How can we improve the forums? Your suggestions and comments please

[Chris_B]

Hi all, this thread is a running commentary for all members on things for improvements to the forums. This can be anything from how it looks, the categories, to moderation, community rules etc.

While we might not be able to implement everything straightaway, or keep everyone happy all of the time, we'd like to hear about what you think we can do better.

This is not a thread for discussing the moderation or editing of individual posts - if you have questions about this please contact the team offline via email modsupport@beyondblue.org.au

To avoid repeating suggestions already received, below are some results from our last user survey giving an indication of which new features people would like to see on the forums. This survey was answered by 1,597 users:

44% - Email notification when I have a reply on the forum
39% - Access to the forums via an app
27% - Ability to block seeing posts by specific users
25% - Ability to contact users privately
25% - Ability to use emoticons
25% - Ability to follow posts by specific users
24% - Ability to share links
23% - Forum posts visible only to registered users
22% - A profile, viewable by others users, where I can introduce myself
21% - Ability to quickly access all posts by a particular user
15% - Ability to tag users in a conversation
10% - Ability to share images
6% - Ability to share videos
17% - None of these

Update July 2022 - This discussion has now been closed. Please go to the updated version below to share feedback and follow our updates:

How can we improve the Forums?

[quirkywords]

The last feedback was at start of September on this thread. The last feedback on the update forum thread was 10 September. So there has been feedback.

[geoff]

Hi Everyone, thanks Summer Rose and others for your comments, and for a long time I've been on the forums and in all those years all we hear about and have heard, is that the forums will be upgraded and this was well before the COVID, but month after month nothing happens.

I appreciate all the work BB does, don't get me wrong, but we don't see any changes to the online forums, all we hear is that there are going to be updates, these have been set, that have long past, so I wonder whether this is going to happen as we draw close to another year very soon.

Could we possibly have a definite date, not in a few months time, that's been said far too often and has not happened.

Remember we all work hard providing help to others and just want some honesty.

Geoff.

[Hanna3]

I still see new people posting on BB and the initial post is moved to a sub-heading so fast I lose it before responding and I find some new posts sitting with no responses or welcome days later, because nobody knows they are there.

I don't know the solution to this problem but I draw people's attention to it. Can the people running BB take a look at this problem. It is not OK for new people to get no response for days. Thanks.

[Croix]

Dear Hanna3~

I have to say that there has been a marked decrease in posts that have not been answered reasonably promptly, and this is due to an increase in Community Champions and a new method by Moderators. That is not to say it might never happen, particularly if a new poster posts on the end of an existing thread, but overall the situation is better.

Should you find a post that has gone unanswered for an excessive time (and here I do not mean just a day or so) then by all means report it, or if you feel it is appropriate pop a response in yourself - it does not have to be long, though your posts are pretty spot-on and helpful.

(As there is a constant search of unanswered posts which are a day or so old they are normally picked up anyway)

In relation to the change of Section for a thread, yes they can be placed in a more appropriate place, often promptly. This as you would appreciate is to get potentially distressing matters out of the Welcome Area and at the same time, by placing the thread in a more appropriate Section increase the chances of the poster attracting attention and being replied to.

I'm not sure how to overcome this difficulty if you have not posted, perhaps simply making a note of the poster's name or thread name and searching for it. If you have in fact posted in a thread and it is moved your link should remain valid in your My Threads list.

I don't know if that helps at all, I hope so

Croix

[Hanna3]

Hi Croix,

Thanks for your reply mate! I didn't know extra effort was going on to try to ensure newcomers are responded to promptly. It bothers me to think of new people posting - which can be scary - and then not receiving a timely response, so what you've said is reassuring.

I am usually not where I can write down a note of the post and I often have limited time and energy to write a good response but I hadn't thought to report the post, so good idea and thank you!

I appreciate your help and many thanks Mr Croix!

[geoff]

Hello Croix, it's good there has been an increase in Community Champions but I'm having some difficulty seeing their replies and if a 'new method' has been employed, then how do you know and no one else.

Geoff.

[tranzcrybe]

Hi Hanna,

I suggested a while ago that first posts should be made 'sticky' (pinned). This keeps them 'current' until at least one person replies.

>> If postcount = 1

>> Then 'pinned'

>> Else 'unpinned'

Perhaps there are some rarely visited pinned threads that could be archived to make room for a special 'first posters' category in the relevant section and also at the top of 'New threads'?

Since many new CC's are psych students, a notification based on field specialty/interest might connect the relevant support in the first instance to just touch base. While mod support does trigger effectively a response, there is some predictability in the content which can come across as impersonal/contrived at times.

[Croix]

Dear Tranzcrybe~

I think you have seen part of the problem and come up with at least a part solution, and that's great. Please don't think I'm being critical by giving you a fuller response, just filling you in.

Flagging new threads where the poster's postcount=1 is certainly a most desirable feature.

In addition new threads where the poster's postcount>1 means the poster has said something (which may be highly significant) previously, and needs to be looked up before answering.

The really difficult one is picking up new posters who post in an existing thread, very easy to overlook.

I'm not sure about categorization new champs becuse they are undertaking a course of study. Champs are all volunteers, and like everyone else here have had difficulties to overcome in their lives

Flagging a certain sort of post to a particular Champ may cause undue stress and pressure. In my own case I go looking for some to answer and others to avoid. It would not work well if I felt a constant obligation to answer particular posts.

Croix

[geoff]

Hi Croix, it's important to reply to someone who has got back to you, because they have been able to assimilate with your comments.

If we don't reply back to them then they may disappear and not come back, because there may be a specific question they want to know, we can't leave them to wonder and not have any direction from someone who has been through the same experience.

I've been a volunteer here for 20 years and endeavour to answer anyone who comes back to me and if I do happen to miss their query or answer then I apologise, it's not my intention at all.

I certainly don't differentiate to whom I reply to, everyone is the same wanting help and as a volunteer that's what I signed up to 20 years ago.

Geoff.

[Eiffel]

If you dont change, you wont change, but Ill leave the details up to you! Although, I suggest you keep the name for a while. The more I think about it the more I like it! "Blue" is a colour that can mean many things. It is mostly an objective description. For example "that ball is blue" However, this is incorrect. The blue is a description from the observers point of view and if we use physics then the "blue" is a field that extends throughout the entire universe (if we had a powerful enough telescope) according to the inverse square rule. Ie, we all share each others depression.

Alternatively, we could think subjectively. Eg "im blue". However this denotes an infinitesimally small instant in time, which is as absurd as an incorrectly conceived "infinitely long" period without hope. What time is is a transition. It is never a single instance, for if it is, it disappears (the mathematics of absolute zero should here satisfy any scienticians). This brings me back to the name "beyond blue" it works! It supports a transition! Please keep it (until you can transition into a better one of course lol)