Tech Forum

Since it looks like we'll get the terminology for "Reservation" changed at some point, I'm wondering if we need to make a change to "Week View"? We seem to be getting new posts all the time from people who don't realize that WV is more then just the month view in a different format. Sure, they'd know if they read the Help file, but too few do that. They expect the GUI to be intuitive enough that they don't have to look at the help file.

The simplest change would be to re-label the button "Week/Facility". That way users have a clue that there's some additional functionality in there.

Another option might be to break up the existing WV into a "normal" week view that functions much like month view, and then have a separate "Facility View" that only shows the events taking place at the selected facilities and drops showing any subscribed calendars. So they're be three buttons: Month, Week, and Facility.

Thoughts?

russellhltn wrote:The simplest change would be to re-label the button "Week/Facility". That way users have a clue that there's some additional functionality in there.

Certainly that's the simplest, but the name feels clunky, so I don't like this option.

russellhltn wrote:Another option might be to break up the existing WV into a "normal" week view that functions much like month view, and then have a separate "Facility View" that only shows the events taking place at the selected facilities and drops showing any subscribed calendars. So they're be three buttons: Month, Week, and Facility.

I like this better. When I'm focused on researching facility issues, I almost always hide my other calendars so that they don't distract me. I really am in a different mode when I want to see what's going on at the building, as opposed to what is happening on the calendars I have chosen to subscribe to.

It's a bit odd to have Month and Week (clearly the same kinds of things -- time periods) and Facility (something entirely different, with an unstated implication of covering a week period) on the same group of choices, but I still think it's the best option I've heard so far. There are other places where an odd choice is included in a group (for Reservations, for example, there are all the unit-based reservations and also Blocked, which is rather different).

I like the thoughts.

russellhltn wrote:So they're be three buttons: Month, Week, and Facility.

Actually there is a fourth button - Agenda. Splitting the four buttons into two groups may help users understand the similar, yet somewhat different, functions of the buttons.

[attachment=0]View Buttons.jpg[/attachment]

aebrown wrote:

russellhltn wrote:Another option might be to break up the existing WV into a "normal" week view that functions much like month view, and then have a separate "Facility View" that only shows the events taking place at the selected facilities and drops showing any subscribed calendars. So they're be three buttons: Month, Week, and Facility.

I like this better. When I'm focused on researching facility issues, I almost always hide my other calendars so that they don't distract me. I really am in a different mode when I want to see what's going on at the building, as opposed to what is happening on the calendars I have chosen to subscribe to.

I agree too. I've thought of suggesting the same thing before.

I'd make the Week view work like the Month view (ie without any location checkboxes and without any option to show non-subscribed calendar events).

For the the Facility (or maybe Resources?) view, I'd move the locations (with checkboxes) above the subscribed calendars for better visibility and then uncheck all the subscribed calendars by default. That way you could add in other calendars if they're needed but mostly you just see the events at the selected locations.

aebrown wrote: It's a bit odd to have Month and Week (clearly the same kinds of things -- time periods) and Facility (something entirely different, with an unstated implication of covering a week period) on the same group of choices, but I still think it's the best option I've heard so far.

They are all views of the calendar so I think it makes sense. Also, I think it's where people would actually see it and use it.

eblood66 wrote:Facility (or maybe Resources?) view

I could go either way on that.

russellhltn wrote:

eblood66 wrote:Facility (or maybe Resources?) view

I could go either way on that.

Given the current terminology, where neither the word "Facility" nor "Resource" appears anywhere in the user interface, I would think "Location" would be a better choice.