IndiStatus
Bear with us while we tell you a little story folks - of late, our tiny team has been trying to do so much with so little time that we've been forgetting to follow up on stuff. Out of sheer need, we decided to make an internal dashboard of sorts, so we can keep track of everything. As we were building it, we thought - "hold on, why should this be internal?". And 6 intense days later, we end this story with a new link added to your dashboards - IndiStatus!
As always, feedback and bug reports are appreciated! 
Glad you guys like what we've done so far - thank you!
Here's what's in store - what you see on IndiStatus today is in fact a part of a bigger upgrade. IndiVine, IndiStuff and IndiMeets were not built with contests in mind; the first was for blog posts, the second for samples, and the third for meet-ups. We've been running contests on these platforms by slapping on a superficial layer on top. In other words, the platforms themselves had no information about the contests. We've upgraded that bit, and made a dashboard to display that information, which is what you see now - IndiStatus at 40%.
What about the other 60%?!
Now, we need to tell the platforms what to do with this information - which means having the ability to close a contest automatically (which means contests will close on the dot, and they won't depend on my sleep patterns 
), display entries automatically, pre-check a blog post for the presence of a required backlink, or send out automated alerts to subscribers for a particular campaign. Once that's done, we'll integrate the judging within this system (NO MORE EXCEL FILES!!) - and when this final phase is complete - you'll know when a judge looks at your blog post, and you'll get a glimpse into the scoring of the various parameters. If you've got Google Analytics, after a little bit of digging, you should even be able to find out how long the judges spent on your blog.
LIKE IT !!!! Thanks Renie..... +10000000
If you've got Google Analytics, after a little bit of digging, you should even be able to find out how long the judges spent on your blog.
Detectives like ND have already been doing it. 
If you've got Google Analytics, after a little bit of digging, you should even be able to find out how long the judges spent on your blog.
Technically, it's not possible. Judges are likely to read just the contest post and close the blog. The time spent on a page as reported by Analytics is the time elapsed between two consecutive page loads. Because of this, the time spent cannot be found out for bounced visits / the time spent will be shown as 00:00.
@Ranjith - Yikes, I didn't think of that, you're right... I got a bit excited there.
OMG!
IndiB is going PLACES!!!
+1 followed by infinite zeroes, Renie.
We're scaling new heights!
Looking forward to your words to turn to reality, is all I can say.
Promising changes on the cards 
Finally seeing the word parameter coming into the discussion. 
Superbly impressive! Fingers crossed for the next 60%
Thoroughly Impressed! This is quite a wonderful initiative and truly hats off to the team :-)
This looks so much like my office system's screen. The dashboard of IndiStatus is so much similar! But yes, amazing effort IB! :D
What are the programmes for 7th Anniversary?
Heads Up on an error, Renie.
The title of each topic or meet or sample tab opens up in a new screen.
That's okay.
The Indistuff and Indimeet tabs are opening up fine.
The Indivine tabs show this screen - http://www.indiblogger.in/error.php?error=invalidtopic
For example :- If I click on In Search Of Incredible, instead of going to the contest page, this error pops up.
But, if I click on Jifi Is Here or Zindagi Meet, it shows the correct pages.
exactly
haven't done much research but yes like it very much it has made manoeuvering fairely easy - thanks IB
Inditeam's drinking replaced with Crazy Chess 
Totally apt substitute. Not
NSV The labels on that graph are not constant. They keep changing with every page load... Keep refreshing and you'll get back drinking
How to understand that grapgh and the numbers in it?
Read this It is a radar chart.
The chart would have been more intutive if radial lines were drawn from the center like in the one below
After drawing those lines, the chart on IS looks like this
For each activity, there are two numbers - one inside and one outside. I'm not sure what they are but I think those two numbers represent the time allotted and the time spent / time they are spending on it . If this is the case, closer the two points along a radial line, lesser is the work to be completed for that thing / sufficient time is being alloted for that work.
If the two numbers represent the time allotted by two different members of the IndiTeam, then closer the points, more is the similarity between the two members.
83 and 28 can't be time.
83 secs and 28 secs? or 83 min and 28 minutes?
In any case why will someone allot 83 minutes. They can't be so specific
May be importance they should be giving (83) and importance they are gving (28) 
IndiStatus is Super Cool!
All info with notes from Team IB at one place! Great initiative! Kudos Team
Renie NSV wants to know what the numbers in the radar chart are!
Looks really cool.. the countdown dash feels futuristic!
Good Initiative ! though looks too boyish
This is something good !!
Seems like gaming dashboard ,but very usefull .I was thinking ,what will happen if we start our client reporting with such kind of dasboards rather than in PPT/Excel ...lol ..........
But really Renie /IB Team this stuff is good man...........Keep it up !!
Show Tentative dates for the results and prizes being sent. Though it won't bring any accountability or transparency but it will surely make the contests more organized.
Since borosil results were announced within a week and the prizes were delivered within few days as well...it shows that the process could become faster and then you can go for more contests as well. It will be win-win for all.
Renie suggestion worth implementing
1. IndiStatus button on the Home Page and forum home page to be easily accessible. Right now I have to go to the thread to access it from the forum main page.
2. You can add a You Won button in the individual contests in the front of the Blogger who wins so that the winning blogger can know it from the dashboard itself
3. Linking Badges sent to the badges page so that indiblogger can get the badge immediately
4. If possible add indispatch button in front of the winners blog if you put the You Won button which can make life easier for both inditeam and bloggers
5. Also if possible add FB and Twitter button alongside the discuss button.
Regards
Nice suggestions Vijay but I think first one is not a good idea. I also thought about it but then understood why they have put it there because for accessing it, you have to be a registered member as you see the updates of the contests you have participated in.
Gaurab they can hide it from unregistered members like the hide the Indichat
Suggestion that can be incorporated for the benefit of newly joined IB bloggers.
- How IB works
- Dos & Dont's to be followed on IB platform. Including forum discussion and rules, plagiarism related rules etc.
- About contest like what to expect from any contest organized here. Meaning of terms like IndiPolice, Indipatanis etc. For any weekly/ Indi Pattani prize winners etc. when can they expect to recieve prizes (duration). For final win also the tentaive time & duration before one can expect result and then prizes.
Other than this a forum related suggestion that I would like to put forward is to discourage bloggers other than IB team to reply on any query related to a contest topic. Sometimes people try to explain contest from their POV to other fellow bloggers which are incorrect, resulting in a lot of confusion.
EXactly my point we bloggers will always look for that if we are newbees
@Judy - You can read the FAQ's for 1st and 2nd point. Your third point has like 4-5 great points assembled together. I definitely think IB should look into them. I have mentioned some of these points earlier as well.
discourage bloggers other than IB team to reply on any query related to a contest topic.
IB Team doesn't have enough time to reply to all queries.
@Ranjith - She is asking just for the contest queries as it leads to lots of confusion.
I have faced this problem in two contest regarding rules which were not clear and which finally impacted the results. 
@Ranjith: Then they can take help from IP...Police as it is somebody told me they are the mods for forum..
discourage bloggers other than IB team to reply on any query related to a contest topic.
IB Team doesn't have enough time to reply to all queries.
ranjipedia khatre mei aa jayega
- How IB works
- Dos & Dont's to be followed on IB platform. Including forum discussion and rules, plagiarism related rules etc.
I think it's more or less, has been taken care of. There are a number of threads, including one by Renie himself. There's an FAQ Section as well, where n00bs can get most of the answers, if they'd like to.
- About contest like what to expect from any contest organized here. Meaning of terms like IndiPolice, Indipatanis etc. For any weekly/ Indi Pattani prize winners etc. when can they expect to recieve prizes (duration). For final win also the tentaive time & duration before one can expect result and then prizes.
The contests are quite dynamic in nature. Many a times, the last date for submitting for a contest has to be extended, because of a various reasons, including demand by members, and presumably, when the contest sponsor asks for. Then there are various time frames for the results, the judging process takes time, they are required to screen our invalid entries, then plagiarism has to be checked, and a variety of other factors as well, and then they reach the stage of announcing the results. Despatches of prizes, as are to be done by the sponsors, can't also have a fixed time frame (though, they give a time, most often, despatches exceed the given time frame), like we saw in the bacardi thread. Then there are some controversies after results are announced.
Again, I believe the contest threads (where they announce the contest, has all the answers for queries one might have). Moreover, anyone can reach out to the thread and ask their queries to be answered. You're right that not everyone has a clear understanding of rules and stuff, and this leads to confusion, but, had it been for the admins to answer all the queries, then IB wouldn't have been a community. Still, the admins, do make their appearance, once in a while, to clear air surrounding a certain confusion.
@CK, I faced a serious problem related to results because the rules were not clear and the forum heros were wrong in the answers as well and finally the problem was resolved by the admins. Just to avoid these situations, it is important that for "contest" only admins or the concerned authority like in carconnect replies. For rest of the threads others can reply.
hmm... yes, if that is a case, then, why not. But, getting a reply from the admins, and for each and every query can be quite time consuming.
@CK: I know its in FAQs but still newbies are confused about how to socialize on IB. Many a times have seen people posting their blog links on threads but then others have to tell them that its against rules..Recently there was a new fellow blogger who had asked how to go about blogging via IB. Even I've faced it when I was new then i figured out..Pehle main aisi thi Aur ab main aisi hu My POV is to make things and process more clearer.. See till now I don't know when will I get the weekly win voucher for Inspire a fragrance wala contest.. I am not talking about a time line to be given for prizes etc but process to be explained. I know it takes time for results and prizes to be given out but I know IB people are good and remember the 60% Renie has been talking about..
Forum threads I know it will be difficult for the IB team but it is best interest of IB, organizers and bloggers. Clearer rules= Better contest = Better participation..What's say?
@ND: Ranjipedia is like wikipedia.. never in danger..
Mai bahut pareshaan tha. Pehle mai aisa tha aur IB ka 1.5 saal ka course karne ke baad mai aisa hoon.
Jokes apart, Don't you think these newbies need to read the rules and regulations? These rules have been written quite clearly, and if you're not reading them before you go on doing all the things not allowed on the forum, or anywhere, for that matter, it's no one's fault.
Do you have a way to make people read and make them familiar with the rules and regulations, apart from the way that already exists? I don't think so. We are so careless when these things come that we skim through even our Appointment letters in the hurry of signing it, and in the laziness (kaun itna bada letter padhega?). The forum thread and the FAQ's Section quite clearly inform newbies to read them. If you're not doing so, it's your fault.
See till now I don't know when will I get the weekly win voucher for Inspire a fragrance wala contest.
Suppose this...one indi team answers ur querry....but some othe winner misses it....then after few days he/she posts same querry...i think it becomes difficult for the indi-team to answer same question again n again. thats when ranjipedia n co....tries to answer. i know ur querry is not answered yet ----- if u observe all contests, prizes are dispatched 1-2 months after results are announced. and thats how some members try to help by saying 1-2 months after results , or when will results be out - as it generally happens 3-4 months after contest closes.
in a contest there are hundreds of participants, if every few days some or the other asks when will results be out/prizes dispatched etc ---- indi-team cant keep responding each n every question right? thats when some members give generic answers based on observation on the pattern for years/months now...many times they are right -- sometimes they might miss, pardonable i think
hope i didnt confuse u more
IP kabhi aate nahi hai forum mein
Gaurab Which contest?
Clearer rules != Better participation, clearer rules = lesser participation. All those who feel that their entries / writing style doesn't match the requirements, they drop out.
I am thinking of collecting contest close dates, results declaration dates and prizes dispatch dates for all the contests and post it whenever someone asks a question about results / prizes.
@ND: I feel this is where process clarity is needed. Many of us don't want to know exact date of dispatch etc. but I think if in general the process that takes place is made clearer it would be better. For example if its stated the Indi Pataani is this this & this..then how do you win it.... when will you get this prize..when will you get an indimail for it..say about minimum two weeks after the contest results are declared.. etc. Probably things will be more clearer and this on a generic basis not for each and every contest they need to declare this. As I am not clear about when will I get my weekly win voucher, and likewise many others ask it quite frequently, sometimes the team answers it and most times others answer it (which may or may not be correct since they are not representatives of IB) or it goes unanswered..
@CK: I agree to you that people should read it but then if they haven't, the information is of no use and confusion starts. Probably like Indistatus some sort of flow chart diagram or innovation from IB that is very simple and quick to read & precise..
What if I don't go to see Indistatus, Judy? The situation remains same, as it is with the threads and pages with clearly defined rules and regulations for everyone to read. Like I rarely visit my Dashboard, and the email account associated with IB, so, as an example, I don't know who all have added me in their networks.
@Ranjith - You have the result declaration dates and dispatch dates ? 
i think even indi team donot know exact date of despatch until they get confirmation from sponsor...until then its guesswork for them too....see the breezer thread
I am not sure why you don't visit ur dashboard (ur personal space), indimails (where u can get many great news from IB) and IndiStatus (the new hot addition in IB). Anyways it is my POV and mere suggestion.. I rest my case my lord..Feeling exhausted..Itne main to ek blog post likh deti..
@Ranjith If you collect all dates and provide when asked by anybody you will truly become Wikipedia karmawise.. what's say.. On serious note my suggestion was related to clarity in processes on a general basis.
The dashboard isn't really that useful
Judy I'll post it on my blog and give its link
Renie please also explain the Org Chart and the numbers
Ya Radar Chart. I forgot the name. Sorry
Indistatus is impressive, Renie... and I'm actally looking forward to seeing it completely active!
Wow! This is really so cool! Perfect to keep a track of everything on Indiblogger!
Add tentative dates column. Not the actual dates but at-least tell put the tentative dates so that people don't have to ask the same question again and again.
- When is the results going to come out ?
- When is the prizes going to be sent ?
All the contests threads are filled with the above two questions about a hundred times. Hope my point reaches you guys. It will be a huge improvement and will help the whole community.
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