deviantCLUB Userpage Mockup

Here (finally) is my mockup for how I'd like a v6 club userpage to look (you may remember my crappy v5 version). It's styled mainly on the v6 deviant userpage I made a little while back, but some new features have been added just for clubs.

Features (from top to bottom)

• New user symbol - Clubs get a new € user symbol to differentiate them from the crowd


• Get connected - An easier to find individual club forum is accessible right from a tab on the page


• Club banner - Identify your club with a unique banner right at the top of the page. This area also serves to differentiate the page from a regular deviant's userpage


• Club info - 2000 characters to tell the world about your club, including links members might find useful or interesting


• Exclusivity? - Clubs can either be exclusive (members need to apply to club staff and be approved before they are members) or open (deviants can just click a button and instantly become members). Once a deviant joins a club, it is automatically added to their devwatch


• Watch without joining - the option to watch the club's submissions without joining is still present, by clicking the second button. This option is available for both exclusive and open clubs and cannot be disabled


• Don't step on the little guys! - Club watchers and members would be notified of new club submissions through a new message centre section, similar to the devWATCH but only for club submissions. This would help avoid large clubs swamping deviants' work you have watched individually


• Note staff easily - Clicking the note button will send a note to all club core staff (which will say it has been sent to the club)


• Big feature - A large area to feature one club member, with a link to their gallery underneath


• Don't resubmit! - All club submissions are not resubmissions and link right back to the original work! Watchers and members are notified of new additions to the gallery, unlike the current favourites system. Watchers would not recieve notification if they already watch the deviant who posted the submission (they would get it already, direct from the artist). Club members have the option to submit artwork to the club when uploading the deviation, via checkboxes showing each club they are part of


• To allow, or not to allow? - Club staff would have the option to allow all submissions automatically into the gallery, to allow only a select list automatically submit, or for staff to have to approve all submissions for display


• Journal - Although shown above without CSS for simplicity, clubs would have access to journal CSS by default, due to the lack of other useful subscriber features for them


• Event Calendar - Blue dates indicate days with events happening. Simply hover over the day for the name of the event and a brief descrition to pop up to the right of the calendar, or click the date for full details including time, location and other info. The area to the right shows the next event by default when no date is hovered over


• Staff and members box - shows all the staff and members of the club
  
  
  • A star on the avatar indicates core club staff - these deviants can maintain the club gallery, change userpage elements, submit news under the club name, admit members (in an exclusive club), approve artwork for display in the club gallery (if required) and take care of notes sent to the club
  
  
  • A speech bubble indicates a club messaging admin - these deviants can lock threads in the club forum and maintain the club chat room. Note that core club staff also have these powers. Official MN@ can overrule all club admin with respect to the chat and forums, and club staff cannot reopen forum threads locked by them
  
  
  • Any deviant without any symbol on their avatar is a normal member, and can only submit work to the gallery, and use the club chat and forums
  
  
  • Anyone not listed here is neither a member nor club staff and cannot submit artwork to the club. They may not be able to use the club chat or forums either if they have been set to allow members only (official dA staff can access them regardless of the settings)


• Affiliates - Clubs like to affiliate to get more exposure. Why not provide a proper space for it?


• Members' favourite news - The news club members have been faving in the last 24 hours!

Implimentation
(Copied from my reply to a question in the comments below)

This is indeed a tricky part of the plan to work out - My proposal is to hire another member of dA staff to deal with applications for the creation of club accounts. The application system would work similarly to the current deviantART Film application process, so the club founder must provide a short explanation of what the club will be for. In addition to this, certain criteria would need to be fulfilled by the founder in order to even apply, such as a minimum dA membership of 6 months and a minimum of 20 deviations in their gallery, to avoid spam accounts taking over the system.

As for the issue of subscription-type features, it would be tricky to work out who exactly should pay for them - should the members pay or the club staff? The only way around it that I can see is to have "premium" clubs charge a yearly membership fee (some small amount) to keep the features like forums, recent visitors list, journal CSS and the event calendar.

Of course, these extra features could be offered as standard to clubs, with the additional functionality providing an incentive for more people to join dA, thus increasing advertising and subscription profits for the company without a club premium being necessary.

Without being able to analyse previous dA profits, I can't make an accurate judgement as to which strategy would be best.




Ideas? Comments? Let me know what you think! (and it if you like it )



davecheesefish avatar, all deviations shown in the mockup and design © =davecheesefish
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