It would be nice to streamline first sync with a sync wizard after ending initial sync configuration
When previously there wasn't any sync target setup, app shows sync wizard -- I.e sync target: "none" changed to any.
On sync wizard, the app could
- show auth screen
- inform that connection to sync target is established
- prompt the user to explicitly start sync via button
- after user pressed the button, inform user that initial sync has, in fact began, but it could take a while - please keep the screen unlocked and app in foreground until it is finished
Here's a sync animation to show that the app is still running
Taken from here Sync Illustrations | Rafiki Style
- splash that sync is finished
Why
Initial sync step is very important from standpoint of app stability and data completeness.
At present, initial sync requires new user
- to navigate to app settings then main app screen (to click "Synchronize" button)
- authorize the sync target via opened browser
- click "synchronize" button again to start the sync
- not interrupt the sync potentially for hours
All of these steps can cause confusion due to excessive navigation around the app and lack of straightforward guidance. So, it might be preferable to fence in all of these steps during initial sync on a single-screen wizard.
Of course, sync wizard is most applicable to mobile but in my opinion the desktop could also benefit from bringing more user's attention on important step of initial sync.
P.S. This is an idea to consider. I'm not a designer but if the team thinks it's a good one, I'd like to attempt a basic mockup in figma.