"Update workflow" action usability issues

[sminnee]

In order to update the workflow, you need to open the WorkflowActions tab. However, the "Update workflow" button appears at the bottom of the UI.

I would recommend either moving the "update workflow" button to reside within the tab, or do show each applicable workflow action as a separate button down the bottom of the form.

@clarkepaul might have some useful insight here, he's spent a lot of time on the default actions panel.

[nyeholt]

Agreed - the current structure was to avoid a larger scale hack in 2.4, but ss3 gives some more flexibility with approaching it. I'd probably also add a message to the user when they land on the initial edit screen that workflow is in effect and an action is required, or perhaps highlighting in the site tree somehow

[clarkepaul]

I take it we should block the publisher from doing any other actions until they have approved or declined the workflow changes?

I noticed that if the publisher continues to make content changes the content waiting for approval just gets overwritten but the Editor still doesn't gain access to edit the content again until the Publisher has selected approve or the like (even though it wont be approved because the publisher has since made changes) - very complicated!

I really think we need to remove the normal actions until the workflow content has been reviewed. Take a look at these mockups https://github.com/silverstripe/silverstripe-design/blob/master/Design/workflow/workflow_actions-14.png

[nyeholt]

Not all workflows will block editing (or other actions) though; some workflows might be that Person A needs to provide the initial copy and submits it, then Group B performs some additional editing before submitting to Group C for final publication approval. Workflow actions currently have the concept of allowing editing or not through canEdit extension checks - I'd prefer it keep this model for now.

I do like the transitions-in-a-fly-up menu; one thing to consider though is that some actions may have more than a 'comments' box for that workflow action to have data entered. Not sure how that would be covered other than a specific screen for workflow data entry?

[clarkepaul]

It would be good to see a few screen shots of these extra fields (like comments) or are they website specific?

From a usability perspective, at the moment the user has no indication of what they should do next including the publisher so I can see it really needs improvement. I don't have a good enough idea of all the user cases involved to be able to make further suggestion except having a waning message at the top of the page and in the actions panel at the bottom without getting stuck right into it.

[sminnee]

If I get a chance I'll put together some screenshots.

Marcus, does the current system allow for workflow comments?

[nyeholt]

Marcus, does the current system allow for workflow comments?

Yep, every action instance has a 'Comments' field.

It would be good to see a few screen shots of these extra fields (like comments) or are they website specific?

They're system specific - more to the point, they're customisable from code per action type, so could conceivably have any number of fields for users to enter data into. But agreed, there needs to be some way to say to the user 'hey you need to do something here!'

[sminnee]

I think we should be able to work from some specific designs based on examples back to a reconfigurable system. We're trying to be a bit more proactive in getting designers involved in OSS work, hence shoulder-tapping Paul.

[patbolo]

On a project I'm working on at the moment, we have relabelled the "Update workflow" button with whatever action the workflow is currently paused on, ie "Request pubication". It makes it much easier for users to know at which step of the workflow they are on, without having to go to the workflow tab.