COmanage Users List

[Arlen Johnson <>]

Hi, All -

As a counterpoint, consider that fewer choices lead to better UX and less potential for confusion. In the case of forms, users should have two choices: to submit the form or stop moving forward. The browser back button serves the latter purpose, and lacking any other means of doing so, the user will use it: it is a familiar paradigm. 

For the same reason that reset buttons are discouraged, back (or cancel) buttons on forms can cause users to accidentally lose their work. Even if such an outcome is rare, it is so undesirable that it is better to avoid the risk entirely.

In mobile app development this is different: navigation has to be cooked into the application itself, but there are common paradigms for this as well, and designers are encouraged to follow them.  Mobile browsing is more akin to desktop browser paradigms, though, and the browser back button is easily found and regularly used.

I'm definitely open to seeing some evidence that suggests what I'm saying is incorrect. 

Best wishes -
Arlen

On 11/29/18 10:09 AM, Richard Frovarp wrote:

I wouldn't rely on the user using a back button in a mobile environment. It gets rather confusing on those sorts of devices for many users. Even on desktop OSes, users have been partially taught that hitting the back button can cause problems. So they are likely less likely to use it.

---

From: on behalf of Mihály Héder
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2018 2:36:25 AM
To: Benn Oshrin
Cc: ;
Subject: Re: [comanage-users] COmanage UX feedback

 

Hi,

well, I rely on our UX experts on this who say it should be fixed so if you reopen that ticket we would be grateful.

Cheers

Mihály

On Wed, Nov 28, 2018 at 2:52 PM Benn Oshrin <> wrote:

Hey Mihály,

For some context, here's the JIRA issue from 2011 when we first
discussed this :)

  https://bugs.internet2.edu/jira/browse/CO-70

At the time, we concluded the back/cancel buttons were confusing and
redundant (since you can indeed just press the back button in your
browser). (We also subsequently dropped all the "Reset Form" buttons.)

I'm certainly happy to reopen this discussion, especially if we have
feedback from actual user testing or something.

Thanks,

-Benn-

On 11/28/18 3:21 AM, Mihály Héder wrote:
> Hi List,
>
> as part of the eduTEAMS effort a UX expert team has conducted an
> analysis of our user-facing stuff and COmanage as a part of that. There
> is one issue I want to raise here: missing "back" or "cancel" button on
> forms such as "add email" for a person.
>
> I think it is fair from the UX team to raise that: while I'll just reach
> for the browser's back button without hesitation, I imagine it could
> indeed cause some confusion for some users, what happens with the data, etc.
>
> Cheers
> Mihály
>
> --
> Mihály Héder, PhD
> Research Fellow
> Institute for Computer Science and Control
> Hungarian Academy of Sciences

--

Mihály Héder, PhD

Research Fellow

Institute for Computer Science and Control

Hungarian Academy of Sciences

-- 
Arlen Johnson, Spherical Cow Group

https://sphericalcowgroup.com