This task will be expanded. For now it just contains notes that will be structured.We will need to instrument the newcomer homepage to facilitate a controlled experiment and to answer our high-level research questions about the feature:
We should instrument all the personal tools links in the top navigation, not just the link we're adding by building the homepage.* Does having the homepage treatment increase activation?
* Does having the homepage treatment increase retention?
* Do newcomers go to and return to the homepage as a central location to get oriented?
* Which modules engage newcomers and to what extent are they engaged?
* Are we able to effectively personalize the homepage?
* Do visits to the homepage lead to edits?
Note: "having the homepage treatment" refers to having access to the homepage as well as receiving whatever other features we implement to drive users to their homepage, such as links or banners elsewhere in the wiki.
Additional ideas that have come up that may be incorporated:
* We should instrument all the personal tools links in the top navigation, not just the link we're adding by building the homepage.
* We may want to instrument "hovers" over the modules, since not all the modules have a call to action, and hovering may indicate engagement.