Dear AnswerBankers

[AB Editor]

Dear All,

I hope you are well.

We are always thinking about changing the site - hopefully to improve it all.

One thing we were considering changing is the current tab system of Most Recent/Recently Answered etc to something a little more like this:

http://www.theanswerb...&cat=moneysupermarket

Here we have the articles tab, the web tab (and the polls tab eventually). We have simplified the Q&A tabs as well. We think this might work a little better than our current system.

What we're wondering is whether we've missed anything? Are there any massive flaws in a system like this? Equally - what else would you like to see on it? Pictures? Blogs?

Now is a good time to throw any interesting ideas you have into the mix!

All the best,

Spare Ed

[jno]

That seems to be just for a search rather than the Most Recent etc tab system (which I am happy with)?

Searches could default to the Qs tab rather than the advertising tab as that one seems to. And perhaps with each Q it could list the number of answers, just to give you an idea of which has attracted the most input.

[jackthehat]

As the page is a 'dummy/sample' I'm not sure if this has been addressed or not, so........
When searching through 'my answers' it is frustrating to search for a 'recently answered' question because these are placed in my profile according to when the OP set the question, rather than when I actually answered it.
Could this be addressed ?

However, I'm liking the new committment that the editorial team are giving to AB as a whole :o)

[jno]

oh yes, good point jack, I've suggested this before myself.

Not sure why the Eds deserve special praise for doing their job, though. Shouldn't they be committed to to it regardless? <ducks missiles thrown from AB Towers>

[AB Editor]

thanks Jack, We'll get the profiles sorted out soon (we hope!).

This would appear as a replacement for the current set of tabs. It would default to the questions page.

Currently this is what you get when you search - we thought it might be cleaner for the main site than the current system?

Okay, a different way to ask the question:

What purpose do you see the current tabs serving? Here is the way I understand it:

Most Recent - this would be called Questions but remain the same
Recently Answered - this would be called Answers but remain the same
All Unanswered - is this useful to anyone? Possibly those using the Q&P sections?
All Answered - I have always been baffled about this one!
Polls - I think this is fine as it is.

Let me know what you think.

All the best,

Spare Ed

[jackthehat]

Quite right, jno.
However, anyone working hard enjoys a little praise now and then............:o)
Plus, I think we have a firmer hand on the tiller now, and I believe that it is more obvious than in the past.
<JtH expects a shiny gold star from the Ed's...........:D>

[AB Editor]

Thanks Jno! Paper Airplanes will be thrown in your direction.

Spare Ed

[jackthehat]

Most Recent - this would be called Questions but remain the same <sounds reasonable>
Recently Answered - this would be called Answers but remain the same <sounds reasonable>
All Unanswered - is this useful to anyone? Possibly those using the Q&P sections?<I occasionally use it to see if there is anything I may have missed to which I could *usefully* contribute>
All Answered - I have always been baffled about this one! <I think this could be jettisoned>
Polls - I think this is fine as it is. <sounds reasonable>

[AB Editor]

Thanks Jack. A few more responses like that and Ab will have made my day.

All the best

Spare Ed

[tamborine]

it it works, dont fix it............remember ;)

[AB Editor]

The problem is Tamborine, that we don't think it does work particularly well! We've got a lot of stuff on the site which are hang-overs of the old AB - and not all of it makes sense anymore.

I do take your point however that people do not like change.

All the best,

Spare Ed

[dothawkes31]

The example / test page looks alittle sparse in that there is no way of knowing that the answers have been answered or by how many answers. The unanswered questions tab is good when you're bored and feeling helpful! I also sometimes feel sorry for posters who have not had a reply and occasionally i have a nosy and reply even if it is just an unrelated answer. But I havem't done that for a while,
Why do we sometimes click on a topic and only 3 questions appear, or has that been fixed now?
You could do with trialing the new idea just in Q & P initially as I think they would benefit more from a few tutorials on how to search for replies, especially the sunday crew.

[tamborine]

I have looked at other Q & A sites but find this layout the best - covering a multitude of sites with easy access. Answers accepted with ease and threads shown in complete format, so avoiding repetition.

The thread layouts with 'report' function is straight forward to use and complaints made with ease - if you're not color blind.

I can take change for the better but dont agree the new layout would be an improvement.

[Garmard]

Looks good AB Editor, fresher and more simplified.

[AB Editor]

Nice Feedback Dot.

I think, currently, the unanswered Q's gets to live. All Answered however may be thrown to the lions.

Regarding the showing of a small number of Q's - we are aware of the issue and have it on our list. It isn't top priority at the moment (as we're thinking about changing the system anyway!)

A trail in the Q&P section might be worthy.

Spare Ed

[AB Editor]

Can you defend "all answered" Tamborine? Because it certainly needs a good word for it at the moment!

I do understand that a lot of people find the current layout to be one they can navigate easily (I think it was BBBE99 commenting most recently?)

We would of course keep the report functions and the like. If you have a look on the page offered under questions - but imagine the questions were a normal set of threads (maybe with a sticky at the top) would that be an issue? The main change being the tabs above?

Thanks Garmard for the positive feedback.

All the best

Spare Ed

[dothawkes31]

On that example page the recent post box has gone and been replaced with 'related searches', how will that work? Does it mean related searches from thread content within the site?

[AB Editor]

Sorry, I should have been clearer.

The only change will be to have a different set of tabs (those featured on the page I've linked to above) on the normally laid out page.

We'll keep the latest posts box - there would be riot if it was removed!

We may add some related searches at some point to the main site, but it wont be replacing it.

All the best

Spare Ed

[TCL-MUMPING]

On the link,if you click on answers for example, have a look at one of them and click on scroll back, you have to click again on answers to see the list again. Can that be looked at?

[TCL-MUMPING]

By "looked at" I mean fix it so that you go back to the list rather than clicking on answers again.

[jno]

Ed, the Most Recent and Recently Answered tabs do what it says on the tin: they only go back a few pages. If you want to go back to, say, last December, the All Answered or All Unanswered tabs are the only way to do it.

(I'm talking about Qs I haven't answered myself, so I can't go through My Profile, and Qs I may not remember the exact wording of ,so a search won't necessarily find them.)

So don't ditch All Answered! Definitely serves a purpose.