How Can We Better Help New Members?

[Adina P]

As we get ready to implement a new series of welcoming and informative emails to new members to help guide them once they join, I'd like your input on a few things:

-- What do new members need to know?

-- What do they need to know first...what's most important?

-- What do they need to know next...and after that?

Mainly I want to get your feedback on what is most critical for new members to learn and what is important for them to learn over a period of time as they settle into DK membership.  We want to ensure they feel welcome, now how to navigate, can find answers to common questions, etc.

When we're done, anyone who wants to get what new members get will be able to sign up for the emails.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Amen! An all around better search function would be great but a chronological search would be a great start.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Yeah, search function could definitely be improved.

[Shelley & Beans]

This would be great, as a new member I still forget to look at the date on postings and find myself replying to posts that have long since ended. Ooops. Also great to be able to search up to date postings so that you could reply if you have questions. 

[BG and Gavin]

Instructions on how to work the seach function would be good.  E.g. searching from the discussion screen instead of the front page.  There are likely more tips that I do not know - I really never feel I can search effectively for what I am looking for.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Is it also possible to create an app or version that reads better on a tablet or iPad?

[ClarkP]

We have http://www.doodlekisses.com/m for mobile and tablet users. Not an app, just a mobile version of the site.  I use it rarely so I'm curious:  What would you do to improve on it?

Thx!

[F, Calla & Luca]

See below. The tablet, works fine with even the mini, running the regular version. The mobile version, which I see rarely on my phone is just too truncated for me. Now if you could get Apple to run Flash that would be grand :-)
Clark, do you think the fact that Java is disabled by Mozilla could be one of the problems with uploading photos into discussions. I did a test last night and I was able to upload with Chrome. But I am concerned enough about the security issues to not use Java very often.

[Hazel & Chester Wayte]

I would like some kind of link to the groups on the Mobile version. I only just started using it.(I didn't know it was there until you posted this link.)

I have a blackberry. I often think I would like access to Food group in the Pet Food Store. In an easier read format.

FYI- (Flash works on the playbooks- I couldn't handle my favourite sites without Flash))

Thanks

[F, Calla & Luca]

See above. Perhaps the regular version will work for you.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Mine reads fine on my IPad mini but I don't use the mobile app. Of course I can't see the slide show and I don't have any icon bar over replies. I am using Google Chrome here.

[Hazel & Chester Wayte]

I like the FAQ idea.. One thing, as a newbie, I struggled with was searching discussions. I would search the entire DK site but not get the answers I wanted and repost a question that probably could have been avoided.Now that I have been on DK for a year and 1/2 (I am surprised how frequently the same questions keep coming up and I applaud some of the members who I think of the Backbone of this site- to keep answering similar questions.)

[Ginny Nightingale]

Great idea--and make sure they know not to ask for breeder recs on the main page and how to get to the "What to look for in a breeder" page--many people join DK just to find a breeder and then they disappear--and many of us repeat the directions on how to look for a breeder on DK over and over again.