SureDash is an emerging platform designed to create an all-in-one portal for managing content, resources, and community engagement. As an early-stage product currently in its alpha phase, SureDash offers a glimpse into its potential as a dynamic content management and community tool. Whether you’re considering adopting SureDash or already diving into its functionality, this walkthrough will provide an overview of its features and possible use cases.
A Caution for Early Adopters
Before diving into the features, it’s essential to note that SureDash is in its alpha stage (alpha two, specifically). It’s strongly recommended that you install SureDash on a staging or test environment and not on a live production website. The platform is still evolving, and while functional, it’s not yet optimized for production use.
Video Version of this Overview
If you prefer to view the entire overview in video format, I have created a comprehensive overview video where I walk through literally everything in SureDash.
Key Features and How They Work
1. Home Section and Navigation
The Home Section is the primary hub where users can view spaces and groups. While customizable to some extent, it primarily aggregates the content tiles from different spaces you create. This area acts as a dashboard but is not yet fully customizable in terms of layout or functionality.
Notable Observations:
- The home screen displays thumbnails for some spaces but not all, like discussion or course spaces, which could be more cohesive.
- While functional, the home navigation could benefit from more robust customization options in future iterations.
2. Settings Customization
The settings area provides essential tools for branding, layout, and user management.
- Branding: Add logos, adjust display widths, and customize navigation layouts. You can also hide SureDash branding.
- Layouts: Adjust the width of content containers and sidebars for a more tailored design. For example, a width of 1024–1200 pixels works well for most screens.
- User Roles: Default roles can be assigned to users, making it easy to manage access levels for users who register through the platform itself (though I don’t personally recommend this method).
3. Spaces and Space Groups
Spaces are the core content containers in SureDash, organized into space groups. Think of space groups as folders, and spaces as individual pages or functionalities within those folders.
Types of Spaces:
- Blank Space: A highly customizable area where you can use the WordPress block editor to build pages for videos, workshops, or any standalone content. It’s basically the be-all-do-all.
- Video Space: Ideal for embedding single videos or creating playlists. SureDash integrates well with tools like Presto Player for enhanced video management.
- Feed Space: Functions as a content feed, perfect for blogs or announcement pages. This space aggregates posts into a scrollable list.
- Discussion Space: Designed for community-style interaction but currently lacks the polish of dedicated community tools like Circle.
- Course Space: A structured layout for creating and delivering courses, complete with lessons, progress tracking, and discussion features.
4. Courses in SureDash
Courses are a standout feature within SureDash. Each course can have multiple sections and lessons, complete with embedded videos and text content. The interface is intuitive and focuses on learner progress with bookmarks and completion tracking.
Strengths:
- The ability to bookmark lessons for quick reference.
- Simplistic and clean course navigation.
Limitations:
- While the current setup is functional, additional features like quizzes or lesson resources could enhance the overall course experience.
5. Profile and Bookmarking
The profile section allows users to manage their details, bookmarks, and access links. Bookmarked items are conveniently stored in a dedicated section, making it easy to revisit lessons or posts. While useful, certain elements like custom profile images or cover photos could become problematic without additional administrative controls or the ability to connect to external storage.
Potential Use Cases for SureDash
SureDash excels as a platform for creating what I like to call an ecosystem of value. Here are some potential applications:
- Content Repository: Organize free and paid resources, including downloadable guides, workshops, and blogs.
- Membership Portals: Provide exclusive content for paid members or subscribers.
- Client Dashboards: Deliver personalized resources, onboarding materials, and more for clients in a secure environment.
- Course Delivery: Host structured courses with embedded videos and lesson tracking.
Areas for Improvement
While SureDash shows immense promise, there are areas that could benefit from refinement:
- Terminology Consistency: Terms like “portal” and “community” are used interchangeably, leading to some confusion. A unified vocabulary would improve user understanding. Particularly with Feed and Discussion spaces, the secondary terminology for “content groups” and “topics” are confusing.
- Customization Options: Login and registration pages are currently very basic and not fully customizable. I would like to see these fully customizable to the extent that SureCart forms can be customized in the block editor.
- Discussion Spaces: The current implementation of discussions feels more like a traditional forum. For a truly connected experience, inline replies or nested comments similar to tools like Circle would be ideal.
- Event and Form Features: While planned, these features are not yet available in the alpha version. Their addition will significantly expand SureDash’s utility for memberships.
Conclusion
SureDash is a promising platform for anyone looking to create a centralized hub for content, resources, and engagement. Its simplicity, deep WordPress integration, and flexibility make it a tool worth exploring, especially as it evolves. While it’s not yet ready for use in its alpha state, the potential for SureDash to become a cornerstone tool in building an “ecosystem of value” is clear.
If you’re intrigued by SureDash, consider testing it in a staging environment to see how its features align with your needs. Keep an eye out for updates as the platform continues to grow and refine its offerings.