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Kit Log #039: Wheel kit and operator interface instructions are LIVE!

Kit Log #039: Wheel kit and operator interface instructions are LIVE!

Huzzah! The other two kits join the party. Check out the steps here: operator interface and wheel kit. Press the big green button on those pages that says GO.

Wow, that was sure a lot of work to reach this point. This is exciting though, because now we — everyone — can see some of the steps to make their own Bowie. It’s getting closer, a tiny bit closer, to our vision of having a repository of environmental tools add-ons for Bowie, and having many people all around the world contributing to it, and running their own Field Tests. Maybe this is getting a little ahead of ourselves, since there’s still plenty more work to do. But at least we’re a lot closer than 38 kit logs ago!

Now, all the 5 kits are at step 8. Here’s the list again since it was a while ago since this was posted:

Steps in the documentation process:
1) Lists of the components for bill of materials and packing list
2) Photos of step-by-step assembly process
3) Photo editing of the photos
4) Written description of each step
5) Editing review
6) Formatting for website
7) Publish it
8) Making sure files and code are up and work
9) Add the kits to our online store
10) Ship it

Getting the files and code organised and posted is now the current step. There are also additional notes, for example, for some of the kits, they need their pricing finalised in the bill of materials.

Once all of these are done, or perhaps before, are the assembly instructions for the 3D printed pieces.

The work continues!

Kit Log #035: Op interface steps complete

Kit Log #035: Op interface steps complete

The operator interface written descriptions for the steps and the parts is now complete. The end result was 120 steps total, and 11 parts.

The remaining kit for the written descriptions is the wheel kit. This will be next, then the python script work can happen to prepare all the instructions to be on the website. We are getting closer, kitlog by kitlog.

Kit Log #034: Improved timing needed

Kit Log #034: Improved timing needed

Currently at step #70 / 155 for the operator interface kit. The next kit log will make more progress on this, as mentioned in the previous kit log. But first, to make more productive progress, a better plan will be needed. If the progress continues at the rate of today’s kit log, it will be very slow. A better plan about timing will help the amount of progress.

Kit Log #024: Instruction outline for trio of kits and the need to automate this

Kit Log #024: Instruction outline for trio of kits and the need to automate this

This kit log the instruction outline for the trio of kits was completed. The templates on google docs were created too. The super bright lights kit instructions ranges 16 steps, onto 10 pages. Operator interface kit ranges 31 steps onto 12 pages. Wheel / motor kit ranges 16 steps onto 7 pages.

When creating the templates from the outline into google docs, we were almost done then realised that we were listing out each step as a page, instead of vice versa. It didn’t take long to fix. There was enough time to start on the super bright lights kit instructions, by adding the images.

Adding an image takes quite a bit of manual input:

  • select finder
  • highlight image file
  • drag onto google doc, enter
  • back to finder, enter, copy file name
  • back to google doc, in the right table cell, enter, paste file name

For the number of images we will be needing to add, it’s likely this is not going to be an approach that will be friendly on time. There could be ways of automating this – a simple python script could output the html for a table given the number range of images.

This would meen the first drafts would be on wordpress rather than google docs. It might make it more tricky for beta testers to directly add their feedback. Maybe if we included a numbering system for each step, then that would at least help for indexing the feedback to the steps? If we do skip the google docs then that meens we’re already formatting the content in its final medium, which might be beneficial to figure out.

The next step will be to set up some example formatting tests on the website, and see if html into the editor will turn into wysiwyg editor. The wysiwyg editor will be important in the future for editors to update it. In terms of making progress on the instruction written descriptions, it’s easier to do when looking at the images in sequence. This makes it better to understand if the order needs to be changed, or if something can be deleted. So getting this new step figured out will be first. The brain kit will be a good candidate to try this with since all the written descriptions are complete.

Kit Log #022: Op interface photos (again)

Kit Log #022: Op interface photos (again)

Today progress was made on the operator interface photo edits. Now, the whole batch is complete. Only one of the photos needed to be edited in photoshop with the clone stamp tool because parts of the surrounding table were visible (rather than just the white bristol board).

Next kit log will hopefully be the last batch of editing the photos – this time for motor kit.