Moodle

Interstitial pages can be confusing

Details

  • Affected Branches:
    MOODLE_19_STABLE

Description

In a number of places in Moodle (e.g., the "Database" feature) user actions sending data are followed by an interstitial page containing minimal content and a message like, "Your entry has been saved." These pages are set to redirect to another page, using JavaScript, after three seconds.

Why it matters

Three seconds isn't nearly enough time for a screen reader or magnification user to understand a page and read the content on it. Every user was initially confused by this feature, and eventually very frustrated.

Possible solution

Remove all interstitial pages. Confirm user actions with a message on the next page.

Activity

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Olli Savolainen added a comment -

Great work.

Related to http://docs.moodle.org/en/Development:Feedback_page which needs to be replaced after this update.

Suggest considering notification bar such as that in browsers. Or could making it too similar with the browser bar confuse users?

(these are all more or less similar examples)
http://www.zdnet.com.au/story_media/339299681/add-on.png
http://blog.brothersoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/firefox-geode_2.jpg
http://static.zooomr.com/images/3136746_fcc826229b.jpg
http://www.yorkmaine.org/Portals/0/images/firefox.jpg

In any case, use yellow background for the notification and depending on the context, perhaps slide it in with a brief one-time animation in order to get user's attention (seems common practice).

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Olli Savolainen added a comment - Great work. Related to http://docs.moodle.org/en/Development:Feedback_page which needs to be replaced after this update. Suggest considering notification bar such as that in browsers. Or could making it too similar with the browser bar confuse users? (these are all more or less similar examples) http://www.zdnet.com.au/story_media/339299681/add-on.png http://blog.brothersoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/firefox-geode_2.jpg http://static.zooomr.com/images/3136746_fcc826229b.jpg http://www.yorkmaine.org/Portals/0/images/firefox.jpg In any case, use yellow background for the notification and depending on the context, perhaps slide it in with a brief one-time animation in order to get user's attention (seems common practice).
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Olli Savolainen added a comment -

Also see the attached aardvark notification. The popup fades in quickly at page load, stays for ~5 seconds, and fades out.

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Olli Savolainen added a comment - Also see the attached aardvark notification. The popup fades in quickly at page load, stays for ~5 seconds, and fades out.
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Olli Savolainen added a comment -

A sidenote about the emotional design of Aardvark: They are trying to make the impression that the intelligent agent software behind the service is actually embodied in their mascot, the Aardvark: the icon shows the mascot and the writing style of the notifications is informal, like that when chatting with a friend.

Here users are (hopefully) given the impression that when making settings, they are talking to is the same creature they talk to when actually using the service through IM (which implies chatting to someone): the whole site is just your gateway to talking to a lovely Aardvark that happily runs around the net at your wish, finding you answers. Brilliant.

Should moodle have a talking, um, hat?

Show
Olli Savolainen added a comment - A sidenote about the emotional design of Aardvark: They are trying to make the impression that the intelligent agent software behind the service is actually embodied in their mascot, the Aardvark: the icon shows the mascot and the writing style of the notifications is informal, like that when chatting with a friend. Here users are (hopefully) given the impression that when making settings, they are talking to is the same creature they talk to when actually using the service through IM (which implies chatting to someone): the whole site is just your gateway to talking to a lovely Aardvark that happily runs around the net at your wish, finding you answers. Brilliant. Should moodle have a talking, um, hat?
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Olli Savolainen added a comment -

Getting carried away by the emotional design part in this, and beg your pardon for the flooding. In case someone might get excited about it, here is a good justification for the thinking behind it: http://cheerfulsw.com/2010/dont-listen-to-le-corbusier%E2%80%94or-jakob-nielsen/

Of course, this does not relate to just the notification popup, but should be designed in in a more all-encompassing manner.

Show
Olli Savolainen added a comment - Getting carried away by the emotional design part in this, and beg your pardon for the flooding. In case someone might get excited about it, here is a good justification for the thinking behind it: http://cheerfulsw.com/2010/dont-listen-to-le-corbusier%E2%80%94or-jakob-nielsen/ Of course, this does not relate to just the notification popup, but should be designed in in a more all-encompassing manner.

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Dates

  • Created:
    Updated:
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