The new manager - looking for best practice solutions

Great I’ve finally got the updated modx to install

I must first say what an improvement from my initial ExtJS experience, looks a lot better.

I’ll first go through a list of things I do like, and then those that can be improved maybe (in my opinion of course).

First assumptions, the interface is still rough in many places, these will be ironed out in due course, my feedback tries to address basic structure not visuals styles as these can all change and maybe we could open a design contest which would offer 1. alternative styles and 2. an added repository for members who aren’t so keen on the default selected. 

1. Dashboard
Good - I like the direction of this area, removing the tree panel on the left seems logical
Bad – currently underdeveloped, this area could be further enhanced, I’m not keen at all on the tabed panel and we could use a similar approach to WordPress with customisable moveable dashboard panels.

2. Top main menu
Good – I like the addition of descriptive labels below menu titles, the height is about right from the top browser frame
Bad – I’m unsure where the icons below the home page fit in, what do they do? I would like to see the addition of a new tab called ’create new’ with listed documents types below (maybe a future addition, would be nice), it would also be nice to have options to turn descriptive text off or on below menu titles. Not sure on the modx logo position feels uncomfortable visually.

3. Create new resource
Good – I like the rounded cornered panels, the repositioning of save etc to the right works nicely
Bad – currently underdeveloped, as we see in Moveable Type I would like to have options on where the save buttons should appear (option – top, bottom, both) all from with the admin page. I would like to have the options seen in Expression Engine to move Template variables within order, I would also like to have options to create new tabs, places variables on new tabs etc. I am unsure why we need to have ’Recourse Content’ within every tab as most of my sites will focus more on custom Template variables so Resource Content is less important to me (if needed at all). Why do we need the left panel, and if we have left panel give option to hide it and use it to contain page setting information (would be nice to see a page history feature, media library and area for admin notes). This area needs the most work.

4. Left panel
Good – I like the rounded cornered panel, as noted above. The sliding panels work nicely.
Bad – Not every page required this left panel, I often found myself wish there was a close or minimise option and I use a 24in monitor so can only imagine how it feels on say a 12in netbook. It should ideally be content relative otherwise be defaulted to  minimised if seen.

5. Customisation
Good – none
Bad – more and more CMS applications now have may options to customise the interface, giving users options to show or hide tools/panels/information relevant to their browsing preferences, the current interface lacks this level of customisation. If you use WordPress 2.7 or Moveable Type you instantly feel that the interface is customised to the way you work as an admin user, modx at current fails to deliver me this same kind of feedback.

I hope my comments help in building a more rounded modx interface. 

Thanks for the feedback modx Powered.

Quote from: modx at Jan 15, 2009, 04:31 AM

Admin interface can be seen at - DELETED - see below

Thanks....did you intentionally ignore the configuration warnings? E.g. this one:

Configuration warning: Installer still present


cheers/k

Hi Haven’t paid much attention to the internal warning as I was more interest in viewing the interface, it still seems somewhat buggy but I would imagine this is an issue with my install rather than modx. I was happy to have it on-line after failing last night (tried uploading for 3 hours)

Quote from: modx at Jan 15, 2009, 07:00 AM

Hi Haven’t paid much attention to the internal warning as I was more interest in viewing the interface, it still seems somewhat buggy but I would imagine this is an issue with my install rather than modx. I was happy to have it on-line after failing last night (tried uploading for 3 hours)

OK

Am no expert, but seems logging in with that admin allows one free reign to the whole site?

its a test install, on an unused domain. I posted to help the discussion I am not building a site with it and there are no other sites on the account which could be affected. It is a test install which I hope people will find useful to contribute to the thread.

Any feedback on interface design

The reality is though that you’ve now given any semi-competent hacker everything they need to be a lean-mean spam-sending machine. Major security issue that could compromise the entire server.

thanks rthrash, I’ve removed the access details and will post some screen capture instead. Regards

I have nothing much to say really (sorry). Overall I like the design. The dashboard seems a little narrow and kinda short to me? Seems there’s space around the sides...don’t know if it can be expanded so as to avoid the horizontal scrolling?

The green buttons on the top left - I am not sure what the middle one does. The bottom one seems to be for closing the tree though it also looks like a refresh button? Or is it one whole button?

I know the tree remembers the last state it was in. However, when I click create new resource on the quick links, it would be better for me if the tree was restored to resource view. At the moment, it will restore whatever you viewed last, e.g. elements. One less click would be nice...create resource and the resource part of the tree opens simultaneously with the resource editor.

Also wondering why on the "site" menu, we have "new document" and on the quick links "create resource" yet they do the same thing? Why not use same terminology for both links? I would prefer "New document" and "Create new document" respectively.

Finally, it would be nice for me to see some sort of title at the top of the resource editor telling me the type of resource I am editing/creating - i.e. whether a "document", "Weblink" or "Symlink". It is just a good visual reminder coz however careful one is, one might just have clicked the wrong resource link on "site" menu. It’s not a biggy, and I know the "New Document" editor has a Resource Content area, but on my screen, it is not readily visible until I scroll down.

OK...there’s my 2 cents...

cheers/k

Quote from: kongondo at Jan 15, 2009, 08:50 AM

The green buttons on the top left - I am not sure what the middle one does. The bottom one seems to be for closing the tree though it also looks like a refresh button? Or is it one whole button?

The green buttons have not been finished, but they will be, from top down:
- load dashboard
- preview site
- refresh cache
- view tree (not yet added)

I know the tree remembers the last state it was in. However, when I click create new resource on the quick links, it would be better for me if the tree was restored to resource view.

Good suggestion. Can you file that in JIRA.

Also wondering why on the "site" menu, we have "new document" and on the quick links "create resource" yet they do the same thing?

They need to be synced. Could you file this in JIRA?

Finally, it would be nice for me to see some sort of title at the top of the resource editor telling me the type of resource I am editing/creating - i.e. whether a "document", "Weblink" or "Symlink". It is just a good visual reminder coz however careful one is, one might just have clicked the wrong resource link on "site" menu. It’s not a biggy, and I know the "New Document" editor has a Resource Content area, but on my screen, it is not readily visible until I scroll down.

Good suggestion.