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List: kde-panel-devel
Subject: Re: "new activity" choices
From: todd rme <toddrme2178 () gmail ! com>
Date: 2010-10-31 17:18:34
Message-ID: AANLkTinfRFx9rfnRHpit7Pd3o0iTzGeNTXWO_EQ+1fO2 () mail ! gmail ! com
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On Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 7:25 AM, Chani <chanika@gmail.com> wrote:
> when you click the "new activity" button, you currently see about five
> different plugins, plus a template (sooon to be many templates) and a clone
> option.
>
> I watched a user trying the activity UI at opensuse, and he had no idea
> what
> option to choose. I realised that's quite understandable - how would he
> know
> that the default plugin is called "Desktop" and not "Grouping Desktop" or
> "Grid Desktop"? the options are just plain overwhelming, and with templates
> that's likely to get worse.
>
> so, how can we improve that dialog? I want it to suggest the best choice
> for
> newbies without overwhelming them, but still offer the alternatives that
> they
> can try out when they're ready.
>
> my first thought is, banish templates and plugins to their own submenus.
> this
> will probably help with the initial drowning-in-choices problem, but it's
> not
> enough on its own.
> having the clone option and two submenus suggests choosing to clone - which
> isn't half bad. I think that our default "desktop" plugin should be
> promoted
> up there too - it's one we know works, and is probably what the user wants.
> and they can always change the plugin in settings anyways.
> either that, or we create a default template, like the "default panel", and
> promote that one to be in the root menu.
>
> actually, since they can change the plugin in settings, does it make
> *sense*
> to also offer that option at activity creation time? it's a nice shortcut
> if
> you have multiple screen and want them all to use a particular plugin.
> other
> than that, it's just one more choice to make when what you're likely
> thinking
> is "I need to send this document off to its own activity so I can deal with
> it
> later, who gives a fuck about widgets?" ;)
>
> so... what did I end up suggesting here?
> -remove the choice of plugins, default to "desktop"
> -put one "empty desktop" option in the root menu
> -put templates in a sub-menu (if there's >1 of course)
> and perhaps also:
> -put one good template in the root menu.
>
> thoughts? :)
>
>
What about having a preview of what you would get with each containment?
Not a live preview, just an example screenshot designed specifically to
highlight what is unique about each containment type. I know this wouldn't
work as well for something like the grouping desktop, which just adds a new
containment type to the existing desktop (which makes me wonder why it is a
separate containment at all, but that is another issue). But for the main
containment types it should provide some guidance to users.
An alternative (or supplement) would be a "Help Me Choose" wizard. This
would have a screenshot or very short clip (like the instructional videos on
userbase) along with a brief explanation about what the point of each
containment is. This would slow down adding the first containment, but this
would be opt-in (users would have to click a "Help me choose..." menu item)
and should only need to be done a couple of times before the user gets a
feel for the containments.
These two ideas are not mutually exclusive, either.
-Todd
[Attachment #5 (text/html)]
<div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 7:25 AM, Chani <span \
dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:chanika@gmail.com">chanika@gmail.com</a>></span> \
wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; \
border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
when you click the "new activity" button, you currently see about five<br>
different plugins, plus a template (sooon to be many templates) and a clone<br>
option.<br>
<br>
I watched a user trying the activity UI at opensuse, and he had no idea what<br>
option to choose. I realised that's quite understandable - how would he know<br>
that the default plugin is called "Desktop" and not "Grouping \
Desktop" or<br> "Grid Desktop"? the options are just plain \
overwhelming, and with templates<br> that's likely to get worse.<br>
<br>
so, how can we improve that dialog? I want it to suggest the best choice for<br>
newbies without overwhelming them, but still offer the alternatives that they<br>
can try out when they're ready.<br>
<br>
my first thought is, banish templates and plugins to their own submenus. this<br>
will probably help with the initial drowning-in-choices problem, but it's not<br>
enough on its own.<br>
having the clone option and two submenus suggests choosing to clone - which<br>
isn't half bad. I think that our default "desktop" plugin should be \
promoted<br> up there too - it's one we know works, and is probably what the user \
wants.<br> and they can always change the plugin in settings anyways.<br>
either that, or we create a default template, like the "default panel", \
and<br> promote that one to be in the root menu.<br>
<br>
actually, since they can change the plugin in settings, does it make *sense*<br>
to also offer that option at activity creation time? it's a nice shortcut if<br>
you have multiple screen and want them all to use a particular plugin. other<br>
than that, it's just one more choice to make when what you're likely \
thinking<br> is "I need to send this document off to its own activity so I can \
deal with it<br> later, who gives a fuck about widgets?" ;)<br>
<br>
so... what did I end up suggesting here?<br>
-remove the choice of plugins, default to "desktop"<br>
-put one "empty desktop" option in the root menu<br>
-put templates in a sub-menu (if there's >1 of course)<br>
and perhaps also:<br>
-put one good template in the root menu.<br>
<br>
thoughts? :)<br>
<br></blockquote></div><br>What about having a preview of what you would get with \
each containment? Not a live preview, just an example screenshot designed \
specifically to highlight what is unique about each containment type. I know this \
wouldn't work as well for something like the grouping desktop, which just adds a \
new containment type to the existing desktop (which makes me wonder why it is a \
separate containment at all, but that is another issue). But for the main \
containment types it should provide some guidance to users. <br>
<br>An alternative (or supplement) would be a "Help Me Choose" wizard. \
This would have a screenshot or very short clip (like the instructional videos on \
userbase) along with a brief explanation about what the point of each containment is. \
This would slow down adding the first containment, but this would be opt-in (users \
would have to click a "Help me choose..." menu item) and should only need \
to be done a couple of times before the user gets a feel for the containments.<br>
<br>These two ideas are not mutually exclusive, either.<br><br>-Todd<br>
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