How do you read a forum question?
I thought the redesign team might better understand my recent requests for changes, if they understood how I read a forum question:
- Has someone already answered this question (I'm usually looking for zero here)?
- How long has this question gone unanswered (or not marked correct answer)?
- If there is a reply, how long ago was this reply posted?
- Who posted the reply? (If it's Pooja, I always move onto the next question ).
- I'll skim the start of the reply.
- I'll probably read the whole reply if the poster isn't someone I recognize. (Icons are how I recognize people.)
- I'll check the name/icon of the poster to see if I recognize (I used to also check the reputation level # below the icon.)
- Finally, I'll read the Title of the post
- Then read the whole question
- Lastly I'll reply, or not.
I do this process for dozens of questions almost everyday. This used to be fairly easy and quick. Now it is much harder to pick out the parts that are most important to me for deciding whether to answer or not. #1-3 are all very light, gray and the smallest font size used, yet these are the things I need/want to find first. #4 is well, just plain too small. #5-9 work fine. #10 is again too light, and should be orange (?).
My point is that the emphasis of the design is on Large Title, Medium Question & Reply, and everything else is small and hard to see/find, yet these small bits are the most important deciding factors in whether I answer, or even read, a post.
How do you read a question? What parts are most important to you?
--Shawn
EDIT: Essentially I'm asking who is the Forum Overview stream designed for? Questioners, or Browsers or Answerers? I would argue that we answerers are the intended audience. We're the bees that need to be drawn to the nectar. Make your flower easy to see (read), and we'll be happy to pollinate your forums.
Message was edited by: Shawn Wallwork
Dec 11, 2015 8:43 AM
