Poll : What do you think of the NEW LOOK MSE

anoncol

Apart from all the white, there was just total lack of use of screen real estate. Information was lost. On my mobile i could only see 4 thread titles on my very high res screen.

It tried to go modern but missed it by a continent.

System

Who in their right mind would design such a mess? Are the kids in for work experience this week or something?

What is wrong with the current layout anyway?!

MSE_Martin

Hi folks,

As you've been blunt with us above, I hope you don't mind me being the same with you. We will be rolling out the new forum regardless of this poll (though not today that was a glitch). And I want to make a few points.

1. Registered forum members will have the option of switching back if they choose. So if you don't like it you don't have to use it.
2. The forum everyone is saying "dont change from" - that you really like is the redesign of - is one that when we first test it 90%+ people hated. In fact some of the comments and abuse to my team above are a virtual mirror image of the last time. Much of this is that people don't want change. Yet we have to continue to improve the forum and we believe this is better. This won't be the last time either.
3. The forum is broke. We need to make it better for mobile devices or we risk the fact google will no longer list it on mobile and we want people to have access to it whatever the medium
4. We've been testing this with a large panel of users for many months, this isn't just being sprung from nowhwere - and we asked for volunteers. Yet of course we want your feedback to make the new one more comfortable and better for you to use, but 'scrap it' doesn't help.

In time we hope you will like the new forum design - if not you can use the old one.

Martin

brightonman123

So, of those who voted, over 95% (of 319 votes) hated the new design.

And almost 55% of total indicated they would leave the site, if it stayed.

Lesson learnt by MSE, not to mess with users, I hope!


Additional. Just seen Martin's post above, So, bye from me.

lovinituk

MSE_Martin wrote: »

2. The forum everyone is saying "dont change from" - that you really like is the redesign of - is one that when we first test it 90%+ people hated. Much of this is that people don't like change.

Exactly what I said above :rotfl:

The same people will always complain

lovinituk

brightonman123 wrote: »

Additional. Just seen Martin's post above, So, bye from me.

So you ignored the bit where he said registered members will be able to switch back to the old style then?!

So many toys being thrown out of prams over this! My 6 year old makes less fuss!

moneyistooshorttomention

Ah...but will we be able to change back to the existing format permanently? or will it be just for the time being (as per MSE's original statement)?

fermi

MSE_Martin wrote: »

1. Registered forum members will have the option of switching back if they choose. So if you don't like it you don't have to use it.

Unfortunately the forum team posts, banner message, and tweets suggested that people would only have the ability to switch back for a short while.



Which implied in a "short while", people would have no choice but to use the new version. Or at least that is the natural assumption.

MSE_Martin wrote: »

4. We've been testing this with a large panel of users for many months, this isn't just being sprung from nowhwere - and we asked for volunteers. Yet of course we want your feedback to make the new one more comfortable and better for you to use, but 'scrap it' doesn't help.

It has, but to be honest it still isn't in a very usable state for most people, and progress on improving it to one seemed to have stalled more or less completely until today when this was sprung on everyone. Perhaps when that wasn't intended.

It can be improved but there is a long way to go and much of the previous testing feedback has not been acted on.

Tigsteroonie

With all due respect, Martin, statements like "people don't want change" aren't going to bring them round to your point of view.

I was one of those people who tested the new design - and I gave it a fair test. I didn't like it. I fed back my opinion. The team were obviously uninterested in opinions and only wanted feedback on the bugs. If we were bothered about having a version that worked cross-platform, we would have asked for it. As it was, I think we only asked for a mobile-friendly version, and not a complete revamp.

It's a shame that you've stopped listening to your forum members - once upon a time, you actually cared. Now you just milk us for glitches, offers and tips that you can use to promote your own site and inflate your own self-worth.

[Deleted User]

It would be a pity to not take the preferences of so many regular posters into consideration when making the decision to change the format of the forums. We may only be a small representation of the entire number of folks using the forums but we post regularly and enjoy the community friendships and advice and knowledge that is the sum of the whole. If we WILL be able to continue to use the present format on an individual preference basis that will solve the problem but it would be a sad day if we were ignored altogether.