Outreachy late 2020 early 2021 project ideas

Preferences redesign

Required skills:

• C++ - beginner skill level is okay, but need to have at least a little experience with the language

Nice to have:

• UX testing
• Qt Designer
• DJing

Mixxx is a large, complex application with lots of options that users can configure. Over the years, this has made the preferences window rather unwieldy. This project would entail redesigning the preferences to make it easier for users to find what they are searching for as well as understand what every option does and why someone might want to change it. In some cases this may lead to changing the behavior of Mixxx so options are no longer required and/or moving options out of the preferences window.

Touchscreen UX design

Required skills:

• C++ - beginner skill level is okay, but must have more experience with other programming languages in that case
• having a touchscreen device that can run Mixxx

Nice to have:

• DJing or other experience using electronic music equipment
• designing for touchscreens

Generally, Mixxx users use DJ controller hardware because it is difficult to manipulate Mixxx fast enough while music is playing using just a keyboard and mouse. Nowadays, many laptops have touchscreens. Also, some users are using Mixxx with tablets or single board computers (such as Raspberry Pi and Odroid devices) together with a touchscreen and controller. However, Mixxx's GUI was designed before touchscreens were common and there are many ways it is difficult to use with only a touchscreen without relying on a mouse.

This project would entail making Mixxx's features practically usable with a touchscreen. The goal is not necessarily to fully replace a controller, but to make it practical to do basic mixing with just a touchscreen and to compliment controllers. Some features are currently only accessible through right click menus so alternative ways to use these would need to be designed and implemented. The project will also require changing the behavior of Mixxx's custom QWidgets to properly handle touch input. Some changes to Mixxx's skins may be required too.

Manual overhaul

Required skills: English writing - Applicants must submit examples of previous writing they have done. Experience with technical writing would be great, but writing on any topic is sufficient. Nice to have: DJing

Video tutorials

Required skills: video editing - Applicants must submit examples of previous videos they have made. Nice to have: DJing

AutoDJ rewrite

Required skills: C++ - beginner skill level is okay, but must have more experience with other programming languages in that case

Screenreader UX

Required skills: experience using screenreader software Nice to have: QAccessibleInterface, QWidgets

Owen thinks this would be a good project, it could mostly be filing bugs and figuring out common issues we're having

Community Manager / Social Media

"Community Manager" is a real job, not an internship project. But an intern could work with Owen on some of these aspects and help give mixxx more of a presence.

• facebook
• twitter
• forums
• zulip?