Put the Garland tabs on the right
dmitrig01 - October 13, 2008 - 04:00
| Project: | Drupal |
| Version: | 7.x-dev |
| Component: | usability |
| Category: | task |
| Priority: | normal |
| Assigned: | Unassigned |
| Status: | active |
Description
Preface: I know I may be creating a very controversial issue. Chx told me to do this. It's an experiment, so treat it like one.
If you look at the usability studies, people don't look at the middle of the page, where the tabs are. People look at the right and the left sides of the page.
The title is on the left. They see that. If we put the tabs on the right, they will see those too.
Let's try it! Tell me what you think.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| put-tabs-on-right.patch | 994 bytes |
#1
http://img.skitch.com/20081013-dmf9d9m8293dujasi7qtmgq63y.jpg screenshot
#2
Better patch
#3
This is worth considering. We'd want to test it but I've been doing the same in my own themes as well. Moving them away from the title sets them apart from the title which is the main reason for people not seeing the tabs: they are overshadowed by the title. I think it's only Garland that the tabs are floated besides the title, in other themes they are underneath the title.
(A Garland specific issue is that the tabs are not designed as such, but look like plain links, this is a flaw in the Garland design)
#4
This is not at all easier for me. Better may be to drop the tabs under the header and not to the far right. I dislike right hand links because I read left to right and my focus is to the left.
#5
It seems kind of pointless to suggest this idea without some data/evidence to back it up, though it doesn't hurt to talk about it.
As Yoroy has already mentioned, the Garland tabs aren't really tabs in the traditional sense, whether that's a flaw or not is subjective. In my opinion Garland is the only theme where the 'tabs' seem to work quite well when they're positioned on the right, I'd be against this idea if they were styled as common tabs (i.e. for other themes).
I've been showing people how to use Drupal for at least 13 months - all the while using a custom admin theme with tabs on the right. In contrast to that the front end theme always has tabs below the title and I've never seen people miss them, the admin tabs on the other hand will occasionally be overlooked by users.
One theory of why the tabs seem better on the right in Garland is because it forces them to stay in one fixed (consistent) place, as well as the already-mentioned fact that gives them more attention on the page.
For completeness, could someone provide a screenshot of how the secondary-level tabs look with this patch?
#6
I think it's brilliant, and I've long wanted this. I was just too scared to change the tradition. +1
#7
I'm going to change my previous opinion except that I would wish the tabs to be on another line and appear more like tabs than links. The bluebreeze theme is what changed my mind.
#8
I just wanted to say, I did a usability test with my friends, and while I don't have exact times, I can tell you that the tabs on the left were found much quicker.
#9
The concept of "Tabs" (Navigational elements) contradicts with the concept of "Local Tasks" (Actions on Object/s) and the Local Tasks API needs an overhaul IMO. This change may (or may not) be an improvement in the short term, but doesn't fix the larger more complex problem that actions should not be confused with navigational elements. If we can fix this, then the "Not seeing tabs" issue will also be made a LOT simpler.
I also agree with ernie, that tabs placed BELOW the Title are probably better-seen than tabs next to it or on the right. However what we all THINK is unimportant -- we should test this.
I suspect the coloring of the tabs may be affecting their invisibility. Zen's tabs result in really good visibility, IMHO.
#10
I don't understand this. Tabs must mean navigational elements? I think local tasks in the form of tabs works because of its placement and visual context. What I think would make more sense is having the local tasks very clear about what state it is in. Some themes do this better than others.
And about the tabs being on the far right.. What happens with sub-tasks? Sorry, I haven't had a chance to look but on first glance on the main tasks doesn't look like an improvement. It feels removed.
edit: Looking at the patch, the sub-tasks will be right aligned. I don't agree with this since the visual hierarchy becomes very odd.