So, for GSoC, my project is, for lack of a better name, Plugin Manager.
It's designed to retrieve a list of all modules and themes available for the version of Drupal that a server is using. It then allows the Drupal administrator to automatically retrieve and install the modules and themes they desire (as well as their dependencies). Just to be perfectly honest, the group that I want to cater to the most is the group that wants a website and has no idea what tar.gz means.
These are four mock shots that have to offer.
- http://geektownhall.com/screenshots/search.jpg
- http://geektownhall.com/screenshots/viewmodule.jpg
- http://geektownhall.com/screenshots/viewtheme.jpg
- http://geektownhall.com/screenshots/install.jpg
The first is when the user is trying to find a module.
The second one is of the user looking at search results for a module.
The third one is looking at the available themes.
The last one is the actual installer.
Any suggestions on what I should do to make this most usable?
Thanks for you time,
Joshua Rogers
Comments
Test it real-time,
Hey, Joshua Rogers
Thanks for posting this to the Usability group, I am sure we will have some valuable feedback. The group of people who have no idea what tar.gz means is a large group. Do you have anyone in your immediate surroundings that fits this profile? When you have a first alpha running it might be interesting to just run it by them to encounter the obvious problems.
I see some design issues that will occur, as descriptions tend to be longer then one sentence, so most of the issue there will be do the modules have right descriptions for those who have no idea what tar.gz mean? Probably not, but I don't think this module can do much about that, but it is part of the usability problem.
What install process are people used to? So they will search a module/theme, (hopefully) find one and then install it, can you provide us with any screens that are associated with the process as a whole? I have identified a couple immediate problems I see.
Search Results
On the search result page, offer the search box again. People refine their search allot, so having the search box also on the search results page will mean they don't have to go back a page to search. Can you clarify a bit on the operations, what operations are there and can we clarify them for the target users.
Themes
Such a small picture of a theme might be unusable to acctually see what is going on, maybe a link to a larger picture or demo?
The best tip beside running it past an actual user is to bring new issues as much as possible to this group, take into account with any words that you use that your group doesn't understand tar.gz so other technical words will be hard for them to recognize to (avoid them by calling them simpler if possible). Take into account other processes they are used to, most people who chose drupal have acctually run to the dreadful experience of installing software on their pc, so they are familiar to the install process as progress bars and the feedback that its successfully installed (Will you have feedback of success?)
looks good - some thoughts
I think bojhan has some good ideas.
I feel that "Backend" is probably too technical. How about "Installation method" or "Connection method" or something like that? Any other ideas for better words to use there?
--
Open Prediction Markets | Drupal Dashboard
knaddison blog | Morris Animal Foundation
I like installation method.
I like installation method. I get comments from clients ALL the time mentioning how horrid they find Drupal's naming conventions to be, sure it makes sense to us developers, but ends up being very cryptic to the every-day end user
Vision Media - Victoria BC Web Design
Tj Holowaychuk
Vision Media - Victoria BC Web Design
Victoria British Columbia Web Design School