Preview: Interface Updates

[lehik]

Few suggestions for the upcoming UI enhancements:
1. When opening the app, it would be nice it the app automatically selected the last used Project instead of showing the project list every time. I'm not sure how many people jump around projects all the time, but my experience is that usually one project is the most active which I would like to "keep open" instead of selecting it every time. Maybe you should include a "switch project" button or something to keep things clear..?

2. It is convenient that I am able to enter favorite and/or upcoming setlist from the "home" page. That being said, it's not so convenient if I want to quickly edit the setlist details or share it, as I have to go to Repertoire -> Set Lists -> Find the list -> Edit/Share. Thats quite a lot of screens to go through. How about being able to access the details view directly from any view that lists Setlists, including the "home" favorites or any other view? See the attached screenshot.

3. Any view that has some kind of reordering (like songs in a set list) is VERY picky (at least on Android) about hitting exactly the right spot when trying to drag the items to different order. This happens on both phone and a 10" tablet. Many times I just get frustrated and open the BH web page to do the reordering.

[arlo]

1) It think it's best to start at the top of the navigation tree when the app starts. It then only takes one click to view the desired project. If the app opened to the last-used project, it could be unintuitive that to change projects you have to click the Back button; and if you don't remember what project you were using last, it could create confusion or lead to editing the wrong data.

2) This is the trade-off of using a shortcut -- it takes you one place quickly, but doesn't take you everywhere. I did try the approach you mocked up at one point, but there are five options for each set list. Putting five buttons into each table row was overwhelming to look at, and didn't leave enough room for the set list names.

3) Try touching the grip icon, waiting a moment until the row detaches, then dragging it.

[lehik]

Thanks for your reply.

1) I agree, but I still see some value in for example Facebook-like approach where I don't have make a selection on every login whether I want to use it as myself or as some Facebook page where I'm an admin, but instead the selection remains until I click a dropdown and select different profile. Same with Azure services, where I can switch between my own and my clients "directories" when needed, but by default I'm using my own, which I use 95% of time. I wonder if there could be an option to select a default (or "favorite") project which would automatically open by default, if set?

2) That's true; Five options would be too much. I'd rather have to buttons where the other would take me directly to the View mode and the other to SetList view that currently contains the other functions (View, Edit Details, Edit songs, Share Set List, Share songs).

3) Got it. Works much better. Thanks.

Also:
4) When switching between project, the Android version sometimes starts to populate the Sync Status list with rows saying "Uploading Changes 0/0kb" which never disappear, unless I restart the app.

[arlo]

1) The BandHelper website works that way, too, but that requires keeping a project display and selection button visible on every page, and the screen real estate is too valuable in the app to include that.

2) I'll think about it more, but the purpose of the shortcuts is to allow people who are primarily viewing info to not think about the editing options, so adding an editing option to the shortcuts would work against that goal.

4) Please submit a help ticket to troubleshoot that.

[lehik]

1) I understand. The selection could be in the "project home view" only...but of course this isn't a deal breaker in any sense. I just like to throw around ideas that might make the app more usable (in my opinion) 

2) True that. A shortcut would make four somewhat basic tasks (Edit Details, Edit songs, Share Set List, Share songs) easier to access though.

4) I'll see if I can reproduce the bug and I'll report how to make it appear.

If there's anyone else following this thread, feel free to comment/bash/whatever these ideas. My main point is to create discussion, which may eventually lead to better user experience in the app.

[arlo]

The updates described above were released today as BandHelper 4.1 for iOS and 3.1 for Android. Complete details are here:

http://www.bandhelper.com/support/release_notes.html

See also this new tutorial about setting up shortcuts for yourself and your bandmates:

http://www.bandhelper.com/tutorials/app_shortcuts.html