Find Ancestors

at the top, "how to use the 'trying to find' board"?

If you did read it before posting a question here, would you indulge me and add a post to this thread?

If you like, tell us how it helped you to write your request for help.

Mostly, I'd be really happy just to know how many new users are *seeing* that message before they start a new thread.

Anybody who wants to keep this nudged over the weekend ...

Thanks!

nudge

I'll nudge it with the comment that as anything-but a newbie, I read it as a 'reminder' to myself! ...but it does seem that not too many newbies are following the advice therein? It would help them so much..and I'd like to see it on 'Records' too.

:))

Does not seem that old and new members are taking the slightest bit of notice of the sticky

n

Not new to TTF, but i read it to ensure that I am doing the right thing

n

Needs to be at the top of the board, permanently. As Glitter Baby states, this means OLD and new. At the moment, it is a question who is taking notice of the rules, or not, the most.
I despair, I really do.
Julia in Derbyshire
PS Hope you don't mind Janey C.

It is "stickied" at the top of the board but it seems not being read as there are duplicate posts occuring still !

Elizabeth, I meant this thread of Janey's. Have seen the sticky, and read it.
Julia in Derbyshire

Heh. Well, GR so far hasn't responded to my suggestion in the email I sent as soon as the pinned post appeared.

New users are reading *their surname boards*. They are not reading the full TTF board. Sometimes they never do. So they are not even *seeing* this guidance.

If anybody agrees with what I sent (below), feel free to say it to GR too!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My first suggestion would be that the guidance given in it be included on the page users are taken to when they click the link for starting a new thread (Add Topic). Only if it is presented directly to each user can it be certain that they will see it.

One reason for this is the huge design flaw in the present arrangement.

Your emails to users constantly direct them to go to their "surname boards" -- subsets of the various family history boards at the site, composed of queries categorized by the surname that users enter on their new posts.

For example, at Trying to Find, one can "Filter by surname" for, say, Smith. The subset of the TTF board that one is then taken to *does not* show the "How to use the 'Trying to Find; board" thread pinned at the top.

The guidance is directed at new users -- but because new users are likely reading their "surname boards", not the full Trying to Find board, they will still never see it. ...

So, there are alternate solutions:

- ensure that the post is pinned at the top of every "surname board" (and it is needed on the other boards, not just TTF)

- include the guidance on the page where users start new discussion threads when they click the "Add Topic" link, itself

As someone who spends ages every single day, sending messages out letting people know they have replies and how to find them, I have to say I totally agree with JC on this one.


Most new users are NOT reading either the FAQs or the notes pinned to the boards, they are either using the filter or posting 'blindly'.


Some are savvy enough to sort things out for themselves......too many others are not.

Many are elderly and quite a few are not adept on a computer.

A huge majority expect to be notified in their message box.

I know this from the many replies I receive.


Probably best for GR to put the guidance on a page which flashes up when they click on the Add Topic link and for them to put better instructions on the Filter system, especially about replying to old posts!!!


Yep....I'll contact Genes too JC.



Hey.....if they get organised, I'll be out of a job! What a relief......I'm quite paranoid about not missing a day because there are some nice folk out there and I don't want them to miss out on the info found for them.



Cx

"Probably best for GR to put the guidance on a page which flashes up when they click on the Add Topic link and for them to put better instructions on the Filter system, especially about replying to old posts!!!"

That is what is *really* needed, and would be so simple. It's how it's done at other well-managed sites I'm used to.

While you're at it, Cynthia, suggest that they expand the size of the boxes we're supposed to type in. There is absolutely no reason to make us compose in boxes this tiny. (Especially that "edit" box. It's ridiculous.)

The page that appears when you click "Add Topic" should consist of the guidance *first*, and then, when you scroll down, a *big* box for typing the message in.

I have actually, cross my heart, heard from someone who thought they could only type as much as there was space for in the tiny box.

A bump for late night / early morning, and anyone's thoughts.

I hadn't thought about the size of the boxes Janey and I've never had a comment on them.

Mind you, those who just put "looking for my gt.grandfather" followed by "Thanks", don't warrant much space. However, those of us who are more verbose.......well.......... :))

Nudged off page 3.... There may be just-on-Sunday researchers about.

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn. Nudging again for Sunday searchers.

So as surveys go, this one's a flop. ;)

Failed to reach the target population, I guess -- and I guess that proves the hypothesis!