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103: Activity Story Stream

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A tool of engagement

The Activity Story Stream allows you to view content directly in the activity stream and to engage with the content by commenting, replying to comments, sending private messages, liking, and by using hashtags and mentions.

Using Document Preview, you can also preview documents placed in the stream.

Your own activity on the site is listed on your Profile > Activity tab on an activity steam. Note that the activity only includes actions where you are an "actor" (someone performing an action) in the activity story. Commenting on others' activity stories doesn't make you an actor in those stories, so they're not included on your activity tab. In addition to activity stories, your Activity tab includes application posts, friendships established, and groups joined.

Content

The activity story stream content has the following characteristics:

  • Content is visible and accessible from the activity stream.
  • Thumbnails of all content can be viewed directly in the stream without having to navigate to each post for details about it. For example, if someone posts a video in the file gallery, an image of the video shows in the activity stream and, if clicked, displays in theater view. Using Document Preview, any compatible and enabled document type will be displayed in the activity stream.
  • Users can engage quickly with multiple content items instead of having to individually navigate to each one for commenting or bookmarking, etc.

Messaging and Colleagues

You have multiple ways of keeping up with or responding to users in the activity stream.

  • Any time a user posts a new avatar, you can see it in the activity stream.
  • Stories show date and time ago (such as "2 hours ago") in the activity stream. Clicking on the "time ago" takes you to a view of just that story on the user's profile page.
  • "Send a Private Message" appears on user-hover when user settings allow for them, enabling users to start a conversation with the story author.
  • If a user has multiple colleague requests, they're consolidated into one activity message.

Comments

Commenting is easier and more user-friendly.

  • Users can add a comment to a content item (or status message) directly from the activity stream without navigating to the original post.
  • Commenting on activities saves the comment with the content. For example, if a user comments on a new blog post activity, the comment is on the post, not the activity.
  • Comments are collapsed if there are more than four comments, and a link to "view all [#] comments" appears.

Filters

The activity story stream scopes messages to the context and filters by interaction type, followers, or content type.

Status Messages

Status messages have the following characteristics:

  • Message authors or moderators can delete status messages.
  • An indicator displays next to new posts or comments since the last time you refreshed the browser.

Videos

Video components have the following characteristics:

  • In the story view video, images appear (if supported with our file viewers).
  • Clicking on a video or image opens it in theater view.
  • If a user enters a URL to a video or image, an inline image appears (if supported and configured).

Updates

The stream is automatically refreshed when new activities occur, so users don't have to manually refresh to see updates.

Documents

With Document Preview, documents appear in theater view. Clicking the file icon opens the theater view, or clicking on the view link takes the user to the file gallery post.

Mentions

  • Activity stories can bring other users or groups into conversations by using mentions that link within the activity stream to the mentioned user's profile.
  • If a user is mentioned, he or she will see a notification in their profile's Mentions tab.  If a user or one of his groups receives an @mention, the @ icon on the Site - Banner widget glows to indicate new mentions. Mentions are searchable.

Hashtags

Users can link  other tagged content to the current discussion by using hashtags: Hashtagged blog posts, forum threads, media gallery/file posts, and wiki posts create potential for discussion throughout the site. Hashtags are searchable.