Design Ideas:Project Enhancements

Brian D Sheehan May 05 2011

Changes: v1.2 → v1.3Slides Modification

Slides 4 and 5 ∙ Re-worked user removal (from project) experience: “∙ Request removal” changed to “Remove me”; users can now remove themselves from a project

Process flow included

Slide 6 ∙ Added more details to the state of an archived project

Slide 7 ∙ Expanded Reinstating an Archived Project slides to address scope of reinstatement process; developer concerns included

Slides 11 and 12 ∙ Expanded the expected functionality of Fast edit feature ∙ Clarified usability elements on activities listing screen

Slide 13 ∙ Changed type of notification window from pop-up to fade-in/out for project settings changes

Slide 14 ∙ Modified functionality of “Upload a project” section: it is now within a collapsible/expandable header – also put “Select a framework” into a collapsible/expandable header

Slide 15 ∙ Included non-UX project enhancement changes for developer reference (taken from project activities listing)

D : Slide contains questions/concerns for Developers

Project List Changes: Categorisation (1/7)Organise Projects into Categories

Purpose: To present projects in a more user-friendly manner, particularly when listing large numbers of projects.

Implementation: Categorise projects according to use, archival status, personal, and organisational; place projects within collapsible heading bars. Doing this drastically reduces the number of projects displayed on the Projects Listing screen.

• Most Recently Used Projects (expanded by default): Displays the 10 most recently used (accessed) projects.• All Personal/Organisational/Archived Projects (collapsed by default): Displays all projects marked for archive or categorised as personal or organisational.

Displays the 10 most recently active projects. Header expanded on default,

others are collapsed.

Hover over project name to display description

“Updated” column header changed to

“Latest activity”

Project List Changes: Action Menu Options (2/7)

Action MenuTrash: Delete the project

Archive and Reinstate: Re-categorise project as an archived project or reinstate (de-archive) an archived project.

Remove me: Removes the user from the project — available only to project team members.

For illustration purposes

Action Menu option for project team members

Action Menu option for owner/admin

Project List Changes: Self-removal from a Project (3/7)

Process: Request Removal from Project

Use fade-in/out box – same as Task Created/Deleted

Project List Changes: Archiving a Project (4/7)

State of an Archived ProjectAn archived project cannot be actively used, but content associated with it (e.g., files) can still be accessed. • Project becomes read/view only • All actionable features are disabled (greyed out), except for Documents tab content • Files/documents can still be downloaded • Project is still entirely navigable • Project is re-categorised as an Archived project and appears only in the All Archived Projects header

All actionable features are disabled, though project remains entirely

navigable

Notice “THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PROJECT” should appear at the top of all pages within all tabs

Reinstating an Archived Project • Project Managers and Administrators can reinstate an archived project • This can be done via the project’s Settings tab (below “Advanced project settings” header) or via an option in the Project Listing’s action menu

Brian: The method used when reinstating a project needs to be decided.

Development questions: Options to consider when an archived project is reinstated… • Is it reinstated for all affiliated users? (i.e., the owner and all former project members) • Is it reinstated for only the project owner/PM? • How feasible is it to enable an owner to reinstate the project for selected groups or specific users?

Given development time concerns, Mark is of the opinion is that the path of least resistance is the preferred choice. We do need input from development on the above options.

Project List Changes: Reinstating an Archived Project (5/7)D

Project List Changes: Handling Project Lists (6/7)

Using Pagination in Project List HeadersThe reason behind the new project list design is to display the screen faster for users with a large number of projects — this is facilitated by categorising projects into collapsible headers. The issue of dealing with a large number of projects remains, though, when a user expands one of the headers… for example, if a user has 200 Organisational Projects then he will face a lengthy page-loading time as soon as he expands the header.

A proposed solution is to use pagination to avoid displaying all project listings at the same time. For example, displaying only 10 project listings per page and introducing a page navigation feature would significantly decrease page load time. If we go this route, then we may also want to introduce some sort of filter capability as well.

Development concern: Is it possible to use pagination within an expanded header area?

Some other usability concerns: If a user navigates to, let’s say, page 5 and then collapses the header, can pam remember the user’s last browsing location? Meaning: if the user re-expands the header, will it display page 5 or automatically return to page 1? Also, are there any issues with browsing through pages on multiple expanded headers?

D

Project List Changes: Searching for a Project (7/7)

Project Search FunctionalityAre there are any development issues with introducing search functionality on the Project Listing page? One mock-up idea:

Another idea is to use native browser-based search functionality (CTRL-F), though my guess is that it would only return results that appear on the page.

D

Project Categorisation: Selecting/Changing a CategoryReference Document: Projects_Proposed_Functionality_v1.1.ppt

The process of selecting a project category during project setup was addressed in the above document (slide #19). As a reminder, the pertinent screen would look as follows:

For in-life editing, the above fields can also be added to the “Project administration” area within Settings.

Devs: If enabling users to select multiple programmes via <CTRL> is a

very quick fix, then please do this. If it takes more than a few minutes of

development/coding time, then please leave as-is (i.e., select and add/remove

one programme at a time).

D

Enable Project Managers to Edit Structure In-line (1/2)Gantt Chart EditingI suspect that the feeling here is that in-line Gantt Chart editing would be a nice feature to have, but may be best addressed down the road.

In-line EditingEdit activity fields via the Fast edit checkbox: • Selecting the Fast edit checkbox enables all fields to become editable; de-selecting returns fields to normal state.

Editable text Drop-down, 5% - 100% Free-form value entry Fast edit feature

Enable Project Managers to Edit Structure In-line (2/2)In-line Editing, continuedProposed functionality of the Fast Edit function:

User makes changes

<Fields become editable><Original state><Fast edit selected>

Fast edit checkbox is replaced by a Save changes button

<Changes are saved>

<Return to original state>

Information window fades-in/out

1

2 3

4

5

6

7

Usability: Changing a Project Setting

SuggestionRemove green action buttons (e.g., “Change approval,” “Change team management,” etc.) and link action to radio button selection.

Desired action when defining a project setting1. Click on a radio button.2. Setting change is immediate — information window appears notifying user of modified setting.

Use same fade-in/out technology as is currently used when creating or deleting a task.

This content also appears in: Project_Setup_v1.ppt

Feedback on Project Board Decisions

Include a status update on project board decisions.

Note to Devs: Please take the feed from Latest Updates.

<Name> has approved activity <activity name>.e.g.: Mark Darby has approved activity Assess degree of organisation change.

D

This content also appears in: Project_Setup_v1.pptUploading a Project via Spreadsheet

Other Non-UX Project Enhancements

Source: https://pam.alliantist.com/projects/2271/structure

When completing an activity ensure that the completer name plus time and date are shown on the activity history - if done by a project board then show the PB member (as in their role as PB member as well as real name) with time and date etc

Only allow a project manager or admin to reopen an activity that has been completed if in the non approval state, and only allow a project board member to reopen it if in a state that requires approval and make that clear in the activity area so that users can contact the relevant party to reopen it.

Project settings - check radio buttons work correctly from set up to live and change behaviour to automatically accept radio button change and ask to save? Issues uploading images of certain types and sizes too? [Reference slide 13 for other Settings enhancements].

Implement an audit log report of all activity within a project that the project manager can export to see if there have been any activities, discussions, dates etc deleted, changed or amended. also needs to address the changes to the project structure to record if the structure has been amended - eg added, removed, sorted, moved etc. This would probably sit in the settings area?

D