Ning 2011 Roadmap

[Jonathan Shambroom]

Welcome to the Ning Roadmap! First, let me introduce myself. I'm Jonathan Shambroom, Chief Product Officer at Ning, in my fourth month here and loving it.

2011 ushers in a new era of communication from Ning to you, our customers, and it includes a six month view of our roadmap. The Roadmap page is now a permanent resource where you’ll be able to see what’s coming up next, big and small. The projects are listed in their general intended release order, though these will inevitably move around a bit.  (When they do, I’ll let you know). At the end of every quarter I’ll add to the roadmap the next set of major initiatives so there is always a 6 month window of insight and you can know what to expect on your networks. Each of these projects will link to individual posts on the Ning Blog and Ning Creators where we’ll provide a greater level of detail.

The driving force behind our roadmap is to build the very best product for you. If we succeed at that, and you are delighted with our service, and your communities are thriving, the Ning business will similarly thrive. Our roadmap is a balance between improving your existing experience today with current features and introducing new, innovative dimensions to your communities. Our roadmap reflects a few other balances as well. We have resources dedicated to our backend, performance, and scale, while other teams are working on our feature set. With every feature, we consider how to make it work for our loyal, long-time users who are accustomed to Ning today as well as for the brand new users of tomorrow.

Lastly, I’ll share with you my top level thinking on our product, chiefly that it empowers you to do four major things: 1) Customize your sites, 2) Build vibrant and engaged communities,  3) Manage and moderate, and 4) (Finally!) Earn revenue from your site if you so choose.  Our plan is highly informed by your feedback, so please keep it coming – via the Creators site, our Help Center, and your participation in product surveys.

I look forward to the year ahead with you!

[Nate LaChance]

Hi Eric,

I wanted to give my 2 cents worth.

I think you guys are doing quite well.  I think the hype the creators have generated regarding this roadmap is mostly due to uncontrollable excitement rather than impatience on our part or incompetence on Nings part.  In sort, it’s impossible for all of us to just sit back and wait without saying “Hurry up”… “Work faster”.

The “treats” you guys bring to the table in your roadmap are shiny enough to get our attention.  And the bigger the treats the more we keep wanting to have it now.  It’s just like the dinner table and you guys are offering all you can eat at a very low price…

So in light of all this, all I can say is… Hurry up guys!  I can't wait either, lol.  Gimme!  Gimme!

Nate

[Gavin Brown]

I appreciate your and the company's openness to put up the roadmap and to engage with us on it. I think you're doing fine in communicating with us about it. You clearly state your position, even when you say something that is not what someone may want to hear. Now please contact me on the side and I'll tell you all the things Ning needs to do

[Brian Floe]

Thanks Eric

 

The fact that we know something is being worked on, is more important than if we know which exact date it's coming. It's the fact that we can "relax". This was my main point when I suggested Ning should do a Roadmap page here on Creators, last year.

 

An example would be that I would still be "campaigning" for the news feed commenting that we now all know is arriving in Q2 (unless it's delayed of course). But now that it's in the Roadmap I don't have to. I can just look forward to it. This is a HUGE benefit for both sides of the table.

 

I think the Q1,2,3,4 timeframe is great, and just put up a notice that it's almost impossible to exactly predict how long time something takes to develop so things might get pushed back.

 

I'm actually suggesting that if Ning implemented technology for us to suggest and vote on the Roadmap page even more repeated threads could be avoided that only ends up frustrating us cause we feel we are not being heard.

If we could suggest and vote on feature ideas, at least we know that you have seen them.

 

Ning of course needs to keep the final decision on which ideas are in line with your vision, and have the ability to "reject" proposals and also to decide which of the ideas you might like get's developed first etc. etc.

The final control should stay with Ning.

 

So I think the Roadmap is helping Ning avoid repeated frustrated forum threads & I think you can avoid even more by adding suggest and vote.

[mark]

Yes, shuffling. I like that term. Let's shuffle Events into the Mobile version. That would be spectacular.

[Kevin Holmes]

Just want to add that my members are clamoring for the updated activity feed functionality ~ specfically the ability to comment / like inline.

[Calvin Carter]

how long left for features below what Q version ? whats the time friend there long overdue ? come on ning

 

Paid Membership

• At long last, a simple way to charge members to be part of your community.
• You set the price and the term; e.g., annual, monthly, etc.
• Easily define multiple levels of membership with specific price and privileges for each level.
• Cover your costs, earn revenue, or build a large thriving business.
• Charge for membership to your entire site or charge for access to specific areas (Forums, Groups, etc.). (This last option will likely be available in Q3.)

Activity Feed 

• View rich media (Photos, Videos) from the feed.
• Comment & Like actions in-line
• Include Status and support Status Posting in the Activity Feed
• Improved algorithm (intelligence) including “What’s Hot”

Mobile Browsing 

• An optimized version (/m) of any Ning site for Webkit (mobile) browsers: iPhone, Android, Blackberry
• Status, Activity Feed, Photos, Profiles, Forum, Videos, Groups, Blogs, messaging

Partner Integrations 

• Photo editing tools wherever a picture appears, without leaving the page, courtesy of Aviary.
• Customized merchandise from any piece of media on your site, courtesy of CafePress.
• Groupon ads that you can simply turn on and start earning a revenue share.
• Install a customizable music player with the SoundCloud Ning App. [Now live]
• Let your members track and follow their favorite bands' upcoming events with the Songkick Ning Extension.

[Calvin Carter]

how long left for features above still waiting any new news ? thought it was 4 weeks how long left eric?  whats the time frame there long overdue ? come on ning ?

[Kevin Holmes]

Hi Jonathan,

 

Can I make a new feature or ning app suggestion?  In addition to a more robust/interactive activity feed my members have consistently been making requests for better chat features/functionality.  I've tried the ning apps and the standard chat feature with them but I think its just not fully featured enough, no archiving, etc.  

 

Hope that helps!

 

Kevin

[Eric Suesz]

We have had a lot of requests for an update to Chat, Kevin. I'll pass yours along, too.

[Calvin Carter]

Web top is dead ask  any kid these days there using blackberrys and i phones mobile devices

soon as there outa there house your network is forgotten there no link back ? ning should have made free moblie devices for every network sold them itunes took cut we would all be better off i reckon

[Nate LaChance]

We too would like to hear the roadmap update Calvin is asking...  Hoping paid membership is ready soon since April...

nate

[Tony Craig]

If Paid Membership has been in private beta since early April, it would be nice to get an update - is it working, are you working out bugs, did you find it's so bad you have to start over?  We have to pay Ning, so it would be nice if Ning was more communicative with regard to how we can get paid without having to use third party systems or processes. 

When I ran a project management team for a national corporation, I had to provide weekly updates...even if the update was "no change in status", we kept company leadership informed.  The Ning Creators Community is your company leadership.

Again, I offer my network as one to use in the private beta testing of paid memberships.