[Ask HN] (function(){ return new Feedback('The Scholar App'); })();(screenr.com)

[Ask HN] (function(){ return new Feedback('The Scholar App'); })();

http://screenr.com/Gi0

1 comments

A few remarks:

- The Scholar App sounds like a great idea, however I see a large hole in your business model. Your landing splash screen shows the differences between Bill (the average student) and Ted (the above-reproach student). You show the value proposition for a user like Bill (which, I assume, is getting help from students like Ted) but really don't provide incentive for a student like Ted to get involved. I would try to make this aspect more obvious in your screen cast. (Or change your somewhat misleading splash screen.)

- Don't make us watch you type directions. It really breaks the rhythm of your presentation and makes me want to fast forward (missing important info?) or close it altogether. Instead, have the information pre-copied and paste it from the clipboard (the low-tech way) or edit this out of the video.

- An important part of a screencast demo of an application is to give the user a brief experience of the application in action. I noticed in certain portions of your screen cast where you provide generic placeholder information (clearly for the purpose of the demo) however the placeholder data you used doesn't provide any idea of what information you mean to convey there. The example that was very obvious to me was the screen title of the Class "Demo 101" which read "Demo 101 - The Scholar App Demo". This is probably the Class Designation followed by the Class Title, but it's difficult to tell (at least for me) when it sits next to your app's logo.

This might seem like a small gripe, but you might as well make the most of the attention your screen cast is getting and give the clearest possible experience your users might benefit from when using your app. So instead (if my assumptions were right about the type of info you intended to display) you might display "Demo 101 - Example Class Title". Your users will recognize the "Demo 101" as the name of the course and the string "Example Class Title" will convey that they will know which course they are currently viewing (an important UX feature which someone might appreciate). You don't convey any LESS information than you did before and if you influenced at least one person to try your product then it was worth the change.

- It feels as though you haven't really practiced the presentation. It's noticable in your delivery. Nothing to do here but practice more. :)

Cheers!

jmathai16 lat temu

Awesome feedback.

- I understand your point about Ted not having a value proposition! Ted does benefit from using the service but as you said the text is misleading.

- I'm thinking of getting someone off craigslist that can do the voiceover better than myself for cheap.

- Let me review the "placeholder text" and make sure all of it conveys something.

- That is a small gripe but this is the type of feedback I was hoping for.

- It's my 3rd screencast and each time it takes me about an hour because I mess up over and over. I realized that I should lay an audio track over the video because doing both things at the same time is difficult for me. Or my craigslist idea above :).

Thanks again!