Closed Bug 413808 Opened 16 years ago Closed 16 years ago

Change text on article feedback area to discourage support questions

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(support.mozilla.org :: Knowledge Base Software, task)

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(Not tracked)

VERIFIED FIXED

People

(Reporter: djst, Assigned: jason.barnabe)

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(Whiteboard: sumo_only template)

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(2 files)

We need to change the text above the feedback textarea to make it more obvious that we're not going to reply to the user and that there are better ways to ask for support. Here is an initial suggestion:

"Have more feedback about this article?
This is your chance to help us improving the quality of this article. Note that you will not be contacted by us. If you need help, please [b][link]ask a support question here[/link][/b] instead."

The link should point to http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Ask+a+question.
Depends on: 413738
"Have more feedback about this article?
This is your chance to help us improve the quality of this article. You will not receive a reply to your feedback; if you need help, [b][link]ask a
support question[/link][/b]."
Sounds good! Thanks for correcting my grammar.
Attached patch patchSplinter Review
Attachment #299065 - Flags: review?(nelson)
Attached image screenshot
We also need to note that feedback is visible to anyone logged in.

"This is your chance to help us improve the quality of this article. Please note that your feedback will be visible to anyone who logs in to the site. We don't respond directly to article feedback, if you need more help [b][link]ask a
support question[/link][/b]."
(In reply to comment #5)
> We also need to note that feedback is visible to anyone logged in.

I don't see why we need to include that now when we make it clear that they should ask for help elsewhere. That said, I prefer parts of your wording: 

"Have more feedback about this article?
This is your chance to help us improve the quality of this article. Note that we don't respond directly to article feedback; if you need help [b][link]ask a support question[/link][/b] instead."
well that was the original point that brought about this discussion. I do think it's still a good idea for two reasons. People might leave info anyway, either hoping we'll get back to them to ask more about the issue, or to illustrate the issue they were having.  The other is a way to let them know how they can see their feedback later, and lets them know that it's not just some bottomless pit of an email feedback form.  Maybe we can phrase it more positively though, focus on the idea that their feedback will reach lots of people.

Something like "Anyone who logs in will be able to read your feedback and it may even be included the next time the article is changed." Not exactly that though, but along those lines.
Does this "Ask a question" page exist/is accessible?
see the bug that this one depends on- bug 413738
I just don't see why it's relevant who is going to read the feedback after we've made it clear that this is not the place to ask for support. Obviously the person giving feedback assumes that authors of the page will read it. The fact that just about anyone can be an author is better suited in the About page.

Also, adding that note that anyone who logs in will see the feedback makes the text lengthy. I have yet to see a good text that incorporates it without sacrificing readability because of excessive word count.

I'd rather check in Jason's patch before this week's live server push and see the effects of it, than waiting for the perfect wording. The main objective is to discourage support questions, and the patch aims to fix that. Jason, if you prefer the wording in comment 6, please make a patch for that and obsolete the other one.
I prefer the wording in comment 1. It doesn't have the word "instead" - users can both ask for help and submit feedback. It's also more direct and user-oriented ("you will not receive a reply" vs. "we won't reply").
This bug as it stands depends on bug 413738, otherwise there will be a broken link/link to incomplete page. djst, are you underway with that bug already?
(In reply to comment #10)
> I just don't see why it's relevant who is going to read the feedback after
> we've made it clear that this is not the place to ask for support. Obviously
> the person giving feedback assumes that authors of the page will read it. The
> fact that just about anyone can be an author is better suited in the About
> page.

I don't think we should expect people to read the about page before leaving feedback. I think that people might be comfortable leaving feedback in a closed mailing list, for example, where they wouldn't be knowing it was quasi-public. I also think some people will read the disclaimer that they won't get a response and leave info anyway *just in case.* On the positive side, it also lets people know that their feedback is getting somewhere and isn't just ending up in some black hole.

> 
> Also, adding that note that anyone who logs in will see the feedback makes the
> text lengthy. I have yet to see a good text that incorporates it without
> sacrificing readability because of excessive word count.
> 

Well we haven't really taken any time to incorporate it yet.  Taking all the current feedback into account, we can do some things like combining the heading and the first sentence.  Tweak a few other things and we could end up with something like:

"Help us improve this article

Leave us your feedback! Everyone who logs in to this site will be able to see 
it. Please note that you will not receive a reply directly. If you need help, 
[b][link]ask a support question[/link][/b]."

It's nominally longer than the text in comment #1. So it's possible to incorporate it length is the issue. If it's not, then I think we should get some feedback from the people who requested the change in the first place to make sure they agree that discouraging support requests would be enough of a step.
(In reply to comment #13)
> 
> I don't think we should expect people to read the about page before leaving
> feedback. 

I meant that the fact that people logged in can read the feedback is not relevant enough to be included in the text upfront -- that it's better suited on e.g. the About page.

> I think that people might be comfortable leaving feedback in a closed
> mailing list, for example, where they wouldn't be knowing it was quasi-public.

Why would anyone feel uncomfortable giving feedback if they knew it was going to be read by a lot of people? Do people really think like that? I would understand it if they are asking for help, but that's what we're trying to solve here.

> "Help us improve this article
> 
> Leave us your feedback! Everyone who logs in to this site will be able to see 
> it. Please note that you will not receive a reply directly. If you need help, 
> [b][link]ask a support question[/link][/b]."

It just doesn't sound good to me. The "Everyone who logs in" part even sounds like an encouragement in this context.

> If it's not, then I think we should get
> some feedback from the people who requested the change in the first place to
> make sure they agree that discouraging support requests would be enough of a
> step.

I think we should just check in the patch and see the effect of it, and open a new bug if it turns out that it's not helping. That will give us time to think about a wording that fits this in without hurting readability, and we can talk to whatever people you're referring to above.

Nelson, I'll take care of the "Ask a question" page today, so you can check in the patch today as well.
Attachment #299065 - Flags: review?(nelson) → review+
ok. checked in.
(In reply to comment #14)
> Nelson, I'll take care of the "Ask a question" page today, so you can check in
> the patch today as well.

Update: I'll write that page before we do a server resync. 
Status: ASSIGNED → RESOLVED
Closed: 16 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
(In reply to comment #14)
> (In reply to comment #13)

> The "Everyone who logs in" part even sounds
> like an encouragement in this context.
> 

For the sake of clarity, that was my point.  Make it a positive, people will know that their feedback will actually be seen, rather than ending up in some unchecked mailing list somewhere, which is what happens with feedback forms on lots of sites.
Looks good on the live server.
Status: RESOLVED → VERIFIED
Holy ** I need to fix the blocking bug asap.
As Chris pointed out, the current link wording can make it look like they're in the right place to <ask a support question>.

Chris suggested "If you need help, go to the <a>ask a question page<a>"

Not sure if I'm too fond of the wording. Any other suggestions? Note that this might not be a big problem once bug 413086 is implemented, since that will add a "Need more help?" link above the feedback area. The original suggestion was also to hide the text area by default. I've filed a new bug for that: bug 418199.
Should we re-open this, or just create a separate bug?
I think with the textarea hidden, the problem will go away.
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