Better Site Scheme Menu Organization

[willow]

Title:
Better Site Scheme Menu Organization

Area:
Site Scheme Menu

Summary:
I would like the menu better organized with easy to find links, for Suggestions, Account Info and News.

Description:
I think there should be:

A link for DW's News Pages underneath the site scheme's 'EXPLORE' so that News is easy to find.

A link for DW's Suggestion Generator ALSO underneath the site scheme's 'EXPLORE' so that being able to make suggestions is easy to do.

The CREATE link in the site scheme's drop menus changed to ACCOUNT (or something similar) so that it is better understood that there are links there for profile editing and icon adding and not just creating an entry (and to make it clearer that it does not mean creating a new account (excluding creating a comm)

PS: I'm sure someone's already mentioned that 'Sponsor A User' would be clearer as 'Random Gifts' - since right now it comes across somewhat politically as if someone can sponsor an official community journal like a national, international, or regional organization like the SPCA or similar program relying on donations for hosting.

Poll #1071 Better Site Scheme Menu Organization

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 28

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
4 (14.3%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
5 (17.9%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
13 (46.4%)

(I have no opinion)
4 (14.3%)

(Other: please comment)
2 (7.1%)

Comments

[willow]

I was sure I'd seen someone bring up a preferable phrase like 'Be A Gift Fairy' which hints at doing random acts of kindness to random individuals - good flowing in both directions, joy one way, possibly good 'karma' (for lack of another term) going the other.

That's the only thing I can think of that would ease the 'Sniff sniff, what has this random person done that I should take out my wallet' scenario that you've implied can go on in the back of a person's mind.

[kaigou]

Yeah, I think 'be a gift fairy' (or similar) makes for a nice meeting point between the feel-good quality of 'sponsor/patronage' and the randomness of the current setup. In which case, why not something that riffs more directly off 'random act of kindness'? that's uses some or similar words to imply that it's a way to make someone's day as an anonymous, generous act not unlike dropping coins in an unsuspecting soul's parking meter.

In which case, that reduces (if not removes) the sniff-sniff reaction, because it has the connotation that you're doing something to be proud of, that should make you feel good, too, by labeling your action a kindness -- instead of it being something given (away) and for which someone else benefits.

Yep, it's semantics, but semantics are the meat of any good navigation design. Moreso when you're trying to mix in a bit of selling there, along with the navigating!

[softestbullet]

Yes! I love "Be a Gift Fairy."

[triadruid]

"Fairy" is a loaded word too, though. "Sponsor" works in context (and it's mostly going to be long-time/fanatical users who use the feature, I expect), but it's still slightly problematic. On the gripping hand, "Random Gifts" makes me think of those "Click here once a day to buy soup for orphaned puppies!" sites. YMMV.

That's separate from this suggestion though, so I'll stop there.