Over the past few years the administration menu has grown quite a bit. Although I use it quite often, I find that I'm sometimes unsure where to look for a particular configuration option. We've heard the same comments from both experienced and new users - so Xavier Dutoit and I thought it would be a good idea to take a stab at re-working the menu structure. The goals of the re-organization are:
- reduce confusion - especially understanding the differences between Customize, Configure and Manage
- reduce the # of clicks to get to any admin option
- clarify language a bit
During the recent code sprint in the UK, we had a chance to do a "card sort" on the admin menu with Jamie McClelland from Progressive Technology Project. We came up with a proposed re-organization, and then tested it with the book sprint team by presenting the top level categories and asking each person to note down the category where they would expect a particular option to be found. We used their feedback to make some further adjustments.
The proposal doesn't really cover how to order items w/in each category - although some folks have suggested alphabetical. The big questions is whether the grouping of things into this smaller number of categories is helpful, and will allow folks to "remember" where to find things better once they've explored a bit.
Check out the current revision by clicking the attachment below - and let us know whether you think it would be a significant improvement.
On a related note, Dominik Lukes from Dyslexia Action (@techczech) suggested that we consider a "configuration option" search at some point - an approach that Moodle has taken to help folks deal with the proliferation of settings. Might be cool project for someone to take on for a future release :-)
Comments
From the 1st menu. keeping only "data & screens" as the 1st menu
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Agree, and I think the rest is an improvement.
For the main (top level) menu, it would be nice if certain components (case, grant, campaign) weren't stuck in an item called "other." I'm assuming that you're now going to tell me that moving things around in the menu isn't that hard if I just go to ________. :P
But I agree and it was mentioned several time at civicon and in the sprint.
I think the campaign, case and co are grown up enough to be first class citizen in civi component land ;)
Dave, do you think we could change that one at the same time?
I’m wondering if it would be worthwhile to move the format related options out of Communications and into a new category called Formats (or Templates and Formats). I’m working on code to configure name badge formats and it would seem out of place under Communications. Also, label formats will be used for both mailing labels and badge formats, so it would be good to rename Mailing Labels to a more generic Label Formats.
Items in the new Formats category could include:
Hi,
I think that's a good idea to group the format together (and renaming mailing labels too).
Not sur about the message templates, still think I'd look for it more under communication than under format.
This changes look like a welcome improvement. Another idea: In addition to cleaning up the "admim" menu, we can also reduce the chance of a typical end-user needing to go to that menu.
what I think would help: On any regular screen in CiviCRM, if there are changeable settings that impact the behavior of that screen or process, then display a link to the relevant admin settings screen.
For example: if I am setting up a new event, display a link to the screen to add new event types. Ideally the admin screen can be presented as a modal window.
...but probably quite time consuming to implement.
Could you help coding it?
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