Questions vs. Discussions
You generally create a new thread in the NetSuite Community by clicking the Ask a Question button at the top left of the page. This is the obvious choice for users as most posts are about finding answers to their learning-related questions.
However, that's not the only option! You can override the default "question" aspect of the thread by clicking the small arrow on the right side of the Ask a Question button. Doing this opens up a list of other options appropriate for your role.
One of these options is Start a Discussion. Now, let's find out the difference between the Ask a Question and Start a Discussion options, how you should select a thread type, and the effects of your decision on response timeliness.
When should I select "Ask a Question"?
Ideally, when you have a question about a topic or course and want help. For example, you may be working on a lab and something is not working right. Or perhaps you are trying to reconcile what you've learned in a class with what you are doing at your job. Doesn't make sense? Ask a question!
Fellow community members and Oracle University experts can help you out with answers and fix your issue quickly.
Why does my choice matter?
Your choice can get you noticed by the right people. Many community members monitor incoming threads in their areas of interest to see where they can help. That is why all question threads are associated with a status: Question, Answered, or Accepted Answer.
You can view the status of each question in the list of threads within a specific subcategory.
Customers and Oracle users monitor their areas to find content that hasn't been resolved yet; they actively seek questions whose status indicates that the user may still need help.
Discussions, on the other hand, do not have a status. That's why they do not stand out as clearly as questions do, because the implied urgency is lesser. Users generally come across discussions while casually browsing new posts in their off-hours.
The simple explanation is that any time you expect or need a response from the community, you are better off creating your item as a question. Responses are not guaranteed (the likelihood depends a lot on the amount of detail put into the thread in the first place), but questions are certainly more likely to be seen promptly.
Are there any gamification considerations regarding questions and discussions?
Yes, and they are significant. If you provide a comment that is later accepted as a solution, you get a lot of points for your assistance. While there is still some gamification value to engaging in discussions, questions provide the greatest potential for rewards. Users who are motivated by gamification considerations and have limited time to share their knowledge will likely gravitate to the questions, in order to be the first to respond and potentially earn those points!
What if I make a mistake and create my thread as the wrong type? Can it be changed?
Yes, but a Moderator or Administrator has to do it on your behalf. To place such a request, choose the Flag > Report option from the small menu beneath your post, and select Wrong content type as the reason for your report.
A Moderator or Administrator will attend to the request and convert the content type as appropriate. (Please note that if comments/replies have already been accepted as solutions to your Question post, we will not then change the thread type, as this would result in lost credit to the user who provided those responses.)
Sample Discussion
- Navigate to Categories > NetSuite Support Community > NetSuite Admin Corner
- Type in the Discussion Title.
- Type in contents of your article.
- Select In the category.
- Use the tag Community Tips or NetSuite Admin Tips.
- Click Post Discussion.
Your discussion will be reviewed and verified by the NetSuite Support Gurus. You will be notified if your discussion is valid.
