Summer Challenge 2022: Extended idea concept and research

Almost one week ago I published a kick-off for a summer project. Last time I focused mainly on extending the concept for this idea and thinking about how I can improve it before the first code is started. I also have some deliverables that I promised to provide in the next step. Let’s start

Environment

Let’s quickly look on environment which I plan to use for this project:

• Visual Studio Code (Do you remember the thumbnail image from the last post? 😉 ).
• NextCloud (PROD Instance) (The most essential App: “Tasks” and Forms for collecting feedback ).
• WordPress (Blogelist TEST Instance) – Testing, plugin research, and development.
• Hosting provider Tool for backup and restore after tests.
• Twitter and this blog for publishing. 🙂

During the summer of course the list can change, it will be maybe a good idea to back and describe again in the end, what was really used by me. I used on the list something like “PROD/TEST Instance”. I always have two instances for each tool installed: one for testing/development and the second for PROD. I already described it in one of the articles about NextCloud.

One more explanation: We will be at the beginning working in Blogelist Test Instance. That means, the project will be developed at the beginning as part of the portal (this blog, which you are reading). That does not mean this should be the same as the final results. I figured out 3 case scenarios (below).

I will call as “code name” this project “BlogelistCourses”. (Do you check “Tags” in the last post?)

Case Scenarios

Worst case scenario – the project is verified negatively and there is no potential to develop it further. I decided to not continue with it. Only these articles stay as experience from the work.

Bad case scenario – the project is verified cold. There are small use cases, which make sense, but there is no sense in developing it as a completely separate tool or place. Plugins will be activated in the main Blogelist portal and content will be migrated there.

Neutral case scenario – the project is verified as a potential one. More use cases make sense. The project will stay as a separate instance and will be somehow in the Blogelist namespace, but as separate.

Positive case scenario – the project is verified positively. More use cases make sense. There is feedback, that some more function is needed. The project will stay as a separate instance and there will be an option, that project will have a new name, which will be chosen somehow.

The best-case scenario – the project is verified positively and there is an external partner interested in cooperation in the project. According to my math, there is a really small percentage chance for that, and in case that happens decision on what next will be taken in such time.

My main focus today is to come to a Neutral case scenario. I have my BATNA with a Bad case scenario and if everything will be going well, I can start fighting for promotion to a positive case scenario.

Ok, we know about case scenarios. Now… use cases.

Use Cases

I already in the last post published an example use case for us. Let’s extend it and describe from various perspectives what it should look like.

As a User (Visitor):

• I would like to find the best free materials available on the Internet, independently from where the materials were published (Youtube, Facebook posts, Blogs, Instagram, …)
• I would like to subscribe to courses and mark progress
• I would like to search if there are more materials about the subject, which I learn.
• I would like to add additional materials privately and check if something more on the same topic is in the catalog.

As a User (Creator):

• I would like to add my free materials from an external source (Youtube, Facebook posts, Blogs, Instagram, …) and make it in form of course.
• I would like to add additional materials directly from the Tool (like a progress quiz)
• I would like to add Categories and Tags so that my materials can be found by people interested in the same subject
• I would like to add a course as available only for a group of people.

As a MeetUp Organizer:

• I would like to collect all recordings from the meet-up and create a course from it.
• I would like to collect additional materials created (articles, etc.) and extend my course.
• I would like to limit access to courses only to my MeetUp Members.
• I would like to search for similar entries in the catalog so that my MeetUp Members can learn more about our Topic and I can make a discussion next time based on that.

I was part or I am part of meet-ups, community, etc. I was taking part in events (recorded too) and collected many materials, which I can use for learning. I also see on the internet many useful Twitter Threads, blog series, YouTube videos, etc. which have very big potential for learning and reminding knowledge. My assumption is, that there is a big locked value for learning. What if we can collect it just in this form in the free courses catalog. Subscribe to it as to normal courses, make progress and look for more materials?

Business Case

I received already first questions about a business model. I think today is too early. During the summer challenge, my primary focus is to validate this. Develop at least MVP Version and collect example courses. If I will manage I will go further with this. (More function, materials, maybe integration?)

Nevertheless, I think if we can think about potential business models, we can list:

• Earnings from ads
• Two-level accounts (free – if you are a user or sharing only publicly materials, paid – if you have too much group limited privately materials or would like to start a marketing funnel within the free course)
• partnership agreement – user can decide to use our partner service in case there are no materials in our catalog or all was already used.

Next step and summary

I think I have already described too much. The next step should be to start developing and researching if we can use (even as an interim solution) another WordPress plugin. (Then we can maybe show an example course) I hope this article helps you to understand, what I am working for till the end of August (at least). Soon I will also create Forms to collect opinions.

In case of functionality development if it really will be needed I would like to focus on:

• Users can create a new course and add materials
• Site visitors can see the course and materials.

Based on the first very simple functionality I will be then extending it later.

Thank you very much for reaching the end of the Article. I hope you enjoy it and would like to back and track my progress with my challenge. You can do this by special category or in my Twitter profile.

This year I am participating in Challenge, which is coming from Firestarters Community.