Sorting & Mark All as Read settings

Digital

Okay here i go again.

Redsign & reposition Post Sorting and remove or put Mark All as Read somewhere.

Current setup shows this:

My redesign idea is this:

Sorting will be repositioned on the top right corner. Of course this will show users dropdown menu with an options of Latest, Top, Newest, Oldest (Latest as default settings).

Mark All as Read - Users doesn't really use this as often as sorting (Or, they don't use it at all). Maybe put it somewhere? Any Suggestion?

This design will make Flarum more clean & neat. Feedback?

Edit:
Final Sorting & Mark as Read layout:

HavocK

Digital

Mark All as Read - Users doesn't really use this as often as sorting (Or, they don't use it at all)

Your assumption is wrong. I do use it.

It's a way for me to clean the main page from all 'unimportant' posts i don't want to read.

Plus i rarely use that sorting feature.

Digital

HavocK One user doesn't define users.
This is why i also said place it somewhere else.

Put Mark As Read beside the Sort design i am proposing is also a good idea. That way users only have one side/corner to deal with sorting and mark as read options.

Digital

This layout is what i want to point out.

Tell me if this doesn't look nicer and better than the current setup ?

jordanjay29

I'm not sure I like hiding the sorting options in a plain menu. It discourages discovery for less curious users.

Digital

jordanjay29 hmmm not seeing it like that. But i respect your view on this. Thanks for the feedback.

There are more/better options on how to discover the boards or better ways for users to engage in the community.

Tag/Categories
Search
As mentioned, Sorting

I don't think this idea will lessen the activity of users or will discourage users to enagage/discover.

The option will still be there but with minimal display.

Also, @HavocK just pointed out that he/she rarely use sorting option. Most of the time users are looking for and more interested with latest topics & hot topics (being said that Latest is already the default settings). They don't really search for old topics that much.

jordanjay29

Search is a lifesaver for providing support in this board. Some of the useful topics are stickied, but for linking those old discussions to new duplicates that pop up, there is no alternative. Sort is also useful inside tags, for like when you want to catch up with discussion in a certain tag.

I don't know that there's ever an absolute average user out there. There's that big risk when you design to the averages that your average may not actually exist.

That said, if you're looking to make an extension to configure this design, go hog wild!

Digital

jordanjay29 I get your point.
But just to clarify this is not to eliminate does options but to make it's design minimal.

Yes yes, there's always an extension for it. ?

Franz

Digital But just to clarify this is not to eliminate does options but to make it's design minimal.

And that's actually another problem. Minimal is nice if you know the interface, but it's horrible for new users who need a discoverable UI.

With your suggestion, the button for opening the sort dropdown has only an icon (that could be more or less clear to users depending on their previous experiences), and it doesn't even look clickable. I'm not saying the latter can't be changed, but the former is a larger problem that you will always have when only using icons for buttons.

That said, I do think we should talk about the placement and ordering of these options - after all, their importance is already debated.

Does anybody know an easy and unobtrusive way to measure usage of these components, e.g. on this board?

Digital

Franz

And that's actually another problem. Minimal is nice if you know the interface, but it's horrible for new users who need a discoverable UI.

Current "Mark As Read" layout is the best example. It needs better & more recognizable design.

With your suggestion, the button for opening the sort dropdown has only an icon (that could be more or less clear to users depending on their previous experiences), and it doesn't even look clickable.

Speaking of not clickable, i just made it with paint lol. Of course a good/professional designer can make it clickable and be a cute as hell icon, unlike what i did there ?

Flarum itself is using this icon (3 horizontal lines) on mobile and full website.
People are very well informed and aware about icons, they are using mobile all the time, Facebook, Twitter, Chrome, just to name a few. Plus, popup description is there to help.

This will also help with Flarum's layout spacing and positioning on mobile.

Speaking of mobile, Search should be on the main page layout. Very important feature specially on mobile and it should be easily accessible.

Franz

Digital People are very well informed and aware about icons, they are using mobile all the time, Facebook, Twitter, Chrome, just to name a few.

That's a very broad statement without any backup. ?

I like to reference Nielsen and friends when this topic is debated.

Digital

Franz

Mobile is all about icons and minimal design. Users will know what's that icon can do in one or two clicks. And people are using mobile all the time, we all know this. This is why i don't need any backup for this ?

I am not really debating, this is just a suggestion that will also benefit Flarum's mobile layout.

P.S.
Don't get me wrong, i love Flarum and i am planning to use it when stable version is out. It is very good and i want it to be better.