Remove excessive UI nesting when creating a note (mobile)

Features
1

Creating notes is a key feature of the app. It is currently hidden behind an extra tap and a one second animation for the option to create a to-do. At a distance, this is a significant loss of user time and convenience.

I can understand the logic behind this feature - this kind of interface is more extensible for new types of notes, more obvious to new users, less visually taxing on the appearance, and helps to avoid misclicks.

However, the value of this from a UX perspective is small compared to the fact that we are hiding the main app feature behind an extra action

My suggestion is to take the buttons out of the nesting and place them on the main screen.

joplin
joplin1514×455 20.3 KB

1 Like
2

Even as it is I sometimes tap the button by accident, and it occludes the note content. Having that doubled would be a downgrade IMO.

3

How is this possible if this button is only present in the note selection menu and not in the note itself?

4

A faster approach I would prefer, is a widget button for my homescreen.
Just a Button, on which I can click and it will open a new Note in my inbox Notebook.

5

Nesting works better the more choices there are. Markor uses the plus button with a lightbox holding multiple fields, dropdowns, and buttons.

Tapping the plus button creates a new note in both Notesnook and Standard Notes. Standard Notes lets you select the note type from a context menu after creating the note.

What benefits does nesting provide with Joplin's two note types? Even if icon labels add context, competing apps use the plus icon for New note and the checkbox indicates todos. Users of one note type may not need labels or secondary buttons at all:

In addition to removing nesting, pick one:

  • Move the note type to the note view (whether or not new types will be added)
  • Add sortable button show/hide checkboxes to options (to satisfy users of one or both types)

If neither will be done, shortening the overlay to cover only nested buttons covers @zblesk's concern about the note list and current notebook.

If keeping nesting but adding types, add a toggle for the pictured states above. The existing state could help choose from 3+ note types and/or needing icon labels for context.

1 Like
6

I also really dislike the extra click. Removing the nesting and adding a config (or plug-in?) to enable/disable to-dos would make the experience much smoother for those who want just the note-taking without much fuss.

I am sorry that I am not a developer for addressing this on my own...

1 Like
7

I'm linking a pull request that redesigns the new note menu. Although it keeps the "new to-do" button, it changes the position/size of the buttons: