of items is not allowed – mandatory

• Be a non-profit group – mandatory

• Swapping is not allowed - mandatory

• Inclusion of the Freegle logo on the homepage- mandatory

• Inclusion of a link to the Freegle website on the homepage - mandatory

• At least one moderator of the group to be a member of Freegle Central (on minimum of special notices) – mandatory

• Do not allow messages asking to borrow items – highly recommended

• Operate in a geographical area agreed with Freegle – highly recommended

"

"Freegle groups are fully autonomous, independent and self governing. "
 In this last statement, I can now understand why the groups look different, their are autonomous, so it could be good idea do this for them, so they just need to manage their template and group, and they would have an standard branded with their main organisation.

?Why people in one group cannot see what it is offered in others groups? It make me think like ebay, in this case of course is a sale, but I wonder why they cannot work like that, and the user set up their own alerts about the items the want and the distance that they are willing to travel????


"It might be good to question the rules you have in place occasionally and ask yourself ‘is this helping keep stuff out of landfill?"

?If this is the main question, to make this groups more open would increase the opportunities of sending stuff to the skip?

Best practice for the group moderator

 http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Best_Practice

"Freegle Groups promote reuse. In doing this we:

1. Keep goods that still have life in them out of the waste stream.

2. Promote community spirit by sharing between local people.

3. Provide people with an opportunity to help the environment."

"

• Installing Freegle Direct and opting for the Freegle Direct page to be the first page that a new Freegler sees. This opens up Freegle to people in your community who may really benefit from your Group. There are clear links from Freegle Direct to your Yahoo Home Page if Freeglers prefer to use that route.

"

Here they are reaffirming the importance of Freegle direct https://direct.ilovefreegle.org, more over Cat Fletcher said in one of her email tha I should focus on this, so I would think that the face to the public is the important thing to work on.  Somebody search on internet Freegle then What am I going to show???

Tools used to run the groups

"Freegle Direct makes your Yahoo Group even better, and therefore gets more people freegling more stuff more often:

• More features for existing Yahoo members
• An interface which is way better for freegling than Yahoo
• New ways to get more new members

" http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Direct_-_Introduction

The problem with the Yahoo group. In this article I can see the problem that they have, and the need to have a platforms that work seamisly cross platforms in modern online era.
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Direct_-_The_Trouble_With_Yahoo

"We are all very comfortable with Yahoo; we complain about it from time to time, but it's very easy to think that it's basically fine.

If that was true, people would still be joining Yahoo Groups in large numbers. But they're not. That's not just us:

• Right across the board Yahoo Groups are in decline. Pick pretty much any group you like on any topic and look at the home page and you'll see the posting numbers are in steep decline.

• The best figures we can find show that people are joining Facebook at 200 times the rate of Yahoo Groups. Now, even if you don't like Facebook yourself, what that tells you is that most people are voting with their feet.

• That's a lifetime in web terms, and to anyone under the age of 30 it looks prehistoric. If you have kids, or grandkids, just ask them.

• We have known for years that people hate the way signup works, and give up.

• A lot of Yahoo Groups work by approving members. There's evidence that this puts off about half your prospective members before they even try to join. Five or ten years ago, people were prepared to wait for hours or days before getting access to a new site. Now, if they can't get in immediately, most of them will give up. We might not like that, but it's reality.

• You can't see what's still available or what's gone.

• You can't add photos from the Post page.

• You get swamped by mail, so many users turn off.

This isn't surprising. Yahoo Groups has basically stayed the same for about 10 years.

And there are some things that members are crying out for which you just can't do with Yahoo. Here are just a few:

Right now Yahoo has lots of members, and quite a lot of posts. But your members, and your potential members, increasingly prefer not to use it. Just look at the posting numbers on your group home page; unless your group is exceptional, then at the rate it's going, you will have hardly any posts in a couple of years' time.

If you want new members, you need to do something new. Adding Freegle Direct, including use of Facebook and Twitter, to your Yahoo group have all proven to improve the service you give to your community.

Finally - and this is no small thing - a lot of institutions block access to Yahoo Groups. Places like libraries, housing associations, public sector and many third sector organisations all have Yahoo Groups on their barred list of websites. So a lot of the people who would really benefit from using your group, or even having a quick look to see if it would be a good thing, can't do so. They can look at and use Freegle Direct.

"
After these I am sure the the aim is a CMS that integrate this features to the group and make a relict to the freegle direct. I first face for the suer and to subscribe.

Functionality of Freegle direct:
These are the function I should consider for the website. Moderator need to install this on their servers.

"First, it is way easier to join than Yahoo.

• If they have a Google, Yahoo or Facebook id already, then it just takes a couple of clicks.

• If they don't they can register with us - and that's much simpler.

• They can see just OFFERs not yet taken, or just WANTEDs not yet received.

• It has a built-in Message Maker, so they can easily get messages right, and it tidies up other subjects into the standard format.

• It sends reminders to let people easily mark OFFERs as TAKEN, or to repost an item after a while with just one click.

• It shows all their groups together if they belong to more than one group.

?why not to join once to access different groups, and the moderator just control the offers and wanted of their area?? They can still be divided by communities, however the search could be into the whole Freegle not just the group? Freecycle work in this style???

• They can see maps to show where items are.

• It gives suggestions of relevant messages they might have missed.

• They can give feedback on great or problem members, if you want to allow that.

So whereas Yahoo puts people off joining, Freegle Direct makes it attractive.

And it gives a whole bunch of features which members have been wanting for years. For example:

Finally, a lot of places (libraries, universities) block access to Yahoo Groups - but not to Freegle Direct."

Why to use Facebook http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Direct_-_Why_You_Should_Add_Facebook
"And there are some aspects of Facebook which are just perfect for Freegle. We spread best by word of mouth. Because you see what your Facebook friends are doing (that's why you hate it, right?) people will see their friends freegling. And they'll wonder what it is. And that's the first step - getting people to even hear about us.You might hate Facebook. That's fine, we're not trying to persuade you to like it. But isn't it good for your group to get people who do like it to start freegling?You might hate Facebook. That's fine, we're not trying to persuade you to like it. But isn't it good for your group to get people who do like it to start freegling?"

Some help for the moderator http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Direct_Moderator_FAQ#How_do_I_find_my_group_settings.3F
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Direct_Moderator_FAQ

Mod Plug-in
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Mod_Plug-in
http://modtools.org

ModTools helps you moderate Yahoo Groups. Here's what it does:

• You can easily handle pending messages/members with standard responses.
• You can see the posting history of your members, what messages you've sent them, and make notes.
• You get better anti-spam and multi-joiner features to spot people trying to abuse your group.
• It works on tablets and phones, so that you can moderate on the move.

This is a tool for checking email, however it doesn't work cross platforms.

"There is a browser plugin for Chrome and Firefox which is needed for some function. You should install this by clicking on the Firefox or Chrome icons on the bottom left, and moderate from a machine with it installed at least once a day."

?Find about another moderations tools.

Freegle Message Maker (MM)
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Message_Maker
http://mm.ilovefreegle.org/help/

"A Message Maker is a web page that helps a group member format a message correctly. It does not require installation of any software."

Group affiliation team Procedures

http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Group_Affiliation_Team_Procedures
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Running_Your_Local_Group
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Group_Facilities


In this article I can see how work the group forming.  It seems that they are like small tribes, and I can assume it is done this way to keep the sense of community, but in terms of user experience I believe that will put people off. I agree that there should be a moderator per area and that would help the network to be protected from scams, however the choices of the user is restricted, even if they want to look to other groups they would need first to join in. I still cannot get why a New group is formed into another group.  They organisation should allow people to make their own groups, as Facebook does, but keeping in mind that the moderator still is going to control the messages of OFFERS and WANTED to avoid spams.

This put in jeopardy the main AIM of the organisation that is to avoid sen to the tip stud that still got life in it.

"The fundamental purpose of Freegle is to promote the keeping of usable items out of the bin, this reduces the impact on landfill whilst preventing the purchase of items unnecessarily."
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/The_landfill_test

Definitions

http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Terminology


Logo, Colours, Content for the website
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Publicity
=======================================

OTHERS GROUPS

This group is more open, so I can guess that I can follow this approach to Freegle Direct.  There are some functionality that I can add to my proposal.
http://norfolkfreegle.org