We've Redesigned the Forums!!!

We've Redesigned the Forums!!!

Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes

Hey there, BiggerPockets!

Your forums look a little different today, don't they? 

We've made a few changes - and we're REALLY excited about them!

First off, we've cleaned up the interface and put the content of the posts front and center. We simplified the “chrome” of our posts and put a focus on what we all want — the posts themselves.

So where did all that stuff go? If you hover over an avatar, you'll see how to connect with that member, along with post/vote/award counts. To the right, you'll see three little green dots, which is where you can Quote someone or Report Abuse if you find a spammy post.

You can share forum threads on Facebook and Twitter. Oh, want to email them? You can do that, too! 

My favorite FAVORITE parts of the new design are the "stickies" at the top and bottom of a forum thread. As you scroll around a post, the top of your screen has a bar that includes the title of the post as well as the follow and reply buttons. No matter where you are as you scroll, you can always access these.

Our quick reply at the bottom of a thread is now sticky. Now you can scroll around the thread and reply as you’re reading individual posts. It just makes it easier to respond to multiple people without having to scroll up and down a bunch of times.

Other cool features include an easier way to jump to the last post in a thread while viewing our main forum feed, and a new sticky nav below our main nav bar while you are on the forums. You can now jump to Trending Topics, Your Discussions, Unanswered Posts and those threads you’re following from any page on the forums.

Our very own Brandon Turner created a video tour to show you these great new features.

There's also a quick tour in the upper right corner to give you highlights the first time you visit the new forums. 

I want to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to our Super-Awesome Development Team - especially @Edd Morgan for all the work that went into our new design. 

So tell me - how do you like our new design? Take some time to play around on the new forums and tell me what you think!

(We've put a lot of work into this new design - and I think I've tested everything. But if you find a bug or think something's not working right, I'd love to hear from you. Send an email to [email protected] or leave me a note here.)

15Reply
905 views

Most Popular Reply

Joel OwensBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
10y

We looked at this weeks ago. The feedback from the moderators is we did not like the new look overall.

I can't speak for everyone but there was very in depth discussions.

Negatives:

1. The picture icons are smaller now so you can't see well who you are looking at and responding too.

2. Moving votes to the left is a mistake. People are lazy and most are right handed. Click an scroll it's easy to vote. Now people have to cross-move over to the left to complete an action.

3. There are no lines between posts to show easy separation like before. It made it more user friendly and readable. Everything blends in now and the text is harder to read. I have perfect eyesight and I still find it difficult. Lighter text and harder to read posts makes users use the site less and not more. The "interaction" factor will diminish.

4. The votes you could use to hover over before voting and see who all voted. Now you can only hit it to vote.

5. The video feature,moderator, etc. is gone. Personally I liked seeing if people had videos to click on.

6. The look is too corporate and the personality is sucked out of it. Instead of your favorite watering hole with warm colors and easy usability it looks like a hospital feel now. Modern and cold.

It's Josh's ship. This isn't the first change I have seen over the years and I am sure not the last. I just say what I feel whether it's taken well or not. In my whole life I have never been a "yes man" and have forged my own path in this world.

That's one of the qualities I admire about Josh the most is we both own and run businesses. It's tough making the hard choices as you grow a company.

I just do not see the benefit to the design for users.

For instance if someone could give me a concrete reason WHY a smaller member picture  will make people connect more on the forums I am all ears. Maybe it's easier for a developer but I do not see it as an add for users on the forum. Maybe it's easier to read on cell phones? I know for desktop it certainly is not.

Anyways the forums will go on.  My .02 

"que sera sera whatever will be will be" ................. : )

See this reply in the discussion

225 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Real Estate Broker · Naples, FL · Member since 2013 · 9k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    10y

    @Simon Shih I feel the same way. Love the BP community, but I don't like the format. I think the BP gods should reconsider, get more feedback, and consider making some changes to the changes.

  • Real Estate Broker · Naples, FL · Member since 2013 · 9k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    10y

    @Bill Gulley of ALL the people stating others have long posts? I would have to buy special glasses when your name appears! Love you anyways:)

  • Rental Property Investor · Phoenix/Lima, Arizona/OH · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    10y

    Well, @Bill Gulley- I don't really think they are done with this. The template is more playful and less heavy, which I like. Not all things are perfect yet, but this has an over-all more pleasing and modernized look to my eye. I am willing to give them the benefit of time to work out those kinks you're talking about...

  • Rental Property Investor · Natick, MA · Member since 2015 · 128 posts · 188 votes
    10y

    Roughly 99% of my time here is spent on an iPad.  How do I "hover" over someone's name in order to connect and/or message them on an iPad or similar device?

  • Investor · Palm Harbor, FL · Member since 2015 · 86 posts · 18 votes
    10y

    I love the changes!  It's nice to always see the title of the thread.

  • Investor · Sherman Oaks, CA · Member since 2008 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y

    too much scrolling, 

    I vote for condensing it like it was previously.

    @Mindy JensenI guess you guess are trying for aesthetics and beauty and lightness, 

    I miss the old BP forums, no doubt.

    @Bill Gulley

    PM me when the TIC course is ready please!

  • Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    10y

    In the movie, "Grumpier Old Men", Maria (Sophia Loren) asks Max (Walter Matthau) why he doesn't like change.

    Max answers, "Things never change for the better."

    My personal take is that change for the sake of change is almost always an abysmal failure. Change where change makes sense is almost always a good thing.

    Too many changes I see are "fixes looking for a problem". 

    David J Dachtera

    "Success is not a destination. Failure is not an event. Success is a process, failure is a choice."
    - DJ Benedict

  • Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    10y

    Also, let me re-state something I said in an earlier post...

    In the new header, the forum statistics aren't particularly useful to the reader of a specific thread. The forum statistics belong on the forum's topic list page.

    Where the forum statistics now appear in the thread header is where the "x posts by y users" should be.

    David J Dachtera

    "Success is not a destination. Failure is not an event. Success is a process, failure is a choice."
    - DJ Benedict

  • Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    10y

    Further, the inability to navigate to a specific page in a thread (typically, the last page) is a distinct inconvenience. (Update: just noticed it's at the bottom of the page now instead of the top ... should be on both.)

    One example of where "things never change for the better".

    Overall, lotta good ideas in these changes, just kinda half-baked is all.

    David J Dachtera

    "Success is not a destination. Failure is not an event. Success is a process, failure is a choice."
    - DJ Benedict

  • Brandon, FL · Member since 2016 · 1 post · 0 votes
    10y
    I love it!👍🏼👏🏼
  • Investor · Central Valley, CA · Member since 2012 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Brian Burke:

    @Mindy JensenI

    I think I'll go back into hibernation for a few days and then check back to see whether this is simply an update that was released before it was really ready, or it's the finished product. Hopefully it's the former, because it feels like an old friend went missing!

     Good plan.  See y'all on Monday, hopefully with bolder type and bigger pictures!

  • Mindy JensenPro Member
    OP
    BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    10y

    @Account ClosedWe have implemented the font change.

  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    10y

    @Mindy Jensen I am so happy I don't have your job! I would venture a guess that there's not one person on here that is going to stop using BP because of the changes made to the site. I know we have thousands of members, and it's impossible for BP to please everyone. If people truly cannot see the font on some of their devices, then obviously that's something that needs addressed. But, if everyone would just give the new design a week or so and get used to it, then address what the problems are, it might be better than everyone putting their shopping list on now and expecting it to be filled. Right now everyone is getting used to the changes, and it takes a little time to get comfortable. If every change listed in the above posts by members were implemented, we'd like some and hate some, so why not just try what we have, give it a test run for a set period (a week or two) and then address the issues that are most mentioned, etc.? 

  • Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    10y

    Well thank you, and yes I'm sure they are working on it. But I still can't find the V O T E button!

  • Investor · Stockdale , TX · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 28 votes
    10y

    Haven't checked out the new site on my laptop yet, but the mobile version of the site (I don't use the app, but that's another story) doesn't show the avatar next to a person's name in a forum thread anymore. No pictures at all. Why is that? I think the avatars should be there even on the mobile site. 

  • Mindy JensenPro Member
    OP
    BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    10y

    @Bill GulleyTo "Vote", you click below the avatar and post/vote counts where it says how many votes there are for that post. If you hove over the vote count for the individual post, it should pop out a window that says Who Voted?

  • Investor · Peachtree Corners, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    I for one know I've spent less time on the site because it hurts (current tense) my eyes (How in the world was that missed in beta testing?)  and I've opened a lot fewer threads than I normally do.   So in my mind the website has lost a good deal of stickiness and I'd guess that is borne out by the statistics from the last two days, particularly among long term users.   @Karen Margrave I think the most basic question is why should a user have to get used to the changes?  Reminds me of my grandmother telling me that castor oil is good for me whether I liked it or not.  When someone says give it a week to get used to it, that screams quit complaining and just put up with the poorer experience, you'll eventually forget that it was better before it was "upgraded."    

    The last time we had a substantial change it was generally well received and I don't recall if any of the more prolific posters complained about it like we have this time.  So change can be readily accepted if it improves the user's experience, but it will not be accepted if it degrades the user's experience, which this new design most certainly has.    

  • Mindy JensenPro Member
    OP
    BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    10y

    @Andy H.Avatars on mobile are being added back in.

  • Roy N.Pro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Mindy Jensen:

    @Account ClosedWe have implemented the font change.

    Mindy,

    The type point and spacing of the font are now better on the laptop - I have not returned to the Android app yet.

    Are there plans to "fix" the "My Discussions" menu so it once again points to My Posts (https://www.biggerpockets.com/posts/user/<user name>) rather than My Started Threads/Topics (https://www.biggerpockets.com/topics/my)?

  • Investor · Stockdale , TX · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 28 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Mindy Jensen:

    @Andy H.Avatars on mobile are being added back in.

     Thanks, Mindy! As others have mentioned, it is really hard to vote on a post on the mobile site. I had to click the "vote" thing 4 or 5 times and have it pop up the "who voted" info before it finally counted my vote. 

  • Andrew SyriosPro Member
    Moderator
    Residential Real Estate Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Mindy Jensen:
    Originally posted by @Andrew Syrios:

    Great redesign! But where do I find the threads that haven't gotten any responses yet? Thanks

     Thanks Andrew. (Happy Birthday, by the way!)

    The threads with no responses are in the "Unanswered" forum, which appears in the sub-navigation bar at the top of the page.

     Thank you Mindy!

  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    10y

    Hi Mindy,

    Do you have any insight for BP members on why a whole overhaul of the forums needed to be completed versus minor improvements to what was already there?

    What was wrong with the old design version versus the new one that is here now?

    If users knew the thoughts behind the changes they might come on board easier or if they still didn't agree at least understand BP's thought process.

    Right now a lot of people are just scratching their heads over the changes with no explanation to try and understand.

    Most new members frankly do not even know what system they are looking at with the forums so can't really give too much insight based on what was there before.

    That would be like me doing my 3rd degree black belt form and a white belt watching and judging me when i am finished and they do not know what in the heck they are even looking at. It would take a rank higher than me a 5th degree or higher to know what things should or shouldn't look like. So when new people says "looks good to me" that doesn't really have weighted value.

    When people having been using the site for years they have more experience with the sight and deep level input.   

  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    10y

    @Cal C.Actually you're reading more into my post than is there. I'm simply saying that it always takes time to get used to a new format, etc. and maybe with a little time, people would begin to appreciate the positive changes, and more fully know the most troublesome ones so that BP can correct them. Personally I don't think it's a poorer experience, you do, does that make either one of us right or wrong, no. I'm probably on here as much as anyone, and I'm just not seeing it as being as big as a disaster as others, sorry. 

  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    10y

    @Bill GulleyOK ... look at where your profile pic is, then right below it you see 2 arrow hashes point up, that's what you click to vote.  Then to see who voted on your post, hover over that and another pop up comes up that you can click to see who voted! 

    One thing I'm certain of, I have been in this business for well over 30 years, and would have loved to have had a site like this in the beginning. You can come on here from anywhere in the world, post a question and get almost real time answers from people from builders, engineers, real estate brokers, mortgage brokers, architects, interior designers, accountants, appraisers, investors of SFR, MFR, Hotels, Mobile Home Parks, Land Development and so much more. For the ability to be able to have that much access, I'm giving @Joshua D.some grace in balancing all the needs of THOUSANDS of members, being able to upload photos, videos, do webinars, listen to podcasts and read blogs on everything imaginable. In addition, the deals that have been done, specifically due to this website are staggering. Thank you Josh for trying to to keep BP relevant, current and accessible to everyone. @Account Closedthank you for your part too. 

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y

    @Karen Margrave 

    I see those arrows and pictures on my desktop, but if I look on my phone, none of that is there. And with the way many people work from their phone these days, I'd think that's pretty important.

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.