1. +
Where My Stitches At?
Information and Community on Ravelry.com
Meredith Slota | LIS 530
March 14th, 2013

2. +
What is
Ravelry.com?

3. +
Ravelry.com
Ravelry.com: http://www.ravelry.com

4. +
“niche markets…”
“micro-transactions…”
“a site where financial
and social economies
co-exist…”
(Humphreys 2009)
“The best social network you’ve (probably)
never heard of…” –Slate.com
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2011/07/a_tightknit_com
munity.html

5. +
Bias in the System
[And some self-identified leanings…]
 EN and USA-centric
 “Fiber Arts” vs. knitting and
crochet?
 Broader category includes
spinning, weaving, etc.
 Inconsistent message throughout
 Affects search functionality, etc.

6. +
But what
does it do?
Hint: it’s an information system first!

7. =?

8. +
Yarn Information in Ravelry.com
http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/tscartyarns-tranquility

11. +
Unique IDs + Faceted Metadata = <3

12. +
Unique IDs + Faceted Metadata = <3
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓ ✓
✓
✓
✓ ✓
✓
✓

13. +
Ok, So Now What?

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Metadata = Faceted Search!

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What about the
PATTERNS?!

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Unique IDs + Faceted Metadata = <3
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓ ✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓

17. +
Controlled Vocabulary
Sub-Category
Craft Availability Category Weight Fiber
(i.e. of Clothing)
Knitting Free Clothing* è Coat / Jacket Thread Acrylic
Crochet Purchase Online Accessories Dress Cobweb / 1 ply Alpaca
Purchase in Print Home Intimate Apparel è Lace / 2 ply Angora
Ravelry Download Toys and Hobbies Leggings Light Fingering / 3 ply Bamboo
Pet Onesies Fingering / 4 ply Bison
Components Pants Sport / 5 ply Camel
Robe DK** / 8 ply Cashmere
Shorts Worsted / 10 ply Cotton
Shrug / Bolero Aran / 10 ply Hemp
Skirt Bulky / 12 ply Linen
Sleepwear Super Bulky Llama
Soakers No weight specified Merino
Sweater è Metallic
Swimwear Microfiber
Tops è Mohair
Vest Nylon
Other Other
Plant Fiber
Polyester
Qiviut
Rayon
Silk
Soy
Tencel
*è indicates a sub-category Wool
**Double Knit Yak

18. +
CV = Access Points
Sub-Category
Craft Availability Category Weight Fiber
(i.e. of Clothing)
Knitting Free Clothing* è Coat / Jacket Thread Acrylic
Crochet Purchase Online Accessories Dress Cobweb / 1 ply Alpaca
Purchase in Print Home Intimate Apparel è Lace / 2 ply Angora
Ravelry Download Toys and Hobbies Leggings Light Fingering / 3 ply Bamboo
Pet Onesies Fingering / 4 ply Bison
Components Pants Sport / 5 ply Camel
Robe DK** / 8 ply Cashmere
Shorts Worsted / 10 ply Cotton
Shrug / Bolero Aran / 10 ply Hemp
Skirt Bulky / 12 ply Linen
Sleepwear Super Bulky Llama
Soakers No weight specified Merino
Sweater è Metallic
Swimwear Microfiber
Tops è Mohair
Vest Nylon
Other Other
Plant Fiber
Polyester
Qiviut
Rayon
Silk
Soy
Tencel
*è indicates a sub-category Wool
**Double Knit Yak

19. +
Tags = Descriptive, Instructional

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“Hover” Helps!
[fake hover, real text]
components or elements that are
worked separately and either joined
as they are worked or seamed
together after completion; does not
apply to color-work design motifs.

21. Awesome Data
+
+ Usage Stats
= Browsing Magic

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Static + Dynamic Metadata = !!!

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Leveraging User Data for +++UX

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Metadata = API = APPS!

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Is this the perfect
information system?
It seems like you really like it, so …

26. +
Well, no.
 Duplicate entries exist!
 Errors happen!
 Worst of all? PATTERNS GO
MISSING.
 Lots of information!
 Social network fatigue?
 Restricted to registered users.

27. +
Say Again?
 What?
 Ravelry.com organizes yarns and patterns into a giant database.
 Domain experts and beginners alike use this very popular social network.
 How?
 Tons of user-generated data.
 Associative relationships and controlled-vocabulary metadata + tags.
 Dynamic usage information enhances user engagement.
 Why?
 Leverage an awesome information system for a better social experience
and less frustrated knitters fiber artists.

28. http://nataliedee.com/

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The End