Need Input on Expected Join/Forum Functionality
We need some input on how groups/forums/notifications ought to work. Which is the expected behavior:
(1) You "join" a group, and the default is that you then receive email notifications of new Announcements and Forum posts/comments. You can then opt-out, if you want.
(2) You "join" a group, and the default is that you receive emails of new Announcements, but you have to manually sign up to receive forum posts/comments.
(3) Some other arrangement.
My theory is that (1) is right, as long as people can opt out of the forum/comment emails. Rationale: People aren't likely to try and figure out how to manually sign up to get the forum posts, and most who join a group want to be in the loop -- which is why they joined the group -- so they want the emails.
In other words, making it a manual opt-in process is a barrier; and the opt-out option is adequate for anyone who doesn't want to get emails of forum posts.
Please reply or use the contact form to let me know what you think. Thanks!
--Todd
I agree with the rationale that the reason most would sign up is to
get information.
I think option 1 (auto everything then opt-out) makes sense but if
forum traffic gets heavy then I would be more likely to prefer an
option to receive a daily or weekly digest (depending on how heavy is
heavy). I don't think forum traffic for any group is at a point where
this is an issue yet.
The opt-out is obvious enough in the emails so that shouldn't be an
issue.
--Dean
Todd wrote:
It’s the old "push/pull" question. If the person goes to a d-group and joins are they expecting that to engage in the group they need to go there and engage, or do they expect that the content will be pushed to them. I think this is the way d-groups and listservs are differentiated. The listserv is a push model; the d-group is a pull model. RSS is a combo of both.
I guess it is a preference thing. When I go on the Drupal site with a specific question, I will usually mark it so if there is a reply or comment back I will be sent an e-mail. But I don't expect to get lot of other extraneous e-mails on other topics.
But if I want to stay abreast of some topical area and a particular listserv has that, I will join knowing full well that my mailbox may get very full very fast.
~j
John E. Brandt
Web Design, Development, Consultation
Augusta, Maine USA
www.jebswebs.com
jeb@jebswebs.com
207-622-7937
-----Original Message-----
From: Todd [mailto:admin@techmaine.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 12:55 PM
To: jeb@jebswebs.com
Subject: TechMaine Drupal User Group (DRUPALug): Need Input on Expected Join/Forum Functionality
Greetings, jebswebs, A new comment has been added by Todd to this thread in
group Drupal User Group (DRUPALug): RE: TechMaine - Drupal User Group
(DRUPALug) - Need Input on Exp
As a general matter, I think I'd more or less go along with that. But the
real question is, what should "joining" do? That is, in the specific context
of someone "joining" one of the user groups by clicking the "join" link and
confirming, what's the expectation?
My theory is that people would expect that by joining a group they will
receive notifications of group activities -- and that if they join and don't
get notices, they would wonder why they aren't getting the content.
Note that in either case -- whether just joining, or joining and then
deliberately opting-in for notifications -- the user could either un-join or
opt out of specific types of notifications.
--Todd
-----Original Message-----
From: jebswebs [mailto:admin@techmaine.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 10:55 AM
To: todd@techmaine.com [1]
Subject: TechMaine - Drupal User Group (DRUPALug) - Need Input on Expected
Join/Forum Functionality
Read more at http://www.techmaine.com/node/2720 or reply via
http://www.techmaine.com/comment/reply/2720/118. -- This is an automatic
message from TechMaine To manage your subscriptions, browse to
http://www.techmaine.com/user/307/notifications
Okay -- Good points, on both sides of the issue.
For now, we have set the defaults to autosubscribe people to the forum/announcement posts when they "join" a group. We'll see if there is positive/negative/no feedback on it.
Users can opt out or opt in again from their My Account page.
Not sure if you are asking for our preference, experience or recommendation....so I will give you all three.
My preference is to have choice all the way. Nothing should be automatically opt-in, but directions should be clear that there is this potential.
My experience is that if it is a commercial site you are more likely to find the opt-out model and that the "boxes are already checked." I personally find this offensive.
My recommendation is to go with the opt-in model. I think it is important to be inviting and not pushy. I place opt-out models a couple of steps below annoying marketing telephone calls and SPAM. Worst case scenario is when the method to opt-out doesn't work. This organization gets blacklisted by me as SPAM.
Hope this is what you were looking for.
~j
John E. Brandt
Web Design, Development, Consultation
Augusta, Maine USA
www.jebswebs.com
jeb@jebswebs.com
207-622-7937
-----Original Message-----
From: Todd [mailto:admin@techmaine.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 9:34 AM
To: jeb@jebswebs.com
Subject: TechMaine - Drupal User Group (DRUPALug) - Need Input on Expected Join/Forum Functionality