restructuring and organizing

[Sara Noel]

I'm restructuring and organizing forums and categories (AGAIN). I know it gets confusing when things get moved or renamed, but I'm breaking forums into more defined categories. It's been getting increasingly more difficult to decide hmm should this post go here or there, so hoping this helps with that. Plus, it's always OK if something isn't posted in the "right" forum. Sometimes it will get moved and sometimes not. The most important thing to me is if you have a question or comment, people see it.

I'll never get through all of the posts and threads to move them into the right forum, but I moved a ton of them.

If you have forum suggestions, now is a good time to request them.

[Lady_V]

No problem... I will just leave a trail of breadcrumbs so I can find my way back.



Aw Man!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the hard work and thought you put in to the Village.

[Sara Noel]

Computer: [ame="http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=192"]Computers - Frugal Village Forums[/ame]

DIY: [ame="http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=99"]DIY - Frugal Village Forums[/ame]

[Sara Noel]

Give me a suggestion on where they might be better placed. (Anyone can answer this, not just you) My opinion is consolidated isn't the best solution as computer and DIY are pretty different. But again, that's my opinion. But I can see where they can be grouped together, too.

I agree that they aren't placed in the best way or they'd be possibly more active.

To me, DIY is home related, so is OK where it is. I put computers under hobbies. It used to have it's own section, but wasn't active. We actually consolidated three computer forums into one because they weren't active.

DIY could have it's own forum, I suppose. And have computers a sub forum of DIY. Just not sure computers is best under the main category of home. It is in the home, I guess.

One thing to consider is that we used to be 100% women, so those forums weren't used as often as they might be now with more male members.

Overall, there are so many forums. I'm thinking arranging the sub forums to be stacking instead of in a series might make them easier to read.

It's late and now I'm rambling.

[Sara Noel]

I think DIY should be it's own category... with the computer section under DIY.

DIY could be split into sections like:
Plumbing
Roofing
Electrical
Computers

I can't justify all of those splinter forums when the original one isn't active. Typically, sub forums are created when the main forum starts needing to be more specifically categorized. Not always but most of the time. Build it and they will come doesn't tend to do well here. I test new forums a lot, too. So, I'll think about it.

I don't really have a problem with DIY with a computer sub forum, though. It makes sense, but a DIY forum as a main forum starts to create more problems, too. For example, we have other make it yourself type forums. See my point? At first it seems like some of these forums logically should go in one place, but then they start overlapping and it goes back to being confusing. I try to shoot for as intuitive as possible. But I admit, that I've been here since the beginning, so changes are easy for me because I know where forums were and I'm the one moving them. It doesn't mean they're easy to find for others.

I'll think this through and see what I come up with between my own ideas and any feedback from others.

Thanks.

[Sara Noel]

I could see how that may get confusing... but I think most DIY projects are home repair/remodelling projects.

So, *I THINK* that the separation should be fairly easy to maintain... after all... who, in their right minds, would say a knitting project equates to a DIY plumbing repair?



No problem... I just hope such things can be useful should they come about.

Just a thought... but perhaps a poll would be useful to indicate the popularity of such an idea?

Jason Herbert

Or a thread like this one. LOL

I meant for example, DIY car repair, does it go under DIY or automotive? Automotive topics aren't always DIY. blah blah blah. This type of overlapping is the problem that I'm working on. Amongst a long list of additional frustrations members might experience. Like the view new posts. That dropdown menu is umm unsatisfactory.

This forum is overwhelming for new members. The tabs are a double edged sword. They help offer categories in smaller bites, but it's for organizational presentation and isn't a navigational structure.

It's a work in progress. I've fallen flat on my face plenty of times through the years. LOL But as everyone knows, we work on improvements on a daily basis. And we're open to feedback and try to keep it all in mind.

Glenda the good witch goes back to work soon, so everyone will be stuck with me again. LOL

[Ceashels]

To me DIY can also include MIY (make it yourself) and would include non-edible things like home made laundry detergent, soaps, etc. I think there are enough crafty people here that keeping hobbies and crafts separate is much needed.

So if you had a broad category name and had it broken into sub forums for home repair, MIY, Technology, would that work?

And I have to agree with you, this is a big Village and can be very overwhelming to newbies.

[Michelle]

Glenda the good witch goes back to work soon, so everyone will be stuck with me again. LOL

:spit:

Oh my, you are a lovely shade of green this morning, Sara.

[madhen]

I think DIY should be it's own category... with the computer section under DIY.


Heh... I could see how that might be a problem , but women are, more and more, retaking control of home repairs. Those that choose to stay home, at any rate.

Just to throw my .02 in, although I'm not great at DIY home repair, I would readily post a question/read posts in this category to learn how to do something. And I do agree with Jason that women are more and more learning how to do traditionally male jobs. My b-in-law is a real estate appraiser, and he mentioned recently how many homes he goes into that are owned by (typically) older single women, and how many of them have done major renovations/upgrades on their own: tiling, re-plumbing bathrooms, etc.

[Sara Noel]

I definitely agree that women are doing things themselves. I was just saying that in the past, it wasn't a forum that was used at all and figured it was attributed to the fact that the group of women we had at the time wasn't interested in that topic.

It's one of the forums that was going to be yanked from inactivity.

[Parksfamily5]

I don't have any suggestions. I just wanted to say that you have done a great job with these boards. I really enjoy them. Thanks.

[Goodwin17]

No suggestions, just wanted to say thanks for all your work. It can still be a little overwhelming at times even to someone who isn't a newbie. :loopy: