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[FredInChina]

Originally Posted by sandman

How about a brainstorming thread on how to make it more obvious to newbies how to find their answers to the common questions?

Originally Posted by sandman

If we put our heads together maybe we can find a way to solve the problem - so that newcomers can find the answers to those basic questions easily, and so that us grumpy old-timers don't have to hear the same question every day

How do we make the rich info available but dispersed all over K4L forums easily available and convenient to search?

Rules for brainstorming:
1- everything goes without filtering - so go ahead and throw your idea in a post.
2- No judgment, critic, comments on other's ideas - post your ideas, as many as you have.
3- No filtering out like: "yeah, and who is gonna do it?!" --- at this stage, we don't know, and we don't care.


[edit] - I forgot...
- we must set an expiration date for this thread - I suppose 2 weeks, 3 weeks max.
You have until FEB 15th to contribute.
- then mods and admins must make a decision, maybe concerted with members of their choice.
- then action must be taken.

[FredInChina]

I'll start:

Use the WIKI to organize the info - a sort of collaborative work.

...I think the WIKI is there for gathering the info --- unfortunately it has been down since I joined, so I don't really know.
but it does not really matter, I think a wiki could be made to work for the purpose at hand.

Osu!

[sandman]

Fred, this is a horrible idea and it will never work! Just kidding...

I was thinking that maybe a quick tutorial about the search function could be linked to the registration process.

When you register to be a K4L member, before you can actually logon you get a quick paragraph about how to use the search function and how to scan through the forums to find what you are looking for. The paragraph would also include encouragement to do a quick search before posting questions as a courtesy to members.

[FredInChina]

new members must obtain approval of their new thread by a mod.
... maybe all members?

[Godai]

How about a frequently asked questions section?

[sandman]

What if the Search button was displayed more prominently? Maybe bigger...

[sandman]

An automated search function - you set up your new thread and when you create it, a search is automatically done and returns some sort of a message like: "This topic is discussed in X thread, Y thread, and Z thread - do any of these answer your questions?" You have to click no before the new thread will post.

[sandman]

Alternatively, what if something was set up so that existing members could "opt out" of having to see threads on certain topics or threads started by new members (or whatever)?

[Hangtime]

I agree, simplify the search option...have a selection for simple search (which searches everything) and then advanced search; default to simple.

Maybe even place a search feature on the User Control panel, and inside the "Forums!" drop down and underneath the "unread posts" indicator on the top right. I'm not being facetious.

OSU!

[Mas]

Osu,

Considering those who don't bother to read thoroughly, how to go about making them alert about such? There should be a system that also alerts them before posting a question. It could be in a way as when you google, you know, whenever you are entering a letter, options of what you "might" be looking for or to ask would come up, either by one letter or word.

Don't know the terms for these things but it works, hey am learning.

Osu

[Monty]

How about......

remove the link to "Introductions" from the Forums menu(for first time users) and, after Sandman's Paragraph on searching, suggest to the new user to use the search to find the Introductions Forum?

[Hangtime]

Originally Posted by Monty

How about......

remove the link to "Introductions" from the Forums menu(for first time users) and, after Sandman's Paragraph on searching, suggest to the new user to use the search to find the Introductions Forum?

Or maybe a popup alert about the search function once a new user creates an intro thread...

...or...

When mods close a thread, they have "standard" language that points out the search function to them...

[polarbearfighter]

Originally Posted by Godai

How about a frequently asked questions section?

I like this idea.

[Hangtime]

Originally Posted by polarbearfighter

I like this idea.

First question:
1). "How do you..."
Any questions regarding technique have likely been answered. K4L has a lot of knowledgeable members, some of which may no longer be active. Before asking a technique or training relating question, or seeking advice, do yourself a favor and please try our Search (that would be a link) function. If you can't find what you're looking for, please feel free to ask.

[jcarmello]

I feel that this particular thread is overly pretentious and potentially damaging to recruitment of new members. I am guilty of sounding off about people posting a question that has been discussed before. However, these are generally negative or anti-kyokushin projections.

I am still learning how to use this web site, and typically respond to the most updated posts. I seldomly search older posts unless I am looking something specific up. But this is not about me, it is about "new members" primarily.

For those of you who teach new students and semi - experienced students I ask, do you berate them for asking a question that has been posed to you a thousand times? Do you answer with kindness? Do you answer with kindness, offer suggestions and pair that kohai up with someone who can help? Do you observe the idividuals confidence or lack there of in the question and respond accordingly? You know how to do chudan mae geri, why should you have to show someone again, if a new person didnt take the time to see it on YouTube?

Similarly many of these "same" questions have a nuance unique to the poster and the individual response presented with the expertise offered here creates a "comfortable learning environment" for those who are new. When less experienced in anything, having a guiding hand with sound intellect and technical expertise, regardless of how varying, is what makes the difference in staying the course or wanting to become the next American Idol.

I believe ideas should be expressed on how to better the site for the prevention of redundant threads, but lets put the pretentiously alienating rhetoric away.

This is just my opinion and is not aimed at anyone but is presented for us to consider collectively.

Osu!!

[FredInChina]

Originally Posted by jcarmello

(...)I believe ideas should be expressed on how to better the site for the prevention of redundant threads(...)

Very good, thank you! This is precisely what we are doing here...
What are your suggestions JCarmello?

Osu!

[jcarmello]

Originally Posted by FredInChina

Very good, thank you! This is precisely what we are doing here...
What are your suggestions JCarmello?

Osu!

Hold on I am still trying to take a breath after all that wind!!

Let the moderators do what they do. If a particular thread smells redundant merge it with a similar one, rebadge it, launch a generic p.m. to the author and on we move. Again that would be up to the mod squad to determine.

Frequently asked questions is a fantastic idea, but at what cost to the web host/admin.

Hold on..... I have to step down before this soap box explodes under my feet, packaged B.S. comes super sized these days!.

Osu.

[Hangtime]

Originally Posted by jcarmello

I feel that this particular thread is overly pretentious and potentially damaging to recruitment of new members. I am guilty of sounding off about people posting a question that has been discussed before. However, these are generally negative or anti-kyokushin projections.

I am still learning how to use this web site, and typically respond to the most updated posts. I seldomly search older posts unless I am looking something specific up. But this is not about me, it is about "new members" primarily.

For those of you who teach new students and semi - experienced students I ask, do you berate them for asking a question that has been posed to you a thousand times? Do you answer with kindness? Do you answer with kindness, offer suggestions and pair that kohai up with someone who can help? Do you observe the idividuals confidence or lack there of in the question and respond accordingly? You know how to do chudan mae geri, why should you have to show someone again, if a new person didnt take the time to see it on YouTube?

Similarly many of these "same" questions have a nuance unique to the poster and the individual response presented with the expertise offered here creates a "comfortable learning environment" for those who are new. When less experienced in anything, having a guiding hand with sound intellect and technical expertise, regardless of how varying, is what makes the difference in staying the course or wanting to become the next American Idol.

I believe ideas should be expressed on how to better the site for the prevention of redundant threads, but lets put the pretentiously alienating rhetoric away.

This is just my opinion and is not aimed at anyone but is presented for us to consider collectively.

Osu!!

JCarmello,

Sometimes I have the innate ability to come across as a smart arse, even when not trying to be one. I present my suggestions in the utmost seriousness (I believe I pointed that out in one post); if it came across as me just trying to be silly, I was not.

I think these are all potentially valid ideas (some technical issues/inner workings aside); by no means am I a power user of the forums and its features, but none of the ideas I brought forth would be degrading to a new user...actually, I think they'd be quite helpful.

...and they all come from the perspective of someone who created and maintains a website (and documentation) for a pretty low discretion user community.

OSU!

[FredInChina]

Originally Posted by jcarmello

(...)Let the moderators do what they do. If a particular thread smells redundant merge it with a similar one, rebadge it, launch a generic p.m. to the author and on we move. Again that would be up to the mod squad to determine.

Frequently asked questions is a fantastic idea (...)

Great, thank you for your contribution - Osu!

[FredInChina]

Originally Posted by xriscross03

JCarmello,

Sometimes I have the innate ability to come across as a smart arse, even when not trying to be one. I present my suggestions in the utmost seriousness (I believe I pointed that out in one post); if it came across as me just trying to be silly, I was not.

I think these are all potentially valid ideas (some technical issues/inner workings aside); by no means am I a power user of the forums and its features, but none of the ideas I brought forth would be degrading to a new user...actually, I think they'd be quite helpful.

...and they all come from the perspective of someone who created and maintains a website (and documentation) for a pretty low discretion user community.

OSU!

Let's refrain from arguing about who said what, or the validity or lack thereof of what is being said...
That would be the surest way to derail this brainstorming thread.

In other words, and at this stage; WHO CARES?

The purpose is to collect every single idea in one place --- the sorting out will happen later, not now and the MODs will do that with the admin --- don't worry, they'll think of the cost...

Osu!