Gallery UX Feedback

[Greenman]

We are getting a lot of negative feedback regarding the gallery section of IP4 and it being exceptionally difficult to use.

Here is the feedback from our users since we upgraded a week ago

1. 'Images' should be a primary nav item within the profile - it's currently tucked away in 'my activity' and absolutely no one can find it. Would be good if this was also clearly marked when you click 'gallery' in the forum nav. It needs to be front and centre.
2. Likewise, members are struggling to find any other members images.
3. Create album button needs to be way more obvious
4. An album should be created and then images put into it rather than the other way round
5. Gallery default view should be set to 'latest' and not 'name'.
6. The actual display/slider is really clunky and looks very dated. It just needs to work like Facebook who execute images perfectly.
7. Way more controls in admin - for example, no one cares about the EXIF information.
8. Clean up the entire UX
9. Thumbnails are barely used these days as they are hopeless on mobile - just needs to go straight into a slider
10. Swipe between images doesn't work on mobile currently
11. Easy group/member sharing so it's not per album - crazy UX currently considering it's a forum with a community.
12. Create a cover image for the forum album rather than the latest upload
13. Blank albums (with no images) should not show in the gallery

Thanks, Si

 

[Joel R]

We are getting a lot of negative feedback regarding the gallery section of IP4 and it being exceptionally difficult to use.

Here is the feedback from our users since we upgraded a week ago

1. 'Images' should be a primary nav item within the profile - it's currently tucked away in 'my activity' and absolutely no one can find it. Would be good if this was also clearly marked when you click 'gallery' in the forum nav. It needs to be front and centre.
2. Likewise, members are struggling to find any other members images.
3. Create album button needs to be way more obvious
4. An album should be created and then images put into it rather than the other way round
5. Gallery default view should be set to 'latest' and not 'name'.
6. The actual display/slider is really clunky and looks very dated. It just needs to work like Facebook who execute images perfectly.
7. Way more controls in admin - for example, no one cares about the EXIF information.
8. Clean up the entire UX
9. Thumbnails are barely used these days as they are hopeless on mobile - just needs to go straight into a slider
10. Swipe between images doesn't work on mobile currently
11. Easy group/member sharing so it's not per album - crazy UX currently considering it's a forum with a community.
12. Create a cover image for the forum album rather than the latest upload
13. Blank albums (with no images) should not show in the gallery

Thanks, Si

#1 There's a tab for Albums in the profile, to which it's pretty easy to navigate.  I agree, however, that the tab name can be changed to Images and show both albums and images from IP.Gallery.  

Don't really understand what you mean for images to be 'front and centre' in IP.Gallery though, so you should clarify on that.  

#3 and #4.  Yes, they know that and they should be fixing that.  

#5 I don't necessarily agree with you, since my gallery tends to be a very well-ordered and logically-structured gallery where I want the images to be displayed by name.  With that said, I think it's more important for IPS to offer all choices, and then to allow a category setting.

#7 What controls do you want?

#8 What do you want to see different with the UX?  I'm not arguing against you, I also agree that there's something that's unsettling with the layout of IP.Gallery but ... it works.

#9 I agree that less prominence should be placed on thumbnails, although you'll need to clarify from where should a user go directly to a slider.  A traditional gallery has always flowed from categories, then albums, then thumbnails, then full size images.

#10 I just learned that this week as well during experimentation, and I agree this would be a great choice.  They should offer swipe left and right to navigate to the next / prior picture.  They should offer swipe up to return to the album / category.  

#11 No idea what you're saying

#12 I love the idea of cover images for IP.Gallery albums.  No idea what you're talking about forum albums, though.  

#13 I agree.  They have the same problem with IP.Blogs.  I think empty albums should be shown to the user and mods (to remind them they have empty albums), but it should be hidden to everyone else.

In general, I agree with a lot of your feedback, and I'm sure it would be helpful if you could clarify on some of your points so IP.Gallery can become an even better product for everyone.  

[Hitori Bocchi]

 

Create album button needs to be way more obvious

 

I still haven't found it on my testforum .

[Greenman]

#1 There's a tab for Albums in the profile, to which it's pretty easy to navigate.  I agree, however, that the tab name can be changed to Images and show both albums and images from IP.Gallery.  

Exactly, why are albums and images split - makes no sense at all. It's on mobile that the module grinds to a halt in terms of UX.

Don't really understand what you mean for images to be 'front and centre' in IP.Gallery though, so you should clarify on that.  

The gallery is fine for general browsing but if I want to find a certain album from a certain member, the module does not work - it's all hidden away.

I just want: click member, view albums. 2 steps - nice and easy.

#3 and #4.  Yes, they know that and they should be fixing that.  

#5 I don't necessarily agree with you, since my gallery tends to be a very well-ordered and logically-structured gallery where I want the images to be displayed by name.  With that said, I think it's more important for IPS to offer all choices, and then to allow a category setting.

Exactly, needs to be an admin setting so we can set up as we need.

#7 What controls do you want?

Ability to turn a lot of the 'bloat info' off as it's not required (EXIF info for example). Ability to set filter default state would be so useful. Ability to force albums rather than individual images (that have to be public).

#8 What do you want to see different with the UX?  I'm not arguing against you, I also agree that there's something that's unsettling with the layout of IP.Gallery but ... it works.

This is not my feedback but our communities feedback - it's impossible to use and I completely agree with them. For example, click on a member and try to view their albums. On desktop it's very easy to miss the album tabs, on mobile it's basically non-existent. It can be done but most people are still looking 30 minutes later. You have to click a 'search icon' and then go through a content filter. How about a nice big button that says 'View Albums'.

#9 I agree that less prominence should be placed on thumbnails, although you'll need to clarify from where should a user go directly to a slider.  A traditional gallery has always flowed from categories, then albums, then thumbnails, then full size images.

Thumbnails just don't work on mobile and it's clear that this module was never designed with mobile in mind. All it needs is a basic 'album list' with one cover shot. Click the cover shot and you swipe through the images (including comments) on mobile. On desktop, the album either opens up into a slick grid or a slider.

#10 I just learned that this week as well during experimentation, and I agree this would be a great choice.  They should offer swipe left and right to navigate to the next / prior picture.  They should offer swipe up to return to the album / category.

This is just basic mobile UX and it's not acceptable that it doesn't work on a paid product. It's probably the most important thing for any gallery. We have EXIF information but no swipe!!!! Let's get the basics right first.

#11 No idea what you're saying

If you have 3 'invite only' albums and want to share with 50 people, you have to add 150 (3 x 50) names into the system. The module needs a 'friends list' like IP3, and you share an album with that list. To have removed this feature from IP4 when it was such a big part of IP3 for some forums is a huge problem. We are literally losing members by the day because of this.

#12 I love the idea of cover images for IP.Gallery albums.  No idea what you're talking about forum albums, though.  

Same thing - this is one of the issues, IP.Gallery seems totally disjointed to the forum. It is an add-on and feels like it has had no love.

#13 I agree.  They have the same problem with IP.Blogs.  I think empty albums should be shown to the user and mods (to remind them they have empty albums), but it should be hidden to everyone else.

In general, I agree with a lot of your feedback, and I'm sure it would be helpful if you could clarify on some of your points so IP.Gallery can become an even better product for everyone.  

Thanks Joel, I have added in some additional notes. It would be fantastic if IP.Boards could give some indication of when this module will be getting an update as we are having to consider custom building it ourselves.

On top of the above, there is a big security flaw. The thumbnails of 'Private' and 'Invite Only' albums show up in activity feeds to all users which clearly needs to be fixed. Image privacy is a big issue at the moment and this bug needs to be taken really seriously.

[motomac]

Absolutely agree with Greenman!