Lack of interest User Profile posts need a different workflow

[briansol]

I'm finding that a good majority of new members who are facebook account join-ins simply don't understand how to use a forum. They 'post to their wall' and expect to get answers there.

While the side bar shows that they did this, no one really goes there to answer their questions. In order to be good to the newbies, it requires moderator intervention, creating more work, and the users get discouraged when we tell them that they 'did it wrong' and we're finding few of these people ever re-post their question in a thread.

I would like to see the way the profile 'status' update works to be more clear that it is not for interacting with the board or for questions in some manner. I don't know how myself... but i'm very tempted to just turn the feature off because it's diluting inexperienced forum folks from being successful new members.

 

[Martok]

You could create a newbie thread that explains things like profile posts and use a notice that shows to new members that links to the thread. You could also use a notice that's targeted at the profile page with a brief explanation of it's use.

 

[Chris D]

You could also actually not give the permission to new users for profile posts and then promote them to a user group where they can use them after X posts have been made on the forum.

 

[Xon]

You could also actually not give the permission to new users for profile posts and then promote them to a user group where they can use them after X posts have been made on the forum.

I find this is a useful anti-spam measure too.

 

[briansol]

Yes, i'm aware that all these groups, notices, how-to's, and promotions can be built, that is not the point of this thread. This is, after all, in the suggestions forum.

The user experience for those who are used to facebook only don't understand how to use the software. There is a serious issue within the user experience that needs to be studied around the way the profile is assumed to be the place to interact, when in fact it is not the place.

I'm hoping this gets looked at for 2.0

 

[Chris D]

I'm aware it is a suggestion.

However, isn't it nice to be given some solutions which may allow you to implement something similar now in lieu of the feature not yet existing?