Proposal: Improving the Use of Interests and Categories in Tasking Manager

[Aadesh-Baral]

Background

In Tasking Manager, the terms "interests" and "categories" are used interchangeably as it called interests for users and categories for projects. Currently, the categories field is not set for many projects, leading to a lack of proper categorization and user engagement.

Proposed Changes

1. Make the categories/interests field mandatory for all projects: By making the interests field required during project creation, we can ensure that projects are properly categorized and improve user experience.
2. Promptly show project categories on the project detail page.
3. Prompt users to set their interests during first login: When new users sign up, they should be prompted to set their interests. This would encourage users to provide accurate information and enhance the relevance of project recommendations and notifications.

Revision of Categories/Interests Options

I suggest revisiting the current categories/interests options to make them more intuitive and comprehensive. This could involve:

• Streamlining the existing categories/interests to eliminate redundancy and confusion.
• Adding new categories/interests based on user feedback and emerging trends.
• Improving the UI/UX for selecting interests to make it easier for users to find relevant options.

Benefits

Implementing these changes would bring several benefits:

• Enhanced project categorization and searchability, making it easier for users to find projects aligned with their interests.
• Improved project recommendations and notifications, leading to increased user engagement.
• More accurate data on user interests, which can help in developing targeted features and improvements in the future.

Open Discussion

I welcome everyone's thoughts and feedback on these proposed changes. Please share your ideas, concerns, and suggestions in the comments below.