software-store-developers team mailing list archive

[Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Hi folks

Since the start of this week, my design colleague Calum Pringle and I
have been working on revising the design of Ubuntu Software Center.

The objective is to make USC more interesting and attractive, both to
Ubuntu users and to application developers.

It's easy, when designing together in the same room, to forget that
there are people in the outside world who have valuable input. So, this
is a summary of what we've done so far. <http://imgur.com/a/8sQM7>

This is the schedule we're following:
*   This week, competitor analysis and layout ideas
*   June 6th to 10th, wireframes and hopefully mockups for user testing
*   June 13th to 17th, user testing
*   June 20th to 24th, revising mockups and the specification, and
    discussing them with USC engineers.

For the competitor analysis, we looked at the Android Market, Mac and
iPad App Stores, Blackberry App World, Bodega, and Chrome Web Store.

We also looked at proposed mockups such as
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/07/new-ubuntu-software-center-mock-up-all-box-no-content/>,
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2011/05/this-awesome-ubuntu-software-centre-mock-up-would-get-my-custom/>,
and <http://danrabbit.deviantart.com/#/d3f66ra>.

There are a few common elements we have noticed that we don't have
currently. Regardless of the final layout, it would be helpful to start
thinking about how we might implement each of these.

*   Smart context-free recommendations, i.e. "people who installed the
    same stuff as you also installed...".
    -   I guess this would be opt-in. Maybe use a UUID, so you don't
        even need an account for it?

*   Context-specific recommendations, i.e. "people who installed this
    item also installed...".
    -   This could be aggregated from everyone who had opted in.

*   Top Rated
    -   Should be a simple API call to the USC server.
    -   Also: Top Rated in each category

*   Most Popular
    -   Again a simple API call, but how would the server get the data?
    -   Also: Most Popular in each category

*   Preview videos

*   Multiple screenshots

*   Custom artwork for application screens
    -   Where would this be stored?

For layout ideas, we've considered metaphors like a convenience store,
supermarket, department store, vending machine, museum, art gallery, and
even a sushi bar. If anyone else would like to suggest ideas, please
jump in. :-)

Cheers
- -- 
mpt
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