At DOG.community, we always try to provide the best possible experience for everyone. However, this does not guarantee that we will avoid all missteps along the way. And this is where our loyal users can continue to help us! We’d like to improve the community experience with your help by defining which community view you prefer. We currently have two different views to the community: the grid and the forum. Which view is your favorite and why? We outlined both views for you to help you decide!
The Forum:
This view is a traditional forum layout, with every active subject displayed from oldest to most recent. Here users can find conversations that are relevant to them based on their interest.
On the left side: Each ‘Topic’ is listed within each respective category. The most recent topic is displayed at the top of each category.
On the right side: Users can see the latest post for each topic, along with who responded and the date/time of the most recent post.
Pros:
- This view is similar to a traditional forum view
- It is familiar to some users
- Each category is broken down by conversation
- The latest reply is displayed on the right of the conversation
Cons:
- Requires an extra click to get to content and respond
- Easier to miss new content
The Grid:
The second and less traditional view that lives on our community is the Grid. Displayed on the homepage as users enter the community, this view is most closely associated with a “timeline” that can be seen on other social media outlets.
With this view users can:
- see the most recent posts
- respond without clicking on post
- utilize quick post to start a new topic
Pros:
- This view is similar to a timeline making it easy to navigate for some users
- There is no need to go to the forum view or custom text editor to respond to post
- Users can stay up-to-date on latest news and conversation without searching
Cons:
- Specific posts get buried quickly
- It can be hard to find a post
- On the main grid, posts are not broken up by category
Community, now is the time for you to give your input. Which view do you prefer? What is your reasoning? We want to hear from you so start talking!