Feedback Wish List

This forum is for general questions about Feedback Explorer and Feedback Server.
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brianengle
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Feedback Wish List

Post by brianengle »

This feedback tool is a great start...
Can't wait to see what it will be capable of a few versions from now.

Wish List:

The ability to…

1. reset the counts for individual help topics.
2. filter data views by date (such as counts – need to see counts for “today” and “this week”, not just since implementation of the feedback server).
3. omit certain users from the counts tracking process (i.e., omitting the help author who might hit a page 10 times in a day for testing purposes).
4. run range of robust database queries.
5. reorder comments in a given help page (i.e., to promote the most important user notes or most timely notes to the top of the list from the user’s perspective).
6. add certain icons to a message (i.e., “New” “!” “Important”).
7. set an expiration date/time on messages.
8. set up user profiles automatically, based on NT authentication (need to be able to see a breakdown of the hit count by NT userid...right now I have users hitting pages and have no idea who they are. I need to be able to IM, email, or call them to ask for their verbal feedback).
9. turn off specific user profile question fields (requiring users to enter their zip code and gender is unprofessional. Don't want to ask my Moscow readers for a zip code. Don't want to explain to HR why I'm asking for gender).
10. edit the content of messages in the administrator role.
11. launch MS Communicator from within message thread, with option of selecting users from among those contributing to the message thread.
12. color or bold data points that have changed in the last x hours.
13. view the help page in question when reviewing “Recent Comments” (have had to turn off this feature due to the lack of context for the user – should be able to click and pull up the help page the comment relates to).
brianengle
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Post by brianengle »

Would also be nice to be able to set a flag on the Feedback accordion item that tells the user that comments are available for the topic being viewed.
HelpTrog
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Post by HelpTrog »

It would also be nice to be able to add an automated message to those who comment but have to wait for message review.
brianengle
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Domain exclusion capability

Post by brianengle »

Also would be nice to be able to build an exclude list of servers from which you do not want feedback (i.e., Test Region servers, etc., that generate numerous hits, but not from the user community.
brianengle
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Feedback Dashboard Task Management

Post by brianengle »

In addition to color coding the hit counts on the Topics tab, it would be great to have a way of indicating which user feedback entries or ratings have not been read or put to rest. This could be done with color coding, flags, or even something akin to the MS Outlook \"unread messages\" filter. Would be great to be able to mark off items that have been done... via a checkbox or flag. Outlook does a good job of letting a user \"process\" their email with flag markers. Click once it goes red, high priority. Click again it goes gray, indicating that whatever that email pertained to, the user has solved it and marked it no longer a priority. To my thinking user feedback really boils down to a task queue for the help writer, so it would be nice to have a way of processing that queue...either as described above or perhaps like a typical change resolution system used in most IT environments.

Thank you.
pdenchfield
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8 wishes (enhancements)

Post by pdenchfield »

Below are eight \"wishes\" (or enhancements) I logged on MadCap's website at http://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx - I am taking this opportunity to track the enhancements with this post.

ENHANCEMENT: Ratings inconsistently reported
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
1. Rate a topic with two stars: Click two full stars in a topic within a Help deliverable.
2. Open/refresh the corresponding .fbconf Feedback Explorer project and locate the new rating.
Actual result: The new rating is \"34.\"
Expected result: The new rating should be \"40.\" (2/5 stars = 40 percent)
Desired result: The new rating should be \"2.\" (user clicks 2 stars = 2 stars reported)

ENHANCEMENT: Searches from \"Quick Search text box\" not reported
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
1. In either WebHelp or HTMLHelp output, perform a unique search from the \"Quick Search text box\" displayed on the toolbar above the topic.
2. In Feedback Explorer, display searches.
Actual result: The unique search from the \"Quick Search text box\" is not listed in Feedback Explorer.
Expected result: The unique search from the \"Quick Search text box\" should be listed in Feedback Explorer.

ENHANCEMENT: Ratings and comments are not consistently configured or tracked
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
Two sets of steps here - for inconsistent configuration and for inconsistent tracking.
Steps to reproduce inconsistent configuration:
* View the Basic and Reviewer tabs of the .fbconf file.
Actual results: Configuration of user registration and automatic notification is for comments only.
Expected/desired results: Configuration of user registration and automatic notification should also include ratings, preferably separately configured (such that a Help author can make ratings anonymous but comments not anonymous).
Steps to reproduce inconsistent tracking:
1. Rate a topic as 4 stars and type the feedback \"good work.\"
2. Enter a new comment on a topic.
3. In Feedback Explorer, view the new rating and the new comment.
Actual results: The rating includes three columns: rating (score), feedback (text entered by user), and date. The comment includes six columns: user, subject, comment (text entered by user), date, status, commentID, parentID, and #.
Expected/desired results: The rating should also include user and status (assuming configuration options are added).

ENHANCEMENT: Users not notified of replies to their comments
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
1. As user, add a comment to a Help topic.
2. As reviewer, accept the new comment.
3. As reviewer, go to the Help topic and click the \"Reply to comment\" button, then type a reply.
4. As user, look at email inbox.
Actual result: No email messages appear notifying the user that a reply to his/her comment has been added to the Help topic.
Expected/desired result: The user is automatically notified via the provided email address that a reply to his/her comment has been added to the Help topic.

ENHANCEMENT: Frequency of notifications not configurable
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
View the Basic tab of the .fbconf project file in Feedback Explorer.
Actual results: The only option relating to notification of comments is \"Require comments to be reviewed.\" This option causes authors/reviewers (and administrators) to get notified every time a comment is added.
Expected/desired results: Options relating to notification of comments should also include frequency of notifications. These new option(s) should allow a Help author (or administrator) to configure the frequency of comment notifications to daily, weekly, or other.

ENHANCEMENT: No inline comments
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
Try to comment within a paragraph of a topic.
Actual results: Comments are only enabled on a topic level.
Expected/desired results: Comments should be enabled on a character level (or at least a paragraph level). Adding this feature would make Feedback Service exponentially more useful for gathering feedback from internal reviewers prior to publication.

ENHANCEMENT: Status changes to comments are not restricted or tracked
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
1. As user, add a comment to a Help topic.
2. As reviewer, accept the new comment.
3. In Feedback Explorer, view the properties of the comment.
Actual results: Access to the comment's properties is open to anyone with the license key and a copy of Feedback Explorer. The identity of the person (reviewer) who accepted the comment is not tracked.
Expected/desired results: Access to the comment's properties should be restricted according to the documentation team's criteria. The identity of the person who accepted the comment should be tracked.

ENHANCEMENT: No option to archive database before clearing it
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
Look for buttons or menu options to archive database. Look through Help for description of archiving data from the database.
Actual results: No database archive functionality exists.
Expected/desired results: Database archive functionality should exist.
pdenchfield
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number 6, 7, and 8 of my 8 enhancements

Post by pdenchfield »

I see my earlier post was cut off. Here is the sixth issue in full (no inline comments), plus issues 7 and 8.

ENHANCEMENT: No inline comments
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
Try to comment within a paragraph of a topic.
Actual results: Comments are only enabled on a topic level.
Expected/desired results: Comments should be enabled on a character level (or at least a paragraph level). Adding this feature would make Feedback Service exponentially more useful for gathering feedback from internal reviewers prior to publication.

ENHANCEMENT: Status changes to comments are not restricted or tracked
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
1. As user, add a comment to a Help topic.
2. As reviewer, accept the new comment.
3. In Feedback Explorer, view the properties of the comment.
Actual results: Access to the comment's properties is open to anyone with the license key and a copy of Feedback Explorer. The identity of the person (reviewer) who accepted the comment is not tracked.
Expected/desired results: Access to the comment's properties should be restricted according to the documentation team's criteria. The identity of the person who accepted the comment should be tracked.

ENHANCEMENT: No option to archive database before clearing it
Date entered:
12/12/07
Steps to reproduce:
Look for buttons or menu options to archive database. Look through Help for description of archiving data from the database.
Actual results: No database archive functionality exists.
Expected/desired results: Database archive functionality should exist.
royj
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Location: Fargo, ND
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Ability to add custom statuses

Post by royj »

We'd like to be able to add additional comment statuses (beyond the default Accepted, Pending Review, and Hidden).

For example, we have users entering bugs against the documentation, so we'd like to add statuses like \"Bug - Pending\" and \"Bug - Resolved.\"

I'm going to post a feature request as well, but I thought I'd toss it in here.
Roy Jacobsen
Writing, Clear and Simple
Fargo, ND
royj@writingclearandsimple.com
http://rmjacobsen.squarespace.com
pdenchfield
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Change registered user accounts (User)

Post by pdenchfield »

As user, look for options to change your registered user account.

Actual results: No options exist for changing your registered user account.

Expected results: Options should exist for changing your registered user account. Examples of items requiring account changes include typos, new email addresses (such as in the case of name changes due to marriage), and potentially additional information in the case that user registration forms can be tailored by the company hosting the Feedback Server.
pdenchfield
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Change, add, and delete registered user accounts (admin)

Post by pdenchfield »

Look for options in Feedback Explorer or Feedback Admin to change, add, or delete registered user accounts.

Actual results: No options exist for changing, adding, or deleting registered user accounts.

Expected results: Options should exist for changing, adding, and deleting registered user accounts. Examples of items requiring account changes include typos, new email addresses (such as in the case of name changes due to marriage), and potentially additional information in the case that user registration forms can be tailored by the company hosting the Feedback Server. Examples of items requiring account additions include inability of the customer to complete account activation. Examples of items requiring account deletions include accounts that are no longer active or that are replaced (assuming that the customer will be able to replace an account).
pdenchfield
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Confusing search reports: lists not updated

Post by pdenchfield »

1. In the Help deliverable, search for a term that does not exist in the deliverable (and that does not have a synonym).

The system responds with “no results.”

2. In Feedback Explorer, open either the “Search Phrases” window or the “Search Phrases with No Results” window.

The term is listed with no results.

3. In Feedback Explorer, add a synonym for the term entered in step 1.

4. In the Help deliverable, refresh the screen and then search for the term again.

The system responds with results (topics) according to the synonym entered in Feedback Explorer.

5. In Feedback Explorer, open the “Search Phrases” window.

6. Open the “Search Phrases with No Results” window.

Actual results: In the “Search Phrases” window of Feedback Explorer, the term is listed twice; once with no results, and once with results. In the “Search Phrases with No Results” window, the term is listed once with no results.

Expected results: In both search windows of Feedback Explorer, the term listing with no results indicated should be formatted with gray italics or some other formatting (with corresponding textual mouseover) indicating that this “no results” status no longer applies. Suggested textual mouseover: “Later searches of this phrase had results; synonyms may have been added.” The Feedback Explorer application should be able to detect occurrences of search phrases that now have results when they didn’t before. Maybe this scenario is more complicated when multiple terms are included in the search, but an allowance should at least be made for identical search phrases, multiple-term or not.
pdenchfield
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Remove confusion from rating workflow

Post by pdenchfield »

In a Help deliverable (WebHelp or .chm), select the number of stars to assign as a rating to the displayed topic and then click the Submit button.

Actual results: The message “Please specify your rating” appears.

Expected results: My rating should be submitted because I already selected the number of stars I wanted.
binarybunny
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Re: Feedback Wish List

Post by binarybunny »

As per this item:

9. turn off specific user profile question fields (requiring users to enter their zip code and gender is unprofessional. Don't want to ask my Moscow readers for a zip code. Don't want to explain to HR why I'm asking for gender).

I'd like to know how to turn off those fields completely. Right now in version 3.1, I can customize those fields in the skin to say something else (e.g., I can change "Gender" to the label "First Time User?" with a yes/no drop-down instead of that male/female nonsense).

When I go through the internal text editor to see if I can disable those registration profile fields, they are not there. Which XML file do they sit in?

Thanks!
Hobbes
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Re: Feedback Wish List

Post by Hobbes »

I have been trialing Feedback for about a week now, and based on the feedback I have received from users (through Feedback, of course), we have a couple of wishes, so far:

1. Icon or Color Code for Author Comments - It would be nice if all of the comments and replies that were sent from our company could use our logo so the customer could see instantly that it came from us. I think it would be a good visual cue to the customer that we read and respond to their comments.

2. Topic Text highlighting or line numbering - Users have requested that they have a simple way to identify the portion of the topic that they are commenting on. So, either add line numbering to the topics when the use clicks the "Topic Comments" tab, or allow the commentor to highlight text to go along with their comment so when someone clicks the comment, the highligting appears.

Thats all for now. The tool has been great so far--people are excited about the potential. I have had people from India the UK and the US use it with no technical glitches to date.
RamonS
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Re: Feedback Wish List

Post by RamonS »

While everyone is wishing for something, here is mine:
Have Feedback Service designed as such as that it does not mandate the use of IIS on Windows, but allows for using a real web server on any platform.
gewriter_2
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Re: Feedback Wish List

Post by gewriter_2 »

Our wish list:

Allow users to turn off the feedback mechanism if they so desire. This accomplishes two things: 1) Eliminates the data clutter from testers/help authors who spend a lot of time in the help files and 2) Allows users with security/bandwidth concerns to choose whether or not they want to submit data. I know the bandwidth pull is very small and that the security setup (at least the one we have) is very tight, but we produce software for users who have a lot of sensitive data on their computers. Some users don't want anything being transmitted, no matter how small, so it would be nice to give them that option if they so desire.
Rachel Hiatt
Information Developer
GE Healthcare
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