Frequently asked questions about new format

[Moderator]

We've put together this FAQ to answer your questions about the new message board format.

Q: Why did the board change?

The Foundation message board moderation team recognized that the message board needed to be evaluated and examined to ensure that it was meeting the needs of its users. By soliciting feedback from message board users, key volunteers and staff, the team worked to develop successful and well-planned changes. By reviewing the purpose of the message board, how the Foundation supports the message board, and the general issues and concerns surrounding it, the team sought to create permanent changes that would benefit the community.

Q: What happened to all the old messages?

All threads from the old version of the message board were transferred to their appropriate place on the new message board. Most notably, all threads from the Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Complementary and Alternative Medicine forums were combined into a new Living with Psoriasis and Psoriatic arthritis forum. Those threads still exist and can be found by using the search function on the message board.

Q: Why are the Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine forums gone?

The Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine forums have been combined into a new Living with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis forum. This change was made to ensure that visitors have easy access to a wide breadth of information, and because surveyed users favored a simpler structure with fewer forums.

While we recognize that information will drop more quickly in the new forum, we feel that the resulting breadth of information will enrich the message board. For instance, while people with psoriatic arthritis have specific needs and questions, people with psoriasis will benefit from those discussions, and vice versa. Additionally, this unified forum provides a single venue where all treatment options can be discussed on equal terms, allowing individuals to learn about the broad range of things people are doing to benefit their psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis.

Q: Where should I post about complementary and alternative medicine or psoriatic arthritis?

Information about complementary and alternative medicine, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis should be posted in the Living with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis forum.

Q: What is the "Psoriasis Community News" forum?

There are a lot of things happening in the psoriasis community. From educational seminars to volunteer opportunities to affiliated support group meetings to advocacy efforts, this forum is where you'll find the most up-to-date information available. Visit frequently to learn about the many things going on in the community.

[Margueratt]

I am responding to this posting as I sent a 'private' message to the forum organizer but didn't get an answer. I believe you have regressed from what I've read about the history of this board and made a mistake...after reading your post concerning the reasons why you changed the board...I just don't agree...yes, many of us are desperate to access information that will help us, but please give us credit for not being the lowest denominator and for being computer savy enough to go to different, specific threads. It really was not necessary to lump it all together..it's much more difficult now.

[chennai01]

How many negative responses will it take before the moderators get the message from the members of this forum? Nearly all of the responses have been extremely negative so far.

I guess the moderators/administrators don't have extreme psoriatic arthritis in their hands and severe fatigue and brain fog, which makes scrolling through a mass jungle of unorganized threads extremely painful and exhausting.

If nothing is done, this will clearly show that this forum is not about the members and the sufferers of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. What other forums exist? If none exist, it may be time for someone else to start one.

[GitOverIt]

Surely you must recognize by now, even tho it's been a few short days, that this is not a "computer friendly" change! If anything it is quite the opposite.
I was one of the people that said I would answer the survey....and I have to say....given the options on the multiple choice....I explained to the interviewer...none of the answers could I agree with...I was prompted to respond with "well which one would come the closest?" I was very disappointed in the survey and even more disappointed in the outcome....it was almost a "given" as to what would transpire! We are not children, to be led down a rose colored path!.....The changes are the most unorganized mish-mash of topics that I have yet to see on a forum!
I hope you can see that the comp and alts forum was very popular and active? also the sister forum PA....Please! get us back to the "good old ways"!

[bratsareus]

You mods need to listen what we are saying. A lot of us that normally disagree on treatment options are standing united in the fact that the new format is not going to help us. Please hear our voices!!!
Patty

[pammy1]

As a new Member, I do appreciate this board and it's Members/Moderators completely. I am finding it difficult to navigate inside the threads that I have to keep clicking on different responses to see all the answers. I'd love to just be able to read all the responses on the topic in order regardless if someone responded or quoted to someone else inside the thread or not. Does that make sense??

Although I'm probably in the minority, I love the fact that the forums were combined because I probably never would have visited the other 2 and there is valuable information that's now "in my face" when I visit.

Thanks for this great place!

Edited to include:
PS- my bad.... it appears now that my concern about the thread navigation doesn't exist any longer....

[Moderator]

Thank you all for your feedback. We recognize that the reorganization includes some big changes that will take a while for everyone to adjust to. We appreciate your flexibility and support.

If you've sent an e-mail or private message, you will receive a response, and we will consider your feedback going forward.

As stated last week, the message board changes reflect months of research by our moderation team, including in-depth interviews with a broad spectrum of participants. We ask that you take some time to get used to the new set-up and continue to provide us with your comments. As you use the new forums more, you'll be able to give us even more constructive feedback about your experience.

[bratsareus]

Does this mean the option to bring back the old format is closed?

[JesseLou]

I agree that this new forum has drastically reduced the utility of these boards to the members. This is a step backward to the format that was in effect when I originally joined the board; it is not at all an improvement.

The first word in the NPF website motto is "CONNECT", but this format change has made that word obsolete. Though I have been posting on this board for more than 3 years, primarily on the psoriatic arthritis board, I no longer recognize 90% of the names on the posts.

[jdgarwood]

I feel that I have to voice my opinion....this new format is in no way an improvement. I don't see any need for me to repeat what everyone else is saying...please bring back the previous format. The new one is just too jumbled together and frankly, I dread coming here and having to sift thru so much information to find what I'm looking for. Please listen to the folks that these boards are suppose to help. Thanks.

[NYGuy11]

This change is terrible. It's not a matter of getting used to. That's a crappy statement to make.

Not everybody has Psoriatic Arthritis. We don't need the conventional and alternative threads mixed together.

You should at the very least put back the alternative forums.

[bratsareus]

I'm reading everywhere on the boards how people hate the change. Is anyone listening??? We want OUR boards back to the way they were before.
Patty

[chaimFL]

For what it's worth, I like to new format. I never felt the need split of information about the same disease. The big loss here is the PA forum because many people who posted there have such joint involvment that their skin, not matter how severe, was not that big of a deal. Those people did not desire information about the skin aspect of psoriasis for the most part.

All things considered, I think everyone will get used to the change just like every other change that occurs in life.

[Dulane]

We can live with less quality in our lives, but why?

And who is benefiting here? Certainly not the forum users. We had a system that we liked, was useful and many were happy with.

It's like coming back to a small town where you used to live and finding a Walmart and a highway interchange where the park and swimming hole used to be. Where did your community go?

Sure...we can adapt, but it isn't an improvement.

If I don't start hearing ANY consessions from the moderators...then I'll have to realize this wasn't done for those who use it.

And if your survey sucks...guess what you get?

I was one of the people that said I would answer the survey....and I have to say....given the options on the multiple choice....I explained to the interviewer...none of the answers could I agree with...I was prompted to respond with "well which one would come the closest?" I was very disappointed in the survey and even more disappointed in the outcome....it was almost a "given" as to what would transpire! We are not children, to be led down a rose colored path!.....The changes are the most unorganized mish-mash of topics that I have yet to see on a forum!
I hope you can see that the comp and alts forum was very popular and active? also the sister forum PA....Please! get us back to the "good old ways"!

And no one has addressed why the folks in the PA forum must go through additional and often painful steps to recover their info/support system. We know that they face additional energy and mobility issues...most often with their hands. Why intentionally make their lives more difficult?

[Margueratt]

We all know that people will get used to anything,no matter how bad it is ..given time...I don't think we're being given a choice in this...it's adapt or don't bother using this site...

[einna]

#1. Is this permanent?

#2. If not, how long a trial period can we expect?

#3. Who will decide what new changes are made when it becomes appearent that this present format isn't working.

Respectfully,

Annie

[keano]

Thank you all for your feedback. We recognize that the reorganization includes some big changes that will take a while for everyone to adjust to. We appreciate your flexibility and support.

If you've sent an e-mail or private message, you will receive a response, and we will consider your feedback going forward.

As stated last week, the message board changes reflect months of research by our moderation team, including in-depth interviews with a broad spectrum of participants. We ask that you take some time to get used to the new set-up and continue to provide us with your comments. As you use the new forums more, you'll be able to give us even more constructive feedback about your experience.

Why not set up a poll and hear what the MAJORITY of the users would like?

[LoriASoCal]

well, now that would be too easy, wouldn't it?

Why not set up a poll and hear what the MAJORITY of the users would like?

Did you find the poll that was started in the conversations thread? over 2/3rds of the regular users of this forum don't like it.

[NYGuy11]

I'm amazed that "months of research" by the moderater didn't tell them that this was a crappy change and that just about everyone doesn't like it.

[bratsareus]

Heres the link to the thread that has the poll setup.

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19725

[Frcrk]

Dear Moderator -
As a newbie, I feel I should voice my opinion. I would never have known the difference, as many newbies may not, between the old and new message community board format. I was depressed, lost, searching for answers, vulnerable, which the NPF gang saw and responded. Thank you, you great community connection for listening and communicating.

If I came to the board today instead of a few months ago, I would not have been in the right frame of mind to care or listen about the format changes. Nevertheless, I did experience great support, answers, quick topic choices already categorized, immediate links to wonderful sites for my P interests and prefer the way it was.

[soloist]

What a mess! I had come to the comp and alt forum for a sense of community, that is, to talk to people who chose a particular approach to dealing with their psoriasis, and I looked forward to hearing from them. Now that is shattered, lost in this big clump of messages that do not interest me.

Bigger is not better. You seem to be forcing the other treatment options upon us. We are not children. If we have made an informed decision to choose a particular treatment, then you should be respectful of this choice.

I can only conclude that you have ulterior motives for changing the format. Who are you working to please?

[hypothenar]

I hate to say it, but I think a look at the Annual Report, corporate sponsorship, and poll solicitation information will explain it all. Spend a little time in the "About Us" section up top - it opened my eyes as to where all this is leading!

[Moderator]

Thank you to everyone for providing your feedback, concerns and thoughts on the reorganization of the message board.

We have heard and value your comments and we will solicit additional feedback when we conduct our scheduled review of the message board format in the coming months. It is our sincere hope that as you become accustomed to the new forums, you will discover benefits to the reorganization.

While many of you have been asking for segregated information (separate forums for different topics), we feel that information in various threads is of great use to all message board users. For example, information about acupuncture or the use of milk thistle supplements might help someone who is on light therapy, but was not seeking information specifically about complementary treatments Additionally, the sharing of a user’s experience with Humira or Enbrel is beneficial for those with psoriasis and those with psoriatic arthritis.

We do ask that if you want to comment on the new message board format, you post in the threads already devoted to the topic. Here are links to some of those threads:

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19734

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19714

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showt...5&page=2&pp=25

Many of you have voiced concerns about being unable to find things on the message board. While we have discussed the use of the search function on the message board, it is only as good as the subject lines of your threads and posts. For example, the idea of putting "ALT" in the thread subject line of a thread discussing a complementary or alternative approach is excellent. Please be as descriptive as possible to help those looking for information.

Choose a subject line that clearly tells people what your thread is about.
Here are some examples:

* "Could a biologic cause a back ache?" Instead of "Biologic question"

* "What does erythrodermic mean?" Instead of "New with a question"

* "How do you deal with inverse psoriasis?" Instead of "Please help!"

* "Great news about new oral treatment" Instead of "Great news"

While this may not help with old threads, it will help as we move forward. If there are older threads that you want to keep on your radar, please remember the value of thread subscriptions. To subscribe to a thread, open it, click on "Thread Tools" and then click on "Subscribe to this Thread." You'll then see a screen where you can choose how often you'd like to receive an e-mail update about the thread (whenever a post is added, once a day or once a week). You can subscribe to as many threads as you like, and you can easily access these threads by clicking on "Quick Links" on any page.

Please feel free to provide your constructive criticism and feedback to us by e-mailing moderator@psoriasis.org or by sending a private message to username "moderator".

Best regards,
Message Board Moderation Team
National Psoriasis Foundation
moderator@psoriasis.org

[einna]

How about the fact that some of us come on to help answer the questions set forth by other members? We do so by going to a thread that we have some knowledge of and then qickly scanning the titles of the post. It is far too time consuming to sort through that mess you call Living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. For that purpose all your suggestions for finding topics in this new format are pretty much useless.

But as you put it YOU FEEL the information is useful in this manner. WE don't. We use the boards, you don't.

I'm extremely disappointed in your response and lack of courage to admit when you might be wrong.

Annie