PC 2.0 - A Navigation and User Browsing Experience survey

Hey everyone! This is a quick survey about the browsing habits of PC members on the site, and how they use various navigation-related features like the top menu bar, the breadcrumb links on the left of the menu when viewing a thread/forum, the basic and advanced search, and the favourite section updates page. All of these are features intended to make getting to the content you're looking for on PC a quick and painless experience, and by responding you'll be helping me identify which of these interfaces need work, which are going unused, and plenty more.

For the sake of being completely clear I'll define navigation as the menus, links, and buttons designed to help users browse a site, both to find new content and search for existing content. "Navigation experience" refers to how the navigation feels to a user of the site - due to not only how fast the pages load, but also the organization of the menus used for navigation, the intuitive (or unintuitive) placement of navigation tools, the ability to get to any page on the site within a few taps/clicks, and the presence (or absence) of navigation features like search and saved threads.

Please note that survey relates to the PC 2.0 (the New UI) only - please do not submit responses relating to navigation in the old UI. Also, you're free to respond to as much of the survey as you like, but the more feedback the more we can improve the experience of browsing PC. Also, feel free to reply even if you don't have that much to say/complain about! Positive feedback will let me know that it's in a pretty decent state now.

• What kind of device(s) do you typically use to browse PC?

• What New UI theme do you typically use?

• What's your typical flow when browsing PC? Do you stick around on the index most of the time, jump between forums, or use the dashboard or favourite section updates feature? For example, I usually stick around the index and only open forums when I spot a thread I want to reply to in the latest post preview. I never use the dashboard or favourite section updates.

• Are there any cases where you felt it took too many taps/clicks to get to a page or state that should be easily accessible? For example, opening a subforum from the mobile index.

• Are there any cases where you felt the available navigation options were unintuitive or inconsistent? For example, expecting a link or action to be listed in a particular menu but finding it somewhere else instead.

• Approximately how often do you use Basic Search? (opening the search icon in the menu bar and searching from there)

• Approximately how often do you use Advanced Search? (clicking the advanced search link and filling out the full form)

• Are there any useful links that you find yourself wanting to access often, but aren't linked in the menu bar or other obvious places?

• How many threads do you have favourited? Threads are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the thread header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited threads in your dashboard.

• How many forums do you have favourited? Forums are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the forum header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited forums in the "favourites" tab of the homepage.

• (If you browse PC on mobile) How does your experience of using PC on mobile compare to that of a social media app? Are there any app trends you find yourself missing? Are there any you're glad PC doesn't have? For example, many mobile apps include a navigation bar at the bottom that lets users quickly switch between categories, something that PC lacks.

• Do you have any other comments on specifically the navigation experience?

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to respond!

What kind of device(s) do you typically use to browse PC? Laptop if possible, mobile if tyler pings me a bunch to look at stuff
What New UI theme do you typically use? Sweet kisses, for now
What's your typical flow when browsing PC? Do you stick around on the index most of the time, jump between forums, or use the dashboard or favourite section updates feature? For example, I usually stick around the index and only open forums when I spot a thread I want to reply to in the latest post preview. I never use the dashboard or favourite section updates. I check out whatever thread I got linked to that caused me to be here, then anything else I care about in that forum, then usually skim the other forums I like
Are there any cases where you felt it took too many taps/clicks to get to a page or state that should be easily accessible? For example, opening a subforum from the mobile index. dunno
Are there any cases where you felt the available navigation options were unintuitive or inconsistent? For example, expecting a link or action to be listed in a particular menu but finding it somewhere else instead. Nope!
Approximately how often do you use Basic Search? (opening the search icon in the menu bar and searching from there) Almost never
Approximately how often do you use Advanced Search? (clicking the advanced search link and filling out the full form) To find specific past posts I've made, sometimes
Are there any useful links that you find yourself wanting to access often, but aren't linked in the menu bar or other obvious places? Nope
How many threads do you have favourited? Threads are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the thread header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited threads in your dashboard. None
How many forums do you have favourited? Forums are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the forum header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited forums in the "favourites" tab of the homepage. None
(If you browse PC on mobile) How does your experience of using PC on mobile compare to that of a social media app? Are there any app trends you find yourself missing? Are there any you're glad PC doesn't have? For example, many mobile apps include a navigation bar at the bottom that lets users quickly switch between categories, something that PC lacks. I mean the stuff you said is true, but that doesn't bother me
Do you have any other comments on specifically the navigation experience? Nope! Good work team!

What kind of device(s) do you typically use to browse PC?
- Smartphone (Android) and Desktop (usually through Firefox)

What New UI theme do you typically use?
- The Johto Elite, since that's a darker theme that feels nice to browse through at night.

What's your typical flow when browsing PC? Do you stick around on the index most of the time, jump between forums, or use the dashboard or favourite section updates feature? For example, I usually stick around the index and only open forums when I spot a thread I want to reply to in the latest post preview. I never use the dashboard or favourite section updates.
- Index usually, then scroll down to the sections I am active in and then check said sections for new posts.

Are there any cases where you felt it took too many taps/clicks to get to a page or state that should be easily accessible? For example, opening a subforum from the mobile index.
- No, always felt the same as before and I never had a problem with that.

Are there any cases where you felt the available navigation options were unintuitive or inconsistent? For example, expecting a link or action to be listed in a particular menu but finding it somewhere else instead.
- Not really.

Approximately how often do you use Basic Search? (opening the search icon in the menu bar and searching from there)
- Never.

Approximately how often do you use Advanced Search? (clicking the advanced search link and filling out the full form)
- Never either.

Are there any useful links that you find yourself wanting to access often, but aren't linked in the menu bar or other obvious places?
- Perhaps an quick select option to edit signatures. We have one for flairs, avatars and profiles but not for signatures, you need to go through one extra click for that. Not really needed, but it could always come in handy :p

How many threads do you have favourited? Threads are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the thread header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited threads in your dashboard.
- None. I don't even use the function as I just follow them manually by browsing through the section.

How many forums do you have favourited? Forums are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the forum header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited forums in the "favourites" tab of the homepage.
- None either, same as with threads, I just manually follow them.

(If you browse PC on mobile) How does your experience of using PC on mobile compare to that of a social media app? Are there any app trends you find yourself missing? Are there any you're glad PC doesn't have? For example, many mobile apps include a navigation bar at the bottom that lets users quickly switch between categories, something that PC lacks.
- Not someone that's really following the app trends, but mobile PC to me is pretty smooth, but that might just be me being a very simple dude that doesn't really find the lack of navigation aid to be an annoyance so to speak.

Do you have any other comments on specifically the navigation experience?
- There is no more way to go to the very last page of a thread if you want to. I've been missing that since the swap to the new UI and it sometimes can lead to confusion if you want to jump to the last page instead of the first unread post in a thread (especially when it comes to Forum Games it can lead to confusion which has happened).

Oooh, I like this!

I don't have long to make this post, so sorry that it's not following that format, but I did have a few comments I wanted to make!

I primarily use the main forum page and click the section I wanna go to, rather than clicking the top links and etc.

What I wish was easier to find is the sub-forum that used to be Beta Feedback for 2.0 and the threads that help you create post flairs. As it stands you can search for them, but you can kinda get lost looking for them otherwise because they don't stand out anymore. It's possible new users may never even find them, and I think since the staff have been hyping the new UI and flairs so much, the pages on how to use / help threads should really be easier to spot. Maybe have navibar / quick links to them so you can spot them from the main forum page?

What kind of device(s) do you typically use to browse PC?
I use either my MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, or iPhone.
What New UI theme do you typically use?
Sweet Kisses.
What's your typical flow when browsing PC? Do you stick around on the index most of the time, jump between forums, or use the dashboard or favourite section updates feature?
I utilize the index as well as the dashboard and staff dashboard. The Staff Dashboard is a little buggy, but is okay overall. I rarely use the favorite section feature these days, but I used to before I got admin'd.
Are there any cases where you felt it took too many taps/clicks to get to a page or state that should be easily accessible?
I do wish we still had the ability to switch between sections at the bottom. It would definitely save me a few clicks.
Are there any cases where you felt the available navigation options were unintuitive or inconsistent?
I do feel the Dashboard overall's aesthetic could be improved.
Approximately how often do you use Basic Search?
At least once a day.
Approximately how often do you use Advanced Search?
At least once a week. I do wish that the search function worked on older posts, as well in archived sections.
Are there any useful links that you find yourself wanting to access often, but aren't linked in the menu bar or other obvious places?
The online user list would be great.
How many threads do you have favourited?
None.
How many forums do you have favourited?
Several, but I don't utilize it anymore.
How does your experience of using PC on mobile compare to that of a social media app? Are there any app trends you find yourself missing? Are there any you're glad PC doesn't have? For example, many mobile apps include a navigation bar at the bottom that lets users quickly switch between categories, something that PC lacks.
I mentioned earlier a navigation bar that allows you to switch quickly between sections would be great :) It's pretty great on mobile otherwise - I make long posts on mobile all the time.
Do you have any other comments on specifically the navigation experience?
Nothing off the top of my head! :)

What kind of device(s) do you typically use to browse PC?

Sometimes my phone but I usually don't post unless I'm at a computer. I prefer using a keyboard.

What New UI theme do you typically use?

Default.

What's your typical flow when browsing PC? Do you stick around on the index most of the time, jump between forums, or use the dashboard or favourite section updates feature?

Quite a few sections interest me so whenever I log in I hop around and check them for new topics.

Are there any cases where you felt it took too many taps/clicks to get to a page or state that should be easily accessible?

No.

Are there any cases where you felt the available navigation options were unintuitive or inconsistent?

No.

Approximately how often do you use Basic Search?

Usually never because advanced is just better.

Approximately how often do you use Advanced Search?

Occasionally.

Are there any useful links that you find yourself wanting to access often, but aren't linked in the menu bar or other obvious places?

None.

Are there any useful links that you find yourself wanting to access often, but aren't linked in the menu bar or other obvious places?

None.

(If you browse PC on mobile) How does your experience of using PC on mobile compare to that of a social media app? Are there any app trends you find yourself missing? Are there any you're glad PC doesn't have?

Mobile is fine for browsing. I prefer a larger screen and keyboard which is why I don't post from mobile. Actually I'm not sure if this place has a mobile app, but it works so well from the browser I never bothered checking if it had one. Similar to how I feel about Facebook, it works so well in the browser I don't bother taking up space with the app.

Do you have any other comments on specifically the navigation experience?

Nothing.

We don't have a mobile app - it's been brought up a lot but we currently don't have the resources to develop one.
In the future, who knows!

And thank you to everyone who's responded so far!

Would love some more responses if anyone else is interested in helping out

What kind of device(s) do you typically use to browse PC?

A desktop I should take out behind the shed, and my phone (iOS)

What New UI theme do you typically use?

Johto Elite

What's your typical flow when browsing PC? Do you stick around on the index most of the time, jump between forums, or use the dashboard or favourite section updates feature?

Usually after checking notifications I first go to my dashboard and go through all the threads that show up there. Then I kind of just wander around the index and in forums, checking back to the dashboard sometimes to see if anything new is there.


Are there any cases where you felt it took too many taps/clicks to get to a page or state that should be easily accessible? For example, opening a subforum from the mobile index.
Are there any cases where you felt the available navigation options were unintuitive or inconsistent? For example, expecting a link or action to be listed in a particular menu but finding it somewhere else instead.

uhh not that I can think of rn

Approximately how often do you use Basic Search? (opening the search icon in the menu bar and searching from there)
Approximately how often do you use Advanced Search? (clicking the advanced search link and filling out the full form)

I don't use the search feature much in general, but when I do i prefer dos equis I usually use the basic search since that's easy to access since it's up there in the menu bar. Where is the advanced search link on the new UI even?


How many threads do you have favourited? Threads are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the thread header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited threads in your dashboard.

It's set up for me where every thread I post in is automatically favorited/followed. Which is how I like it.

How many forums do you have favourited? Forums are favourited by clicking the heart icon in the forum header. If you're not sure, you can see a list of favourited forums in the "favourites" tab of the homepage.

None, as it's not necessary for me given how I browse the site and have favorited/followed threads.

Do you have any other comments on specifically the navigation experience?

If I think of anything I'll let you know

gonna unstick this in a couple of days so be sure to finish any responses before it is less visible!