What happened to the Suggest a Feature page???

[HaroldL]

Just went to suggest a feature and was surprised to see that all the previous suggestion were not there -- just a page with a "Make a Suggestion" button to click on to submit a request to Alibre LLC.
When I clicked on it I got the "Submit a request" page with fields to enter a title and description. When I started typing then similar suggestions started to appear as a list, when I selected one to view it a message came up stating that the suggestion does not seem to exist.

 

[Max]

There was a "bug in our account" according to Receptive. It has been resolved.

 

[DavidJ]

Now to update the review state? … it looks to me that quite a few of them have been implemented, but the entries not updated.

 

[Max]

Agreed. I think we're going to reevaluate this system entirely. A mistake we made, in my opinion, was importing the entire database from the old system from years back into the new one - it's extremely large and cumbersome to manage, and I don't think it is ultimately providing us, or customers, with an optimal experience.

 

[HaroldL]

Ah, it's all good now. Thanks Max.
Another point about importing the old database is that it seems to have lost the original submitter. I looked for some that I submitted and couldn't find them or search on my user name..

 

[Drutort]

I was wondering if their was any way to add categories? I mean to define possibly on a tree style, maybe tags? and have users move or suggest ideas that we search be combined into categories and sub groups etc...

Ultimately a lot of one off ideas can be combined and or at times repeated? If the ideas get grouped then its easier to see the total similar idea requests and their popularity, also easier for users to go into the area (category) and see if what they want or have idea is maybe stated

not always does a search show what I was thinking of, because well we all describe/articulate similar things in different ways, especially im sure individuals from other countries?

Even I find myself not always using the proper terminology.

I think pictures work well, maybe having some static pictures with boxed/highlighted areas with the default Alibre descriptor next to it and a link to the category/group?

I think a lot of people liked those interactive demo of features to come

literally taking the help section, taking away everything but the titles of sections and linking them

I also believe ability to attach pictures is quite vital

This way at least people will find themselves in the area that they want an improvement and can create their own suggestion comment etc like now


A quick fix with the current system maybe? Would be to let predefined prefix to be placed automatically from the static pictures above mentioned
That would at least give some more concrete searchable terms. As far as old ideas well... manual edit? or individuals suggesting what they should be changed to?

I think a better system would stimulate a lot more user interaction

 

[simonb65]

I think a better system would stimulate a lot more user interaction

A system that shows the user community some feedback on what is/isn't being considered is, in my view, the way forward. If the user can see that suggestions are actively being acknowledged, accepted/rejected, prioritised and work-in-progress would answer most users frustrations with the system. i.e. Active Transparency (but within the limits of not giving competitors too much information).

That said, unfortunately it will also give fuel to those who don't see progress or their suggestions rejected. In these cases, we all just need to be grown-ups and accept the judgement of those planning and developing the product, who will have limited resources and a lot of tasks to manage and can't be pleasing everybody all the time!

 

[Drutort]

A system that shows the user community some feedback on what is/isn't being considered is, in my view, the way forward. If the user can see that suggestions are actively being acknowledged, accepted/rejected, prioritised and work-in-progress would answer most users frustrations with the system. i.e. Active Transparency (but within the limits of not giving competitors too much information).

That said, unfortunately it will also give fuel to those who don't see progress or their suggestions rejected. In these cases, we all just need to be grown-ups and accept the judgement of those planning and developing the product, who will have limited resources and a lot of tasks to manage and can't be pleasing everybody all the time!

That is all true, but we could benefit from a more structured system, and where articulation and language barriers are passed with designated sections (categories of the software) so that users can find what is already suggested and they can properly post suggestions related to current state of software. With some kind of a picture and (advanced users will prefer a tree style) listing of the major sections of the categories within the software, I believe we would get more user involvement and that is good for the devs and everyone else, because if more people are voting the better we can see what the users want, and what you said applies even if its highest rated/voted idea, it might be on the bottom list of the devs still, for reasons they can not share, and we should be adults about it, that is true

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

The last thing I want Alibre developers doing is designing a new system for suggestions. Maybe you can find an existing system and suggest that. I think the previous system (with ranking visible to users) was better than the current one. But whatever system gets put in place it's suggestions must get timely reaction from Alibre. They can't be left on the back burner like before.

 

[simonb65]

I think the previous system (with ranking visible to users) was better than the current one

+1