Site navigation - is it easy enough?

[admin]

Over time this website has organically evolved from a basic forum into a more vibrant website with many other features being added. Has the experience left you confused or enriched? If you've got a moment, I'd love feedback on the following questions:

Are you confident navigating your way around this website?

Do you know where to find the things you need?

Are you aware that there's a clubs and groups list you can add to? Have you used it?

Are you aware that there's a photo gallery you can add to? Have you or will you use it?

Did you know there's an events calendar? Is it useful?

Although it needs some renovation, did you know there's a links section where you can add links to other websites?

Have you had a look at the chat feature? Have you found it useful? Would you use it more if someone set up times when people should meet there?

Did you know you can update your own profile, including personal details and which parts of the forum you get emails from?



And most importantly, did you know this can all be found on the top of each page in the form of a row of text links?

So, with all that in mind, do you like the site navigation or would you see it changed? Should those small links at the top be made more prominent and obvious? Are there parts of the site you use more often that should be easier to get to?

Thanks for your time on this, it'll help make it better for everyone.

Cheers,
Admin

[Grayson]

The new set up looks good and the links for forum, events etc make it easier.

[Lissa]

Greetings Admin.

I have a question/request. Can we please have the armouring/weaponsmithing threads separated a little into categories? I have noticed a huge number of threads in there, which is wonderful, it means there are folks out there making things and sharing info! Fabulous and keep it up. However, I am searching for how to make helmets,a nd thought, perhaps it would make it a little easier if armouring/weaponsmithing was subcategorised into armour head/body/arms/legs and weaponsmithing into its own category? Purely because I am a bit lazy and would rather read through the helmet info when doing a helmet, so on and so forth.
Is this a possibility? I understand that all the current threads may be difficult to move, but is it possible to set it up so future threads go into their category?

Many thanks, Melissa.
P.S I am ever so grateful for the use of the website, I find it thoroughly helpful!

[??Questions??]

Are you confident navigating your way around this website?

Do you know where to find the things you need?

Are you aware that there's a clubs and groups list you can add to? Have you used it?

Are you aware that there's a photo gallery you can add to? Have you or will you use it?

Did you know there's an events calendar? Is it useful?:
Yes ans Yes. I think its a great tool, and I use it all the time.

Although it needs some renovation, did you know there's a links section where you can add links to other websites?:
I do know how to navigate to the links page but I have found that it itself is rather messy and hard to understand.

Have you had a look at the chat feature? Have you found it useful? Would you use it more if someone set up times when people should meet there?
the chat feature is a nice touch to this website. and I appreciated all the time and effort you went to so that the link changes if their are people in it. though I must admit it has been a wile since I used it, and I think it would work a bit nicer if it was to pop up in its own window, rather then on the side.

Did you know you can update your own profile, including personal details and which parts of the forum you get emails from?:
yes and its a handy feature. though I don't think people use it enough because I often click on someone's user name only to find that they haven't entered any relevant info. =\

And most importantly, did you know this can all be found on the top of each page in the form of a row of text links?:
yes because I have eyes! =]

well i hope this is the kind of feed back you were looking for.

??Questions??

[NigelT]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Yes it's much appreciated.

Points to address then - yes the links/wiki section needs work. It's a bit busted and needs replacing with something else. I'm thinking there really isn't much point in a wiki because people can put stuff up on any number of other wikis,blogs, etc and just post links to them here. So I might investigate just providing a links section again. That said, people didn't really use it when it was a pure links section - perhaps get rid of it entirely?

With regard to splitting up the Armouring & Weapon Smithing forum - yes it could be split up, but I'd probably consider splitting it into 'Armouring' as one and 'Weapon Smithing' as the other. Splitting it at a more granular level is all very well, but it makes it difficult for people talking abour armour in general or suits of armour when the categories relate to specific body parts. I'll see about splitting that forum in two anyway. Thanks for the suggestion.

Chat - yes, it might be possible to split it into a seperate window, but due to the way the browser works, it's impossible to keep that chat window on top of the other browser windows or prevent it opening in a tab... in non-technical speak, it would be easy to have the window get lost and for you to forget you had it open. At least that's my feeling. I could be wrong on that. Happy to entertain more discussion on it if people feel it's important.

Cheers,
Nigel