timetable setup wizard is confusing and error prone.

[Jeffrey Elkner]

The timetable wizard is confusing and error prone, and could be improved by reducing the number of dialog screens.

Here is a timetable for a schedule that varies by day:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bxq50A7-FeDXNGYyZThhMTMtYmQ5Zi00OTRlLWFjYjUtZDZjZWQ5YjQ1ZDU5&hl=en

Here is a timetable for a schedule that is the same each day:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bxq50A7-FeDXYmY1MTUwZTAtZTUxNC00MGQ5LTg4MTUtODIzODE1Y2EyN2U2&hl=en

Here is the Do periods have names dialog that follows:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bxq50A7-FeDXYTAzNGM5ODctZWU0MS00YmMwLThkYmUtODM4NjFkM2I0YmQz&hl=en

Selecting yes gives a new dialog box:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bxq50A7-FeDXNGZhY2ZkZmYtYTU1My00NjRkLThjNzUtODIyOWE4ZTE3MWU2&hl=en

Why not add another column to the table of times (to the left) that is optional and is labeled "Name"? That would reduce 3 dialogs down to one and be easier to view at the same time.

The following question: Is the sequence the same each day was confusing to me:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bxq50A7-FeDXNjczNjNmYTItNTBiMi00M2YyLWI0ZDEtNTA5ZDk5YzcwZDEw&hl=en

In setting up the Arlington Mill timetable I selected no, since the schedule of classes varied by day and was not the "same". This was the wrong choice, however, and I ended up with a dead end path from which I had to cancel and start the whole process over again.

Answering "yes" the next time through, I was still confused as to why I was doing this. Is there any sense in which a sequence of classes in a given day would be different from their chronological order that day? What would it mean to say I want the PM block to come first, then the AM block, and then finish up with the Mid-day? Why can't the sequence be determined from the times I entered for each class, again reducing this setup to a single dialog box (instead of 5 now) and making it easier to understand at the same time?

[Tom Hoffman (tom-hoffman)]

Jeff,

The problem with timetables is that the one you're used to seems like the obvious state of nature, and anything else seems stilted and bizarre.

You may indeed want the sequence of periods to be different each day.

I don't understand what happened when you hit a "dead end." Did you just get the wrong timetable?

[Jeffrey Elkner (jelkner)]

I came to a screen that only offered me Block 1 and Block 2 each day to
sequence, even though I had created 3 blocks (or intended to, at least).

jeff

On Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 10:28 AM, Tom Hoffman <email address hidden> wrote:

> Jeff,
>
> The problem with timetables is that the one you're used to seems like
> the obvious state of nature, and anything else seems stilted and
> bizarre.
>
> You may indeed want the sequence of periods to be different each day.
>
> I don't understand what happened when you hit a "dead end." Did you
> just get the wrong timetable?
>
> --
> timetable setup wizard is confusing and error prone.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/634941
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Tom Hoffman (tom-hoffman)]

So you're saying you thought this (more or less) was a dead end?

[Jeffrey Elkner (jelkner)]

I didn't see "C", so I thought I had made an error. It still gives me the
feeling, "Why are you asking me this, I *already told you*!"

jeff

On Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 11:11 AM, Tom Hoffman <email address hidden> wrote:

> So you're saying you thought this (more or less) was a dead end?
>
> ** Attachment added: "Screenshot.png"
>
> https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/schooltool/+bug/634941/+attachment/1566293/+files/Screenshot.png
>
> --
> timetable setup wizard is confusing and error prone.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/634941
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Tom Hoffman (tom-hoffman)]

I'm not convinced of any particular change that would not actually make things more complicated in other ways or for other cases. It is just a much more complicated task than it seems on the surface.