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Feature: The Lens Progress Bar

CommunityOrganizerTeam by CommunityOrganizerTeam
The Squidoo 'progress bar' feature is a checklist of things to be done on every new lens (and some old ones!). Right now every lens has the same basic to-do list. It looks at the basic elements of a lens, like Introductions and tags and topic assignments and whether the lens has the minimum requirement of modules that have content in them, as well as a few extra things, and then assigns a completeness score to the lens. For your eyes only. As an indicator of what's left to do.

Of course, it's not all that difficult to do everything on that progress bar checklist and reach 100% completeness. Of course, completeness does not necessarily equal quality. There's a lot more to a great lens than just 'completing' it. To that end we've put together an overachiever's checklist for going beyond 100%.

But the purpose of this lens is to give a quick overview of the first version of this progress bar feature.
Important!

We love lists!

Lists are a good way to get organized. The Progress Bar checklist is basic and pretty easy, but should help give your lenses a strong start.

This is what it looks like

When you've finished something on the list, you get a green checkmark. When you click a gray question mark, you get a helpful tip.

For your eyes only

No one else can see your lens's completeness scores other than you. You will see it when you look at your own lenses (if you're logged in) and you'll see it when you're in the Workshops of your lenses. The score is private to you and is simply meant to be a guideline for you. At this time it is not integrated with LensRank or Level or any other scores.

There are a lot of 100 percenters out there!

If your lens has already reached 100% completion (according to the factors in the progress bar) at the time of this feature release, then pat yourselves on the back. You're probably doing something right, in terms of filling out your lens with the basic fundamentals and getting a few eyeballs on it.

Here's a checklist for lens greatness for you 100 percenters who want to go above and beyond.

Tip: Give a few of your existing lenses a looksee. Even the most veteran lensmasters might be surprised to find a few 80% or 90%s in there, with very easy fixes to be made.

Note: Very soon you will be able to dismiss the 100% icon you see, whenever you want. It's not intended to be a permanent icon, just an indicator when your lens reaches 100%.

What "to-do" items would you add to a progress bar?

If the progress bar is a basic to-do list, an indicator of what basic things need to be done to get a new lens ready for primetime, then what would you add as a 'must have' factor that every lens should do, based on your own experience?

  • miloscomi Jun 1, 2012 @ 10:09 am | delete
    Just made my first 100% lens =)

    Thanks for the info
  • genuineaid Mar 22, 2012 @ 7:24 pm | delete
    I don't know if I'd add anything, I'd rather take something away from the Progress bar :) But then I noticed that lenses look way better when they have at least one large picture, so maybe I'd add a requirement of one large picture either with a poll or with text.
  • MarcGuberti Mar 5, 2012 @ 5:34 pm | delete
    Thanks for the tips. I completed my lego lens and others are soon to follow.
  • JackieSonia Jan 9, 2012 @ 6:59 pm | delete
    Thanks for this helpful info. I don't like the 'Get liked by a Giant Squid' since I don't have any control over it and I don't know any giant squids. I like the progress bar as it pushes me to keep working on my lens to finish it and get it published. Once published though, I don't have any control over who likes or doesn't like it. But I do read other lenses and squid like some, not because I expect them to like me back but because the topic interests me.
  • LDWorld Dec 16, 2011 @ 10:18 am | delete
    Thanks for the info
  • rajat5855 Nov 9, 2011 @ 3:59 am | delete
    Glad I read this
  • mukeshdaji May 24, 2011 @ 2:22 pm | delete
    Glad I read this, again useful info for the newbie
  • TheCureForYouthMinistry Apr 10, 2011 @ 7:57 am | delete
    I just thought of something, and I am sure I am not the first, why are five tags required but when building a lens, you are only asked for three? Why not just ask for five at the beginning and eliminate that from the bar all together? Just a thought.
  • goldenecho Apr 7, 2011 @ 1:46 am | delete
    I agree with removing the 20 squidlikes...or at least dulling down the number to say 5 or 10.
  • mountaincabinmercantile Mar 31, 2011 @ 10:33 am | delete
    I agree with the majority here. The progress bar is a nice checklist feature for what I can control and helps point out what I missed. But in my opinion it has cheapened the "like" system because now the perfectionists (no offense) are out there pushing for likes, the forum is getting junked up with posts asking for likes. A true assessment of progress is only what is under my control - no one can control what others think or do. It is also a downer message to send to newbies who think they are doing something wrong. If the intent is for a checklist tool, I compare it to how silly the following checklist would be while packing for a vacation: toothbrush (check), hair dryer (check), plane leaves airport on time (huh? that is out of my control - makes no sense to have it on my list, does it?). Finally, I nicknamed this new chatter box dilemma SLS (squid like syndrome) because so many seem to be suffering from it. A few weeks ago a like felt good to me, as if I deserved it and someone liked my hard work. Now I wonder if they aren't soliciting for likes - if they didn't even read my lens. Highly recommend taking it out of the equation because I think it is really (and quickly) devaluing the like system. Just my (long) opinion.
  • guardianstar77 Mar 29, 2011 @ 12:20 pm | delete
    The Squidoo progress bar is a great idea. I have found that 91% is perfectly acceptable for me to consider I have done what I need to do. Since the last two are not under my control (and I certainly won't seek reciprocal "likes"), I will simply accept that 91% is, for me, the right number to meet. If the number grows as the lens matures, that's great. But I won't worry about it. It's like the trophies to me--I don't seek them, but it's nice when they appear. :-)
  • tandemonimom Mar 29, 2011 @ 9:25 am | delete
    I would put 20 likes, Giant likes, angel blessings, purple stars, Top 100, and LOTD as BONUSES to get your lens over 100% to 150 or 200% - now THAT would be motivation! But I think everything to reach the first 100% should be 100% under lensmaster control. I have a lot of lenses for which it would be a waste of my time working to get them 20 likes, so they will never reach 100%.

    I also think that putting 20 likes down to reach 100% is incentiving people to cheat on TOS by requesting reciprocal likes, and that's not cool. "Here's the cookie jar, but don't touch the cookies!"
  • ravenko Mar 28, 2011 @ 12:35 pm | delete
    I love the progress bar, but would have to agree with everyone on the 20 likes, I have no control over who likes my lens and who doesn't...The progress bar should only focus on what I can control as the lensmaster....
  • Elenaind Mar 28, 2011 @ 9:21 am | delete
    Love the progress bar!
  • Ruthi Mar 27, 2011 @ 4:01 am | delete
    Just noticed and love the progress bar! Although I cannot control who Squid Likes or Facebook Likes my lens, to some degree it aids in content in that if nobody is Liking it, maybe I need to rethink the lens. Still, some don't bother to Like, few bother to Facebook Like, but it is a reminder to us all to do so when we're viewing lenses.
  • otherlleft Mar 26, 2011 @ 11:10 pm | delete
    I would tweak how the tags requirement works. For one, I found the new tagging interface confusing, because it wasn't clear that tags must be added one per field, and that the "add new tags" button is used to create new empty tag fields. The warning doesn't make it clear that this is no longer a comma-separated or even space-separated tag list.

    Second, I a couple of lenses with five tags that are still showing up as falling short of the requirement, despite being published more than once. Could be a minor bug in how they are counted.
  • BarbRad Mar 26, 2011 @ 6:19 pm | delete
    I'd get rid of the 20 likes and replace it with changing default module titles . I'd also add no empty modules. I see lots of them in my angel neighborhoods, especially among newbies. I'd also suggest making a contact button a requirement for a complete bio.
  • susan300 Mar 26, 2011 @ 2:41 pm | delete
    I like the progress bar, but I agree that the "get 20 likes" and "get liked by a Giant Squid" requirements don't belong on it. I have several lenses in the 18-19 Likes area, and it's all I can do not to scream "Like me! Please Like me! I just need one more!!!"

    I think everything on the progress bar should be something I can control directly. JMHO
  • chardey Mar 26, 2011 @ 3:37 am | delete
    Another great feature for Squidoo. It keeps getting better and better. Milestone for Squidoo.
  • GetSillyProductions Mar 25, 2011 @ 10:02 pm | delete
    personally I like the 20 likes feature, it reminds me to post about my lenses in the lens spotlight forums and to make sure that my lenses are top notch. Plus, nobody else can see your lens progress, so if you don't think it's good to have the 20 likes criteria, then just ignore it. I'd like to see other criteria added to the list so that I can get better insight into making great lenses. Two thumbs up
  • NanaPoppins Mar 25, 2011 @ 9:16 pm | delete
    I don't understand how requiring us to have 20 likes or a giantsquid like is a part of completion of a lens. Shouldn't the progress bar checklist be filled with things you can actually control?
  • makingamark Mar 25, 2011 @ 8:51 pm | delete
    Tell me how exactly going out and liking 20 lenses by other people will ever translate through to 20 likes on one of my less popular lenses (ie highly specialised and not a by definition 'popular' topic)

    We know how the "reciprocal" liking works with most people, they come back and like the one of the ones near the top of the listing in your profile. They're the ones which have already got 20 likes!

    Speaking personally I count external traffic - not likes - and other indicators eg sales as a measure of my lenses success. There probably aren't enough people on squidoo for me to EVER generate 20 likes for some of my lenses but they will actually be fine and worthwhile for other people outside squidoo who are actually my target consumer

    Please rethink the 20 likes - it's NOT an indicator I care for and your recommendation as to how to acquire them will not succeed for the lenses which are deemed to be below this arbitrary figure. It also struck me as being a bit marginal re TOS. Are we turning into a link exchange farm?
  • TapIn2U Mar 25, 2011 @ 12:01 pm | delete
    Wow this makes things a lot easier because sometimes, I tend to be forgetful. Every one of my lenses is special to me and I would want to give it them the complete package look as much as I can. Fantastic lens! Sundae ;-)
  • crosscreations Mar 25, 2011 @ 10:58 am | delete
    Please consider adding backlinks. I tend to forget them and would really appreciate a reminder on a tool like this one. Thanks.
  • Carmel_Aaron Mar 25, 2011 @ 10:52 am | delete
    Thank you, as this helps me to understand the list as well as what it takes to be complete or not. It does look like you have gotten more than your 20 likes, and mine will be added too.
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