Sub-forum organization and cleaning.

Suggestion for Nokia Beta Labs

02-04-2009 14:15

I'd like to suggest the ability to categorize issues/threads within a forum.

As you may know, I spend a great deal of time over on the SportsTracker forum. The nature of our particular Beta app is one without updated change-logs, FAQ, how-to's etc. Furthermore, the NST Team has their hands full and is unable to interact with forum users in the way other Beta dev's seem to.

We just had a couple version upgrades and consequently a ton of new traffic. Yet without dev interaction, I and a few others take it upon ourselves to answer questions and resolve issues as often as possible.

However, the forum is becoming difficult for new users to quickly access specific information, naturally proliferating unnecessary and redundant thread topics.

I would love to see, and certainly be a part of, a clean-up and organization of our forum with sub-categories. Examples could be: Installation issues, GPS, Website problems, Application features, Maps, Media, etc. Also an ability to move redundant topics to these categories and/or killing the thread altogether would aid in the organization.

SportsTracker is one of your most popular Betas and I want it to be even more so. Easy access to quality information with good organization is essential.

-David

Current setup: e61 unbranded product code 0529654 Euro-B1 Silver. Firmware: 3.0633.09.04. Theme: Ovi blue. Service provider: 3 Sweden. Peripherals: Bluemax ext BT GPS module

Comments

Submitted by djh.sthlm on 02-04-2009 15:09.

Also regarding clean-up ideas, think "When a bug is not a bug".

Not really sure how you guys award decorations for Bug killer; The report itself, volume of reports or assisting others' bug issues. Personally, I've done a lot more of the latter. Nevertheless, sometimes a bug is not a bug, and would-be suggestions are already in place.

Sometimes a new user comes in and posts the same thing as a bug, suggestion and discussion. (you saw that here today with the internet radio post)

Perhaps we could define a few sub-categories, requiring a user to choose one when creating new threads. Examples of good topic organization in other forums can can be seen when you're asked to consider the following previous topics before submitting a new one.

-David

Current setup: e61 unbranded product code 0529654 Euro-B1 Silver. Firmware: 3.0633.09.04. Theme: Ovi blue. Service provider: 3 Sweden. Peripherals: Bluemax ext BT GPS module

Submitted by tommivilkamo on 02-04-2009 18:45.

I violently agree: we need to figure out a way to do organization and cleaning (hopefully, collaborate one between the community + Nokia dev teams). I wonder how to do it, in an effective way... Do you know any good examples how other companies/organizations/communities deal with this?

Ilkka: let's have a chat :-)

Submitted by ilkkapeltola on 03-04-2009 08:31.

I agree as well. There are a number of remedies we might try to address this problem, e.g.
1) the screening / forced lesson suggested by snowy here: http://betalabs.nokia.com/forum/topic/1541 . This would make the audience a bit more educated and thus perhaps lead to less problems.
2) easier search function to the forums + the same search as an autosuggest feature when typing a topic, also by snowy here: http://betalabs.nokia.com/forum/topic/229 . This would make it a lot easier to see what is already discussed and thus reduce the duplicates.
3) categorization of the forums (this has been talked about already before). This would enable categorization, thus reducing the chaos and making the forums a bit more enjoyable.

Yup, all very valuable things that the Sports Tracker forum would definitely benefit from. Again, I have to apologize that the development is already very busy, we have a long backlog of improvements and fixes that need addressing and only a finite amount of resources. But eventually, I want to see such features here myself too.

Submitted by djh.sthlm on 03-04-2009 09:11.

The way I see things, NBL participants show up for two (2) main reasons:

1) Those seeking information and assistance.

2) Those interested in participating in the development of the Beta projects.

Let's say all registered NBL users become general users upon sign up. Everyone still can participate in all the threads in all the current forums. Then, perhaps as Snowy suggested, a second level NBL club (like Pilots) admission would permit more involvement in suggestions and bug reporting. Again, as Snowy suggested, here is where an informal test or nomination would be required for qualification. Nothing complicated, just a simple step to better define that level of user.

Another idea I had is more of a paradigm shift from the current NBL structure. Using the same user classification I pointed out at the top, what if the NBL projects' basic useful information was extracted from the current forum format and diverted to a "Wiki" for each project? Each projects "Wiki" could be added to and edited with the help of certain second-tier NBL users. Each "Wiki" could contain all known information of a specific project with history, how-to, etc.

With that idea, the current forums would become less congested and require less maintenance and continued organization to be effective.

I realize how busy everyone must be so I thank you for simply having the time to read my ideas.

-David

Current setup: e61 unbranded product code 0529654 Euro-B1 Silver. Firmware: 3.0633.09.04. Theme: Ovi blue. Service provider: 3 Sweden. Peripherals: Bluemax ext BT GPS module

Submitted by ilkkapeltola on 03-04-2009 12:44.

Back in the day, we had thought about wikis and how they could be used quite in the way you are suggesting here. I don't remember exactly what the reason was why we didn't want to implement them. Perhaps we didn't think of narrowing down the users with wiki rights back then. Now, as the community has already formed somewhat, introducing a wiki that was editable by a more narrowed down group of users might actually work. This is definitely something we should consider implementing in the long term.

Submitted by mbrett on 04-04-2009 10:05.

More open rights may be logical for comments, but the ability to create new posts should probably be limited as too many new posts are being generated without review of exisiting posts. If more people were available for policiong then posts could be placed more as suggested posts than being uploaded instantaneously although this may annoy some sinics out there. Totally agree that something needs to be done though.

mbrett
N95 8Gb (Product Code: 0558787 (UK)) FW 31.0.018

Submitted by snowy on 06-04-2009 23:25.

Excellent topic discussion @ djh.sthlm, thx for bringing it up.
I remember it was discussed in the past but was left alone to see how things will flow.
At the moment i will stay quiet but follow the discussion, Thx to Ilkka he already provided my suggestions :) Also to add to his list is #4 again suggested by yours truly "Snowy" a community involved moderating system using the flagging feature, but i guess it safe to call it in test trials.
http://betalabs.nokia.com/forum/topic/1540

Submitted by djh.sthlm on 08-04-2009 08:20.

Good morning!

Will one of you kindly place a sticky post (similar to the "Read this first" you have at the top of this forum) for us over at the SportsTracker page? It would be great if our forum was lead off with a message from Admin and gives the rest of us something official to point to when it's needed.

We've touched on this idea previously and I was hoping for a sticky with a brief message/welcome from the NST team, possibly with a couple bullets on what they're looking for from NBL community involvement.

Thank you.

Kind Regards,

-David

Current setup: e61 unbranded product code 0529654 Euro-B1 Silver. Firmware: 3.0633.09.04. Theme: Ovi blue. Service provider: 3 Sweden. Peripherals: Bluemax ext BT GPS module

Submitted by mbrett on 08-04-2009 10:38.

How about a discussion with a sticky at the top of each application forum which can noly be commented on by the Beta Labs team and relevant App. Dev. Team for posts on progress, Wants/Needs, Feedback.

Maybe this could be more of a twitter esq. discussion to minimise the time taken for the Dev. Teams to coment. Not as much a discussion but more of one liners. Hopefully you can see what I am getting at. The ideas in my head but as stated in the title may need some more thought.

Trying to make it take as little time as possible out of the Dev. Team's valuable time.

mbrett
N95 8Gb (Product Code: 0558787 (UK)) FW 31.0.018

Submitted by djh.sthlm on 08-04-2009 10:54.

An admin-only sticky would seem ideal.

That way the dev teams could announce, ask and acknowledge all from one spot.

Efficient.

-David

Current setup: e61 unbranded product code 0529654 Euro-B1 Silver. Firmware: 3.0633.09.04. Theme: Ovi blue. Service provider: 3 Sweden. Peripherals: Bluemax ext BT GPS module

Submitted by mbrett on 08-04-2009 11:05.

An ability for the originator to close or request the closer of a discussion when the proble has been solved (in the case of a Bug Report) or the Beta Labs team to be able to close a discussion if it is a suggestion and they have actiond or are not going to action it with a closure statement. The Beta Labs closure could be done on a Bug Report if they beleive it has been rectified, althuogh it would be nice if teh originator had the option tor re-open if they find the problem is not corrected.

Basically flagging of active / inactive discussions to limit posts for the sake of posst when the original issues have been answered (corrected or no furhter action planned).

mbrett
N95 8Gb (Product Code: 0558787 (UK)) FW 31.0.018

Submitted by snowy on 10-04-2009 10:53.

A quick and long term solution are needed, i can speak now of a quick term solution.

-This message is specific for @Tommi.
In this thread comment #5 http://betalabs.nokia.com/forum/topic/1477 You liked the idea very much of a thread that encompassed a topic that hits in one general area.
I've discussed this in the past but maybe is the time to use this idea.
Simply create these topics you like coming from the Dev Team according to their taste and users will follow. A very simple way of direction and keeping certain areas of the project under one thread.

-Concerning better communication with the dev teams i will follow the open discussion here http://betalabs.nokia.com/forum/topic/1147 and provide my feedback.

(Sub category's are a must in the future, but i guess that will take time on the back end as for example Nokia Photo Browser at the moment is only a topic for touch devices, soon the addition of non-touch will just kill things.)

P.S I would also further the push of this method http://betalabs.nokia.com/forum/topic/1540 to help put threads and comments together.