User feedback

This forum is for the discussion of the business and craft of writing help. For example writing style, choices of HTML Help or WinHelp or browser-based and so on...

Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green

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Ga Bowen
Posts: 324
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 5:05 pm

User feedback

Unread post by Ga Bowen »

I'm not sure where to put this, so I thought here would be as good as any.

I might be taking on a project that would involve bringing up an engineering company's documentation into the 21st century. It will involve converting Word operations manuals to PDF and ebook/WebHelp and also writing all SOPs.

I expect that once produced there will be plenty of comments on my output and changes that will be requested.

My question is, would anybody be able to advise on the best method of implementing an integrated feedback system?
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Tim Green
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Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
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Re: User feedback

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Ga,

In the Premium Pack 2 skins we integrated commenting support for WebHelp via two different providers (Disqus and IntenseDebate). Quite a few customers tried it out and almost all of them turned it off again quickly. It was probably the least popular major, development-intensive feature we have ever introduced.

The problem with comments is that they instantly turn your WebHelp into an open user forum. You need to manage it, protect against and delete spam, deal with troll postings, malicious comments and arguments between users and much more besides. The overheads in terms of ongoing daily work are considerable and the value in terms of the feedback you receive is questionable.

Per-topic Email feedback is a much better and cleaner solution. It gives you all the feedback you need, you can simply ignore irrelevant and spam responses and you don't need to deal with public debates. That is currently implemented in all the Premium Pack skins. You enter your email address in the configuration and then the user just needs to click on Email Feedback and it generates a mail that they can edit with your address, the reference to the help project and the topic they were viewing already filled in.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Ga Bowen
Posts: 324
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 5:05 pm

Re: User feedback

Unread post by Ga Bowen »

Tim Green wrote:Hi Ga,

In the Premium Pack 2 skins we integrated commenting support for WebHelp via two different providers (Disqus and IntenseDebate). Quite a few customers tried it out and almost all of them turned it off again quickly. It was probably the least popular major, development-intensive feature we have ever introduced.

The problem with comments is that they instantly turn your WebHelp into an open user forum. You need to manage it, protect against and delete spam, deal with troll postings, malicious comments and arguments between users and much more besides. The overheads in terms of ongoing daily work are considerable and the value in terms of the feedback you receive is questionable.

Per-topic Email feedback is a much better and cleaner solution. It gives you all the feedback you need, you can simply ignore irrelevant and spam responses and you don't need to deal with public debates. That is currently implemented in all the Premium Pack skins. You enter your email address in the configuration and then the user just needs to click on Email Feedback and it generates a mail that they can edit with your address, the reference to the help project and the topic they were viewing already filled in.
To be honest Tim that's exactly what I was looking for.

Thank-you. :)
Peter Muckle
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:33 pm

Re: User feedback

Unread post by Peter Muckle »

Hi Tim,

Is the commenting feature still available in the premium pack?

Thanks

Peter
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Tim Green
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Posts: 23153
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
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Re: User feedback

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Peter,

Support for Disqus and Intense Debate is still in the V2 skins in the Premium Pack but it is definitely deprecated and won't be developed any further or added to any new skins. We believe that it's not a good fit for documentation and strongly recommend that you don't use it. We may actually physically remove it from the V2 skins as well in the next major release of the Premium Pack. Context-sensitive email feedback is a much better and more efficient solution all round. Keep It Simple! :)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
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