Filter text unclear

[Lilith-Palmer]

Filters are currently hidden when users first reach the results box. The only visible text is 'Show nearby schools'.

This does not indicate to the user that there are any filters available, nor what will happen if the box is expanded.

A quick update of the top line text would solve this issue, eg:

Nearby schools should be auto-selected, as without this selection the filters do not function.

[techieshark]

Filters are currently hidden when users first reach the results box.

Yup, that was intentional.

Can you explain the user flow that showed this as confusing? When designing it, we imagined the thought process / user flow would be like:

"I see a result school, but I wonder if there are any schools with opportunity classes nearby."
"Oh, I can show nearby schools" click
"Wow there are lots of schools shown. If only I could filter them..."
"Oh, the filters show up just under the button I clicked to show the schools." click
Done.

I'm having trouble imagining why a user would say:

"I see a result school, and no other schools. There should be a way to filter the zero other schools I see."

[Lilith-Palmer]

Interesting.

@Rustuma @reekypete any thoughts on this?

[reekypete]

Hello @techieshark,

Yep, agree this is less than ideal. It was me obsessing about implicit behaviours (clicking "Show Filters" implicitly also selects "Show Nearby Schools"). What we're now doing, which I think is right, is 1. the label is "Filter Nearby Schools" and 2. There is no "Show Nearby Schools" checkbox - nearby schools are always shown when the Filters control is shown

[techieshark]

It's never (since @Lilith-Palmer first reported this issue*) been clear to me what exactly the problem is that we're trying to solve here. The original issue description (or some comment since then) should describe what trouble users were having when we tested this with them.

Otherwise we're just changing things for the fun of it...

• @Lilith-Palmer maybe you can help clarify for me where this issue came from in the first place? Thanks oodles**! :)

** "oodles" is how an American might say "heaps and heaps" in Australian

[reekypete]

Like I said, it was really just me obsessing. But I do think the "Show nearby Schools" button was redundant. And like you've identified, this wasn't user driven. The user was me.

[techieshark]

Well, obsessing is a good thing. Hopefully it means we get things perfect for folks! ;)

[reekypete]

Fact is, this is one of the cleanest bits of software design I've had the pleasure to play with. I doubt I'd have noticed the redundancy around "Show nearby schools" in a lesser app.

[techieshark]

Aww, nice. Well, props to @Lilith-Palmer and @pixelhappy1 and @Rustuma for all their design help then! ;)

[Lilith-Palmer]

@techieshark stawppp it

[techieshark]

I don't think this is an issue any more. If it is still confusing with real world users hopefully we'll hear about it soon enough.