Forum Definition: The Suggestion Forum

One of the things that makes Mibba standout among the many writing sites is its community feel. Any member who has migrated to Mibba, or returned after straying away, will tell you that this constant interaction and close relationship with its members is something that no other writing site can boast. It's what makes Mibba one of the best.

While this quality is best demonstrated in the friendships we make, the encouragement and feedback we receive, and the friendly conversations and discussions in which we've all played a part, it's also a key component in Mibba's upkeep and improvement. Mibba's staff – Dujo (the site creator), the admins, the mods, and the editors – are always looking at user suggestions on how the site can be more fun, more useful, and run more efficiently.

From looking at complaints in the Things You Don't Like About Mibba thread to drawing conclusions from problems that arise, the site's staff can gather quite a bit of information on what Mibba needs. But that's not the only place ideas for improvement are found. The Suggestion forum has also become an almost endless pool for really great ideas, all offered by the people who know the site the best: Mibbians.

For anyone who hasn't visited the Suggestions forum, it's located at the very bottom of the message board's main page, listed underneath the Mibba category. Here, members can create threads in which they can make suggestions on things they'd like to see changed on Mibba. These suggestions can be anything site-related that would help enhance the Mibba experience, and often these ideas are chosen and executed on the site for the benefit of all Mibbians.

So what do you do if you have an idea?

Like in any other forum on the boards, duplicate threads are not allowed (and will be locked and deleted), so three quick things need to be done before you create your suggestion thread. The first would be to check the To-do List; the To-do List is Dujo's personal list of things he's going to add, change, or fix on Mibba. If something's already on that list (even if it's not yet implemented on the site), there's no need to make a suggestion thread about it. If your idea isn't on the to-do list, the next thing you can do is take a look at the Suggested Ideas List; as the title suggests, this is a thread that lists all the ideas that have been previously mentioned. If your idea isn't on this list, you've just got one more step to go: a message board search. When searching, think of all keywords that may apply to your idea (not just the exact title you plan to use), and be sure to select the “Suggestions” option from the drop-down list, to limit the scope of your search to the relevant forum.

If searching yields no results, you can now create your suggestion thread.

How do you start a suggestion thread?

There's just two main components to creating a suggestion tread: the title and the post's content.

Title

To make your thread easily searchable for future members looking to make a suggestion, you should chose a title that is short, simple, and to the point. Be sure that the title of your thread clearly represents what your idea is. Also, be sure to mention which part of the site your suggestion applies to.

For example, if your idea is to add a journal rating system, the best title would be “Journal Rating System.” If your idea is to add custom layouts for journals, the best title would be “Custom Journal Layouts.” If your idea is to eradicate the comment deleting option, the best title would be “Deleting Journal Comments.” Members should be able to take a guess at what your idea is just by looking at your title.

Content

In the content of your post, at the start, you should clearly state your suggestion. You should also explain your idea, how you think it can be done, and the benefits you think it may reap. If a problem inspired your idea, mention it. Try to put as much useful information into your first post as you can. The better members (and staff) can understand your suggestion, the more likely they are to lend you their opinions (or support) and possibly help you work out more of its details.

The best way to ensure that an idea ends up being used on Mibba is to fine-tune it to perfection. The great thing about using the Suggestion forum is the discussion. Once you post your idea, members of Mibba are able to view and comment on it. Interact and respond to the people commenting on your thread. Answer their questions and take into account their concerns. Use member feedback to make your idea better. The best ideas are ones that are fully formed; ideas in which all the possible cons have been addressed and worked out. By working together to bang out all the kinks, you can present a suggestion that Dujo might be hard-pressed to refuse.