A Proper Change Request Forum

[Jesse (Mediabound)]

As a new user coming over from Illustrator, I am speaking here strictly to my experiences when encountering features that are not present in Designer. I have become a huge fan of Affinity and I want you to succeed, it is obvious that there is a real need for another great set of software tools for designers today, a conversation for another thread.. lol.  That being said, I find that this suggestion forum is a mess. I think having a forum like this is useful, it allows for conversation and idea exchange. However it should be accompanied by a change request forum that is stricter in its implementation. What I mean is that there should a separate board that has clearly defined rules for posters to follow, that board would be in purpose specifically for new users, as well as devs, to see which changes are being requested the most, and if they have already been requested before we take the time to write up a request. As a busy freelance designer, I want to help make Affinity Designer awesome, but I don't have time to dig through endless suggestion posts. And just making another post to add to the insanity feels like a waste of time.

An implementation may look something like this: 

1) subject line should just clearly state the change being requested, and the body of the comment describe the reason for the request.

2) Only one change suggested per topic.

3) A voting system so if the request has already been made we can second its importance.

I read somewhere along the way that the Devs are worried that these requests will take precedence in the actual development road map, and the users don't understand the constraints and demands of the development cycle. A very valid point, however all that is needed to address this concern is a clear statement pinned to the top of the change request forum outlining that it is not the actual roadmap, and although user feedback is appreciated the Dev team will have the final say. We are all adults, we get it. But making us feel like we are not part of the process, because the only way we can make suggestions is through a cluttered and messy conversational "suggestion" thread is not going to be good for the long term growth of the software. Affinity needs evangelists - empower your users to be excited about sharing your software with others! Trust me, this forum alone would turn off a lot of designers I know from giving Affinity Designer a real chance.

In closing, I am super excited about my first month of using these tools, the software itself is already great and has tons of potential. I am also encouraged by how easily I am usually able to find the help I need with a quick search of these forums, the Customer support team is very quick and helpful to respond. Thanks!

-J