List menu not handy? Improved again!
Improvement of list menu in Doit.im for iPhone and Android
"Why is the list menu presented in different ways on iPhone and Android?" Some of our users asked. The answer is, theyâll be soon the same. It is just because we had made improvements on Android test version a bit earlier than we did on our iPhone version. Please wait for the new list menu on iPhone version!
The list menu of Doit.im has gone through changes twice during V5 of both iPhone version and Android version (beta). Weâd like to briefly share with you our reasons and the process.
At the very beginning, the list menu was simply presented as left column, which could be called out by being swiped right.
The advantage was that all the list names were clear at a glance. But there was no highlight on the key lists, for which it would cost our users several seconds to search through the long menu even though they were familiar with it.
2. Key menu at bottom + Dropdown menu on top
That's why we picked out the frequently-used list names and put them at the bottom bar, which include "Collect / Focus", "Projects / Contexts / Goals / Filters", while the seldom-used ones such as "Waiting", "Completed", "Trash" are placed at the dropdown menu on top. And in order to deduct the left column, we also put "Me" (mainly about Settings) at the bottom.
The modification made it convenient to show the key lists like "Inbox", "Today", "Projects", "Contexts". And it looks better when âCalendar" was also added at bottom bar. Compared with the previous version, this one gave more prominence to the key points, and the Calendar set in this place has received a considerable amount of applause.
3. Key menu focused + Left column simplifiedÂ
Then, some wondered, Where is "Completed" list? Can I see "Todayâ list each time I enter the app?
And some complained the dropdown menu on top which was too far away to tap, or it was a waste that "Me" (mainly about Settings) took the important position.
With these questions haunting in our minds, we gave reconsideration to the layout of the main menu, and summed up the points to be improved:
a. The frequently-used menu needed to be recognized at a glance, rather than having to be switched from one to another.
b. The seldom-used menu was hided too deeply. Make it easy to view.
c. Consider more on operation distance, especially for those who are used to one-handed operation.
Through the new round of design based on the above thinking, we conceived our third version of the list menu: the combination of left column and key menu.
The key menu at the bottom just shows the list names that are of great importance to the majority, "Inbox", "Today", "Calendar", "Projects", "Contexts". You may view any of them at a single glance and tap them handily instead of switching between. Meanwhile, the left column is launched again without showing the key menu so as to appear clearer. You may now call out the left column by either swiping right from the left side or tapping the menu icon at upper left. And the previously far-away dropdown menu on top has been removed.
The list menu of this version has solved all the problems reflected above. Moreover, we'll add feature to customize the bottom menu so that you may choose your own key lists.
This new version on iPhone is almost there. Please stay tuned!
