Forum Structure

How do you make an organized topic layout?

[zigx]

How do you go about planning and laying out your forum to keep subforums on topic?

For example, i think that webmaster world has done an excellent task of keeping topics seperate by creating MANY different specfic forums to post a specfic issue in.

My forums are starting to get cross posts....IE a post that belongs somewhere else, or posts that are not 100% on subject but dont belong anywhere else.

To resolve this, when i notice common trends in types of posts, ideas, threads, etc i create a forum specfically for THAT. It seems to be working, but i feel like im starting to get too critical.

Any input?
thank you.

[rogerd]

Zigx, I think you are following a logical progression - start with a general topic, and add new forums when you have quite a few posts about that topic in other forums. From what I can tell, most of the topics here have evolved in exactly that way.

Sometimes, of course, it makes sense to start a topic in anticipation of major developments in an area, or in order to set a new direction for your forum.

You'll always find some members, particularly new ones, who misplace their posts. Not much you can do about them except move them and try to train the posters.

I don't think it's a great idea to start too many new topics - you'll have to live with some posts that just don't fit perfectly in their current categories.

[Marketing Guy]

A generic General Discussion forum usually helps to place topics that dont fit anywhere else and when you get enough of a new subject area, you can always start a new forum and move old posts to it.

Scott

[zigx]

I have a general talk area as well as a spam area which does a very good job of keeping people from spamming my main forums (or at least slows it a great deal.)