Zikula Community

• MarcPare
  
  

  • Rank: Softmore
  • Registered: Dec 10, 2003
  • Last visit: May 12, 2010
  • Posts: 299

  Posted: Oct 13, 2010 - 10:32 PM

  I have had a little time to look at my Zikula setups (8) and I just thought I would suggest a couple of module enhancements that I think would help in making the distro a little more user friendly. Most users need a little hand holding when working with the modules and to accomplish this takes very little effort and if applied to all modules would make the use of modules a little more easier for us (users).
  
  I would like to propose that all modules incorporate the following:
  
  -- all modules should have a button linking back to the module user-index page. For example, if I am entering a page of FAQ and would like to see the output of my added sections, I could move directly from the module to the user-index page to view these. Just a simple button to take the admin directly to the user-index page of that module. In this case the button could be called the "FAQ-index" button or something like that.
  
  -- a "Help" button that is linked to the related pages for that module. Should the user require help with parts of the module, the "Help" would be a shortcut to either the Wiki pages on that particular module or documentation pages related to the module.
  
  -- a "Tips" button. This button could incorporate tips that the module dev could leave to help the user fine tune the configuration of the module. For example, these tips could be on how to configure Scribite to work with this particular module, permission tips, etc. It could be the area where the dev could help address problems that he/she had heard from the user feedback. Common configuration tips could be available to the user at this button.
  
  -- an admin text field where the admin could leave a message in the module "header" or somewhere where it would make sense (the module dev and his/her testers would be the better judges for the placement of this test field). Some modules may not necessarily need one of these, such as the "News" module (it can already accomplish this easily). However, most of the modules should have such a text field where the webmaster/admin could leave messages. For example: "FAQ section closed to new questions for the next few weeks."; or "Please leave admin feedback after viewing our photo album. We are trying to adjust the settings for your viewing pleasure." etc. The text field would not necessarily need to be filled if the admin/webmaster did not want to leave a message.
  
  -- decide on using either the word "Settings" or "Configuration". Just to add consistency, Zikula should agree on using one or the other as the official term.
  
  -- the order/placement of these buttons on the menu line should also conform from one module to the other. In other words the buttons should appear at the same spots from one module to the other. For example, the placement of the button could follow this order:
  
  /other buttons/ /Admin Message/Settings/Tips/Help/Module user-index page/
  
  In my opinion, adding these 5 buttons to the modules would add uniformity to the look and feel of the module, the admins/webmaster would be familiar with the placement of these buttons as well as familiar with their operation. The additional help would also make the adoption of the modules a little easier. Some of the "setting up" of the modules are just too cumbersome and the take away the appeal of the Zikula CMS distro. To make it a little more user friendly will make Zikula more popular and maybe more appealing for people who would be interested in migrating to it. More appeal/ease of use = more users.
  
  Marc

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