I assume you are observing, not judging.
This is a complex ‘swiss army knife’ app, with lots of special functions and tools, built by a developer who likes to code a lot more than writing howto’s (he admits that).
Additionally, the app started small, but got developed and improved along the way, discussing everything in the app topic.
I also think he’s always responding with possible fixes or app updates.
The developer really put some energy in it, creating separate topics for certain function(s) of the app. Sometimes it’s still too technical, but that’s the beauty of a forum: just ask what you like to know.
And, try the search tool, you can filter the search to topic only.
No one can read all 1.9k posts just to find some info, the search tool has no problem with that.
This triggered me. As a long time forum addict, I’m under the impression this information is often unknown to users;
One cause: we can bypass the homey.app store by installing apps via mobile/web app. This way, users aren’t pointed to app support in dedicated app topics.
A number of users apparently don’t know about the valuable info published in the first post(s) of app topics.
And there’s the “not gonna read stuff, I ask right away” type.
But how should a different Community structure help you with that?
How can we improve it and make the forum more user friendly? as @djvagnetti asked?
Probably not by creating 800+ categories for as many Apps and have in each category 100’s to 1000’s of Topics with a singel question.
Let alone the ~ 10 new users each day that post in the wrong category (now most only wrong language) and the more than 100 Post every day that become for a part new Topics. We don’t want to moderate to heavy, but keep it structured to a certain level.
In my humble opinion is the Homey community the power but also the weakness of Homey.
When you started, like me, from the beginning with the HPE2023 then it’s easier to go with flow.
Not only the new advanced ones but all the app and post from users.
But when you started to concentrated on something you like then the rest of new app’s and explanation of them is passes you by.
For me was it the learning of JSON. That took me a lot of time.
Then I missed the start when Device Capabilities came out. Now I found it to difficult to start.
For a non English user some indications are not clear enough.
Like the two names in app’s for the same thing: tag vs token.
When you start reading the starting thread of Device Capabilities you can not try things out because there using new version now or Homey update.
The same with Homey script. Two scrips I had make in the past, I have converted.
But like other users there is no explaining to find to the connection between scrip and flow.
Lucky I found in a post that you can only gives 1 data to a script. Use JSON for more data.
Just I found from the DataVista app a soort of manual. That’s maybe a good start.
When there are changes needed, new users have them then too.
Keep also in mind that when you have finish a project you start to lose the knowledge how you made it. What to do when Athom change the working of a cart.
Make Notes by your flows
Does Discourse offer tools to customize the forum’s homepage, or add a section, such that it can help direct users to the relevant topic(s), in a manner like Athom uses on their support page?
Thus, the user selects devices, apps, etc. based on a predefined set and is then presented with the relevant topics.
I like the idea, but afaik Discourse doesn’t offer that. Athom probably needs to (re-) create it. The one you show is interactive on the devices in your account.
Note: there was a time every visit this was on top of the forum:
with almost the same structure and more (readable) info would not work and is considered unfriendly or difficult.
Thinking out loud: On the support entrance it probably only adds some tags on the ticket to put it in the correct queue. That is probably something different than finding an answer.
Probably there are multiple things to solve:
Direct users to the correct Category for New Topics
Direct users to Existing Topics for similar issue’s
Let users search first …
Again thinking about it… (And there already is so much I forgot since I joined 7jrs ago)
I think that whichever organization of topics the forum provides, it is up to the (willingness of the) users to use it as intended. You will not be able to satisfy all and there will always be some that will ignore the provided structure/forum rules.
I am interested in what views/suggestions @djvagnetti has, as the topic starter (of the pre-merged topic). @djvagnetti?
You said the magic word : manual.
Thats what I miss on a lot/most apps, or at least a decent howto. You need some basic skills creating flows before you can create a flow…
That is a steep learning curve sometimes..
Like someone said: knowledge comes from experience, experience comes from making mistakes…
The howto is to much mixed-up in the same thread where questions are asked…
I also notice this quite often:
The fact all howto / troubleshoot / FAQ info is present (if provided for) in the first post of the app topic, seems to be unknown, or it’s not clear how to find it.
I must admit some folks just don’t care, or aren’t into using the search functionality
)
but all the app and post from users.
