IDEA GATHERING: Draft ideas

[BeccaMelhuish]

What is the problem?
Ideally, the Story of Estonia project would like draft ideas.

Why is this a problem?
So participants can take their time in composing their 'dream' before they post it.

Possible solution.
Let's explore 2 options?

1. The draft is saved only when users click 'Save draft' on the idea.
2. Drafts are saved automatically, as well as when users click 'Save draft' on the idea.

Not sure from where they would retrieve the draft(s), this would need some input from DUX. Perhaps they are only given one draft per idea gathering, and it is just saved there when they open up 'Add an idea' whenever they come back to the topic. They have to either finish it and post it, or delete it to post a new one? Should be enough initially I think.

@ilmartyrk let's discuss what is technically feasible to make work by mid March (with user testing before then), then see if we need a design yet :)

[BeccaMelhuish]

Ilmar: shouldn't be too difficult, needs some research. Should be easier than topic drafts.

Saved drafts could be found in a separate section (i.e. via filter, like moderated ones). Or show up in same view as published ones at the top, but visually identified somehow as a draft. The user can then edit the same as they would published ones, or delete them.

Super initial estimate: hard to say now. 5 days max, hopefully less.

[BeccaMelhuish]

@kevincrepin @Lidziya-p @TiinaDUX we discussed in our product meeting how this could work (see notes above) and would like a design for this please. Though if you see something should work differently from a UX perspective please share :)

[kevincrepin]

I think it should definitely be limited to only one idea in draft. Otherwise we need draft management options and that seems overkill. It also helps people focus by allowing only one idea to be in draft :)

So when they add their idea we would have the same button as we have in topic creation:

And then I would just have it placed as the very first idea in the grid. Not even sure whether we'd need additional filter options then since it will always be prominently visible:

[BeccaMelhuish]

@kevincrepin Beautiful!

Presumably to edit it they just click on it and it opens up where they left off?

And we'd need a delete button somewhere too I think?

[kevincrepin]

🤦

You can check it out now here: https://www.figma.com/proto/ODWxKEHuAt3DGkrJwRZJ8a/Platform-2.5---Design?page-id=0%3A1&node-id=298-41768&viewport=-3075%2C-7793%2C0.5&t=RCN1k240v1EEa8hf-1&scaling=scale-down&content-scaling=fixed&starting-point-node-id=298%3A41768&show-proto-sidebar=1

Pls ignore the offset position of the idea overlay drawer :)

[BeccaMelhuish]

Wonderful thank you!

And what will go here - just 'Edit' and 'Delete' I guess?

[BeccaMelhuish]

@kevincrepin I've realised we didn't discuss what would be the UX for if they are trying to save a second draft? Presumably we grey out the 'save as draft' button, but need to tell them somehow why it is greyed out? Though I wonder why we couldn't just allow them as many drafts as they like, with them all just appearing in the same manner as the one you designed?

But otherwise, dev task summary:

• Implement design as per prototype here (Ignore offset position as per Kevin's comment)
• Include 'Edit idea' and 'Remove idea' in the 3 dots menu

[kevincrepin]

I don't have the right answer to this tbh. We can go two ways:

1. We allow only one idea in draft. When you have an idea in draft, when you want to add another idea it would actually just open that draft idea, prompting you to finish that idea and add it. Or remove the existing content and write a different one. IN a way this pushes people into finishing what they started :) and not get sidetracked with other ideas, basically focus.

2. We allow as many draft ideas as they want and it's up to them to use that function however they see fit.

I'm personally not a big fan of having a bunch of draft versions that just kinda remain somewhere and never get removed or used, but that's just how I prefer to work. We just need to keep in mind that with every function we add from this type, it means more management. And right now we don't have really good management tools in place. If I have several draft ideas across different topics, over time these will push actual content down and unless/until I actively manage my own drafts this will remain so.

Summary: I worry about the potential mess if we allow multiple draft ideas :) However everyone is allowed to make and live in the mess they might create, but then we might need to think about better ways how to clean said mess :)

[BeccaMelhuish]

Hmm yes I see your point! I'm assuming people won't make loads of drafts and if they're getting in the way they'd tidy them up, but may well be wrong :)

Re option 1 though, I'm not following the flow with that as it's currently:

1. Open the add an idea window
2. Type your idea
3. Then click 'save as draft'

So I'm wondering how the opening up of the existing draft would happen? :)

[BeccaMelhuish]

Ah sorry I do see now - when you open up any new idea the draft is already there. Actually this was my first instinct on how it should be to keep it simple for an 'MVP' version - I think it would work pretty OK like that yeah :)

Though @ilmartyrk you weren't too keen on the idea? I think we could test it though, and see if it causes issues, and if so only then complicate it :)

[ilmartyrk]

@BeccaMelhuish @kevincrepin technically I think there isn't much difference if we allow 1 draft or multiple. Though I wouldn't be that strict on the API side as it would make things a little more complicate. (If a person is a good hacker of the API they could theoretically create more drafts) . So I would add the status field to ideas on the API side, only display published items for general public and return persons drafts together with other ideas. I would add the filtering option directly to API side too, but we don't have to implement it on the FE side.

Est. 16h of work. on API

• Add field to DB
• Add field to all the API endpoints that return ideas together with the check for the person who has logged in
• Update the API endpoint that updates idea to allow publishing of drafts
• Update all the related tests

4h for FE

• Update create idea view
• Update the create idea view to preload draft if it exists
• Update idea saving part
• Add new design for draft ideabox

[BeccaMelhuish]

Thank you @ilmartyrk! So if I understood, from the users perspective we'd be only allowing 1 draft as per Kevin's suggestion (as there would be no way in the UI for them to create another), but on the API side it's not limited :)