Suggestions to improve the timeline system

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

If you have any suggetions let me know

[rebeccajo 14]

I was messing with this yesterday. It doesn't look like there are any filters for AOS. Am I missing them or are they just not there?

[Marilyn. 340]

there is this but not sure if it is what you are looking for....

it was here on the timeline page...

Post Visa Display Options:

AOS Section [ Advanced View ]

EAD Section [ Advanced View ]

AP Section [ Advanced View ]

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aoslis...op5=5,8,9,10,11

Edited August 2, 2007 by MarilynP

[Caladan 19]

1) Make filling out a timeline mandatory before someone is permitted to post.

1a) In order to allow people the ability to post before they file, one of the options on the timeline should be a checkbox indicating 'I have not yet filed.' And maybe an 'I plan to file for a....' That way everyone knows where the timeline is and that it's supposed to do something. I'm not sure if this is possible within the limits of the code available, but what I'm thinking is basically every account starts out Disabled and upon Submitting a Timeline, they are automatically undisabled.

2) Make filling out a timeline mandatory periodically. Monthly or every-other-monthly updates where the person either confirms all of their information or has a chance to add something new. We'd need a way to say 'Nothing has changed' and then submit it to the timeline, and maybe a way for people who are done to have a checkbox that says 'I am done' so they don't get bugged every month.

3) A question: in calculating estimates and the like, how are partial timelines accounted for? E.g., I've filed for AOS, but I haven't received an NOA1 yet. Am I just a null value for 'time to NOA1'? Or if I never filled it in, would I skew the results?

But basically, I figure timelines are only as good as the amount of data contained in them, and ensuring they're up-to-date is pretty important.

4) Can we re-design the naviation page for the timelines? I find it a little counterintuitive.

[Marilyn. 340]

1) Make filling out a timeline mandatory before someone is permitted to post.

1a) In order to allow people the ability to post before they file, one of the options on the timeline should be a checkbox indicating 'I have not yet filed.' And maybe an 'I plan to file for a....' That way everyone knows where the timeline is and that it's supposed to do something. I'm not sure if this is possible within the limits of the code available, but what I'm thinking is basically every account starts out Disabled and upon Submitting a Timeline, they are automatically undisabled.

2) Make filling out a timeline mandatory periodically. Monthly or every-other-monthly updates where the person either confirms all of their information or has a chance to add something new. We'd need a way to say 'Nothing has changed' and then submit it to the timeline, and maybe a way for people who are done to have a checkbox that says 'I am done' so they don't get bugged every month.

3) A question: in calculating estimates and the like, how are partial timelines accounted for? E.g., I've filed for AOS, but I haven't received an NOA1 yet. Am I just a null value for 'time to NOA1'? Or if I never filled it in, would I skew the results?

But basically, I figure timelines are only as good as the amount of data contained in them, and ensuring they're up-to-date is pretty important.

4) Can we re-design the naviation page for the timelines? I find it a little counterintuitive.

the problem with making filing out the time line mandatory is that some people on VJ haven't filed yet... i can think of two people, TracyTn and LisaD who were a part of VJ for a long time before they actually filed....

unless it would have an option for people who haven't filed...

Edited August 2, 2007 by MarilynP

[Caladan 19]

See my 1a.

[rebeccajo 14]

there is this but not sure if it is what you are looking for....

it was here on the timeline page...

Post Visa Display Options:

AOS Section [ Advanced View ]

EAD Section [ Advanced View ]

AP Section [ Advanced View ]

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aoslis...op5=5,8,9,10,11

Oh I found that easy enough Marilyn. But it looks like all I can do is READ it. I can't play with it like I can with K1, where you can call up data by countries (not necessary for AOS obviously), look for people within a certain date range, etc.

[Marilyn. 340]

See my 1a.

so would that mean they couldn't post if their account was disabled?

there is this but not sure if it is what you are looking for....

it was here on the timeline page...

Post Visa Display Options:

AOS Section [ Advanced View ]

EAD Section [ Advanced View ]

AP Section [ Advanced View ]

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aoslis...op5=5,8,9,10,11

Oh I found that easy enough Marilyn. But it looks like all I can do is READ it. I can't play with it like I can with K1, where you can call up data by countries (not necessary for AOS obviously), look for people within a certain date range, etc.

yeah it looks like you can only filter by Local CIS Office....

[Caladan 19]

I must not have said it clearly. I'm suggesting that we add a box to the timeline that allows you to check it if it says 'I have not yet filed but plan to file for a...[ ]' which then counts as having filed a timeline. Just like any other first step. And if the person hadn't done that, they wouldn't be able to post until they at least clicked, checked one of the boxes, and clicked 'submit.' And hopefully it would prompt people to look at a guide or two.

So Tracy and Lisa would be able to post because they would have conscientiously gone up and checked 'I have not yet filed....' which would then allow them to post and would ensure that they knew where the timeline was and that it was the sort of thing that had to be updated for when they did file. Basically it would cut down on the number of 'i just got here can some1 tell me if i need a medical o hai i need a visa?' sorts of posts where the next sixteen responses are 'please fill in your timeline'

[Marilyn. 340]

I must not have said it clearly. I'm suggesting that we add a box to the timeline that allows you to check it if it says 'I have not yet filed but plan to file for a...[ ]' which then counts as having filed a timeline. Just like any other first step. And if the person hadn't done that, they wouldn't be able to post until they at least clicked, checked one of the boxes, and clicked 'submit.' And hopefully it would prompt people to look at a guide or two.

So Tracy and Lisa would be able to post because they would have conscientiously gone up and checked 'I have not yet filed....' which would then allow them to post and would ensure that they knew where the timeline was and that it was the sort of thing that had to be updated for when they did file. Basically it would cut down on the number of 'i just got here can some1 tell me if i need a medical o hai i need a visa?' sorts of posts where the next sixteen responses are 'please fill in your timeline'

oh ok... my comprehension is not working well today....

[Dan&Tiffany 0]

You would probably also need to have a box for "SO entered timeline" for those that both people have VJ accounts (isn't only one person supposed to fill in timeline in those cases?)

I also would really like to be able to hide categories after doing a search in the same way that you can when viewing all timelines. AND - is there a way to make the header scroll down? I like to view many timelines per page to compare, but sometimes I forget what goes in each line. Perhaps being able to hide some of the boxes would help with this, too.

[Ladylethal 12]

I love Caladan's idea, so many members ignore the timelines and they're becoming really unreliable, which in turn is prompting "filer" threads all over.

[bostonparis 0]

I have a suggestion!

Say I'm AOS, going through Albany, and I want to see timelines. If there are only 2 others who've done this through Albany, and the average time from NOA1 to interview is 190 days, I'm going to freak out, right?

Is there a way to show high and low, so that someone could see that perhaps one person was extraordinarily long, therefore throwing off the average?

[no name 1]

I have a suggestion!

Say I'm AOS, going through Albany, and I want to see timelines. If there are only 2 others who've done this through Albany, and the average time from NOA1 to interview is 190 days, I'm going to freak out, right?

Is there a way to show high and low, so that someone could see that perhaps one person was extraordinarily long, therefore throwing off the average?

Use the normal VJ timelines:

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aoslis...;op4=1&op5=

I love Caladan's idea, so many members ignore the timelines and they're becoming really unreliable, which in turn is prompting "filer" threads all over.

But also we have drop outs on the monthly threads as well. Too many timelines = too much lost info.

[bostonparis 0]

Thanks.

Wow, it's amazing how many people don't fill in their timelines after a certain point.