FORUM USABILITY - PLEASE HELP make the Forum EASIER to USE

[Jack]

Originally Posted by Buster

Hey Valentine,

I know what you mean. The chat/blog areas are the only areas that I regularly visit. I dont seem to find the forum area easy to keep track of. Too many categories. Unless it is "highlighted" under the chat area on the Forum Home Page, I usually dont get around to reading it.

In my simple mind, I think that there should be no categories but have the threads listed with the newest entries on top. Maybe have one thread that is always on top that is just for announcements from Jack (our leader!)

Just some thoughts that I had. I hope it helps.

Buster

Thanks Buster! I can tell you've been over at the Aneros forum, LOL...

That's also the direction that darwin has recommended.

What do the rest of you think about that approach?

Note that each sub-forum DOES show the last time updated and the little blue arrow button next to the poster's name takes you to that post.

Mouseovers on at least SOME of the links tell you what clicking the link will give you.

I want popups on ALL links - a feature that expert users can turn off via their UserCP - what do you think of that?

[Jack]

Originally Posted by Valentine

I would really like to see a bigger 'marketing' for the blog area. I think it is one of the best resources here, other than the forums. It is unfortunate that all the attention it gets on the front page is a small 'blog' link, and a small excerpt of the latest blog/post.

Please email me with some sketches of how you want it to look!

Thanks!

SOLUTION DETAILS, boys and girls, SOLUTION DETAILS please!!!

[Valentine]

Having the search feature powered by google would be AWESOME!!!

As far as a sketch, I suck at drawing, but I am a good describer with words, so bare with me.

Buster makes a good point, that there are too many forum categories. I also think the Aneros forum is very nice, but not the look we want (their blog area is kinda hidden too). We could definitely cut the number of categories down, though.

I was thinking just three categories, for simplicities sake.

Updates from Jack:
-has threads only started by Jack
-includes chat times of next chats or last minute cancelations

General:
-the mix of the lounge, peoples experiences, complementary..., Q and A, Disabilities..., field research
-this is where are new threads would go, much like the aneros forum

Chat transcripts from the past:
-same as it is now

The area between the mini chat box and the start of the forum categories should have the Validation service, along with a number of how many people have been validated. Like you, I would like to see more people taking advantage of this service. And yes, I will eventually be scheduling to have phone coaching with you.

Since that area is rather small, the benefits for the Validation would have to be listed in as few sentences as possible. Something like this:

Have you been practicing the KEY SOUND MULTIPLE ORGASM protocol for atleast two weeks? Then post a .mp3 of your KEY SOUND online and have Jack verify it for FREE!! He has helped X people get to new orgasmic heights, you should be next!!
(button that says "Get Verified Now!!!!")

And X is the number of people that have posted to be verified. It is short, sweet, and to the point. The button itself should take the user to a bigger description of what they should.

Right under that, there should be a blurb for the blog area(which I already think is fine):

Check out blogs of current and past KSMO practitioners. Read how Adepts and people new to KSMO are experiencing something something(I drew a blank, but you get the point)
(button that says "Go to blogs Now!!!!")

Althought spiffy, I don't think showing who is currently veiwing a thread, or how many people are veiwing a forum category is really important. If axeing that feature so that we can have a different feature (like who is chatting online at the big chat box) is possible, I am all for it.

More specific, less specific, anyone agree or disagree?

[rumel]

I have read many of the suggestions offered by other members of this forum and concur with most of their suggestions. I would like to add a few of my own for consideration. I’m a very visually oriented person, being an architect and graphic designer I’m perhaps overly sensitive and analytical about how information is graphically presented. Upon trying to navigate this site I was very frustrated with the difficulties I was having. Once I found out that I needed to have “cookies” enabled I no longer had to re-login to each page to view and enter information but I still haven’t found where that necessary requirement is stated anywhere. As I continue to learn about the various features and structure of this site, it occurs to me there are some easily accomplished items which would make the site more user friendly.

Suggestion #1 – Create a user HELP page, and put the button right on the top menu bar. This page(s) should include all the requirements for user setup, should include descriptions and uses of all the major site attributes, this could also contain the FAQ items or at the very least a link to them.

Suggestion #2 – Appropriately organize and prioritize the presentation of information. This means moving the menu bar box to the top of every page. All the verbiage that currently sits atop each page is not the most important and should not command top billing. The information about dates and times for Chat Events should be located in the CALENDAR page not atop every site page. Now I know the Chat sessions are an important, indeed vital, feature of this site, but a simple one line announcement in the existing Chat Forum such as “The next hosted Chat Event will take place on September 20, 2008, at 17:00 GMT with a second Chat 5 hours later.” should suffice. The details about time adjustments and countdown are appropriately located in the CALENDAR section of the site.

Suggestion #3 – Reduce the “visual noise” There is entirely too much use of differing text formatting effects which bring unjustified emphasis to the text containing them. The very first line of of text atop each page is a perfect example. The word bulletin for example is colored red, in bold face, italicized capital lettering, visually this is the equivalent of screaming at me! The next two words in the sentence are each started with a capital letter, then the next word is all capitals, colored red again. This condition of exaggerated emphasis on various portions of the text is distracting to the reader and I believe actually causes confusion rather than clarity of information. If I were to try to read any book with this type of text formatting I would drop it after two pages! I don’t believe it was the designer’s intent to confuse but that is the net effect.

Suggestion #4 - Reduce the amount of verbiage in the dialogue box titles (this relates back to Suggestion #3). For example with the main menu bar, “Forum Home Page” > “Home”, “Order Jack’s (2nd) Key Sound Training Seminar” > “Purchase Seminars”, “Personal Coaching with Jack” > “Coaching”, “Gold Nuggets Success Stories” > “Nuggets”, “Google Site Search” > “Search”. This kind of simplification makes it much easier for viewers to quickly read, find and pick a category to go to.

Suggestion #5 – Reduce and consolidate some of the separate little item boxes or eliminate the formatting box they exist within, for example when multiple pages become available the small colored box that pops up which says “Page ? of ? 1 2 >” could be automatically included at the bottom of the appropriate pages or if that is not possible simply removing the color and frame so that it appears as plain text against a white background.

Suggestion #6 – Let the KISS (Keep It Simple Simon) principle be a guide for all aspects of the site layout and texting. This will go a long way toward making the site more usable and friendly. There are many powerful features incorporated within this website but they are probably being underutilized because of the confusing complexity and lack of available information for implementing them.

For what they're worth, those are a few of my suggestions.

[Jack]

Rumel thanks very much for taking the time to make these detailed suggestions.

I frankly need volunteer help to make all of these changes.

It's just me here. I'm not a company with staff like the Aneros site, etc.

Any suggestions in THAT regard? E.G. charging monthly fees for participation (I'd rather not) or ??? Although given what I've discovered I should be a millionaire, this is mostly a labor of love, and I give it all I've got (considering age and health issues, etc.).

The vbulletin software, although very powerful, is godawfully complex and by default not at all user-friendly nor admin-friendly, so every modification from default has a steep learning curve with dire consequences if one screws up.

[Jack]

PS: That is not to say that I am not committed to making changes as rapidly as I can. I do indeed want to make the Forum as readily usable and intuitive as possible.

I ask forbearance, as for the next 45 days or so we are in the process of more permanently relocating to Canada as we have recently received Permanent Resident status after a two-year, emotionally-exhausting process.

We are currently in BC but must now return to our home of 30 years in Ashland OR and wrap most of our affairs down there, then return to the Canadian Port of Entry to officially land, as in Landed Immigrants.

During that time I'll still be in contact with our community and dialogue as the travel and duties permit (hopefully at least once per day for check in and posting replies, doing the bi-weekly chats, etc.), but will not be able to get into further site development til after we get back.

At that time I intend to get to work in earnest, implementing all of the great suggestions including yours, as rapidly as possible.

Thanks again for taking the time to offer your suggestions!

All the best,
Jack

[canuck75]

I think I may be the only one to post such a comment, but besides the colour of the forum ( brown ) I find everything great. I work within the internet/website design field as well, selling websites, and I like the usability and features of the forum. I'm thinking the only thing that needs to be done is adding a section for educating users on how to use the forum and navigate. Just my thoughts.

[mog]

Good luck with the transition Jack. I hope it all goes well.

Mog

[rumel]

Jack, I know losing your previous programmer really put a damper on helping to improve your site. It took many months for Brian Mayfield, Darwin and I to assemble and organize the information in the Aneros WIKI. I find it difficult to imagine the daunting complexities of trying to configure an entire website by oneself. Hopefully, one of your trusted members with suitable experience and familiarity with this software will step forward and volunteer his/her services to help you out. Good luck with your transitioning into Canada (Thought: with all the MS software engineers in the Seattle area, there’s bound to be one that might trade some service for service expertise to help you out).

[Jack]

Originally Posted by canuck75

I think I may be the only one to post such a comment, but besides the colour of the forum ( brown ) I find everything great. I work within the internet/website design field as well, selling websites, and I like the usability and features of the forum.

Thanks for your input, Canuck, and it's nice to know of your expertise!

RE: Colour (I'm still learning the Canadian spelling - all of those "extra" u's!)... what color would you like that might fit with the palette expressed in the topmost image? (the one that says The Peak Experience of sex! and has the starburst)?

I ask because I'm not fond of the brown wrapper either... It's kinda low energy and not particularly appealing imho.

I'm also glad that you like the usability of the Forum.

I'm somewhere between your view and rumel's in that I tend to agree with rumel that it's pretty noisy, especially for newbies.

The challenge for me is give on-screen prompts but without cluttering it all up.

I like rumel's suggesting about just listing the one time in the Chat countdown clock and just saying the next one is x hours later, although if somebody pops in on the day of the chat, they'll see the one clock zeroed out. And saying x hours later might work...

I'm not sure that putting it in the Calendar area will, as newbs won't necessarily check the calendar, believe it or not... especially if they already feel overwhelmed.

I'm thinking for openers to make the font size of the countdown clocks MUCH smaller... wondering what you, rumel, and the rest of Our Gang might think of that... at least as a wee start.

Originally Posted by canuck75

I'm thinking the only thing that needs to be done is adding a section for educating users on how to use the forum and navigate. Just my thoughts.

Yes that's definitely on my list once I get back to BC in October.

I'm thinking some short videos using YouTube embedded video, showing navigation to the most popular areas and functions.

Of course they'll need to be updated as layout changes but that's all part of the process.

One thing I'm seriously considering is getting Morae by Techsmith to get real serious about usability study of the site, in addition to continuing to ask for and respond actively to suggestions by our esteemed community members.

BTW, do you or any other reader know of a good screen capture utility that runs on a Mac or within the Mac's Parallels WinXP shell that's not as pricey as Techsmith's Camtasia?

THANKS very much for your input!!!

All the best,
Jack