CiviCRM Community Forums (archive)

The version 2.2 looks nice and has many improvements. For 2.3 I would like to propose a streamlining of help

In the upcoming 2.2 I can see
- Overview information (e.g. see custom data) that leads the user to a wiki that explains the overall concept concerning this page
- At some place a ?-button to call up context help for fields to enter
  alternatively on some pages (e.g. new mailings) the context help is added as always visible text between the fields
- On same pages the ?-button with access shortcust, mostly at the bottom

I would like to see in 2.3 the following streamlining of already available functions:

On every page top a button  to call up general help to this page, linking to a wiki, that contains the user online documentation. To unclutter, remove any lead text to the wiki as in custom data configuration.
Allow to link to the wiki be either the standard one or a link to either an other language or a custom made wiki. (This may be of importance as some applications will have to cater for ordinary people who would be lost with most of the present documentation).

For every field the user can enter a ?-button with short context help. To unclutter, a fieldset could be used with a single ?-button in the title of the fieldset that responds to all fields of that set. Also, instead of a clumsy button used now, a simple '?' image could be used.
I would like to emphasise: have context help for every field and replace additional explanatory text (as in new mailing) by a ?-button.

Move the access key button to some menu page for user GUI where the user is instructed on shortcuts and can possibly change some behaviour of the GUI.

Give is a slik look and feel: These proposed changes would markedly improve the look and feel of civicrm: Less information on a page but consistent access to more information if needed.

I have used this approach in my CMS with very good result.

Thank you for your help, I really lappreciate it.

I will try to provide a sample, once I come round.

About look and feel: From my customers I get admiration for the possibilities of civicrm but they all complain about overloaded and too technical interfaces, ordinary people find daunting.  I know, custom forms can do much to improve. Good look and feel weighs heavily on me.