[Sugar-devel] Initial implementation of toolbars design

[Aleksey Lim]

On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 11:26:20PM +0200, Simon Schampijer wrote:
> On 07/18/2009 04:17 AM, Gary C Martin wrote:
> >Hi Caroline,
> >
> >On 17 Jul 2009, at 22:14, Caroline Meeks wrote:
> >
> >>We can put it in front of actual kids once you get a sample working.
> >>We could even try playing the video for our existing classes. I don't
> >>know if they'll be able to give you feedback from just seeing the
> >>video. Might be interesting to find out.
> >
> >Yes that's an interesting one... I have more understanding of usability
> >studies with literate adults, where you can have a controlled
> >environment. With the idea that you set goals/tasks to be completed with
> >the interface and ask the user to vocalise what they think they are
> >doing ("I'm clicking this because I think it's the search button...").
> >You only interact with them once they are clearly stuck, to help them
> >get back on track. Asking for any-ones opinion is usually frowned upon
> >in usability studies, as opinion is almost always different from actual
> >behaviour – but some opinions are better than nothing, which is why I
> >keep asking :-)
> >
> >Perhaps I should work with Walter and Aleksey's initial toolbar code and
> >make an identical test clone of TA but with the new toolbar design (I
> >can use Aleksey's Write mock-up code as an example)? Then you could let
> >the class (or a random selection of the class) use it for some tasks and
> >watch how well (or not) they manage with the new interface?
> >
> >Simon: have you used TA yet in your lessons?
> 
> Yes, the problem is, that I won't get into class before September
> again - we have summer holidays :/
> 
> About the design - as already noted, the current implementation does
> not match gary's mockups. I think the mockups are more consistent in
> using icons in the primary toolbar. Having the text entry field
> (activity name) present, could help the users that know Sugar
> already. They would not feel that much lost.
> 
> Can we get mockups for Browse? I would do the changes then there.
> 
> When doing testing we should maybe do tests for people that have
> used Sugar before already, and probands with no knowledge of Sugar
> at all.
> 
> Regards,
>    Simon
> 
> Btw: I was lost a bit with that the canvas is only shifted down when
> the toolbar is locked. But I guess it makes sense, in order to have
> not shifting the canvas down when you search for an option and
> pulling down the different toolbars. Not sure, yet.
> 
> 

I guess we should create and approve policy for new activity toolbox.
And start apply this policy at least for fructose activities.

In my mind key points are:
* should we restrict activity authors about what widgets can be placed
  to activity toolbox
* should these restriction be soft(e.g. having only Close button) or
  hard(e.g. toolbox should have only standard buttons and buttons to
  open activity specific toolbars)

Simon: do we have similar infrastructure for policies like for features
on Features/* wiki pages? If not I guess its a worth-wile idea.

-- 
Aleksey