The Student Room Group

Thread page improvements

Hey everyone...

I am working on improving our thread pages on mobile :smile:

So wanted to share some ideas with you.
We plan to make lots of little changes over time so that it is easier to get used to.

The aim really is just make it nicer and cleaner for you guys so please share your opinions.. positive and negative :smile:

Idea 1

Our Pagination on mobile is a bit broken and our button styles are a bit inconsistant so I have redesigned to look more like this (below images) What do you think?
(edited 6 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

I think that looks like it'll jump around less when it loads since its thinner at the bottom and top. I guess it'd be a matter of trial and error
Original post by CrazyKittenLady
Hey everyone...

I am working on improving our thread pages on mobile :smile:

So wanted to share some ideas with you.
We plan to make lots of little changes over time so that it is easier to get used to.

The aim really is just make it nicer and cleaner for you guys so please share your opinions.. positive and negative :smile:

Idea 1

Our Pagination on mobile is a bit broken and our button styles are a bit inconsistant so I have redesigned to look more like this (below images) What do you think?


Pagination changes top.png


Definitely looks better but I'm slightly confused. Are you redesigning the mobile or web pages?
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Definitely looks better but I'm slightly confused. Are you redesigning the mobile or web pages?


Thank you we are doing the mobile redesigns first as mobile is worst and then applying the changes to desktop/laptop :smile:
Original post by BuzzyB73
I think that looks like it'll jump around less when it loads since its thinner at the bottom and top. I guess it'd be a matter of trial and error


Thank you yes that is what wee are after we want it faster, cleaner, easier to use and definitely less jumpy :smile:
Original post by CrazyKittenLady
Thank you yes that is what wee are after we want it faster, cleaner, easier to use and definitely less jumpy :smile:


I certainly feel that it jumps now because it's got too much to load. For me, the text box to type in is an issue as if I stay typing before it loads it changes font. Don't know if that helps you at all
Original post by CrazyKittenLady
Thank you we are doing the mobile redesigns first as mobile is worst and then applying the changes to desktop/laptop :smile:


so are you aiming to make them look the same?
Original post by BuzzyB73
I certainly feel that it jumps now because it's got too much to load. For me, the text box to type in is an issue as if I stay typing before it loads it changes font. Don't know if that helps you at all


Ah i know drives me mad too. plan is to completely strip it back and rebuild so that is a lot better :smile: xxx
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
so are you aiming to make them look the same?


Yeah so we have more consistancy between all the different size screens :smile:
Original post by CrazyKittenLady
Hey everyone...

I am working on improving our thread pages on mobile :smile:

So wanted to share some ideas with you.
We plan to make lots of little changes over time so that it is easier to get used to.

The aim really is just make it nicer and cleaner for you guys so please share your opinions.. positive and negative :smile:

Idea 1

Our Pagination on mobile is a bit broken and our button styles are a bit inconsistant so I have redesigned to look more like this (below images) What do you think?


Thread tools are used by members as well as mods. Why remove them?

Skip to first unread post in particular is handy on mobile when the shortcut arrow for that is so tiny on mytsr/forum pages and thread search too

Adjusting the page load order so that the spoilered/comdensed quotes are done before the jump to a particular post would be more useful.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by PQ
Thread tools are used by members as well as mods. Why remove them?

Skip to first unread post in particular is handy on mobile when the shortcut arrow for that is so tiny on mytsr/forum pages and thread search too

Adjusting the page load order so that the spoilered/comdensed quotes are done before the jump to a particular post would be more useful.


Hey PQ that's great to know thank you the data I received was that the thread search was the only tool used but I will make sure to add skip to first unread post in there. Completely agree with the shortcut arrow it is really hard to use thank you for the feed back I will work some more on this tomorrow morning and keep you updated thank you sooo much :smile: xxx
I was gonna say it looks more spread out then I realised I was reading it as old then new :oops:
I think it looks great :smile: Always good to have less for the page to load and less scrolling to do :yep: I especially like the fact that they're not all orange buttons any more as I'm easily confused :giggle:
Just no extra clicks to use the mod tools...the amount of time I spend trying to move things on my phone while connected to the horrible college wifi is high enough as it is :lol:
Original post by CrazyKittenLady
Hey PQ that's great to know thank you the data I received was that the thread search was the only tool used but I will make sure to add skip to first unread post in there. Completely agree with the shortcut arrow it is really hard to use thank you for the feed back I will work some more on this tomorrow morning and keep you updated thank you sooo much :smile: xxx


I use thread search a lot myself, especially useful for university threads where you're looking for a particular course or uni.

The app seems to go to first unread automatically so that hadn't occurred to me, but I agree that it should stay too
Hey @CrazyKittenLady :hugs:

First of all... loving the fact we're beginning to bring the new-look TSR UX to mobile thread pages, I like the look overall. A few things I'd say that bother me :smile:

The "skip to page" font size appears a little too large for me. I think it may look better a bit smaller.

In the top members view, I think it might be prudent to keep the thread tools (I often use them and wouldn't like to have to bookmark them all as I already have so many bookmarks for hidden features!) and have search within the pop-out menu as before, perhaps bringing the UI into the more modern style we're seeing more of and replacing the 'search' option with a modern button to bring up thread tools. With the reduced font size for the skip prompt, I think it could look quite good.

I looooooove the new-look mod tools (this point focuses on the TOP view), I've always thought they looked pretty ugly and out of place, but I thought this was more a vB restriction. Glad to see their look can be improved!

In bottom mod view, is there a way to modernise the 'go' button or streamline it a little as we've seen in the top mod view? If not, could we introduce some spacing between the drop-down and the go button? That's always irritated me! :colondollar:

Also, I've noticed that the moderation menu at the bottom of the threads has moved around in recent months, it used to be aligned to the right, then it was aligned to the left and then it was randomly in the centre for a while... do you anything about what the plan is for that?

I'm happy to see the 'start new discussion' and 'reply' CTAs have been removed from the bottom view, I always thought it looked clunky.



EXTRA:
Are there any plans to make mod tools in general more responsive on mobile/devices with less screen space? It's such a pain to move threads and posts, issue cards/perform other moderation tasks with the current lack of responsiveness! It's OK if you don't know!

Thanks so much for your hard work, hope you're doing well lovely :heart:
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by BuzzyB73
I use thread search a lot myself, especially useful for university threads where you're looking for a particular course or uni.

The app seems to go to first unread automatically so that hadn't occurred to me, but I agree that it should stay too


Brilliant thank you for the feedback so useful to kn ow as want to design something that will make the site easier :smile: we are doing a lot of thread page updates to make it faster and easier to use so will keep adding screenshots of my ideas so that I can get all of your help x
Cheers, this is great to know and help with as much as I can 😁
Original post by Paracosm
Hey @CrazyKittenLady :hugs:

First of all... loving the fact we're beginning to bring the new-look TSR UI to mobile thread pages, I like the look overall. A few things I'd say that bother me :smile:

The "skip to page" font size appears a little too large for me. I think it may look better a bit smaller.

In the top members view, I think it might be prudent to keep the thread tools (I often use them and wouldn't like to have to bookmark them all as I already have so many bookmarks for hidden features!) and have search within the pop-out menu as before, perhaps bringing the UI into the more modern style we're seeing more of and replacing the 'search' option with a modern button to bring up thread tools. With the reduced font size for the skip prompt, I think it could look quite good.

I looooooove the new-look mod tools (this point focuses on the TOP view), I've always thought they looked pretty ugly and out of place, but I thought this was more a vB restriction. Glad to see their look can be improved!

In bottom mod view, is there a way to modernise the 'go' button or streamline it a little as we've seen in the top mod view? If not, could we introduce some spacing between the drop-down and the go button? That's always irritated me! :colondollar:

Also, I've noticed that the moderation menu at the bottom of the threads have moved around in recent months, it used to be aligned to the right, then it was aligned to the left and then it was randomly in the centre for a while... do you anything about what the plan is for that?

I'm happy to see the 'start new discussion' and 'reply' CTAs have been removed from the bottom view, I always thought it looked clunky.



Thanks so much for your hard work, hope you're doing well lovely :heart:


Hey lovely!!!

So happy that we have gotten time to improve on the mobile thread page it defiantely has been in need of some TCL for too long :wink:

ooo I will try making it a touch smaller in the future it takes up so much space.

What do you think about keeping the Thread tools but all under a for icon rather than the button which is on site already? so then there are no functionality changes nothing getting taken out just the styling changed?

Yeah we are trying to step away from VB in the future and trying to get as much designy buts sneaked in as I can hehe.

Also have the mod view at the bottom the go button is really out of place I am going to be looking at all the buttons and either updating the styling or changing some to text links. some posts I have seen have like 17 clickable actions in a single post it's just mad lol

I don't know about any plans for the moderation menu but that is probably going to come up in my to do lists soon so any suggestions on what you would like would be appreciated:smile:

Yeah there is a logo of clunkyness happening keep a eye on this thread as your input in amazing and I am going to keep it updated with designs as I create them :smile:
Original post by CrazyKittenLady
Hey lovely!!!

So happy that we have gotten time to improve on the mobile thread page it defiantely has been in need of some TCL for too long :wink:

ooo I will try making it a touch smaller in the future it takes up so much space.

What do you think about keeping the Thread tools but all under a for icon rather than the button which is on site already? so then there are no functionality changes nothing getting taken out just the styling changed?

Yeah we are trying to step away from VB in the future and trying to get as much designy buts sneaked in as I can hehe.

Also have the mod view at the bottom the go button is really out of place I am going to be looking at all the buttons and either updating the styling or changing some to text links. some posts I have seen have like 17 clickable actions in a single post it's just mad lol

I don't know about any plans for the moderation menu but that is probably going to come up in my to do lists soon so any suggestions on what you would like would be appreciated:smile:

Yeah there is a logo of clunkyness happening keep a eye on this thread as your input in amazing and I am going to keep it updated with designs as I create them :smile:


Amazing!!!

The thread tools menu being replaced with an icon is a fantastic idea, would take up far less space - completely for that! ❤️

Omg so glad you agree about the mod tools being so click-y and the design needing to be updated - text links would be just fine with me :tongue: - I could maybe come up with some stuff about moderation tools and send them your way for responsive page ideas (talking about tools such as the UI/UX on the add card page (record.php) and the inlinemod.php pages too if you would like? :colondollar: If we could somehow make those pages responsive you would have every single mod at your beck and call!! :laugh: It's something that's been wanted for a looooong time but obviously it's understood that we're not the highest priority, I get it :smile:

Thank you so much CKL - you're the best :smile:
Moooorrning :smile:

I have made some changes from your feedback so we will still have the thread tools drop down, I have just pulled the search out of it so that it is easier to use. This is only phase 1 as well we are hoping to look more at the page numbering in the future.

My next tidy up task will be sorting out all the buttons on the page so that they look better and are easier to use :smile:

@Paracosm Would love your ideas :smile:

Thank you so much everyone I will keep you updated with new ideas as I go :smile:
Ooh I like the little search icon. Looking good 😄

Quick Reply

Latest