New forum design - your feedback!

[Anonymous]

You didn't think you'd escape from this question, did you?

It's been about a month since the launch of the new design and during this time we've amended some things, added others, moved others around and you guys had the chance to get used to the new format.

What do you think about it now? Do you find it more efficient/user friendly/attractive? How would you rate it on a 0-10 scale?

[Anonymous]

I've spoken to Toby about this.

On an iPhone if I'm I've chosen the full version I have to go into landscape mode or it's all jumbled up and names encroach into the post itself.

I still cannot use the rich editor on my iPhone in full mode. This has worked before so I cannot understand why not now.

I have posted snapshots of the things I've raised to Toby and he's feeding this back.

Ref the initial layout I like it especially as it now has the unread posts button in plain sight obviously apart from what I've said above.

The colours are easy on my eye and the sections look ok to me.

Rating 8/10 for me.

[anticpated]

I realise you have a mobile version of the O2 website however has the development team ever considered a fully Responsive layout? That is, it adapts to the browser, device and screen size. The reason I ask this is because I prefer using the full website layout although some the text becomes misfitted and it can make the text harder to read.

This is something I have encountered with the orientation on all mobile devices I have.

Other than that small pedant, I find the new layout easy to use and it's logical to me at least.

As for those who I think I've be on the meds again...here's a link about it.

https://developers.google.com/webmasters/smartphone-sites/details

[Anonymous]

* "Get Help With Your Mobile Device" section is a different colour/image/template from other sections and still disappears into the page. I still find myself scrolling past that section by mistake. These should be blue and the same size as the other sections...or make the other sections the same colour as they were going to be in the "Design 2" option you shared with us here

* Text on the page is far far far too big. Scrolling should be an ancient art, and I have a fairly large monitor so have to do less scrolling than probably alot of users. I've had to do a "Ctrl+Scrollwheel down" to make the page smaller so more fits on it.

* I actually quite like the mobile site on my Z10, but like BandofBrothers I can only post plain text.

* Why does the "Latest Topics" section take up so much screen real estate? I still think its a bad idea to have the "Latest Topic" section at the very top of the Community as it could very easily be abused. Why not swap it for a "Recently Solved" section?

* I'm also still confused by the graphics for each section:  Balloons for Off-topic? An HTC and a Lumia (possibly the smallest subset of customers O2 actually have!) for Pay monthly/PAYG? 

* The "Get Help With O2 Products & Services" looks really disjointed with 5 sections.

Overall the new look has grown on me and I do actually like it, particularly the mobile site although I still have to login twice to the full view site on my phone before posting anything.

I also like the fact that user reviews of products are taking centre stage on the community front page. I assume these will be rotated?

[Anonymous]

I think the layout still seems very higgledy piggledy. I don't navigate through the forums like I used to, as soon as I log in now I go straight to "Unread Posts" rather than going through the boards like I used to because it doesn't look like a traditional forum.

I posted before about this, the space given for the post topic title is too small, it looks very amature , the same about of space for the subject is the same amoutn given for the replies number, they need moving along so that thread titles aren't all squished up.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

* Why does the "Latest Topics" section take up so much screen real estate? I still think its a bad idea to have the "Latest Topic" section at the very top of the Community as it could very easily be abused. Why not swap it for a "Recently Solved" section?

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Completely agree with this, sometimes the first topics you are confronted with when you come on are along the lines of "o2 conned me" and the like and is a terrible first impression.

[Anonymous]

Also to add the text input box in mobile version when replying / posting is ubra small and can make leaving posts occasionally cumbersome. Not sure if that's the same for other members.

[Anonymous]

I generally like the new design I think the latest topics is a good idea so you can have a snapshot without opening all I am having the same trouble as bob when viewing on mobile
I know it's a little thing but I would also like to see the pm box slightly bigger and flashing when you have a new message like before

I would also love to be able to do quotes from my ipad as that's where I generally access the community from
Overall 8/10

[Cleoriff]

I have said this before but I will repeat..

1) The three sections 'Get Help With Your Mobile'...should stand out more. At present they are wishy washy

compared to the 'Get help with Products and Services. (This is primarily a mobile phone help forum so these

should stand 'loud and proud')

2) I agree with Wanty that the Post Topic title is far too small. It means the title often spreads into 3-4 lines

deep

3) I find I do not read so many of the posts now as I am still navigating the site!

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys for the feedback, much appreciated. I know we asked before but I needed a fresh look after some time.

@Cleoriff I'm very interested to hear more about #3. I'm not looking for any technical explanation, can you try and tell us your gut feelings and how your 'journey' in the community has changed? It'd really help us make things better 🙂