Methods and systems for soliciting an answer to a question

Abstract

A question-and-answer application with an “ask-to-answer” feature is described. The ask-to-answer feature enables any user to solicit an answer to a question from another user. Upon soliciting another user for an answer to a particular question, a message with a call to action is directed to the solicited user. The message may include a copy of the text of the question and may provide a mechanism (e.g., a selectable user interface element) enabling the solicited user to pass on answering the question. Subsequent to the solicitation, the question page for the question will include a notification with information about the solicitation, including in some instances information identifying the user who has been asked to answer the question and the number of times the user has been asked to provide an answer to the question.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving user-input from a first user, the user-input identifying a second user of a question-and-answer service to whom a message is to be communicated, the message to include a solicitation for an answer to a question;   communicating the message to the second user; and   subsequent to communicating the message to the second user, presenting a web page including the question and a notification indicating that the second user has been solicited for an answer to the question.