User:Jan Dittrich (WMDE)/Drafts/QueryListIdeasLanding/Improved example dialog

When we asked participants how they learned about querying and many mentioned that they use the examples in the query service interface.

Currently, it is not easy to find queries that help in maintenance: While you can get started with the simple queries, any other queries are sorted into categories by content topic area like “entertainment” or “rivers”. This can indeed be useful, but for finding a query to adapt, this can be tricky.

Split examples by usage

One simple suggestion would be creating a section on maintenance in the examples:

• 
  The most simple improvement could be introducing a section on “maintenance queries”

These queries could be selected by or with the community, giving a good overview of common maintenance queries.

Please keep in mind that these are early wireframes, the actual product would not feature a sketch-like look.

Enhance the display of example queries

We also could consider improving the interface overall and make browsing the examples a bit easier — maybe with a two column structure:

• 
  We also could consider improving the interface overall and make browsing the examples a bit easier — maybe with a two column structure
• 
  When you select a query you can see its description, tags and preview in the right hand column.

Feedback [TODO: Here or at a talk page?]

• Do you think that providing a section on typical maintenance queries would be helpful? — particularly if you currently use the query service examples to write your queries.
• Do you see any negative effects of adding such a section?
• Are there any other changes that should be done to the examples that could make using the examples for learning and query writing easier (without constraining its other uses e.g. finding queries to showcase Wikidata)
• Do you think the suggested 2-column interface with the preview and description would be helpful — particularly considering new to intermediate users who do not know SPARQL well, yet?