[#MDL-13359] Help popups should display a navigation toolbar

Issue Details (XML | Word | Printable)

Key:	MDL-13359
Type:	Improvement
Status:	Open
Priority:	Minor
Assignee:	Martin Dougiamas
Reporter:	John Isner
Votes:	1
Watchers:	2

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Moodle

Help popups should display a navigation toolbar

Created: 07/Feb/08 04:05 AM Updated: 12/Nov/08 09:34 AM

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Component/s:

Documentation, Usability

Affects Version/s:

1.9

Fix Version/s:

None

File Attachments:

help_with_breadcrumb_and_back_button (45 kB)

Image Attachments:

1. demonstration.jpg
(64 kB)

2. help_with_breadcrumb_and_back_button.png
(45 kB)

Issue Links:

Dependency

This issue will help resolve:

~~MDL-14639~~ META BUG: GSoC 2008 Usability Issues

Participants:	Anthony Borrow, David Horat, John Isner, Laia Subirats, Martin Dougiamas and Ray Lawrence
Security Level:	None
Affected Branches:	MOODLE_19_STABLE

Description

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This is a simple usability issue. At the bottom of each Help popup, there is a link to the index of all Help files. If the user follows this link, and possibly other links from the index, there is no simple way to go back, unless the user is relatively sophisticated (e.g., is comfortable using context menus (right click -> back) or browser tabs). The Help popups should provide a navigation toolbar for unsophisticated users.

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Anthony Borrow added a comment - 09/Jul/08 10:17 AM

Laia - There seems to be various ways that users get helped out by Moodle. Sometimes it is with alt text that pops up over an image indicating what the image is for, other times it is with a question mark that pulls up a popup menu, other times it may be to a link in Moodle Docs. Are there other ways that users get help or more information about how to proceed in Moodle? I would be curious as to how and under what circumstances user's find help? What type of visual cue are they provided indicating that help is available. Are there places where we are being inconsistent? Are there places where more help is needed? Might we setup some type of help hierarchy like alt text (a word or two), then a question mark with a brief description, then something for a more detailed description, and possibly even a video demonstration? Doing this research could be a project in and of itself but how is it that users look for and find help? Peace - Anthony

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Laia Subirats added a comment - 15/Aug/08 11:34 PM

Apart from answering the questions that have been proposed above at http://docs.moodle.org/en/Student_projects/Usability_issues/HelpPopups, I also studied the possibility to implement demos http://docs.moodle.org/en/Student_projects/Usability_issues/Demo seeing how users could access to demos, guidelines to record a demo, tools to record a demo and a gradebook demo example (to solve the usability issues founded when making the usability test).

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Laia Subirats added a comment - 20/Aug/08 01:49 AM

There are several ways to insert demos at Moodle:

There are several places where users can view demos which are not exclusive:

1. Moodle Docs page of the demo
2. Tutorial page (next to the tutorial manual ) http://docs.moodle.org/en/Moodle_manuals
3. In the pop up of the help menu
4. To a new popup that opens when clicking the video help icon (which would be next to the help icon) with a icon (for example the icon I attach)
5. At Moodle Tutorials http://moodletutorials.org/

What do you think they are the best solutions?

(More information about this subject at http://docs.moodle.org/en/Student_projects/Usability_issues/Demo)

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Ray Lawrence added a comment - 20/Aug/08 02:13 AM

Are you proposing adding these links to help pages?

Instructions on how to record demos etc. is a non-starter IMO. Who will maintain the instructions, consider OS types etc. etc. An invitation to add to docs.moodle.org and a link in a footer or header (at docs) inviting video contributions with a page (or many) at the docs site with instructions would be better. It would be easier to manage versions from here too. There are changes to functionality within major versions to contend with.

2. No, as this page has a variety of versions. Not specific enough.
3. As above version control issues.
4. Formats, file sizes, firewalls, who's going to check that videos are suitable e.g. 30 secs Moodle - remainder adverts, porn. Other community members can't easily correct them as is possible in the wiki.
5. No. This would be supporting a potentially commercial entity. Also if that domain lapses or is sold it could become troublesome with thousands of Moodle sites with explicit links to it.

It may not be sexy but without a dedicated resource to produce and maintain help files in image, video format it will have to be text.

Anyway, this is off topic from John's original comment which was about navigation WITHIN the existing HTML help pages.

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David Horat added a comment - 12/Nov/08 07:54 AM - edited

Also a breadcrumb will he helpful to understand where am I.

I just added a screenshot with both a breadcrumb created automatically and the back button. If you like it I will clean up and upload the code.

Suggestions are welcomed.

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