Community Forums

tom chelbana · 07-24-2019, 08:38 PM

We had a in service training at the service center last week when having work on our coach. Shared with Christy the manager who did the training why more Newmar owners aren't using NEWGLE. I am going to keep trying to use it more but still hasn't won me over. She really wants suggestions on what could make this factory approved information more user friendly. Would suggest this could be a valuable asset if we had some suggestions to make it better.
Sign up with NEWGLE and lets make it a valuable asset.
Newmar Man

NWIP · 07-24-2019, 08:42 PM

Having information more specific and not so generic would be a good start.

Dutch Star Don · 07-24-2019, 09:13 PM

I've requested an account (sign up) twice and no response. I gave up.

oregonhiker · 07-24-2019, 09:26 PM

I just tried to look up our air conditioners a couple of days ago. Frustrated would be putting it mildly. I ended up giving up and using our model #'s and went to the Dometic site to try and get some answers that I needed. I thought when they remodeled the site some time ago it was supposed to be user specific. If it were at least model and year specific that would help. It would be amazing if they would ever make it serial # specific. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate what Newmar does for me when I call and request help but I am not opposed to doing some of the legwork myself.

TJ · 07-24-2019, 09:49 PM

Tom; if you are talking about the Newgle training session conducted in the Service Center, I attended it in Nappanee last month. The consensus of those in attendance was that Newgle needs to be coach-specific. Newmar has its data set up by coach number and could set up Newgle to utilize it so that it would find the specifics for a particular coach.

Newmar has developed Newgle in-house and lacks the IT skills to turn it into a useful product. Until they gain more IT expertise...or, hire some IT folks with experience in developing this type of application...Newgle will continue to be a collection of general information. As such, it will also continue to be not very useful.

All of this was conveyed to Christy (Kristi?) during the training I attended.

TJ

Dutch Star Don · 07-24-2019, 10:44 PM

Maybe they should quit using the Amish IT team!

TJ · 07-24-2019, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Maybe they should quit using the Amish IT team!

Don...I'm sure you meant that as a joke, based on the fact that the Amish don't use computers in their homes, but I think it does a disservice to them.

Every one of the Amish workers I met at Nappanee was a skilled craftsman and dedicated worker. I'm sure that if they were to take on an IT task, they would do it very well.

TJ

Finance · 07-25-2019, 12:00 AM

With all due respect, this is not a job to consult with end users on. This requires expertise that’s found at peer companies, software professionals, and professional technical writers. Not DIY for Newmar and coach owners. That seems to be the problem with the current situation.

This is not new ground, plenty of companies have documentation controls in place. This is a case for identifying who’s best in class (or what service level will meet the need) and writing a (big) check.

waterman480 · 07-25-2019, 12:10 AM

They could take a lesson from Winnebago. Not perfect, but much information is there to sift through. I can put in my serial number, and get a build sheet, see 3D drawings in 3D!, download prints, etc. The 3D software take a little expertise to get working, but it is great for finding where they hid various items. For example our converter is located under the vanity in the bathroom.

Chief Alen · 07-25-2019, 04:06 AM

Useless, I tried many times.

Why do people make excuses for these trillion dollar companies, I will never know.

Example : steps didn't deploy, lippert website had it all, stood by their product sent me replacements for the motor and controller.

It was easy peasey.

These companies don't care, why should they, we still buy what they make.

Oh I have to rebuild the pantry, I have the bottom shelf temporary fixed just fell down. That royally pissed me off seeing how shoddy it was put together.

" Skilled craftsman " Now that's funny ... when I get home before I rebuild the pantry I will take pictures while I am laying on the floor upside down to see under the bottom shelf, then I took a look under every shelf, they all need beefing up rebuilt, one brad staple holdin up a corner nothing in the middle.

wildtoad · 07-25-2019, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finance

With all due respect, this is not a job to consult with end users on. This requires expertise that’s found at peer companies, software professionals, and professional technical writers. Not DIY for Newmar and coach owners. That seems to be the problem with the current situation.

This is not new ground, plenty of companies have documentation controls in place. This is a case for identifying who’s best in class (or what service level will meet the need) and writing a (big) check.

I could not disagree more. Yes the implementation of the software takes skills that the end user (us) don’t usually have and you should use experienced IT staff. But most systems fail because the developers failed to understand the people who were going to use it. What seems obvious to a techie may be totally confusing to the older people who are supposed to use it. I’ve watched people use smart phones, cable boxes, remote controls, in car gps system and just get frustrated to no end. There is a big difference in “what the user wants to ability to do” versus “what do we think they need” or worse “what to we want to let them do”.

Finance · 07-25-2019, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildtoad

I could not disagree more. Yes the implementation of the software takes skills that the end user (us) don’t usually have and you should use experienced IT staff. But most systems fail because the developers failed to understand the people who were going to use it. What seems obvious to a techie may be totally confusing to the older people who are supposed to use it. I’ve watched people use smart phones, cable boxes, remote controls, in car gps system and just get frustrated to no end. There is a big difference in “what the user wants to ability to do” versus “what do we think they need” or worse “what to we want to let them do”.

That’s where end user testing comes in. It’s a part of the process. But you seem to be suggesting a bunch of mostly retirees with no experience can design a complex document control application. Can you give some examples of successful implementation using that method?

Cummins and Freightliner are two close to home examples for Newmar. How were their systems done? Did anyone here participate in that?

Jager · 07-25-2019, 10:37 AM

What is the system suppose to do? What are the specifications for it. Last time I tried to use it . . . well, it was like using DOS. No one today outside of a programmer is going to be able to make heads or tails out of that system.

1) Define what it is suppose to do (or as others have suggested, what the CUSTOMERS need it to do).

2) Get the solution organized and architecture - don't just sit people down and have them start to code it. You should design in growth and new features.

3) Get some experiences software people to code up the solution, and yes, I agree with Don . . . not the Amish. And yes Jim, that was a joke . . . kind of. While they may be good at non-techie things . . . I wouldn't hire them to code the program for landing the lunar module. This isn't a cost thing so much as getting it right.

My 2 cents.