Selector Object Enhancement - Add Focus and Remove selection functions

Previous Member

Idea

Align Selector object functionality with the "Make Selection Panel" to allow users to easily make/amend/reset and focus their selections using the default selector object.

 

Use Case

Drive selection standardization across multiple applications and the board platform - selections are managed within the applications in specific ways depending on the consultant, complexity and the user competency.  I believe that by enhancing the selector object in this way will increase the usability of the objects and drive the standardization of the applications/solutions developed.

Current Behaviour

Reset Function:

Resets the entity selection to the selection applied to the screen through navigation or applied in a procedure.

Does: Allow users to make/amend a screen selection (depending if you show inactive members etc.)

Doesn't: Allow a user to remove the selection completely in a simple manner without using the "Make Selection Panel" (which can be disabled)

Enhanced Behaviour

 

Users can amend a selection, focus on specific selections and remove a selection using the standard selector object.  This would bring the selector object in line with the "Make Selection Panel" and improve consistency without posing a data/security risk (see workaround 1)

Reset Function:

Resets the entity selection to the selection applied to the screen through navigation or applied in a procedure.

Focus Function:

Focuses on the currently selected entity members and overrides other branches of the tree (current focus behaviour)

Remove Function: Removes selection completely on the selected entity - does not remove other explicit selections made on other branches of the tree.

 

 

Current Workarounds

 

Workaround 1 - Train users to open the "Make Selection Panel" and use the options within the pop up.

 

Challenge 1: - 

The "Reset All" removes all selections even if the entity is not visible to users - some applications are specifically designed to use entities to control processes, budget cycles etc and cannot be exposed to this level of risk

Challenge 2: -

Users complain that having to use two areas of an application to manage selections is confusing and non-intuitive 

Workaround 2 - Educate users to make changes the selections manually

   * many users complain that this is time consuming and un-intuitive - as reset should "reset" the application to its starting state i.e. their selection based on security.

Workaround 3 - Reset selection using a procedure

   * As referenced in the Use Case above, this works, it is a single click

Challenge:

Other selectors on the screen then behave is different as the "Screen Selection" has been modified since navigating to the screen (users may have made other modifications).

 

This is even more frustrating for users as it is viewed as inconsistent behaviour by the Board software - even when explained, users understand but don't like the solution.

 

Workaround 4 - Control all selection actions through procedures.

   * Reset Selection

   * Interactive Selection

   * Toggle Selection

 

Challenge:

This option is not truly scalable, Applications evolve & procedures need constant revision as new parent entities are added/removed which in turn impedes the development process, knowledge transfer and user adoption (selection methods vary depending on each application).

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Thanks

Andrew Turner

Managing Consultant - Board UK 

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