Sneaky Peek - New look MSE forums

This thread's now closed, please see the updated thread and feedback there.

New Look MSE Forum New Feedback Thread


Hi folks,

We're working on a new look for the forum - and the first ALPHA draft is done - we'd like your feedback (please read the notes below first though)

Change to the new look

Change back to the old look (if you want to feel free to stick with the new one - providing you're aware its not 100% finished)

You can switch the looks as often as you like, its no problem

Note the switch is done via a cookie - so if you clear cookies you'll revert to the old look automatically


Notes on the new look

The idea is to brush up the visuals, so they're a little more modern, its been three to four years since we last changed it

We've focused on the colours and lines of the forum rather than the overall design - as we know many forumers don't like too much change (do remember though different monitors view colours different ways).

Once this is done we plan to look at the resource bars and the right hand side too (one step at a time though) - hopefully by the time we go properly live we'll have tidied the resource bars up a bit (see the credit card board for how the tidy up will look - compare it to the debt-free board for the old one) but then we have plans to make the content more relevant to the individual post - but that's a way off.






Feedback we'd like from you?

• What do you think of it?
• Do you prefer it to what we have now (please remember all change takes some getting used to)
• Are there any glitches?
• Is there anything missing?
• Any suggestions for change?
• NOTE: We know the thread stats box isn't fully functioning at the moment - its there so you can see the look

We know we can't please everyone all of the time, but we will do our best to listen to sensible or technically achievable suggestions and promise to incorporate them if we can.

Please try it for a few days before making your mind up

While we welcome glitch feedback and suggestions immediately - in terms of whether you like it, if you instinctively don't please stick with it for a a few days. I've been using it for a week now, and at first it felt very strange and a little uncomfortable - however now if i click back to the old look that looks strange and I much prefer this.

We really want to improve the forum but we're aiming to do it with you - as we know how important it working smoothly is.

Also we may have moved and shifted some functionality (either deliberately or unwittingly) so if there are any negative changes you spot please tell us (or ones you like too)

The Roll Out Plan

This is the testing stage - so expect changes to be made live if you're in the test forum look.

Once we're happy with it we will then turn it on so all members will automatically get this view - however we will then add an option in the user CP so you can turn it back to the old look if you prefer.

Thanks so much for your time - and big plaudits to Ian, Neil, Brendan, Darren, and the others who've been working on this trying to balance a new look with sensitivity to not changing too far.

Martin

Update Note 11pm Fri 7 May

Hi folks,

Thanks very much for the feedback - and do keep it coming. The main issue here is the LOOK not the functionality

So things like the thanks appearing and disappearing, the spacing on signatures, the go button on forum jump etc, will all be sorted.

Plus the like button will be disappearing at some stage soon and we plan to use the thanks for the first post to be the new marker for the 'wow factor' which will replace the likeability rating we currently have (the factor element will ensure its relevant to the rest of that board - not just absolute thanks)

We're delighted to see that you like the new look overall - the aim is for this to be the core look and everyone will move to it, but with the option to switch back if you want.

ALso very long term we hope to go for a system where you can have more customisable looks (that was what the down time last friday was for, to allow us to have different options).

One thing I should say though - we're very mindful that the feedback here is from regular or at least semi-regular users and you are incredibly important to us.

However we also need to look at the users who never post, the huge numbers who come here from google - and part of what we're doing is trying to make it more obvious how the forum works for them too.

And just to say we are reading and looking at your suggestions but just because you don't see anything happening if youre using the new look its because we're not rolling this out for weeks.


Martin