Helping New Members on The Lost Cousins site

[Tim]

Peter is looking to launch a "Buddy" system this year. The purpose is to help newcomers and members who have not entered many relatives, with any questions or queries that they have about the Lost Cousins site.

How many people on the Forum would be interested in helping by becoming a Buddy?

Please reply if you are interested in helping or if you have any questions.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

 

[peter]

The purpose is to help newcomers and members who have not entered many relatives, with any questions or queries that they have about the Lost Cousins site.

And maybe a bit of hand-holding with their first few households.....

 

[Rhian]

This sounds a good idea, new sites can be daunting for some people and a bit of hand holding goes a long way to getting people started on the right track.

It is the sort of thing I have done in the past on other sites and would be willing to offer help here.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Yes quite happy to help if needed.

 

[pjd]

Me too!

 

[Liberty]

And me.
(though .. I wonder, Rhian, what is daunting about the LC site? Compared with many others it is a breeze)

 

[Rhian]

I have found that a lot of users seem to get lost on sites new to them, in particular older users who are not always comfortable with computers.
LC is really quite simple but I did have a cousin who was confused about entering census page, folio and other numbers, mainly because she had never recorded any citations because 'it's obvious where I got it from.'
As Peter added the bit about hand holding the first few household I assume he is aware that some new members get stuck at the first step.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I have found that a lot of users seem to get lost on sites new to them, in particular older users who are not always comfortable with computers.
LC is really quite simple but I did have a cousin who was confused about entering census page, folio and other numbers, mainly because she had never recorded any citations because 'it's obvious where I got it from.'
As Peter added the bit about hand holding the first few household I assume he is aware that some new members get stuck at the first step.

A year or so ago I tried to introduce an old time (online) friend, and fellow researcher, to LC. I don't think she would mind me saying a lady of vintage years, from the Black Country, and totally at odds with anything to do with a computer. Most of her initial researching had been 'hands-on - and I spent a lot of time helping her navigate Ancestry. She could not grasp even the basic things with LC and after many (and I mean many) attempts to assist by email, she finally called a halt and told me (and I wished I could have heard her saying it in her Black Country brogue) - "it's doing my head in" Bob. It didn't quite end there but I did not persist because she had failing health problems and I knew enough was enough in her particular case.

Simplicity to one person is complexity to another and we should not forget this and I imagine that is what is beyond Peter's request for others to help newcomers.

 

[Margery]

Simplicity to one person is complexity to another

As one of "vintage years" I couldn't agree more.

 

[peter]

As Peter added the bit about hand holding the first few household I assume he is aware that some new members get stuck at the first step.

Absolutely. Some people who have just joined tell me it is the most complicated site they've ever come across and close their account within the first 24 hours. Clearly nothing I can say will convince them otherwise, but another user.....

 

[Fern49]

I'd be happy to help where I can.