Purpose of quick icons

[zwiastunsw]

Can anyone explain what is the purpose of placing statistical information in quick icons?

"Quick icons" is a set of links to the most important and most frequently used backend functions.

To perform this function:

• their names (text links) must be clear
• their number must be small, limited. If the number of links is large, similar links should be grouped.

1. Links: "Global configuration", "Templates", "New articles" are clear. But links: "2 Users" "108 menu items", "68 Articles", "25 Article Categories" are not clear. Instead of clear, understandable links, we have an information noise that does not help in any way, but only hinders quick orientation.
2. There are currently 13 icons. This is already a large number. With such a large number of icons it is difficult to quickly find out where they lead. Either you need to reduce their number, or you need to group them.

In addition. The structure of the list of elements is rightly used here. But some quick icons contain 2 items each. As a result, the screen reader informs you that we have 13 items. And this is not true. Because there are 17 elements.

I have the impression that the designer has forgotten what is the purpose of quick icons, what is their function.

[coolcat-creations]

I have the impression that the designer has forgotten what is the purpose of quick icons, what is their function.

The "designer" in this case me, had the plan to create a informing interface for the user. So I read in your message that you are not satisfied with the current solution. It would be great If you could not make assumptions of what "the designer" forgot or not but see also different views of different people.

I also take care of your opinion!

* their names (text links) must be clear

can you point us to where the names are not clear so we can discuss this?

* their number must be small, limited. If the number of links is large, similar links should be grouped.

So the Quickicons can be turned off and on for every area, would you recommend to disable some by default? The logic quite now is: "How many do I have here and let's create a new of this type."

1. Links: "Global configuration", "Templates", "New articles" are clear. But links: "2 Users" "108 menu items", "68 Articles", "25 Article Categories" are not clear.  Instead of clear, understandable links, we have an information noise that does not help in any way, but only hinders quick orientation.

Not sure what is not clear for you in 2 Users ? It means that you have 2 registered Users on the site. What is missing in your opinion here? People that take care of the site see in one glance that they have maybe 10 more users then last week.

2. There are currently 13 icons. This is already a large number. With such a large number of icons it is difficult to quickly find out where they lead. Either you need to reduce their number, or you need to group them.

As mentioned above you can reduce the number in the settings. We can disable some by default maybe... Actually it was never meant to have so much of them, I guess the repo just shows the possible ones. So maybe lets disable the not common ones by default but let the user decide to enable them if wanted.

In addition. The structure of the list of elements is rightly used here. But some quick icons contain 2 items each. As a result, the screen reader informs you that we have 13 items. And this is not true. Because there are 17 elements.

I guess this is something to be fixed in the php code maybe @chmst can have a look at this?

[chmst]

The intention, is that icons are enabled / disabled on each dashboard. As @coolcat-creations says: Go to the Admin Module "Quickicons" and activate or deactivate icons

On the users dashboard, the user icon is visible .
On the Menu dasboard, the MenuItems icon is visible.
On the content dashboard Article Icon and Categories Icon and Modules .. and so on.
On the main dashboard maybe the user enables only the checkin and templates .. and so on

In addition. The structure of the list of elements is rightly used here. But some quick icons contain 2 items each. As a result, the screen reader informs you that we have 13 items. And this is not true. Because there are 17 elements.

Issue Confirmed.

[zwiastunsw]

The function of the label is to communicate the purpose of the content to which the link refers. The label informs which page the link leads to. Adding statistical information causes the label to perform two functions. This causes confusion and makes the purpose of the link incomprehensible.
Which function is more important?
"Quick icons" is an element of navigation, not information. More specifically, it has one information function. It tells you where it directs. Navigation should look like navigation. Now statistical information becomes more important. This is additionally emphasized by the size of the used characters (numbers).
The initial purpose of this component of the page is indicated by its name: "Quick icon". By means of the icon and a link describing it, we have redirected the user to important areas of the administration facilities. Now you have only 5 icons on 13 cards. I'm not saying it can't be like that. But in this way we create something different than what this component was supposed to be.
I won't explain to you why the "Users" label is concise and clear, and the "18 Users" label is neither clear nor concise. This is difficult to explain in the language I use with great effort. Yes, you provide more information. But more is not better.

[coolcat-creations]

Having presented these Icons on JoomladayFlorida, Usergroup Nuremberg, JoomladayVienna, Joomlacamp NYC there was always clapping for this information overview, so I can say that this is something users like and want. But of course we need to fix accessibility issues and I will try to provide layout solutions to fix your concerns too. Ok?

[zwiastunsw]

I expressed my opinion. The audience's applause says only that they like it. They don't say it's good.
One more argument. In the past, the "quick icon" used to give one piece of information, now you have 3 pieces of information on one card: a statistical information, a link to the list of items and a link to create a new item. Note that something that was simple has become complex, complicated, overloaded with content. I'm not an expert on UX, but it's a bad UX.
I read the chapter "Labelling systems" from the book "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web" once again (authors Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morvile). I have full confirmation of my comments there.

[coolcat-creations]

I hear you and in my post above I told you I will provide layout solutions for you concern?

[zwiastunsw]

OK :) I read and understood what you wrote. I'll write to my friend UX expert Yves Koekkoek. Maybe he will want to support your team with his knowledge and experience.

[coolcat-creations]

Yes please! Would be great if Yves could help!

[bembelimen]

@zwiastunsw any updates here?

[zwiastunsw]

Unfortunately, Yves hasn't responded to the invitation.
I stand by my opinion. Please listen to the screen reader announce this information. Please pay attention to the spoken numbers, which do not make any sense for a blind person in this context.
How a screen reader announces quickicons?

[coolcat-creations]

But that are not the Quick Icons anymore that are implemented we made a whole new stucture and tried to improve it according to your concerns?

[zwiastunsw]

Sory. I don't have a current version. I am very busy until June 12th. I will see it after 12th June. :)

[bembelimen]

@zwiastunsw now any updates?

[zwiastunsw]

The new solution is fully accessible. The screen reader (NVDA) announces that it is a navigation element. Annnounces name - Quick links.
It lists the number of items. Each icon has a link name accessible.
Excellent, but... one fault: '''no tabindex attribute required'''.
Léonie Watson:

The tabindex attribute is versatile, and it has the capacity to improve or destroy usability for keyboard-only users. When you think about using the tabindex attribute, keep these things in mind:

• Use tabindex=0 to include an element in the natural tab order of the content, but remember that an element that is focusable by default may be an easier option than a custom control
• Use tabindex=-1 to give an element programmatic focus, but exclude it from the tab order of the content
• Avoid using tabindex=1+.
  Using the tabindex attribute