Understanding new members needs (1 Viewer)

Jon

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I am thinking about buying a plugin that auto-posts to new members who post in the "Introduce Yourself" section. The idea is to have this plugin immediate reply to their introductory post with some useful information on using the site. Also, I fancy putting a link in there to a survey, that would help better understand their needs.

One of the questions I fancy asking is, "What would make you want to keep coming back here?" Something along those lines.

Do you have any other questions I should ask that you think would be useful in understanding the needs of these newcomers?
 

Minty

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I suspect most new arrivals have landed via a google search.
I wonder if we could collate what they were looking for into a top 10 searches, and direct them automagically to the thread or article with the best answers for those questions?
 

Jon

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@Minty, you are exactly right. Most are via a Google search and they land on a specific thread relating to their topic of interest. Only a very small number of these people actually sign-up for membership. If they do sign-up, I would like to survey them.

So what you are suggesting is to providing them with a link to common things that Access users search for?

But it brings to mind another idea: I would like to perhaps have a popup mini-survey that appears in the bottom right hand corner of this website, where people can leave feedback. Since most of the visitors don't sign up, that would make sense. A rotating list of questions might provide some useful insight. No idea what service to use. There are so many of them, some cost an arm and a leg and the petty cash is empty!

Maybe I could use Google Forms, which is free, and put a survey request below the first post in a thread that only appears for non-logged in visitors. Thinking aloud here...
 

bob fitz

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The idea is to have this plugin immediate reply to their introductory post with some useful information on using the site.
I think this may be a good idea.
Also, I fancy putting a link in there to a survey, that would help better understand their needs.
Not sure if most people would be interested in completing yet another survey but if it's just a link it should be easy for them to ignore if thy wish to.
 

Jon

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It wouldn't be something logged in members wouldn't see. Most of the people who come here are first-timers, and they bounce off the page never to be seen again. It would be nice to understand the reasons why. That is just one case scenario.

Edit: But even for regular members, there is so much I still don't know about their needs. For example, I was surprised at the strong emotional reaction for having to sift through the political discussion in the What's new list. Now that I realise multiple members don't like that, I can take steps to improve the user experience by getting that plugin. It is a never-ending iteration towards a better user experience.

Many sites don't bother asking what their members want. I proactively go after it, even if I don't like what I hear. Within the confines of my own bubble, I am limited in what I can experience. So I seek to understand this place better by vicariously camping out in other peoples minds! :)
 
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bob fitz

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Now that I realise multiple members don't like that, I can take steps to improve the user experience by getting that plugin
Can't happen soon enough for me, as I'm sure you already know Jon :)
 

Jon

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Yes Bob, I got you loud and clear! :ROFLMAO: If I realised how frustrating it was, I would have pulled the trigger on this much earlier. There are a competing list of priorities and I only have so much time. I'm still waiting for a reply from the plugin creator, as are several other people. Your frustration has become my frustration!
 

bob fitz

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Yes Bob, I got you loud and clear! :ROFLMAO:
I was hoping that would be the case. Just thought I'd take the opportunity of giving you a little reminder, just in case you'd forgotten ;)
 

Jon

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Haha, I haven't! But my hands are tied. I recon the guy must be on holiday or something.
 

Isaac

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Are you able to do any kind of Survival Analysis? Meaning, what is the sequence of events they take in their journey clicking throughout the site, and perhaps even more importantly, at what point do they leave the session?

I'm thinking the latter might provide something useful:
1- they left immediately after posting. (they may be leaving to immediately cross post elsewhere)
2- they left after reviewing a non-Access thread (that may offend them in some way)
3- they left after reviewing a non-Access thread and then also participating in it (opposite conclusion as above)
4- they left after using the Search function without selecting a result (disappointed with its results)
5- they left after using the Search function AND spending time on a result (good utilization of site)
6- halfway through registration (they were frustrated with a process or content there)
7- they left after downloading a sample file left by a member (they got something useful & went on their way)
8- they left after visiting the Forums page, without doing anything else (didn't see the Category they wanted-i.e. Sharepoint, VBScript, SQL Server forum is dead)
9- they visited the site and quickly left by clicking on a signature link away rather than utilizing the site
10- they visited a specific forum and immediately left (Excel, SQL Server - may have concluded it's too inactive to bother posting for responses - I've done this a lot at various sites). I've always thought AWF might have twice the traffic if it could find a way to drive traffic to SQL Server forum--imagine just taking even a small amount of sqlservercentral's or stack overflow's market share on that!) Same with Excel: Many users think of Access help & Excel help in the same family of sites....anything we could do to up the ante on the Excel forum might be useful. So many Excel responses start with "I don't use Excel, but.....

One thing that I have always imagined is useful is something fast food chain surveys do a lot of. It's where a person selects what other restaurants they have visited in the past 30 days, and which 1 or 2 are their favorites, and whether they'd visit again in the next 30 days. (I guess in your case, though, there aren't all that many in the mix to begin with). You could leave it open free text so as not to provide too many ideas..

Just some thoughts I had.
 
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Jon

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You make a good point on the Excel forum. That is one of the reasons why I upped it from the lowly depths of this forum, making its position a little more prominent.

Your thoughts are appreciated @Isaac. Having a collection of opinions helps me see things from all sorts of angles.

Yes, open ended questions are also good. Why did you come here? Why do you want to leave?
 

Minty

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I would move the SQL Server Forum up the list. There are several very experienced SQL users on here.
I use it (Specifically Azure SQL Server) more often than a traditional Access backend these days.

I Actively subscribed to it the other day as I was missing posts in there.
 
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neuroman9999

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Do you have any other questions I should ask that you think would be useful in understanding the needs of these newcomers?
how about this?
=> Can you share with us the primary reason for why you're here? Are you a new user of this program, or are you an experienced user? Are you looking more to learn from professionals or collaborate on a professional level?
Are you surprised at the valuable nature of this post, Jon? Mark it on your calendar. It doesn't happen often. :p
 
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Jon

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I bought a plugin yesterday that I am hoping lets me autopost a survey. The problem is, the details on the plugin site are a bit vague and so it might not even work. I took the risk and bought it anyway. Fingers crossed. But yes, those are good questions to ask.
 

neuroman9999

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I bought a plugin yesterday that I am hoping lets me autopost a survey
you do realize, don't you Jon, that anyone who is working doesn't have time to take a survey? And most don't care about them. IMO
 

Jon

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I have two replies so far. One I think might be from an existing forum member. I will be discounting all replies I suspect might be from existing members, when analysing the data.

Given that I have only just started this, I think I will, over the period of a few months, get hundreds of replies. That will be really useful in understanding the newly registered members.
 

neuroman9999

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Given that I have only just started this, I think I will, over the period of a few months, get hundreds of replies. That will be really useful in understanding the newly registered members.
no argument here. good idea. it seems to me that the trend in corporations throughout the world now too, is to reintroduce the idea of surveying people regarding ""the best experience possible"". maybe that's because they've run out of ideas? I mean, seriously, what's so new about a new javascript framework every ''x'' months? NOTHING.
 

Jon

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The alternative is to assume that you know what people are thinking, but you could be wrong. I want the data to tell me, rather than my preconceived notions.
 

neuroman9999

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The alternative is to assume that you know what people are thinking, but you could be wrong. I want the data to tell me, rather than my preconceived notions.
well technology workers are a bit different Jon, as they don't have the luxury to change their minds everyday. But if we're talking about a typical consumer, they DO change their minds every day. so it's a good thing that you're surveying developers, otherwise you would be pulling your hair out!
 

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