[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       calligra-devel
Subject:    Re: calligra season of usability project idea
From:       Celeste Lyn Paul <celeste () kde ! org>
Date:       2011-08-23 10:39:11
Message-ID: CAAfNz7aHqJynzrwmw-74O2SoA4WoDAz+0CYkPRc7iZmR-bwkoA () mail ! gmail ! com
[Download RAW message or body]

Hi Boud,

The proposal looks great. I'll forward it to Jan so he can include it
with the other Season of Usability projects.

~ Celeste

On Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 5:10 AM, Boudewijn Rempt <boud@valdyas.org> wrote:
> Hi Celeste,
> 
> As promised, here's the challenge for Calligra for this year's season of usability. \
> I sort of feel that this is the kind of project two students could very well \
> cooperate on, but I'm not sure if that's allowed. Anyway, here goes: 
> --------------------------
> Calligra Season of Usability Project Proposal
> 
> As asked, here's a short writeup of what I think Calligra really needs now in terms \
> of usability work. First what we don't need: a study that examines how certain \
> tasks can be executed now in a certain Calligra application. The purpose of this \
> project is to create an interaction design for the creation and manipulation of \
> objects. 
> _Introduction_
> 
> Calligra uses some specific terminology to describe the components that make up a \
> document: 
> * a document is made up of shapes that are placed on a canvas
> * shapes are objects, like text boxes, lines or images
> * a shape is created from a set of default values, for instance the width of a line \
>                 or the font for text.
> * the default values are used whenever a new shape is created.
> 
> _Creating Shapes_
> 
> Currently, there are two ways to create objects in Calligra:
> 
> * from the "Add Shapes" docker
> * using a tool that can create shapes
> 
> Originally, adding shapes from a docker with a collection of shapes was intended to \
> make it easy to create and save new default settings for a particular type of \
> shape. Then the new shape would show up in the docker. We do not have a suitable \
> interaction for actually creating the new shape defaults, sorting, ordering and \
> tagging them, although the basic code does exist to create shapes from saved \
> parameters. Creating shapes with the a tool was intended to be used only for vector \
> shapes like lines and calligraphic lines where a user would create many shapes by \
> drawing on the canvas. 
> After creation, the settings of a shape can be manipulated in two ways:
> 
> * by selecting the shape and changing some settings in one or more shape option \
>                 dockers
> * by selecting a tool that can manipulate the shape. Some tools come with option \
> widgets that set properties on shapes directly. 
> By now, more and more option widgets are migrating to tools.
> 
> _Problems we face_
> 
> * Selecting a shape is quite difficult. Depending on the active tool, a click can \
> select a shape, manipulate a shape or do nothing. One proposal is to show a border \
> on hover that when clicked will always select the shape and that will allow basic \
> manipulation such as dragging and changing geometry. 
> However:
> 
> Tt's not as easy as it sounds. If I edit a control point of a path shape which \
> happens to be on top of another shape, I don't want to accidentally hit that magic \
> border of the other shape and select that. 
> Or the case where there are several shapes on top of each other, editing one of \
> them would show all selection borders of all these shapes? 
> So we have to keep in mind, that shapes are not always nicely separated from each \
> other but can overlap. 
> * Creating new default settings for creating new shapes. We don't have anything for \
> this, with the result that the Add Shapes docker always shows a set of rather \
> boring defaults and cannot be customized. 
> * When working, it's useful to be able to set values and have those values carried \
> over to the next object you create. We do not support that either. 
> _Goal_
> 
> The goal of this project would be to create an interaction design for creating and \
> manipulating shapes. The start should be \
> http://community.kde.org/Calligra/Usability_and_UX/Common/Dockers_vs_ToolOptions. \
> Thomas Pfeiffer can work with the students to arrive at a full plan, while I am \
>                 volunteering to help with the implementation.
> --------------------------
> --
> Boudewijn Rempt
> http://www.valdyas.org, http://www.krita.org, http://www.boudewijnrempt.nl
> 



-- 
Celeste Lyn Paul
KDE Usability Project
KDE e.V. Board of Directors
www.kde.org
_______________________________________________
calligra-devel mailing list
calligra-devel@kde.org
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/calligra-devel


[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]