Re: [Usability] Deja Dup UI Review

[Michael Terry <mike mterry name>]

On 15 May 2010 15:48, Allan Day <allanpday gmail com> wrote:
::snip::
>  * The configuration window - cramming everything into a single window
> creates a few issues. Visually, it's inelegant. In usability terms, it
> means that there's a lot for a user to process at once. I'd recommend
> splitting the options up into tabs. My mockups [1] demonstrate how this
> could be done. Have you considered them?

Yes, if we were to go with tabs, I like how you broke it up.  I have
been pretty resistant to tabs, because I felt like they would make the
user feel like they were "configuring" their backup (versus just
"making" a backup) and that hidden knobs on some other tab might be
super important.

A backup program is different than, say, a chat program in that if you
open chat preferences, you can browse as you like and maybe click some
stuff but no big deal if you don't change anything (because they
really are 'preferences' that can just be deviated from the default).
But if you open these backup preferences, you kind of have to check
every tab to make sure nothing is different from what you expect, or
data loss may result.

I've tried to make the defaults as no-change-needed as much as
possible, but the user is still likely to want to review what the
default is at least.

I'm very sympathetic to the size of the dialog being a wart.  And if I
try to add any more preferences, we're in real trouble.  But my gut
reaction to tabs is not positive.  I feel like all the settings should
be on one page.  How do other people feel about it?

What about presenting the backup settings and letting you "inline
edit" or use a small popup to change them?  Think of ajax vs forms on
the web.  Kind of like your proposed changes to the main window to
include backup info, but with 'edit' buttons or something.  Maybe we
could do away with the preferences dialog then.

>  * I'd also recommend reevaluating the name and icon: neither
> communicate the app's functionality particularly well.

Heh, fair point.  The name is a bit of a play on words, but it doesn't
convey too much.  But so many obvious and not-so-obvious backup
program names have already been taken.  I don't think the icon is so
bad, but I am open to other designs.  I'm open to suggestions on both
fronts.

-mt