WA Suggestion: Disapprove Answers
When I ask a question in the WA community I am often met with an answer that doesn't solve my question or even worse something that isn't an answer. Although I appreciate people trying to help, this makes it immensely harder to get an answer because my question is marked as "answered".
I think we should be able to disapprove answers as a solution and have our question either put back into the unanswered category or put into another category specifically for this purpose.
If we're concerned about people spamming this feature, we could make it so you type out a reason you are disapproving it, like in the comment system, and it has to be approved by some sort of moderator.
Like this blog if you would like to help push for this feature. Whether you like the idea or not leave a comment below to tell me your thoughts, especially if you have criticism of this idea.
~Zachary
Recent Comments
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I've created a revised version of this suggestion. You can find it here: WA Suggestion: Fix the UnansweredAnswered System
I tend to agree with upsgirl but I can think of plenty of other reasons why we shouldn't do this. One of which would be that it then creates a negative from something that should be a positive. These posts and questions are meant to create a bit of conversation and give you a number of opinions. This might single people out, making them feel that their help wasn't "good enough" and stop them commenting in future - closing up the community.
A question might have a number of different answers and you might want them all. By disapproving a message because you want to keep a thread open, this might stop the conversation on here. Also if you approve a specific answer, then others might think you have the answer you want and not give you the multiple perspectives you get on here. You don't know what you don't know...!! (Until someone tells you about it!)
I haven't thought this through properly yet as it's just come to me in this moment, but a "resend question" tab or something like that, for when you feel you need more answers might be a more appropriate and gentle way to achieve the same aim?
Hello! Yes, RESEND. HAHA...I mentioned asking again but RESEND is the best thought. Good job!
Thanks for your feedback. I agree with your thoughts.
I want to draw attention to your last paragraph. I think the way I phrased my idea drew attention away from what I'm actually trying to get at, being able to get more answers when you feel you don't have what it is you need.
Perhaps a system could be implemented that works as I explained in my suggestion, but rather than "disapproving answers" you are just "resending the question". Either way the functionality could be identical.
~Zachary
I read down a bit further and see upsgirl agrees with me totally!! Unlike other in the discussion thread I do not think the pros outweigh the cons. I think it will change the community from an open one to one where it is one where people fear to answer questions.
It's the way it is moved to answered that is the issue - not what people are doing by answering. By having a way to "resend" the question or leaving it as unanswered until the questioner marks it as "answered" would be more positive ways of reaching the same objective.
I appreciate the feedback and I feel we could combine those two concepts. After I receive a little more feedback I'm going to make another blog that's a revised version of this suggestion.
I like your concept of doing what I said in a more positively oriented manner. It reminds me of something I was taught as a camp counselor. It's better to tell the kids what to do rather than what not to do because it sounds more positive. "No running" versus "Walk please".
~Zachary
Hi Zachary. Yes if it's presented in a positive way then it could work. irs about finding a "positive solution" for all!
This kind of stuff shows what a great community this is. The fact that someone can put out a thought or suggestion, have people give feedback on it, everyone discuss the downsides to that idea, and revise that original idea to better it, all in an hour or so is truly a feat.
~Zachary
Zachary - our brain doesn't recognize the word "no" or negatives so as you say "no running" focuses the mind on actually running.
In NLP, we say to training participants "don't think of a pink elephant" and what happens the minute I say that... Yup, you think of a pink elephant in order to try and complete my command to "not think" of it!! This is going off the point a little - but I hope you see that I am reinforcing the need to find the positive solutions to problems rather than the negative! Negative solutions rarely get results!
I'll look forward to the new positively re-worded blog!
Here's what I'm thinking now:
After a question receives a reply it remains in the unanswered category for a certain period of time, but the person who asked it is prompted to decide whether or not their question has been "answered". If they choose "yes" then it is marked as answered. If they choose "no" it remains in the unanswered and the process starts over. If they don't choose one within a certain time frame the question is marked as answered until they come back later and choose.
Each question can only be resubmitted as not answered a certain number of times (probably two). After that you have to fill out a request to resubmit with an explanation of why you would like to do so (to prevent abuse).
Thoughts?
~Zachary.
Yes I'm not certain that there would need to be a limit?! What kind of abuse are you expecting to happen? If people resubmit too many times and they have nothing to add, they will simply not reply on it. Ultimately, the person could also just ask the question again anyway if they really wanted to?!?
I like how Sarah is thinking. Just take this conversation that has begun for instance. These same types of conversations can happen through questions and have occurred through questions. I think that one thing WA could use is a "comment box" of sorts - a place where we can post our suggestions for improvement - CONSTRUCTIVE suggestions that is.
Steph. Yes a comment/suggestion box area would be great! (Another great suggestion!!)
Sorry for the late response - all my notification emails were making their way into my junk mail box all of a sudden! I did wonder why I was having no emails or responses at all on WA! ;-)
A lot of times, the correct questions are not asked. The people asking might not be asking the right things...happens a lot. Just ask again. Although, it might work, it's no different than when people ask through Notifications. Just ask again.
Better yet, PM someone you know and trust! I get about 15 PM a day...
Thanks for the feedback. Those are good suggestions, but at the same time they are workarounds for the problem. I'm suggesting we solve it so we don't have to work around it.
I agree that often people don't ask an unclear question, but for those who do it can be frustrated to get an unhelpful reply and the question then be marked as "answered".
I think having the moderated version of this feature I mentioned where you have to give a reason for disapproving an answer, would solve the problem while taking into account your concept of "the correct questions not being asked".
~Zachary
Sort of...I guess.
I get you're trying to solve it. I receive many PM from people not getting correct answers...it works for me.
Pointing out someone gave a bad answer won't help the Community. We built this Community based on trust and support for one another. Nobody wants to see he/she was the only one to answer and it was DECLINED...lol! Do you need help?
Something to think about.
I like the PM route but I'm game for anything...I never ask questions but I sure do answer. I have left PM with certain individuals and have been happy with resolutions.
The idea is not to call out an answer for being bad. The idea is to give the question another chance to be answered. The way I imagine it all that would happen is the question would once again be shown in the unanswered category. That's it.
~Zachary
I gotcha. I agree but do you see what messages will be sent?
I'm not disagreeing...you asked for thoughts...
That's all!
I did ask for thoughts and I appreciate the feedback. I'm just giving my thoughts on the feedback that's all.
Yes, I could see the potential for someone to take that negatively, but really there would be no reason to. Their answer wasn't a solution for you and you would like additional thoughts from the community. It's not any sort of insult to them.
~Zachary
Indeed it potentially could and that would be something to consider if we implemented something like this, but I feel the pros outweigh the cons.
I'd also like to point out we basically added pretty much this exact feature in the comment system.
~Zachary
There must be many who, like myself, live with the constant pressure of too little time and deadlines outside WA. A thought-through/clearly-formulated answer only should be posted, and I have seen many, many examples of them by excellent members and Ambassadors. Yes, an 'unanswered category' , or basic self-censorship is welcome.
I believe the problem mainly stems from people wanting to get any thoughts in their head out. Whether that be a misinformed answer or a similar experience they've had. It happens a lot and some sort of system to deal with that would be extremely helpful.
~Zachary
Zachary, you have some excellent ideas. I think when people click on a question and answer it, they are not aware that by attempting to answer the question (which like you said, is appreciated) they are removing that question from the "unanswered" to the "answered" and thus making it near impossible to actually have someone out there in the WA world who has the correct answer to see your question.
If nothing else, you have given rise to an issue within the system and by increasing awareness that too will hopefully help the situation.
Take home message: Do not answer a question unless you are positive you have the correct solution.
Thanks for your feedback. Those were my thoughts exactly. I feel like adding in this feature, or something similar, would be a great solution.
~Zachary
I don't think some people are attempting to answer these questions. They must just like to see their name in print. If you don't know don't type!
What I often see and I have had occasionally happen when I have asked a question is someone saying something like, "I don't the answer, but I am following this in the event someone can answer the question..." - And what I said in my earlier comment, many people are probably unaware that by leaving a comment such as that, they are changing how that question is filtered in the system and removing the question from the "unanswered" filter to the "answered" filter and then that question may never get CORRECTLY answered.
I hope I answered that comment correctly. LOL!
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YES. This. I have asked a few questions, and the amount of people that 'answer the question' with a complete non-answer drives me mad. If you don't know the answer, then keep your mouth shut. Argh.
Sorry, it's close to home, and you have hit the nail on the head with this.