Ask for Titles and text, not "what do you want to talk about?"

[qbteachmt]

The New Topic/Question panels are poorly phrased, and result in people not using Subject/Title and Body Text panels well. We see this too often. You could fix it like this:

The permanent text at the top, not the prompt text, should explain it's a Title or your Subject, as in, "Please enter a Title for this topic." Make it clear this is not the place to put what I want to talk about, because it isn't meant for long input.

And then, it's not a Location or Board. Show All with ellipses is too subtle. It would be better if you showed "Expand for All" and these are Product selections, as in which Product are you using, or which User Community or Group would you like to ask? A lot of people do not know "Boards." That's like asking about rotary phone dials.

Then, it's the Body, or text, as in," What would you like to ask or discuss or what do you need help with? Please include details." It's my Question or the info I need to provide for others to be able to help me.

Right now, this isn't working as written.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Agreed!   People that frequent message boards/groups/forums often understand how these things work, but its pretty clear that many people are unfamiliar with the best way to utilize them.

[BobKamman]

I say let's keep it looking like a Junior Achievement project and not the best a $70 billion American corporation can do for its customers.

Gotta leave some fixes for our grandkids to work on.  

[qbteachmt]

"let's keep it looking like a Junior Achievement project"

The tendency to make everything look like Social Networking means professionalism is part of a bygone era and "proximity" makes everything run. Things become so inefficient, it's amazing any work gets done in a day. Oh, wait; it hardly ever gets done in a day, any longer. I got a new furnace, it took them 3 tries to get it past the city inspector due to them not replacing a T with an elbow, thinking they could just cap it, Twice. How many times do you need to be told a cap isn't good enough?

[IntuitBettyJo]

Thanks for the great idea! We will review this area of the community and see what we can do. 

-Betty Jo