DG site feature - how about some how-to forum(s) - ???

I had a few random thoughts today as I was going through the PDG image queue and preparing to release today's images. (Definitely not epiphany "Eureka!" level stuff, but nonetheless...)

Would it be helpful to have a "how-to" forum for the PDB?

I know some people are hesitant to add to the PDB because they're afraid they'll "mess up" something. (If you're one of those people, please trust me when I say you AREN'T going to break the system!) Would our "sidelined" members feel more comfortable participating in the PDB if they could ask questions in a discussion forum setting?

On the other end of the spectrum, we have folks who plunge right in without understanding the terminology, so sometimes author citation names wind up in the cultivar field, genus in the family name field, etc. Duplicates arise when the family and genus names aren't filled in properly, and old/outdated family names are a chronic editor issue.

Speaking for the DG editors, I don't think anyone minds unraveling these occasional errors (because it means people are particpating in the growth of the PDB)...but I wonder if it would be helpful to have a place to discuss the do's and don'ts so folks can learn from others mistakes, or learn WHY something is an error?

Also questions such as how to effectively search and browse the PDB. We try to cover these in FAQs and the classic threads, but that's a one-way communication tool and I wonder if allowing an exchange of ideas would help bring some nifty tricks and tips to light for more users?

In the same vein....would a how-to forum for DG journals be helpful? What about the trade tools?

BTW, these are completely spontaneous, off-the-wall questions, so Dave will be learning about them by reading this post like everyone else (hopefully it's a pleasant surprise to him!)

Let me hear your thoughts, please. Good idea? Bad idea? Is it better to allow these questions to filter into the DG forum? Are the PDB editors ready to shoot me for this? (I imagine we'd be doing a lot of the question answering.... ;o)

Terry, any type of "how to" is going to be helpful to someone, if not one person then the next. Right now I'm just starting to learn to use the Journal feature (dabble when I can). The PDB has yeilded good results for me on the limited number of searches I have tried. I am way more interested in planting/growing requirements than I am the latin and greek terms for a speices. If I can get these from a "common name" search, I am a happy clam.

Terry....I think that would be a great idea! It can be frustrating when you are in the middle of something and get stuck and being able to pose your question and get quick help (and I always do here) can make the difference between somebody being successful or throwing up their hands and giving up.

I really haven't use any of the trading stuff yet so can't speak to that, but I think forums specific to using the PDB and journals would be a big help. Maybe another one for general tech type questions (stuff like needing java for chat or how to navigate to something (like the stuff in extras). The one thing that might be a bit tricking is placing and naming those forums in such a way that they will jump out to the people who need them since there are so many forums here. Maybe that could be handled by mentioning them in the "tour" for new members and putting a link to the appropriate one in each of the respective FAQ tabs. And I would bet you would have no problem getting some people who are heavy users of certain features to keep those forums on their favorites list so they can provide timely responses to members. Another thought is being able to go with a member to the chat room to walk them through a process. That allows more one on one interactivity to help somebody walk through a problem rather than having to go back and forth on posts or email.

These are just some thought off the top of my head too.

I think it would be a great idea. I have lots of plant pictures that could be added. The PDB sort of scares me. I only have one entry and Peggy, bless her heart, did that for me.

I talked with Dave and Trish a while back about specifying topics for our regular chat sessions. Not that off-topic stuff couldn't be posted, but provide some structure to them and draw in new chat participants who are interested in a particular topic. And of course, some of the suggested topics were along the same lines as the forums I suggested.

That idea fell through because I usually can't/don't arrange my schedule to be present during chat, so I never followed through to see if there was enough interest. And I also concluded that maneuvering through split screens/multiple windows or tabs is a daunting prospect for many people.

Sooooo......that's why I thought an asynchronous discussion (aka forum) might work better:

1) people can ask questions and/or reply when it's convenient to them; and

2) for those who don't operate their computers with multiple windows (they probably don't run with scissors either, *grin*), a familiar-feeling discussion forum allows them to go back and forth in whatever manner and pace is most comfortable to them; and

3) the same thread can remain "alive" and help many people over a long period of time (vs. a real-time chat which has no permanent record for others to read, ask followup questions or post an additional tip or idea.)

Other thoughts? If there are some drawbacks, please toss them out. They're just as important as the positive "let's do it" comments.

Put another way, feel free to post whether you think you would or wouldn't use these forums - that'll help me (and Dave, if he's amenable) gauge the interest level among current subscribers.

Boy would I love to have this added! I just can't figure how to add to my journals, how to get a favorite's list and how to put pictures in the PDB. I afraid I will mess it up . So I just don't do it. So this type of forum would be a life saver. Binky :)))))))

LOL @ runs with scissors :-)

I didn't mean during regular chat sessions. I think that would be too confusing with several convos going on at once. It think it is better to leave that as an open topic social thing. And I didn't mean in place of help forums. My only thought was that in some instances where someone is already trying to help real time (i.e. reloading the thread awaiting a response) it would be useful for just those 2 individuals to be able to go to a chat to talk back and forth. But it's not a biggie and I definitely agree with you...if it is a choice of one or the other the forums are the way to go for the reasons you listed.


Binky....to add a forum to you favorite list go to your "My Info" page from the tabs running across any DG page and then click on forums along the left hand menu. The just put a check in the boxes for the ones you want as your favorites.

If you have specific questions about adding to a journal feel free to email me and I will try to help if I can.

ooops sorry.....dunno where that L came from in Binky LOL

This message was edited Nov 4, 2004 1:49 PM

Good idea, Terry. I was definitely in that boat - didn't know quite how to proceed, so didn't. Asked admins questions, got instructions and encouragement, and still waited a month or more before I finally added a plant. Piece of cake after that. lol

Terry,

I think this is a really great idea. I'm still fumbling around quite a bit and any "how-to" help is welcome!

Can it be in a fairly obvious place? If it is hard to find, we'll need a "how-to" to find the "how-to"! :)

Mary Ev.

Terry, sounds like a workable idea to me.

I know there are "tips" under the Extras... such as adding "white space" (same as making paragraphs that DO NOT run on and on) but few folks ever find them. That singular subject has almost become one of my "pet peeves" mainly because so many of us older folks have a hard time reading those long posts.

So, I wonder if "How-to's" would fare any better? Certainly for many of us it would, but I really wonder how effective it might be for the casual user who perhaps has a plethora of information they could contribute and do not for lack of knowing 'how-to'?

I think it would be a great idea, knowing somebody is there to help out if they get to something and don't know what to do would help allot. I do have a question about the PDB one, would it be available to anybody that is using the PBD, or limited to just subscribed members?

Baa, Sue do we shoot her now or wait awhile? :)

Hehehe...hold your fire! ;>)

I think it could work pretty good! I know, for example, in the Computer Forum there are lots of times when folks guide others with tech tips, how-to's and cures, etc and it is VERY helpful to many. (Of course, as I read back what I just wrote I realize that happens in the majority of our DG Forums!)
Sounds like this new suggestion would be along the same helpful lines and very beneficial to all of us.

I think these would be useful. I try to "cruise" the DG forum in an effort to answer questions on the Journal (because I happen to *really* like that feature!). I know I'm the type to just jump-in and try something new, but many folks aren't and even don't feel comfortable asking a how-to question. By having a discussion forum for each of these features even the most reluctant would benefit by having the Q & A's there long after they are answered.

If these forums are implemented I think it would be IMPERATIVE to have a link in the feature itself to the How To Forum for that feature. In other words, a VERY visible link on the My Journal Home page to the Journal How To discussion forum. I think blue text links are NOT obvious. They need to be bold, blue hyperlinks in a slightly larger font to be truly visible.

Lastly, I think these forums could also be a vast resource of ideas for improvements to the current feature set; similiar to the thread Terry started on Journal/Trade List improvements. By the sheer act of asking a question about a feature, I think it should be registered as a potential area to improve. Meaning that if it's not intuitive then there's probably something we could (note the "we") do to improve the usability of that particular function. I'm a big proponent of intuitive design and ease of navigation! If it's not obvious how to use, then it doesn't get used.

langbr...one additional comment based on my own experience. I found it confusing to have a "how to" thread combined with a "we oughta" thread. Remember that newbies may not be reading those threads in real time. Some times I would read something that had been posted to a thread a couple of months ago and it was a true statement a couple of months ago. But at the time I read it, it was no longer valid because a feature had been changed (or not, or in some cases, changed and then changed back again) since the post I was reading had originally been posted. That is what I see as the one draw back to having how to forums. Unless somebody deligently edits all of the posts to keep them current and accurate, they could be giving misinformation if some aspect of the feature has been added, changed, or improved at some point after the Q&A was originally posted..

langbr - very well said, example - almost everyone runs a copy of microsoft office on their business machine, however, the only people who actually use the "access" database program, seem to have studied it in school. Reason - it is not an intuitive program.

PVille - Just to clarify....I wasn't suggesting we make the How To forum a We Ought To forum as well. Merely trying to point out that a How To generates a nice list of potential areas of improvement. Afterall, if one must ask "how to" then it must not be completely intuitive and in my book that means it could be improved. Guess that was an application design lesson I learned a LONG time ago....intuitive and easy to navigate!

Dyson - do they still sell Access bundled in Office? I thought they abandoned that a few years ago. If I've got Access and my DH didn't install it when he set up my latest computer I'm gonna go after him! Access can be self-taught (I'm proof) but it's an ugly thing to watch! LOL

Access is bundled with Office Professional (not Office Standard Edition). Most people Have office Professional available where they work - & don't know how too use it - Yes it can be self taught (though not always pretty results).

Understand langbr. But I think my point is still valid about the draw back of Q&As on a forum becoming outdated and inaccurate due to changes made subsequently. I know I went off on more than one wild goose chase because of that.

Dyson - Ahhhh...yes....DH wouldn't splurge for Office Pro. That 'splains it!

PVille - right you are.....I didn't mean to detract from your very astute point. I've been the victim of that myself here before in my earlier days (not that I'm an expert by any meaning of the word!). I just wanted to make sure my point wasn't mis-understood about a Q&A forum being a good source list for "fix its".

Y'all (or youse guys as the case may be) have a good eve - gotta call it a night, enjoyed it.

I'm shuffling off right behind ya, Dyson! 'nite John-Boy.....'nite Mary Ellen

Even one of the 'stickies' would help on PDB, you could go into detail later and elsewhere but at least folks would know there is help to be found. I love the stickies!

Ditto on the journals, it's just too hard for me to remember :(

Soooooo, yea or nay?

I backed off on these when we were looking at "downsizing" the number of forums last fall. (It seemed contradictory to be taking away forums while simultaneously adding new ones.) But now that we've stabilized again, a few forums have been brought back, and a few more may get enough requests to warrant a return engagement.....would having a forum for PF help or journal help be actively used? Or can we handle these discussions in the DG forum?

My 2 cents ! yea, like i said thats my 2 cents!!! :))))))

Dyson, I have office professional, but where do I find it?

I am not a computer whiz, so please bear with me. I can read and follow directions pretty well, thou!!

Maxine

Maxine, if it was installed when office pro was installed it will be there when you look at "open new office document" if not you will have to change the office setup (add components). This will require the disk. - Dyson

Terry
can it hurt to try it,
one, two, or more help forums
but they do need to be seperate from each other
i have problems with the trade lists & journals

Dick

Terry,

I truly *LIKE* the idea of an interactive help Forum for all aspects of the site. From this, tutorials or primers can be created and/or expanded upon for each.

It's not obvious at first that certain Forums will attract the attention of the admins more than others, even though the Forum descriptions do suggest that. ;)

It's always difficult to remember what a new member might have questions about when one has already passed that stage, even if it was only a couple of months ago! Most of us learn through trial and error and lotsa Contact Us questions enroute, which can be tedious at best for the admins to respond to (though they always do so with great courtesy).

If a new help Forum was set up, I suggest it be pre-populated with threads for the various aspects of the site along with links to existing FAQs sections (where they exist)... and perhaps only created by threads from the admins. Further threads could be broken out by the admins as deemed necessary.

Donna