Design, Layout and UX (User Experience)

It took a long time to get used to the way these forums work. Having once posted, it was hard to find that post again. I later learnt that I had to go through my emails or the 'NEW' button. I wonder if there can be a more obvious way to show where you last posted as well as the people who have supported your posts.

It would be incredible if we got an SANE forums app we could use on our phones.

Is there a way that maybe if you click on your profile you can see the threads you have started?

I agree with the app.

I do all of the forums on my phone. Is there any way that there could be an option to do spoiler tags from your phone?

Two of the really frustrating (and definicient) functions of the forums is when you click on notifications, all become unchecked and you have no idea what you have read or replied to. Also, once you are in notifications, there is no way to go back to the home page without going the long way around by going into the forums link and finding where you want to go next. If we had the Lived Experience and Carer's links as buttons on top of the notifications page then it would be easier to navigate back to present posts.

I'd just like to call out my two main bugbears:

1. That single-spacing a new line in the text box creates a double space (i.e. new paragraph) in the final post. You can see the ugly consequences of this all across the forums, where many people have attempted to neatly paragraph their posts as they were typing, only to wind up with massive 3-line gaps in the final posts.

I'd love for a single space in the text box to remain a single space in the final posts. But at the very least, please make it consistant! If hitting enter is going to create a double-space in my final post, please make it create a double-space in the text box, too, so I can see what I'm typing.

2. The quote function has disappeared into the extended toolbar (i.e. it's not above the text box by default, you have to expand the toolbar with the "..." icon to access it.) It's only a minor inconvienience, but it's still a little annoying. Quoting used to be a main funtion before the website's last cosmetic update.

On that note, I'd just like to add that I'd really love a multiquote function, as many other forums have.

I'd also just like to add my two cents about the look & feel of the site:

I prefered the old style. The soft blues were much more cozy and welcoming, IMHO. This new design feels more 'institutional'. Very rigid, and black-and-white. Gives me vibes of the side of mental healthcare that people don't like to talk about, if you know what I mean.

Agree with it being difficult to find and return to my previous posts. Link on the profile page which opens summary line of all previous posts would make things much easier.

also for updates to be made that each notification only registered as being read after it has been manually selected. Currently selecting one notification which automatically registers all notifications as having been read/viewed I find frustrating

Question for those interested in the forum member (user) experience (UX):

What do you think about having the ability to co-design some awards?

for example, you might notice a forum member has been working on their recovery and achieved a goal- what if you could nominate for an award?

similarly - badges etc for 100th post … awards / badges for “most supportive of the month - or something like that for someone who likes the most posts in a month?”

or some sort of star supporter award - for people who consistently make an effort to welcome new members etc?

the functionality is available - would there be value in designing some awards/ badges and a system for them?

@Former-Member @Zoe7 @Captain24

@chibam