Suggest an Idea

Table of Contents

How to Submit an Idea: First Steps
Information about you
1. Q1. Provide your community profile name (required)
2. Q2. Enter your email address
Information about the Idea
More information about you
Submit the Form
What to expect from this process

How to Submit an Idea: First Steps

To complete the Suggest an Idea form click here, then complete the form. Below are more details on the form with an example and what to expect. In the form there is another example to help you complete the form. Make sure you include all required information for your idea to be accepted.
Once you click the link, you will see a welcome screen with a short note. Click the Go to the Form button to begin.

The form will have the FamilySearch logo at the top and is titled “What is your idea?” and there is another short note. The form scrolls down and is all on one page. Complete each question that is applicable and remember some questions are required. Most questions are open boxes for text, meaning you can type what you want, but a few have dropdown lists.

You want to provide as much information as possible to make sure we understand the need for the idea and what you want to do. The questions will guide you through this. Only provide the information asked in each question. By the time you answer each one, you will have shared the complete idea, and we will have the understanding we need. The remainder of this document will include each question and additional details on answering them to make sure we are clear on what we need.

Information about you

We need some information about you in case we need to contact you to get more information about your idea, redirect your comment to a different place in the community, or show you where the function you are asking for is located on the site. This is the only time we will contact you. Otherwise, you can be assured that your idea is recorded and being considered for further action.

Q1. Provide your community profile name (required):

We need the name you use in the community. This can be found by clicking or hovering on your profile picture or avatar in the top right corner in the community. You can also see it at the top of any discussion or comment you have made.

Q2. Enter your email address:

Provide the best email where we can contact you if needed. If you choose not to include an email, our ability to contact you will be limited to a private message in the community from your username.

Information about the Idea

The next several questions will dig into the idea you have. The questions are meant to help you provide the kind information our engineer teams need to act on an idea. Answer all pertinent questions as thoroughly as possible. It will feel like there is some repetition. This is by design to ensure we get everything we need. There is an example of an idea that flows through each question so you can see how this might look.

Q3. Are you using a Mobile app or the Website? (required):

There is a dropdown with three possible answers: Website, Mobile App, or I’m not sure. This may seem like a simple question, but it’s very important for us to understand which platform you are using because functionality varies between them. Let’s distinguish between the two platforms. If you aren’t sure, select I’m not sure and provide more explanation in later questions.

Website: means you accessed FamilySearch from a browser like Chrome, Edge, or Safari and are on the website www.familysearch.org.
Mobile App: means you accessed FamilySearch functionality from an app on your mobile device, like a phone or tablet. The apps include Family Tree or Memories.
EXAMPLE: Website

Q4. What part of the App or Website are you on or where do you feel the new feature belongs? (required)

This is where you start giving more details about where you want a new feature. URL’s (website links) are the best information to provide if you are on the website. You can also give a descriptive explanation of where you are on the website or app. In a later question, you will have the option to include screenshots which can be done from the web or from your mobile device.

EXAMPLE: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LC5H-R4G.

Q5. Select the Product or Feature you are using from the list. (required):

You are provided with a list to choose from but it’s not comprehensive and may not have your choice on it. The last option is Other/I don’t know. Select this option if you aren’t sure or the option you need isn’t listed. You can select multiple products/features, if needed.

The list includes: Activities, Books, Catalog, Community, Family Groups, Family Tree, FamilySearch Centers, Genealogies, Get Involved, Help/Support, Home Page, Images, Indexing, Memories, Messaging, My Account, Person Page, Places, Records, Relatives Around Me, Sources, Source Linker, Temple, Tree/Pedigree Views, Wiki, and Other/I don’t know. Others may be added as needed.

EXAMPLE: Person Page, Tree/Pedigree Views, Source Linker

Q6: Provide a short summary of your idea (required):

This summary will serve as the title of your idea in our database. Keep it short as you will be able to provide more detail in later questions.

EXAMPLE: Provide the ability to add a marriage date while I’m adding a new spouse.

The next four questions are actually one big question divided into four parts. Dividing them is a helpful way to have them in our database. Here is the example as one answer instead of four. If it helps you, create your statement like this and then input it in the form in the four parts. You will see the separate parts as examples under each question.

EXAMPLE: My problem is I can’t add the couple’s marriage information here. I have to go through several extra steps to add it. I have to finish adding the spouse and then go into the couple’s relationship, click edit, click add an event, and then I can add the marriage information. When I am adding a spouse to a person, I click Add Spouse and then complete the form asking for their name, birth, and death information. I want to be able to add the couple’s marriage information while I am still in the add spouse form entering the spouse’s information. Because it would save so much time and effort if I could add the marriage information at the same time that I’m entering the new person’s information.

Q7. My problem is… (required):

You are asked to begin your sentence with My problem is and then explain the problem you are trying to solve. You need to think about what led to having this idea. While you were trying to do something, you encountered a roadblock or difficulty. What was the roadblock or difficulty?

Don't forget, as much as you might want to dive into how your idea or feature would work, it's super important to nail down the problem clearly first. A clear problem statement helps others understand what is going on, making it easier for them to solve and expand on the idea.

EXAMPLE: My problem is I can’t add the couple’s marriage information here. I have to go through several extra steps to add it. I have to finish adding the spouse and then go into the couple’s relationship, click edit, click add an event, and then I can add the marriage information.

Q8. When I… (required):

Begin your sentence with When I… and then describe what you are doing. This is the situation or circumstance that prompted the need. In the next question, you will explain the problem you are trying to solve.

EXAMPLE: When I am adding a spouse to a person, I click Add Spouse and then complete the form asking for their name, birth, and death information.

Q9. I want to… (required):

Again, use the prompt to begin your sentence with I want to… and then describe what you are trying to do. What is it that you want to do that you can’t.

EXAMPLE: I want to be able to add the couple’s marriage information while I am still in the add spouse form entering the spouse’s information.

Q10. Because… (required):

Begin your sentence with Because… and then explain the benefit this idea provides or how it reduces difficulty.

EXAMPLE: Because it would save so much time and effort if I could add the marriage information at the same time that I’m entering the new person’s information.

Q11. Add screenshots that help show your idea

You can add multiple screenshots. Click in the box to upload files from your computer. Your file manager will come up and let you select the files you want to upload. You can also drag and drop images from your file manager into the box. You can’t copy and paste images. You can add jpg or png files. Each of those file types is shown in the image below.

EXAMPLE:

Q12. Do you have any other examples that would help explain the idea?

This is more space if you would like to share more examples or other information about the idea. You might include other URL’s (web links), person identifiers (PIDs, like LS5T-39G), or use cases. Be descriptive.

EXAMPLE: No entry needed.

Q13. Additional Comments:

Is there anything else you would like to add? Last chance to tell us more.

EXAMPLE: This problem is the same when adding a spouse from the pedigree view or when attaching sources. The form to add a spouse is the same and doesn’t include marriage information.

More information about you

These last few questions tell us more about you and help us better understand our users.

Q14. What is your skill level with FamilySearch?

The options are Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Not Sure.

EXAMPLE: Intermediate

Q15. What role(s) do you have with Family Search?

Mark all that apply from the list provided. The options are General User, Church Member, Employee, Missionary, Consultant (any), Area Advisor, Not Sure.

EXAMPLE: General User

Q16. What is your participation level in family history?

How much do you do in family history? The options with a definition are:

1. Spectator: This term refers to someone who engages with FamilySearch primarily as an observer or passive user. They may browse records, view family trees, or explore resources without actively contributing content or participating in community activities.
2. Dabbler: A dabbler is someone who occasionally contributes to FamilySearch by adding or editing information in family trees, indexing records, or participating in community discussions. They may not devote significant time to genealogy but make periodic contributions to the platform.
3. Specialist: A specialist on FamilySearch is someone who possesses deep expertise in genealogy and family history research. They may have extensive knowledge of specific regions, time periods, or genealogical methodologies. Specialists often contribute valuable insights, resources, and assistance to other users on the platform.
4. Multi-contributor: This term describes individuals who actively engage with FamilySearch across multiple roles. They may participate as spectators, dabble in contributing content, specialize in specific areas of research, and engage with the community in various capacities. Multi-contributors play versatile roles and contribute to the platform in diverse ways.
5. Not Sure: None of the options seem to fit me.

EXAMPLE: Dabbler

Q17. If you selected Other/I don't know, briefly describe the product/feature you are using

Keep your answer as short as possible.

EXAMPLE: No entry needed.

Submit the Form

Once you have scrolled to the bottom and answered each applicable question, you will be asked to click a CAPTCHA box that helps ensure that you aren’t a robot. Then you will click Submit Idea. If you change your mind, simply close the page.

What to expect from this process

Once you hit Submit Idea, you'll get a thank-you screen confirming we got your idea. There is also a button if you feel like tossing in another idea.

This new process is quite a departure from what we've done before. You won't see every single idea thrown into the community pool. We're going to sift through them to ensure they're fresh ideas, share them with engineering, and then store them neatly in a database for future reference.

If you submit something that isn’t a new idea, we will send you an email, if provided, or a private message (PM) in the community to let you know. We will include any pertinent information about your submission such as if the function already exists and how to use it or where you should post it in the community. You may also receive an email or a PM if we need a little more information about the idea you submitted. If your submission is missing too much information, we will return it to you in a PM and ask you to resubmit the idea with all the information.

When we have an idea that we would like to vet with all of you, we will add it as a discussion in Suggest an Idea and open it up for voting to see what the interest is.