Re:How We Lost User Engagement After a Redesign
by developer2 on Wednesday June 08, 2016 @06:27PM
(#11866184)
You nailed the piece of information I didn't even understand from the article at first. The feature is to suggest an icon, not request one. Requesting an icon sounds like custom work ("I'll pay for this"), whereas suggesting one is clearly "here's an idea for you".
That one word choice would have made a great deal of difference to me as a user understanding the feature. Yes there are glaring design issues with where they went as well. But that one choice of word is huge.
Re:How We Lost User Engagement After a Redesign
by m_mueller on Wednesday June 08, 2016 @10:03PM
(#11867119)
How about "petition for an icon"? I find 'suggest' goes too far the other direction, it's discouraging because it means nothing. But here, if I can get a few votes from other users, I do actually get it. That's a petition for me. Or maybe even 'start a referendum', but I don't know how commonly known that word is.
Re:How We Lost User Engagement After a Redesign
by tempestn on Thursday June 09, 2016 @02:39AM
(#11867909)
Just as a counter-anecdote, I didn't read "request" that way at all. If you compare it to a site soliciting feedback, it wouldn't seem strange (to me) to "Request a feature". If some site's uservoice or getsatisfaction or whatever had that heading, especially with votes beside each feature, I certainly wouldn't expect every request to be granted.
Under that model of user expectations, I envision two groups of users: 1. the users who want to casually suggest an icon (and don't need it for anything critical or want to pay for it themselves, but who would happily use it if it became freely available) 2. the users who have a special request and would pay to have it done, regardless of how many other users want it.
Group number 1 won't bother clicking on "Request an icon", because they figure that the button is for members of group number 2. Group number 1 won't see an option for them, which changes site perceptions, because group number 1 has an impression that the site is for paid requests.
Group number 2 will click on "Request an icon", hoping to place an order, but will be disappointed and/or confused by what they see. Members of group number 2 might note that "Oh hey, it'd be nice if I could get this for free". But given that their need was sufficiently critical for them to want to pay commission, the option to submit an idea that may or may not be voted into existence at some unknown time won't seem promising enough for them to invest any more time in the matter.