Hi there! From TB guidelines, here are some of the things we consider when considering a new forum. Answers to these questions gives us a starting place when doing our research.
The following are qualitative criteria that the TalkBoard believes are useful to consider when evaluating proposals to create, close, split, or move forums. Whenever a forum change is discussed on the TalkBoard Topics, the TalkBoard encourages posters to fully address these criteria in addition to any other reasons supporting or opposing the change.
1. Will the forum be (or is it now) beneficial to FlyerTalk?
2. Will the new forum benefit a relationship with FlyerTalk? E.g., does the forum provide value for FT members, such as a friendly ear highly placed in the company
3. Is FT the best place to discuss this subject?
4. Is there a passionate following? This is essential in order to provide dedicated expert helpers to get questions answered.
5. Is a critical mass of posts and readers anticipated or existing? We need adequate traffic to keep everyone visiting frequently. One living forum is more valuable than two mostly dead ones.
6. Is this the best place on FlyerTalk for this subject? This is the classification issue. The answer depends primarily on achieving and maintaining critical mass. It also depends on whether or where the discussion might (or does) occur in the absence of the forum.
7. For proposals to split a forum, is the split expected to improve the signal to noise ratio? Why?
On a different note, someone suggested in May editing the Marriott forum name adding Ritz Carlton to it due to the rewards programs, etc.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/talkb...ted-title.html
And someone mentioned yesterday in the Marriott forum the same. I asked in that thread that they respond in the TB forum thread, as TB members read this forum more often than individual forums. I also mentioned in that thread your suggestion for a separate Ritz-Carlton forum, which could possibly impact any potential name change.
Cheers.