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Mahara UI mockups - Notifications

Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 10:30 PM

Elliot

Posts: 12

Hi guys,

I've started mocking up some possible UI improvements to Maharas interface.  I'm beginning with the Notifications page as I think its hidden away under Settings->Notifications, and am proposing that it become a first class citizen in the menu next to Profile, and My Portfolio.

Here are a couple of mockups where I've swapped the notification type combo box for vertical tabs and added some gmail-style elements for selecting messages:

Firstly with a new message link above the notification type tabs, or below with the button above the message list, displacing the 'mark as read' and 'delete' buttons to the right:

What do people think? I'm keen to get some feedback here so we can get some UI work under way.

Cheers,

Elliot

Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 10:49 PM

Stephen C

Posts: 116

 Your photos aren't displaying at all.
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 10:58 PM

Elliot

Posts: 12

Fixed.

Incidentally, here is the xml required to import the mockup into Balsalmiq: http://paste.dollyfish.net.nz/5fbdb1

The Balsalmiq demo can be used here: http://www.balsamiq.com/demos/mockups/Mockups.html

Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 11:06 PM

Stephen C

Posts: 116

 Yes, that would be a huge improvement over the current system.
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 11:15 PM

Nigel

Posts: 1645

Hi,

I think this looks good, and light years ahead of the current system. Some thoughts:

  • We're going to be futzing with the menu system after 1.2, so where it moves to is probably not going to be relevant until we see how that shapes up
  • Where does pagination go?
  • Any thoughts about how the 'new message' page would look? Including any sneaky ideas of how to make it easy for people to select other users (and even groups) to send messages to? 

 
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 11:20 PM

Elliot

Posts: 12

Pagination could be top right (gmail style), or stay in the same place as now (at the bottom).

I'm anticipating a javascripty autocomplete field, or for the non-js, a search box and add button.  Will mockup when I get a chance later...

 
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 11:47 PM

Nigel

Posts: 1645

 Oh I see - the pagination is the "1" down the bottom Smile
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Thu, 20 Aug 2009, 1:48 AM

Kristina Hoeppner

Posts: 183

 Not quite, Nigel. It's the 1-2 of 2 in the top right-hand corner. It seems as if you can do a series of mockups in Balsamiq and thus the bottom "1" was just the first page in such a mockup series.
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Thu, 20 Aug 2009, 2:38 AM

Nigel

Posts: 1645

 Aha. Depending on how many results per page, there might need to be controls down the bottom of the listing too, then. But that level of detail can probably wait for now.
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Thu, 20 Aug 2009, 12:25 AM

Penny Leach

Posts: 224

Elliot, they look awesome! :)

I slighty prefer the second one, "new message" in the first, as a link rather than tabby or buttoney  is a bit inconsistent to me.
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Thu, 20 Aug 2009, 1:51 AM

Kristina Hoeppner

Posts: 183

Wow. nice looking mockups, Elliot.

As Penny, I prefer your second version. The button "New Message" is easier to see than in the first one. I also like the easy access to the different notification types. A search for a user would be a nice add-on.

Kristina

Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Thu, 20 Aug 2009, 5:35 AM

Stephen C

Posts: 116

One thing right off the bat you'll have to keep in mind: Mahara doesn't keep track of who the message is from, other than putting their name in the subject and user id in the url field.  So, you'll need to parse the url to get the sender's id.

I've actually added a "from" field in the database and have it keep the sender's user id in there. I've also added two fields in the database for deleting messages, one keeps track if the recipient deleted the message and the other keeps track of whether or not the sender deleted it. That way users can view their sent messages.If both fields are set to 1 (deleted), then the messages will get deleted during a cron job.  This also allows for a deleted messages folder, where people can undelete messages as long as the cron hasn't deleted the messages yet. 

I just started working on this, so I haven't done the actual coding for the individual folders (inbox, sent messages, deleted messages), but it's all pretty simple.
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Sat, 22 Aug 2009, 10:58 AM

Stephen C

Posts: 116

 You may want to add a "Mark as unread" button as well.  Adding the functionality is extremely easy. You simply copy the "Mark as read" code and make a few very, very minor modifications.
Re: Mahara UI mockups - Notifications
Thu, 17 Sep 2009, 8:40 PM

Craig Eves

Posts: 87

Hi Elliot

Thanks for the graphic it makes it easy to see.

I am not quite so sure that Notifications needs a button on the  main menu - the reason for this is.

There is a link on the home page to any unread messages already - when this is clicked you go to notifications. This is good as it only shows when there are messages rather than showing the menu all the time. 

Is it possible to have some of the text of the message showing either by hovering over the message or the first couple of lines showing - this would make it easier to decide whether to read themessage delete it etc.

Having a deleted message box is a good idea too in case a message is accidentally highlighted for deletion and deleted permanently.

Is there a  connection between activity preferences and notifications eg if you are receiving emails for activity preferences are notifications also required in Mahara as well.

Should there be a reply button on the screen  so a message can be responded to easily - This may change depending on whether it is a forum post, user, feedback.

 Hope this helps