The Future of the Forum

[0f4d0335]

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Let's please be constructive.

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Survey the incoming userbase about what?

Ok. I can work with this, but I'm uncertain if my feedback is desired as I had been previously dismissed and then told I have poor reading comprehensive skills. Then I was reminded that I need to be constructive.

In IT there is UX research done for product development. When merging one product to a different platform, user research should be conducted to identify pain points, features they like, and improvements desired. Personas are typically given to categories of users when developing such as the newbie, the power user, the developer, etc. To navigate issues in design and governance, it's best to include community members, evaluate current state and proof of concepts, and give the community a chance to provide input, test the environment, and offer governance suggestions. This would create a sense of ownership and reduces resistance.

What I've done on my own with my free time was visit Discourse, create an account, and onboard. I looked at the available threads and noted my impression. A few days later after thinking about my experience, I provided my experience to the forum. I identified pain points. You tell me that you've been here a long time, and that I shouldn't worry. Can you not see how this could be frustrating?

Anyways. Here's how the users can be surveyed here. It can be in a forum thread. If no one responds, I would assume a total greenfield and do whatever.

1. Introduce the survey, emphasizing how the feedback will help make the decision (either to migrate or create a separate Discourse).
2. Provide a scale, like 1 - 5 to determine responses. Provide text input for elaboration: what features do you use often, what features are difficult or frustrating, are you concerned about the change, biggest concerns (text or multiple choice), would prefer separate, forum, or migration?
3. Allow users to suggest wishlist items.
4. Provide a survey on the UX of the current state of Discourse: is it easy to create an account, what features do you like, what do you find difficult, concerns, etc.
5. Provide a survey on the governance of UF and Discourse, are the rules fair, do you feel safe, do you feel inhibited, etc.
6. Offer a small incentive like badges or recognition for the survey.

- https://www.jonobacon.com/books/artofcommunity/


My critique is that deconstruction of feedback isn't helpful and causes resistance. Perhaps we're not wanted because we haven't been using the forums long enough or in a way that Canonical finds meaningful. That in itself is a lot to unpack. But if you want the project to be successful, I highly recommend going down the traditional method of adopting new platforms and software using UX principals. It's free and it's pro-user, which is why software is open source in the first place.

[wildmanne39]

Originally Posted by ian-weisser

I think the fact that I'm here, very active, and shouting "It can be done! And Discourse wants this!" shows that Discourse is receptive.
I gently disagree that "the effort will fail." We all strongly disagree with any solution that results in support requests "second class." Other peer projects have done it successfully, and this thread has links to them. Let's please be constructive.

I completely agree with this.