Search export options

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Export function disappeared on record search. Why?.

JayRNalder

I can manage to coordinate 100 names per page with 100 names per export, But I would like to see the [Next 100 Names] option at the top of the page instead of having to scroll to the bottom of the page to click on [Next 100 Names]. And when searching for a needle in a haystack, it is rarely in the first 100 names.

MandyShaw1

Totally agree. Also why does the Preferences button appear only when you are scrolled right to the top? If the concern is real estate, it and the Search button really don't need to be so big (speaking as someone with imperfect sight).

AnneLoForteWillson

Both of these are great suggestions. Would you please enter them in the Suggest an Idea section?

MandyShaw1

@AnneLoForteWillson I would happily do that if there was any visibility of, or feedback concerning, submitted Ideas, or if the form were made more usable, but at present it honestly feels like throwing good time after bad. See this post

https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/174169/idea-re-suggest-an-idea-process-submitted-but-shared-here-for-visibility

for more details (and sorry to shoot the messenger!)

AnneLoForteWillson

@MandyShaw1, I understand that you have not seen any responses from any of your ideas that have so far been submitted to Suggest An Idea.  When you completed the Suggest An Idea form, did you get the Thank You screen?  If so, then your information was recorded and will be dealt with appropriately.  As noted in What to expect from this process: Not all suggestions will be shown in the Suggest an Idea category.  As you can see, none are there currently.  Most suggestions will be sent directly to the engineering team working on that product.  The only time that you would receive any response from anyone about your suggestion would be 1. if the team needed more information about your suggestion or 2. if you suggested something that wasn't new (we'd send you information on how to use the tool that is already existing).  FamilySearch would love to have sufficient staff to respond to every single post personally, but clearly that isn't possible…is that possible with any company? 

The Suggest an Idea category is the best place to make a suggestion and really the only place designed with the express purpose of making a suggestion to FamilySearch.

MandyShaw1

Thanks for your detailed response, Anne, and I do get that a considered human response to every Idea is not feasible, but the usability of the form and the inability of even the submitter to obtain a copy of their submission surely are issues that could be resolved; and even an automated notification that the Idea has been sent to x team would make a big difference in perception, I think. And/or perhaps there could be some stats shown - depth of triage backlog, number of Ideas sent to teams last month, or whatever - just to clarify that the process is active behind the scenes?

I will meanwhile submit the Ideas on this thread and copy the submitted text here for the information of other Community members.

MandyShaw1

Submitted Idea (I slipped click-to-sort in too):

Title: Record Search UI usability suggestions x 3

SITUATION:
This Idea relates to usability issues with the Record Search page.

1. (Described on Community by another user, see discussion [this thread].) To page through the results, it is necessary to scroll right down to the bottom of the page, even when you know you are not interested in the content of the current page (perhaps because all you want to do is to export it).
2. The Preferences and Search buttons appear only when you are scrolled right to the top of the page.
3. It is not possible to sort the results except by a descending score value (note that this score is not shown on the screen, and neither is the scoring transparent, so that it looks as if the results are being shown in no particular order).

NEED

1. Show the paging button at both the top and the bottom of the page.
2. Expose the Search and Preferences buttons at all times (as with the FS main horizontal menu).
3. Make the tops of the columns click-to-sort.

OUTCOME
The page would be much easier to use, and the user would be able to obtain better results in a more timely manner.
BENEFIT
a) Better Family Tree data quality, stemming from improved ability to find and attach good quality Sources, given that a search may produce many results and that metadata accuracy will vary widely.
b) Considerable user time savings.
c) Improved user perception.