Help Reduce Errors: Enhance Reason Statement Field Features
I am continually disappointed in missing or weak reason statements found in the Tree.
Enhance the Reason Statement processing to encourage and train users to create useful statements:
EVERY place where a Reason Statement option is given:
1) If the statement field is left blank or unchanged challenge the user with a, “Are you sure you want to proceed” type question as is now on some fields.
2) Provide an optional button which takes the user to a popup that briefly explains the value of reason statements AND gives examples such as “The name, birth date & place match other sources” etc, etc.
3) Replace the sample reason statements in the Merge screens with better suggestions such as above. (When I come upon one of the current suggested reasons actually used I find them nearly useless except for the CIDs being listed.)
Also: Improve requirements for comments when importing from partners and GENCOM.
Comments
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I find a statement like "the name, birth date & place match other sources" to be utterly and completely pointless. It doesn't say anything about the reasoning that actually went into the decision, neither the "so obvious it needn't be said" details, such as Joannes = Johannes = John, nor the less-obvious ones like Pressburg = Bratislava = Pozsony. The problem is, the way the merge process is set up, it's basically impossible to come up with a better one, because by the time you're writing the statement, you can only see the surviving conclusions.
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#1 I agree that the merge process makes it hard to create a good reason statement at the point where reason statements are called for. Perhaps, experienced users could post suggestions on how to make the merge system more user friendly for making good reason statements.
#2 I agree that many reason statements are almost useless. I am looking for more help for users (especially beginners) at the moment reason statements are asked for.
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Please no. Having to jump through this extra hoop would be a huge disincentive to standardizing event dates and places.
Most changes do not need a reason statement. Reason statements should be used only in situations where some explanation is needed. Let us not train novice users to add vacuous reason statements.
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Interesting! I did not realize there were such strong thoughts against the widespread use of reason statements. From the training I received and on videos I have watched over time it was my impression that reason statements were encouraged most if not all of the time. I understood reason statements were to help less experienced users and users less familiar with the family/situation to easily and quickly see why one had taken an action.
What I am looking for is ways that FamilySearch can greatly improve help for users (especially new users) to provide good/helpful reason statements.
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Well, what I think would help new users the most is to put links to Help Center pages in the pop-up edit windows. I remember when I was new and still fumbling around in the dark here. Had I been shown any sort of "Oops, you did it wrong" messaging early on I would have left and never come back.
Before the default 4 reason statements were added to the merge tool I racked my brain trying to compose brief yet relevant reason statements. Even now I often find it cognitively very difficult to choose one of the 4. Some of my peers, expert genealogists, report being unable to choose at all. Onset of decision fatigue is rapid and, as any well trained computing systems professional knows, mitigation of decision fatigue is a very important design factor in high performing systems.
Also, as you can see right here on Community, very often the person requesting help needs to see what we are explaining, not just hear or read words about it, before they can understand the explanation. This is especially true for the rapidly increasing numbers of contributors who are not fluent in English.
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