[TYPO3-hci] PPT: Ideas to improve the Usability of Typo3 4.x / 5.0

[Patrick Broens]

Hi,

Sebastian Erlhofer wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I want to comment on the desktop-idea too.
> 
> The desktop, refered as GUI (Graphical User Interface) which prevailed 
> due to windows, is in usability-thoughts an easy to use system which 
> should be simliar to users 'real' desktop. Well, thats the idea behind it.
> 
> But we don't have to forget, that efficiency is one of the three 
> usability-measures. So - performance issues come to turn up.
> Performance is measured: User can do a certain task in a minimum of time.
I absolutely agree that a user must have the possibility to do a certain 
task in a minimum of time. That is one of the key points in usability.
> 
> A Desktop-in-Browser (DIB) like the screenshots suggest is definitily 
> nice, but we have to remember:
> - too many icons and graphics will take time to load (performance)
I don't agree on this one regarding the DIB. The user opens the windows 
it really needs. It is the same with the old system or working with 
tabbed windows. Whenever a request for a application is made, the icons 
and graphics are loaded. Doesn't mather if you use the old interface of 
TYPO3, tabbed browsing or a DIB.
> - too many windows will confuse users and force the user to move them 
> around and resize (again time loss, performance).
Users are used to open the windows they need and know how to resize 
them, move them around, minimize or maximize them or choose a minimized 
window in the taskbar. One of the main advantages of multiple windows on 
a desktop is that the user can, as an example, open the filebrowser and 
the page editing tool next to each other in one screen. When editing the 
content of one page and inserting images, the user has an immidiate 
overview of the uploaded images without switching windows in a tabbed 
environment or even worse in the current interface, closing the editing 
tool and switching to the filebrowser. Also the advantage of tabbed 
windows is available in a DIB because of the taskbar. You can also think 
about features like drag and drop a file from the filebrowser into the 
content editing tool.
http://www.patrickbroens.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/sitecore_1024x768_2.jpg
> - the standard screen resolution is (at least in Germany) 1024x768, so 
> there won't be plenty of space for several windows anyway.
I've uploaded another image with this resolution. 
http://www.patrickbroens.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/sitecore_1024x768.jpg
This one does not use a full screen FF, but all toolbars are in there as 
well.

> 
> I'd suggest that we build up two groups in Frankfurt (a reason for 
> meeting) - one pro and one con - and then we discuss it and come to a 
> suitable solution ;)
Great
>
The reason why I'm promoting a desktop is because in my opinion we have 
to give the user the tools and flexibility they already used to work 
with. A desktop has proven to be user friendly. In means of switching 
from one window to another it is the best way. When you work with 
maximized windows, the tabs are in the taskbar, and when working with 
resized windows, you can click the window to activate it.

Don't look too much at the M$ layout or the start menu. Of course we 
have to build one that is typically TYPO3.

Have a great weekend,

Patrick
> Greetings,
> -sebastian
> 
> Silke Arend schrieb:
>> Hi,
>>
>>> Jens, Kasper, Lasse and all others of the HCI,
>>>
>>> First thanks to Jens for his inspiring PDF. I follow the HCI list for 
>>> quite some time, but did not have any time to join it and send my 
>>> thoughts to it.
>>>
>>> As I'm not only an extension developer but also a graphic designer 
>>> with a lot of knowledge in interface design as well, I think it is 
>>> time for me to join this list as well.
>>>
>>> In the HCI list I never saw anybody talking about a desktop-like 
>>> idea, until I saw the PDF of Jens with a screenshot of Lasses backend 
>>> skin. My opinion is we should go this way. Thanks to Lasse for the 
>>> mockup he provided. This looks very promising.
>>>
>>> We are not developing a piece of software like Open Office (or M$ 
>>> Word, for the commercial freaks) but a huge framework which is 
>>> actually a collection of separate applications.
>>
>>
>> This is true in general. Yet, for most of the users TYPO3 is far more 
>> narrow in usage than a word processor. They work on different web 
>> pages or new elements and the like. A desktop IMO is a place where one 
>> can keep different short cuts or files of different applications. The 
>> same is true to the windows menu. Why would you want to introduce a 
>> second desktop to TYPO3 users? They have one already...
>>
>>
>>> Every user is familiar with a desktop, it is in all the operating 
>>> systems and work 'almost' all the same. You have a taskbar, windows 
>>> you can open, move around, minimize or maximize them or drag the 
>>> corner to shape it your own way, icons on the desktop like shortcuts. 
>>> This way the user can resize its windows to its preferred size to 
>>> save space on the screen and open multiple screens which are usefull 
>>> for the session of the user. It is also easier to switch between 
>>> applications (modules) inside the framework.
>>>
>>> I had this ideas about TYPO3 for quite some time and discovered I was 
>>> not the only one who had this idea about how a CMS should look.
>>>
>>> I don't know if anybody is familiar with the commercial Sitecore. 
>>> They actually did it already. I've put a screenshot on my website 
>>> (sorry, but my monitor of my laptop is running on 1920 pixels width) 
>>> http://www.patrickbroens.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Sitecore.jpg. It 
>>> shows a part of the desktop, the taskbar at the bottom, the 'Start' 
>>> menu and some windows of the applications inside of Sitecore. As you 
>>> can see in the layout, the people of Sitecore are big friends of M$. 
>>> But it is beautiful to see and works like a charm.
>>
>>
>> Thank you for your screenshot. IMO, what you show there might work to 
>> some degree with 1920px width. Imagine this with 1024px or 1280px 
>> width... And I can't see where you save space on the screen as long as 
>> you don't take the time and effort to arrange the windows using all 
>> the "empty" corners etc.
>>
>> Independent of the screen size, I personally find it far more 
>> confusing than the regular TYPO3 backend. To me it lacks the 
>> structure. This won't help a beginner to understand TYPO3. They might 
>> find the point they most of the time need, but they will be kept 
>> "uninformed" as long as they depend on their shortcuts.
>>
>> Have a nice weekend
>>
>> Silke
>>
>>
>>> I'm offering help in the ideas and graphic design of the desktop from 
>>> Lasse. He has already done a great job with the windows so please 
>>> continue with that :-) Just let me know.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Patrick
>>>
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> 
>