Problem/Motivation

I have a two level taxonomy hierarchical select that is required and "select deepest level" is also set. Users are selecting the root but sometimes not selecting the next level -- so it defaults to the first in the list, which is not good. I need the first item in the list to say something like Select State in order to get them to actually look at the list.

Is there anything I can do?

Proposed resolution

Add a <Select> option at every level of a "Force the user to choose a term from a deepest level" field to enforce the user interacts with the full list of options.

Remaining tasks

  • Field Config: Add checkbox below "Force the user to choose a term from a deepest level" option.
  • Field rendering: Remove current "Force the user to choose a term from a deepest level" UI behaviour.
  • Field rendering: If checked add an empty <Select>option at the start of each extra selector added.
  • Field validation: Add validation to check if the selected term has children. Return a form error if so.

User interface changes

  • Add a checkbox below the "Force the user to choose a term from a deepest level" option. Call it something like "Force selection at every level".
  • Have this inject <Select> at the top of extra selects.
  • Add a field description explaining that they need to select from the deepest level of their selected items?

API changes

None

Data model changes

None

Comments

tchopshop created an issue. See original summary.

shaneonabike’s picture

shaneonabike commented
Category: Support request » Bug report
Priority: Normal » Major

I agree and am having the same related issue. Essentially, this is a pretty significant usability issue. The selection of terms should not automatically display all the levels below.

For example, we have:

Veggies > Root > Carrots
Meat > Cattle > Free-range
Meat > Cattle > Dancing cows
Meat > Sheep > Make you sleep

If the user selects Cattle it automatically selects Free-range since it's the first in the list. I think from a usability perspective this is confusing. They should just be shown Cattle as they are when you don't force the deepest selection.

So you get

(Select) Meat
(Displays) Meat > Cattle

Then they can choose the next level... I changed this from a support request to a Bug Report since it is a usability issue. As well, increased the Priority since I think that the point of Hierarchial Select is to provide users with a fluent, ease-of-use system.

gold’s picture

gold
they/them
Location 20 minutes in the future
commented
Category: Bug report » Feature request
Issue summary: View changes

While this is a nuisance it isn't breaking functionality.

I can see workarounds if you are comfortable with writing code though. I've updated the description to reflect this.

The existing behaviour doesn't break the module though so it's not really a Bug Request. My proposed fix is adding to it though which makes it more of a feature request. Given it is very poor UX though I think the priority of Major is reasonable.

Regarding discussion around this though, would we want this to be the default behaviour? It feels like it should be.