The Seven Deadly #UX Sins of the #Fediverse Web Experience (To Fix): https://www.timothychambers.net/2025/06/18/113327.html. cc: @mastodonmigration @laurenshof @fediversenews @cheeaun @rolle @scottjenson @zeldman @imanijoy
Hi @tchambers,
let me ad one:
- not having a culture of repeated real user #UX tests (a la https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Make_Me_Think). With special focus #onboarding.
@NGIZero may have resources for assistence and coaching, ask them.
In the fediverse, we are all the welcoming committee! If someone you know from elsewhere joins, make sure you interact with them, helping them feel welcome and included.
* Reply to their posts, @mentioning people who might be interested in the topic.
* Boost their best posts to help people find and follow them.
* Subscribe to their feed to get a notification every time they post, so you remember.
* encourage them to post an #introduction, to help fun folks find them.
(2/3)
Starter Packs are another form of serendipity generator, and there are a few kinds available for the fediverse, the oldest I know of being Trunk;
https://communitywiki.org/trunk
Part of the problem is that the fediverse doesn't really have an easy mode. It's hard to know how to get started with a first account, or where to find out.
Guide bots on each server that share tips with new accounts might help? Tips on how to use the common affordances of the network to populate an empty feed.
(3/3)
Wait, I think I just cracked it! What people mean when they say "no algorithms". They mean the feed on their new account starts empty.
What about new accounts having their feed populated by default? Server admins could choose a standard starter pack for all new accounts, or give people their choice of starter pack from a curated set.
This is a bonfire demo instance for testing purposes
