I just found out from my girlfriend Julie Lesser that I am not the only one who suffers from Facebook confusion. The format is continually changing. Just when I think I have mastered Facebook’s navigation, it changes again. The most recent updates are: timeline, the omission of tabs, different fonts, a cover photo, what gets posted where, and the algorithms that determine the most important comments. 

I have been calling Julie a lot because Facebook has become a constant struggle to find things. “It’s a full time job just to keep up with it,” Julie admitted. “I wish I could get paid for all of the time I spend explaining the changes to everyone, from novices to the most experienced users.” 

Julie is one of those people who likes to explore by clicking on everything. She probably knows more about the user experience of Facebook than most of the people who work there. “I understand the technology landscape. Companies have to stay fresh in order to be ahead of the curve. There is no such thing as the status quo. Apple wouldn’t be Apple if Steve Jobs didn’t experiment all the time. Facebook is no different.” 

Julie first joined Facebook in 2008, has 256 friends, and spends eight to 10 hours a day on the social media platform. Julie is just like me. We take our iPhones with us everywhere, including the bathroom and  to bed. If you think we are crazy, then think again. There are more people like us every day. The smart phone is becoming the command center for everything. It allows us to keep constant tabs on business obligations and the things that interest us the most. It is no different than always reading newspapers or books. Let me correct that. There is a difference. The iPhone weighs less and can fit in the palm of our hands. 

Julie and 900 million others love Facebook, but the frustration is mounting. “What is the most disturbing thing about Facebook is the lack of communication on the part of the company. There is no one to talk to, no phone, no email, no guides. We have to rely on bloggers and non-related websites to get information. It’s insane, but that’s just the way it is.” 

Another major issue according to Julie, are the fan pages. They totally lost their focus. The most prominent postings on the page are messages from the brand itself. The whole point of the fan page is for users to express themselves and have interactive discussions. “I used to visit fan pages such as Valley Relics which gives the history of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. I loved picking up tidbits about the area I live in. With the recent Facebook updates, I have to hunt to find user comments. It sucks.” 

Here are some of the sites Julie relies on to help her understand Facebook better:

1-http://www.facebook.com/KnownIssues

2-www.socialfixer.com  founded by Matt Kruse and http://socialfixer.com/about.php

You can access Matt’s Facebook page with the link at the bottom of www.socialfixer.com.  

3-www.allfacebook.com

Facebook  has been in the news a lot this week. Here are some of the stories you should know about: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bianca-bosker/facebook-advertising_b_1546186.html?ref=technology 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/27/facebook-investors-facebook-ipo_n_1548710.html?ref=technology&ir=Technology