Should IMPROVEMENTS be made to this Forum?

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: With the new promotion of this forum as FamilySearch's feedback (e.g. Robert Kehrer's 'Elusive Record' presentation et al), perhaps it is time for a few improvements.
1 Add another category for "Feedback" in addition to Ideas/Praise/Updates.
2 "Updates" posts are years old; remove or "update"
3 Provide a link to the origin page for all FS Feedback directed posts.
4 Try to connect all input "problems" to search the forum topics for previous discussions (as was once done to reference GetHelp in FSFeedback)
5 Add "purpose" to heading (as suggested in another post)
6 Update the "Related Product/Service list.
7 Promote "Search Topics" for new Ideas proposed
Although this forum is part of GetSat, it appears it should have the flexibility to make changes.
(I'm sure more suggestions can, and will, be added.)
This IS a valuable and informative forum and should be promoted (and improved).

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: To follow my own advice above re searching topics, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. (The more it changes, the more it stays the same.)
Excerpts from seven years ago, (under updates): https://getsatisfaction.com/familysea...

7 years ago: "Currently, this Feedback and Community Support site lets you post Questions, Problems, Ideas and Praise. However, once beta.familysearch.org becomes www.familysearch.org, we will begin to get hundreds of thousands of visitors each day and will require more than Community Support to make sure that all our customers get friendly, accurate and timely answers and solutions to their problems and questions.
To this end we will be funneling all questions and problems directly to our agents at FamilySearch and only “IDEAS” will remain in this current Community Feedback system.
Here’s how it will work: Soon when you click on the Feedback links throughout FamilySearch, instead of taking you here to the Feedback and Community Support site, it will take you to Help Center instead and display to you these options: "
Then: "Am I writing in invisible ink? I keep seeing the same questions posted over and over and over. I have suggested something that should help both employees (who won't have to answer the same questions dozens of times) and users ( who will be able to see what is happening easily), but I get no response, not even an acknowledgment. Hello, is anybody listening? Is anybody there? Does anybody care?"
Then: "Everything you post is read, we just haven't been able to respond to the mountains of questions. We are working on a response to the community for all the major concerns."
Then: "I am very new to this "Ideas" section, but it seems that it could more efficient, more user friendly and better organized. There are so many different types of "Ideas". It would be helpful if there were at least basic categories for the type of program and the ideas were grouped together etc. such as: New FamilySearch, FamilySearch, etc. and even more helpful if those areas were narrowed down to smaller categories such as: New FamilySearch Pedigree Ideas, FamilySearch Searching Ideas etc."

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: Here are some other suggestions from past posts:

Robert Kehrer's instructions describing HOW to report problems needs to be posted at the top of the forum. (currently being moved occasionally to the top by users)

https://getsatisfaction.com/familysea...

https://getsatisfaction.com/familysea...

Allow "product/service" sorting or selection (e.g. only concerning "indexing" or none about "Books" etc.)
---------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------
Joe Martel appears to be the main (only?) FS employee coordinating this forum, and doing an admirable job; BUT, perhaps he could use a 'committee' of three, or so, users to help manage and improve the operation, with the increase of first timers.

Here are some possibly interested users, from their posts; who might be considered: Ray Batig (a 'new' forum user), Nathan Twyman (has reported his research on GetSat), Tom Huber (one of the most prolific); Bryant (FS employee who has chimed in recently), David Lynn Penrod, and others who have weighed in.

What do you think, Joe? Can users help make the forum work better?

LegacyUser

joe martel said: I like that users are taking an interest in this and coming up with ideas. The teams working on this are aware of this discussion. Thanks

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: Always glad to hear from you, Joe. I hope, and trust, some of these items might be introduced sooner - rather than later.

I still think a user committee could be helpful -to you and FamilySearch. Current, Users are now answering most of the post from the new users (and generally doing an admirable job.)

Today it looks like about 90% of the new topics were by 'new' users - IMO, it needs to be a priority to make this as helpful to them as possible.

May I add a couple more suggestions, while I have your attention;

> All FS employees should identify themselves as such; there seem to some new ones participating (which is GREAT),

> Update employee list in the link at the top, with appropriate job descriptions, and email addresses (??)

> How about all "User Experience" employees take a shift at observing? (5 of them, not sure what they do, but Bryant is posting)

> 23 "Official Reps" what do they do? Why are the so designated?

> Why has the "Champion" not posted for many years.
> If not needed or not useful or helpful updated - just delete it.
> Re-institute the categories 'under consideration, completed, ignored, etc.'

If you'd like stats on employee forum participation, I'd be happy to provide it - but I guess you already have access to it.

LegacyUser

S. said: Joe and Robert their is always room for improvements, but I ponder this question why not fix the broke areas before adding new ideas and Improvements???

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: 'S' - I believe many of the suggested improvements were 'fixing the broke areas.' If you have other ideas feel free to post them.

Once again today, a majority of the posts are from newer participants. I maintain that all participants will helped by the improvements and enlisting the assistance of long time users could speed up the process, as FS teams always seems to busy doing other projects,

Much could be done within the GetSat format, if someone had access to the 'forum settings.'

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: Hey Joe,
It's been a month since this topic was first posted, I wonder if "The teams working on this" are making any progress.

Browsing the GetSatisfaction website - https://getsatisfaction.com/corp/prod...

I notice they have some features that might be helpful to the forum:

• Q&A tools. Capture, organize, and automatically share commonly-asked questions.

• Assignment tools. Route questions to other employees for them to take action on customer feedback and provide the most helpful answers.

• Internal notes. Collaborate with other employees internally before you reply publicly in the community.

• Private conversations. Allow customers to post private messages in the community for employees to take direct action on.

• Crowd-sourcing tools. Solicit input and feedback on key topics to gather insights, plan, and problem-solve.

• Idea generation/prioritization tools. Invite customers to contribute new ideas and prioritize them based on member input and feedback.

It appears that the majority of all new forum posts are new users, asking 'common questions' - that first feature (however it might work) might be especially helpful.

LegacyUser

S. said: have people tell you what OS and browser they are using.
what extentions and plugins they are using

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: Here's another suggested 'IMPROVEMENT to be made to this Forum'

"We need the ability to "sticky" concerns that are crucial to a number of us, so it remains at the top of the Get Satisfaction List until the concern has been adequately resolved." Tom Huber (patron)

Since this topic was posted a month ago, with positive FS response:
"Joe Martel appears to be the main (only?) FS employee coordinating this forum, and doing an admirable job; BUT, perhaps he could use a 'committee' of three, or so, users to help manage and improve the operation, with the increase of first timers." RESPONSE:
"I like that users are taking an interest in this and coming up with ideas. The teams working on this are aware of this discussion. Thanks joe martel (Official Rep) 1 month ago"

I wonder if anything has been changed??

(Notice that the only way to keep a topic in the forefront is to post something to it. Some time in the past there was a category of "IDEAS UNDER CONSIDERATION" - could it be resurrected/used??)

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: Another suggested improvement, (just to keep them together):

"Eliminate very old discussion threads on this GetSatisfaction site.
A lot of changes have taken place with FamilySearch.org over the past year or two, and yet we still get patrons who respond to message threads where the last message was posted three, four, five, six, seven, and more years ago.

Please either lock or delete those message threads. Patrons who see them are responding to concerns that no longer exist (or have been replaced by other concerns) because of changes in the FamilySearch.org site."Tom Huber (patron) 3 days ago

That's about 20, or so.

LegacyUser

S. said: getting rid of old Discussion is great idea, but it has pros and cons. the main question that is needed to weigh the good and the bad. People can go and unfollow the topics that helps cut down on the old messages, but in the end it don't help too much, to the point I do feel you need to do some thing about it.

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: OK, here's another suggestion for the 'team working on improvements to this Forum'
Add another section to support strictly LDS discussions, which many non-LDS may not be interested in.

("My major gripe with FS FT is the constant references to Mormon stuff, which I find distracting, confusing, or downright mysterious, but obviously LDS would not think so.")

I'm assuming that comment is referring to this forum, as FamilySearch has very little confusing, mysterious 'Mormon stuff.'

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: Another repeated Forum improvement has popped up in a recent post to an 8 yr OLD topic:
Close all topics prior to 2016(?) for further discussion:

"This is a very old discussion and, basically, out of date. Please do not post on discussions that date back prior to summer 2016. A lot of changes and announcement have taken place since then, which is when FamilySearch was completely severed from the previous system and the last of the data was imported."

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: OK, here's another user submitted suggestion to add to the list:
https://getsatisfaction.com/familysea...

"On this forum page, could the origination date be included in the summary bio-information on the second line under the topic title.
_______________
(sample topic description with added date)

Please do not allow gedcom uploads -- they are destroying Family Tree
Dale Hein shared · 138 replies · 03 April 2017 · Last reply 3 hours ago by S.
_______________

With only the last reply being displayed, it gives the impression that the topic thread is fairly new. Inserting the origination or creation date after the word "shared" and before the number of replies, I or we all could have a better understanding of the longevity or not of a particular topic before clicking on it."

Joe Martel (FS employee) frequent contributor, and apparently the man in charge of this forum has noted "joe martel (Official Rep) 3 months ago
I like that users are taking an interest in this and coming up with ideas. The teams working on this are aware of this discussion. Thanks"

(However, I haven't noticed any of these changes to the forum instituted - but I could have missed them. 'awareness' of a discussion may not indicate the possibility of action.)

LegacyUser

S. said: Joe and Robert please see this post,
https://getsatisfaction.com/familysea...

this is a easy fix and a great idea, it would be very helpful for all if you were to fix this one.

LegacyUser

Paul said: I have often wondered if anyone moderates the threads on this forum. I occasionally make a comment under a FamilySearch Blog item, where I then receive a message that it is awaiting moderation.

I assume any policing of this site is down to the GetSatisfaction people, but am pretty certain that FamilySearch employees have arranged for things to be removed, if considered of "dubious content".

Thankfully, I feel there is little abuse on this site (although some who feel insulted by responses to their posts might disagree!) but am surprised there is no "Report abuse " link here.

LegacyUser

Paul said: The removal of a post that was placed on this forum yesterday has added to my curiosity as to who moderates posts on this site - FamilySearch or GetSatisfaction employees.

I am not surprised it was removed, as its content did not relate to any strictly genealogical matter. However, I would be interested to hear who was responsible for this action - whilst not expecting the individual concerned to be named, of course.

LegacyUser

Gordon Collett said: Paul, If you are referring to what I think you are referring to, did you know that this forum has a Change Log?

Click on "Community" at the top of the page:



Towards the top, roughly in the middle, is a tiny link:



which brings you to this page:

LegacyUser

Paul said: Thank you for that, Gordon. Apart from the posters, it seems all other posts that have been taken down recently have been due to the action of two FamilySearch employees. In spite of suppositively reading all these posts, for some reason neither seem to have been keen on responding to my query!

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: I can understand time limitations for these folks, but far too often, queries go with no response, leaving us wondering if FS even cares about its patrons. Even an "acknowledged. Passed on to the (team name) team. Status unknown."

LegacyUser

joe martel said: Paul, what query do you want a response on?
Every post is read, but it may took a few days depending on workload. If the community has a sufficient good answer I don't respond. 

LegacyUser

Paul said: Joe

Sorry if I was a bit impatient, in not allowing time for you (or Ron) to respond.

My query has related to who actually "polices" this forum. I just wanted to know whether it was you guys or employees of GetSatisfaction. Gordon's directions to the link showed, indeed, it seems to be the former - both of you having recently removed "unsuitable" posts. I'm okay with this, but still hope there are enough resources available if, for example, some unscrupulous person(s) should decide to challenge the ethos of this forum.

I still think a "Report abuse" link might be of help for those odd occasions when individuals go a little too far - particularly in their comments on the ideas of others. I don't want censorship of genuine criticism, just a way to see that things do not get out of hand - as they have in certain social media sites.

LegacyUser

joe martel said: I'm guessing there is no way or desire for GetSat to monitor all the company's they provide services to. As far as policing this, I don't think there is a police person monitoring it. A few of us help posters when they're in need and purge out the spam.

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: As "The teams working on this are aware of this discussion," and with all of the new discussions of the recent FS Tree PID page, perhaps it's time to the category of "IDEAS UNDER CONSIDERATION" or " so users can actually find out if the proposal IS being considered.

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: One of the forum IMPROVEMENT suggestions was to provide some "stock answers' to frequent questions. Tom Huber appears to have developed several of these.

Perhaps a file could be provided in the forum structure for others to be able to post relieving Tom of that burden.

It appears this forum is not using all of its potential capabilities to help the participants, especially the newer users.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: No real burden (I maintain a folder for the stock answers, so I can easily select the one I want), but this suggestion is a great idea!

LegacyUser

David Wynn said: I would like the ability to marked posts as completed and closed. I've opened a number of posts of various issues recently. Some of these have been completed. It'd be nice for the thread originator to be able to mark it in some way as solved and see the discussion then locked. The thread could still be viewed, but it would essentially prevent any future comments.

LegacyUser

David Wynn said: If I could, I'd give this point several bonus good point stars. Just looked at the lists of Planned / Not Planned / Under Consideration. Very few have even seen any comments in the last year. Seriously? With all of the honest-to-goodness bug reports (not the "I don't like the new formats", but the "This is not working" reports) opened since the upgrade, nothing is being worked on?

LegacyUser

Robert Wren said: Congratulations and THANKS to FS forum leaders for re-instituting the "Planned / Not Planned / Under Consideration."

It's always good to see suggestions being implemented - there are still several more that might be considered within this topic!

LegacyUser

Tyler Peterson said: I do wish you could do it yourself. If you reply with links to your threads that you'd like marked "done" and archived I can do that for you.