[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #4007: Support Forums: Improve the look and usability of Forums page

[Making WordPress.org]

#4007: Support Forums: Improve the look and usability of Forums page
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------
 Reporter:  joyously                             |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect                               |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:
Component:  Support Forums                       |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  ui-feedback needs-design needs-      |
  design-feedback                                |
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------

Comment (by netpassprodsr):

 Replying to [comment:27 sterndata]:
 > start here: https://wordpress.org/support/
 > Scroll all the way down
 > Click on  "check out our support forums"
 > The first things you see have NOTHING to do with support forums
 > Scroll down more... more links, but no heading to indicate these are
 links to the forums
 > It would help if these were a bit "tighter", too -- less white space

 I agree with this external analytical/critical run down of the page in
 question. So Let's Do This!

 > start here: https://wordpress.org/support/
 > Scroll all the way down
 **(pause)** - has anyone considered the location of the link to the forum
 on the support page being at the bottom? Is this the most appropriate
 based on how we're steering users to be self sufficient to search the
 static resources before plunging into the dynamic resource?
 **(unpause)**
 > The first things you see have "NOTHING" to do with support forums.
 nope! Not accurate! The first thing you see is __rather essential__
 information for users to review ahead of entering the forum space. The
 Welcome Page contains 3 rather brief sections covering relevant usage
 policy statements. "ok"
 The next thing is a link to the first support page. This invites users (if
 they arrived on this site directly on the /support/forums page) to explore
 the static resource pages for an answer ahead of delving into the dynamic
 forum space. "ok"
 The last thing is a link to the Support Handbook. Lowest on the range of
 likelihood the user arrived at the forums page looking for the Support
 Handbook yet it links to an important resource for the overall project.
 "maybe ok".
 I think the features in this area of the page are valid, but perhaps
 oversold.
 A scaled down rendering would provide access at a lower volume level.
 >Scroll down more... more links, but no heading to indicate these are
 links to the forums
 Agreed! This page could use some section boundaries to reinforce the
 purposes of each.
 > It would help if these were a bit "tighter", too -- less white space
 Also, agreed!

 So.... how about this?
 ----
 ''(This heading offers comfort the user is indeed on their way to where
 they really want to go.)''
 == Support Forums - General Topics

 ''(Next, a modest table of topics invites the user to specific areas of
 focus before getting down to the General Topics themselves.)''
 ||= [[https://wordpress.org/support/welcome/| (image) Forum Guidelines]]
 =||Important information about using WordPress Support Forums||
 ||= [[https://wordpress.org/support/| (image) Documentation]] =||Explore
 our wealth of documentation for an answer ahead of entering the forums ||
 ||= [[https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/| (image) Support
 Handbook]] =||Looking to provide WordPress Support to others? Our handbook
 offers tips, tricks and advice to give the best support possible||
 ''(NOTE: This is a design concept others can develop into a wonderful
 aesthetic result.)''

 ''(Short heading ahead of the categories themselves)''
 = Support Categories
 ||Installing WordPress ||Fixing WordPress ||Developing With WordPress ||
 ||Networking WordPress ||Accessibility ||Localhost Installs ||
 ||Everything Else WordPress ||Requests And Feedback ||Alpha/Beta/RC ||
 ||||||Themes And Plugins||

 ''(The last section gets a heading too.)''
 = Latest Forum Posts Across Categories =
 [[https://wordpress.org/support/view/all-topics/|All Topics]] |
 [[https://wordpress.org/support/view/no-replies/|Topics with no replies]]
 | [[https://wordpress.org/support/view/support-forum-no/|Unresolved
 topics]]
 ----
 If someone else can render this concept design into decent facsimile for
 proof, that'd be awesome!

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/4007#comment:30>
Making WordPress.org <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/>
Making WordPress.org