Feedback Compiled
Posted by James Mathias on June 15, 2011
So it’s been a little over a week since I originally asked for feedback, complaints and ideas from the community.
In that week, the original post received 115 comments, I was sent 18 emails, and assorted tweets and bug reports.
Not a super overwhelming response, but I feel like it’s a extremely good response and start to the conversation. I’ve taken in and read all the feedback, I’ve given it some thought and I’ve complied a list of what I determine to be the general ideas and feedback given during this exercise.
I’ve placed these in rough order of priority based on number of times requested. I have also grouped them into categories of tasks, like UI, UX, Feature, etc…
Of course some of these items overlap categories, for clarity I’ve placed each item in it’s main category only.
Interface changes (these are changes that can generally be made with little overhead and without having to create a new feature or adjust the structure of the documents.)
- More consistency across the CP
- Unified CP style language for add on developers to use and follow
- Less JS
- Cleaner, leaner markup
- Better, less specific CSS
- Improve contrast, font sizing and width on input fields
- Consider new window links for rendered template and site home links
- Improve “buttons” style in CP
- CP theme needs more contrast
- More consistent naming and labeling
- Imageless CP design
- Remove CP sidebar
- Entry submit and other controls in sticky footer
Experience Changes (these are changes that require a bit more involvement from planning and may need new features or feature enhancements. These changes would require more user experience thought, to make a real difference.)
- Main Navigational repair and rethink
- Address/remove accordions
- Improve system messages/notifications display and use
- CP should be content producer centered, designer/developer second
- Overview screens should be more contextual
- Simplify CP design
- Improve publishing workflow
- Improve editing workflow
- Improve channel creation workflow
- Improve preview workflow
- Improve template manager work flow
- 1 click installation/upgrades
- Role based UI navigation
- Reconsider channel auto-linking default settings
- Better sorting and ordering options in the edit listings and other tabled data views
- Alphabetical template group sorting
- Edit > channel auto filters edit listing.
- Clearer site name especially in MSM installs.
Feature Requests (these are feature requests, items that don’t already exist in the product, or require heavy revamping of an existing feature.)
- Customizable homepage
- CP homepage widgets (accessories)
- CP homepage analytics
- Skinnable cp
- Free version?
- Improve global variables definitions
- Better custom field support for members
- Better custom field support on cats
- Easier method for local to live deployment
- Bulk education discounted licenses, for classes
- Channel groups?
- Improve pages module items
- Ability to hide help button from clients
- Educational default theme
Process Suggestions (these are suggestion towards how I should approach these problems.)
- User testing
- Feature/Feedback voting
So what’s next?
I want to setup a user voting system for this feedback, so I can easily garner if my priority listing is indeed correct. This may just be a survey, or the utilization of a service site like usabila or uservoice. Either way, I plan to have something setup and ready to take your votes early next week.
In the mean time if you see something glaringly wrong in the above lists, please do not hesitate to let me know, so I can fix it.
Thanks for all the help guys and gals, I really appreciate it. We are going to make EE the best CMS going, together.
And as always, you can send me additional and new feedback, complaints and ideas everyday on twitter (@jmathias) or via electronic mail (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address))
UPDATE: June 22 2011 It’s taking me a little longer to set up this feedback collection page, please bear with me. Very close, just want to make sure it’s useful and not buggy. Thanks folks!
