Serious design flaw: it's very difficult now to select the correct forum category when starting new threads

[Jingthing]

I'm not sure exactly when this negative change went into effect but as a high volume poster I feel that I can speak with authority on this matter.

 

Forum designers should strive to make it easier and more intuitive to start new threads.

 

Not harder.

 

Certainly not much harder. 

 

Don't believe me?

 

Test a start of a new thread.

 

First you must choose the category. 

 

Notice that most of the categories are not shown in the top level list and if you have a specific category in mind it's not at all intuitive which top level category to click to find it.

 

It's my strong opinion that this very user unfriendly design is having two negative effects. 

 

Mainly and most importantly suppression of many new topics because it's just too difficult now to start a new thread because of how hard it is now to pick the category.

 

Also people posting in the wrong forum and requiring correction.

[ubonjoe]

Do you mean posting a new topic when on the main page of the forum.

If you do that you will get this after clicking start new topic.

 

If you do it on the forum you want the start the topic you do not get that when you click this in top right side if the forum.

[Jingthing]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Do you mean posting a new topic when on the main page of the forum.

If you do that you will get this after clicking start new topic.

 

If you do it on the forum you want the start the topic you do not get that when you click this in top right side if the forum.

I'm trying to understand why you think that is relevant to my complaint.

Doesn't EITHER start point get you to the exact same list that I talked about?

The issue isn't about how to navigate to start, but how difficult it is to select the exact subforum category you need.

Could be I'm missing something. If so, please try to explain.

If not, my characterization of this as a serious design flaw stands. 

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Doesn't EITHER start point get you to the exact same list that I talked about?

No they don't.

When do it in the forum you are going to post the topic in you do not have the list. It goes directly to this.

[scubascuba3]

11 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Do you mean posting a new topic when on the main page of the forum.

If you do that you will get this after clicking start new topic.

 

If you do it on the forum you want the start the topic you do not get that when you click this in top right side if the forum.

This is the problem i reported to Support a couple weeks ago and heard nothing, categories are greyed out so I can't post.

 

But posting as you suggest is a good work around thanks

[Jingthing]

33 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No they don't.

When do it in the forum you are going to post the topic in you do not have the list. It goes directly to this.

Thank you for trying to help but I must say now that the plot thickens.

Yes, that's how I USED to open topics, directly from the subforums that I wanted to start new threads in.

But for me at least, this NO LONGER works!

Edge Browser on Windows 10 and Chrome browser on Android phone.

Attempting to directly start threads from either the top level WITHIN a subforum or from within a specific thread WITHIN a forum brings me to that exact same totally hellish user unfriendly pick list. 

Again, maybe this is user error.

But if it's user error for me, surely there must be many others.

Others have complained the forum is stale.

Have you considered that part of the reason might be this TECHNICAL issue, suppressing new threads in this way?

[ubonjoe]

Not sure what the problem you are having is.

You cannot open a new topic within a existing topic (or as you call it a thread).

The only place I can get a that dropdown menu is when clicking    from the forum home page.

 

 

For example it is not on this sub forum.

[Jingthing]

It appears that you have misunderstood my actual complaint. It's not that I can't start topics. I can start topics. But to do so I always get that pick list and that pick list's design is often very poor as far as actually getting to the subforum you want. 

[ubonjoe]

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

This is the problem i reported to Support a couple weeks ago and heard nothing, categories are greyed out so I can't post.

You have to click the arrow to get to the forums list.

After clicking it and you see this.

And then you hover the mouse of over one and click it.

 

 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

You have to click the arrow to get to the forums list.

After clicking it and you see this.

And then you hover the mouse of over one and click it.

 

 

I know that.

This is getting frustrating. 

Maybe reread the OP.

 

[scubascuba3]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You have to click the arrow to get to the forums list.

After clicking it and you see this.

And then you hover the mouse of over one and click it.

 

 

Yes works now, has it just been fixed? not sure why they are greyed out? Thailand golf is greyed out, Philippines golf not greyed out? not consistent

[Doctor Tom]

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

This is the problem i reported to Support a couple weeks ago and heard nothing, categories are greyed out so I can't post.

 

But posting as you suggest is a good work around thanks

'work around', why bother if the forum bosses cant make it easy to do as it used to be.  I have stopped posting new subjects its just too  much hassle.  I suspect that is no problem for me or for other members. 

[scubascuba3]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I know that.

This is getting frustrating. 

Maybe reread the OP.

 

you need to post examples because your Op is unclear, just a rant really

[Doctor Tom]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

you need to post examples because your Op is unclear, just a rant really

The OP is making a perfectly clear and valid point. 

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

The OP is making a perfectly clear and valid point. 

Nope, if someone says something is unclear then it's unclear to them, examples help, nothing was provided, just a rant

[mikebike]

I don't know, but the O.P. seems to be stuck into doing things the way he used to. I just tested starting a thread in an obscure subforum using Joe's method of starting the thread in that subforum and it was childishly simple.

 

Galaxy phone using chrome.

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Nope, if someone says something is unclear then it's unclear to them, examples help, nothing was provided, just a rant

Egads. 

It wasn't a rant.

The problem was explained. 

It's a legitimate usability complaint. 

That the pick list is very much not intuitive.

 

But it's fair to request an example. 

 

Here is an example  

 

Suppose you know you want to post a new topic in Home Country Forum or Farang Pub.

 

You peruse the top level headings of the pick list.

 

Where might these be under?

 

Thailand General Chat?

 

Thailand Local Forums?

 

Thailand Extra Forums?

 

Quite often its a real chore to locate your specific choice on the pick list. 

 

 

I think it would be much more usable to show a complete expanded list perhaps with the top level headings emphasized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HeijoshinCool]

34 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I know that.

This is getting frustrating. 

Maybe reread the OP.

 

.

 

I'm still going to call it TV, too, so there......

[Jingthing]

13 minutes ago, mikebike said:

I don't know, but the O.P. seems to be stuck into doing things the way he used to. I just tested starting a thread in an obscure subforum using Joe's method of starting the thread in that subforum and it was childishly simple.

 

Galaxy phone using chrome.

Well again that's how I used to do but it no longer works. If it gives you entertainment to insult me about this please enjoy yourself. 

[HeijoshinCool]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Egads. 

It wasn't a rant.

The problem was explained. 

It's a legitimate usability complaint. 

That the pick list is very much not intuitive.

 

But it's fair to request an example. 

 

Here is an example  

 

Suppose you know you want to post a new topic in Home Country Forum or Farang Pub.

 

You peruse the top level headings of the pick list.

 

Where might these be under?

 

Thailand General Chat?

 

Thailand Local Forums?

 

Thailand Extra Forums?

 

Quite often its a real chore to locate your specific choice on the pick list. 

 

 

I think it would be much more usable to show a complete expanded list perhaps with the top level headings emphasized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

Took me the better part of 20 minutes to find the Pet forum.....

 

Used to be simple, for the simple-minded like me.

 

 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, HeijoshinCool said:

.

 

Took me the better part of 20 minutes to find the Pet forum.....

 

Used to be simple, for the simple-minded like me.

 

 

Thank you!

I'm sure there are many others experiencing this as very poor design and I'm also sure many people just give up on starting new topics that they otherwise would have started.

 

[HeijoshinCool]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Thank you!

I'm sure there are many others experiencing this as very poor design and I'm also sure many people just give up on starting new topics that they otherwise would have started.

 

.

 

They are trying to pack 10 pounds of sand in a 1 pound bag.

 

(Sand wasn't the word I really wanted to use.)

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, HeijoshinCool said:

.

 

They are trying to pack 10 pounds of sand in a 1 pound bag.

 

(Sand wasn't the word I really wanted to use.)

What's getting me is the lack of perception that this is a real usability problem. 

[HeijoshinCool]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What's getting me is the lack of perception that this is a real usability problem. 

.

 

I'm sure they are listening.....

 

Just yesterday I saw a stack of these on a clipboard next to the front door of ThaiVisa:

 

[lopburi3]

Indeed it is a nightmare to wade through trying to find topics - but that was also the case since some bright sparks decided forum should have more topics than members and a simple page or two search become a novel - for more advertising baht.  Believe they are trying to make it appear easier with new format but there are just too many mouths to feed to get real and consolidate topics.  

[ubonjoe]

59 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Maybe reread the OP.

I have read it more than once.

I only can show you what I see.

Do some screen shots of what you seeing that is different.

[Johnny Mac]

Totally agree. Doesn't bother me as such as I rarely start a topic, but I did a few weeks back and it took an absolute age to find the correct forum etc, to post it on.

[Jingthing]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I have read it more than once.

I only can show you what I see.

Do some screen shots of what you seeing that is different.

This isn't a technical issue.

Its a usability design issue. 

 

I'll repost this:

 

Here is an example  

 

Suppose you know you want to post a new topic in Home Country Forum or Farang Pub.

 

You peruse the top level headings of the pick list.

 

Where might these be under?

 

Thailand General Chat?

 

Thailand Local Forums?

 

Thailand Extra Forums?

 

Quite often its a real chore to locate your specific choice on the pick list. 

 

 

I think it would be much more usable to show a complete expanded list perhaps with the top level headings emphasized.

 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

Totally agree. Doesn't bother me as such as I rarely start a topic, but I did a few weeks back and it took an absolute age to find the correct forum etc, to post it on.

Thank you.

 

Perhaps they should have done formal usability QA tests watching actual users opening new topics.

[mikebike]

47 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Well again that's how I used to do but it no longer works. If it gives you entertainment to insult me about this please enjoy yourself. 

There was nothing insulting in my post. And it most definitely DOES work.