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Request for Forum User Feedback

Posted , 21 users are following.

Emis_Moderator
Emis_Moderator

Hello,

We recognise that recent changes to the forums have not worked for all users. Therefore, we are now planning an update to improve users experience of the forums. As part of this we are requesting that you please add your requests or ideas that are your highest priorities as a reply to this discussion.

Once we receive a suitable number of suggestions we will put these into a survey where users can then vote for the change(s) they would most like to see in the update. Once we have the results we will do the required changes and share these with you for any comments before we release to the site to ensure we have got it right.

There are some things we cannot do such as removal of ads as they fund the site, reinstate emails for every post and reversion to old format of the site. All other constructive suggestions to improve the forums will be considered.

While we may not be able to do everything that is suggested in this update we will take note of users input in deciding priorities.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,

Patient

1 like, 74 replies

74 Replies

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  • EileenH
    EileenH Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    I do realise why you claim you can't reinstate emails for every post (I don't believe it) - but exactly WHY should we be expected to log in to a site every day to see messages to a thread in which we have participated even if there are none? Because that is what you are asking. At least set up a way whereby there is a notification for the first reply to a thread since we last looked at it. And please don't say it can't be done- it is how one of the forums I participate in functions.

    Since the ads are the way in which you get income - surely you WANT us to visit? Once it becomes hard work, people come less and less often. And at present it is very hard work.

  • AllyCD
    AllyCD Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    Having PMR, steroid brain and being over 70 are not helping me understand this! I have just pushed the 'allow' button and here I am! Will continue the quest for technology comprehension as access to your wonderful forum is essential. Where there is a will there is a way and I knew PMR was teaching me patience for a reason!

  • peggy_56092
    peggy_56092 Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    Going into "notification" to find recent unread emails is difficult without the subject included so that I know whether or not I have read it. As Elaine has stated we will give up trying to find out which ones we have read or not, going back and forth from one to the other. This is insane!

  • nick67069
    nick67069 Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    Here is an example of how the message notification should look like. It should have:

    1. Subject from the message, so we know if we want to read it or not
    2. Name of the person that created the message or response
    3. Optional, but helpful - first few words of the message like preview in some of the email programs

    This should be done for new posts and/or response to the post we participated in discussion.

    Example pic for sister site attached...image

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Emis_Moderator

    Posted

    The way it ran when I first signed up in 2015 was very user friendly. I'd never participated in this kind of forum before although was familiar with social media like Facebook and Twitter and I found this site readable and easy to navigate. Since the major changes I find it quite difficult and time-consuming to use. I have no trouble at present accessing notifications because I just go to the notification list, but it takes a really long time to do it this way so I only check in on new posts, and then followup replies to me if I've posted a reply. With the drop in use it's now easier to do this than when the changes first happened!

    I still find the site less appealing visually than the older version.

  • amkoffee
    amkoffee Emis_Moderator

    Posted

    On an android phone... when I click in the text box it scrolls down to a point where I can't see the line I clicked on because it is covered with the ad at the bottom of the screen.

  • dmart7
    dmart7 Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    Basically, your changes appear to have ended the service. I joined the forum - just for one condition (PMR & GCA) - to see and occasionally join forum discussion. Now I don't see anything, unless I post a new thread - then I see replies. What is the point?

  • EileenH
    EileenH Emis_Moderator

    Posted

    I thought we were to get an email when a new thread started? I've just come onto the forum to find a new discussion posted 11 hours ago. Had I had an email I'd have looked - OTOH I did have an email for a reply to me in another thread on Steroids which is of far less importance to me.

    As dmart says - you will kill the forum entirely. Which I can only assume is the aim of the exercise unless you prove otherwise by your actions.

  • Emis_Moderator
    Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    Hi all,

    Just to reiterate - I am in discussions about reinstating email notifications that were stopped (New discussions/other users replies) so this is in hand.

    You can still see all of your notifications on this page and I have posted about improvements I have requested to the notifications page here.

    That post also gives details of how to use the notifications page to make it quicker to view your notifications.

    I will respond to individual queries and suggestions as required when I get time but I am keeping an eye on all feedback in various discussions so am aware of the feelings about emails and notifications.

    Regards,

    Alan

    • peggy_56092
      peggy_56092 Emis_Moderator

      Posted

      There needs to be a reason for the email, other than subject. I belong to several subjects but, other than PMR/GCA, I won't read them if I don't know what the problem is.

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga peggy_56092

      Edited

      Of course that relies on the person posting to use a sensible title for the post. 😄

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    Don't know if this feedback will be relevant: In early days on Patient (2015) I opted not to receive emails about new posts or replies, and went directly to the list of new posts which at that time appeared in some convenient spot. I liked this system. The emails had cluttered my spam folder but the notifications list was handy. Then with the changes notifications were moved so we now have to toggle back and forth, and I have always found this a very slow process although my computer is up to date and generally very fast for all other functions.

    The old version of Patient was very user friendly. This version has never been.

  • Twopies
    Twopies Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    since im not getting emails of any sort from this forum, i no longer even visit. sad because i got so much help here. if you dont reinstate email notifications then im afraid this forum is not for me, because im not gonna be checking all the time for new posts, replies to posts im interested in, etc, this forum is where i first learned just about everything i know about pmr. sorry to see it change to an unmanageable format.

  • gillian75478
    gillian75478 Emis_Moderator

    Edited

    I agree with others that say the original format was fine and user friendly, especially important when you need support at critical times when just diagnosed or flaring. Both times when pain affects mental capacity- times when one needs a simple forum for support

    The recent mess of this forum is putting a lot of members off using it. please can we go BACK to simplicity.

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