Recommended name changes for buttons in Schedule

Keli.Amann@stanford.edu, Sept 27, 2013

Schedule buttons in 2.9

There are two ways to “import” a calendar, and two ways to “export.” • Import allows you to upload a file, including ics files (iCalendar format). It is a one time action.• Subscriptions (import) (formerly Subscriptions): Allowed you to point Schedule to the URL of an external

ics file; if external calendar updated, so would the CourseWork Calendar.• Subscriptions (export) (formerly Export): this created a URL where an ics file could be accessed by external

calendars. It was the only way to export—it exported the “public” URL in that the events were only site events, and it was at the instructor’s discretion—students wouldn’t have access to it unless the instructor posted it. There was no URL for My Workspace Schedule didn’t support this.

• Subscribe: this is a new feature that Oxford developed (SAK-21497) that would create a unique “private address” for each user’s instance of the calendar that included user’s group or section events. Students could generate this for themselves within sites or My Workspace (aggregate).

Unfortunately, three of the four buttons involved have very similar names and it is very hard to tell from the names of the buttons what the difference is between them. The noun “subscriptions” or verb “subscribe” sounds more like you are making a request to pull things into the calendar rather than creating an address that is subscribable. Subscribe should be the verb from the requesting client’s side.

Therefore, I’m not just recommending that we change the name of the new button, but all the related buttons.

Import Subscriptions (export) Fields

Add Merge SubscribeSubscriptions

(import)

Schedule buttons renaming options

Import Private Address Fields

Add Merge

ImportExport Personal

CalendarAdd Merge

Public Address

FieldsExport Site Calendar

3 proposals

Import by URL

Add External Calendar

Import Export My CalendarAdd MergeField

sExport Public CalendarSubscribe to a Calendar

Import Subscriptions (export) Fields

Add Merge SubscribeSubscriptions

(import)

The names of the buttons should 1) express what it is the user wants to do, not just what it is 2) express what they want to do from within this particular app 3) express the difference between the two “exports” 4) work for both student and instructor (students see only bold butttons).

The first row is the current state of Schedule buttons. The next 3 rows are different ideas of how to rename them.I think the first proposal is the best.

The next slides explains why. (note, bold indicates the only buttons students see)

Subscriptions(import)> Subscribe to a Calendar

ImportAdd Merge Subscribe to a Calendar

• Subscribe to a Calendar (Instructors only): “Import” and “Add” implies a direction but also that it’s a one time event. “Subscribe” more clearly implies this is ongoing, and “to a Calendar” helps to express the directionality. The only reservations about using this term is that Oxford users might get confused, but since this was a local patch, no one else has seen the verb “subscribe”

ImportAdd Merge

ImportAdd Merge

Import by URL

Add External Calendar

Only shows in site Schedule, not My Workspace

Subscriptions(export)>Export Public Calendar

ImportAdd Merge Export Public CalendarSubscribe to a Calendar

• Export Public Calendar (Instructors only): The calendar this exports has been called public calendar to imply it is created with the intent of sharing with non-members. “Export Public Calendar” gets more to the point of how this Calendar is to be used—this is a safe calendar to publish outside the site. (The instructions should be updated to emphasize that it only shows site-wide events). “Export Site Calendar” is more ambiguous: does it have all events in the site, including sections and groups (like TA events), or only those events that the entire site can see)?

Public Address

Export Site Calendar

Only shows in site Schedule, not My Workspace

Subscribe>Export My Calendar

Import Export My CalendarAdd Merge Export Public CalendarSubscribe to a Calendar

• This is new button (SAK-21497 )• Export My Calendar: this reflects not just site-wide events, but events particular to one’s section and

group membership, thus this should never be shared. Similar functionality is called “private address” in Google, but that language doesn’t express why it’s private or what it’s meant for.

• “My” and “Personal” are similar, but “personal” is longer and may imply that this is just one’s personal (as opposed to class related) events, which might be confusing if they have added events to My Workspace directly. “My” just implies ownership and personalization.

• While “export” doesn’t necessarily imply the ongoing nature of a subscription, not all apps are set up to refresh the calendar automatically. At least this implies that your calendar can be accessed from other apps.

Private Address

Export Personal Calendar

Recommended default: Only shows in My Workspace Schedule, not in site.

Summary of newly named buttonsImportAdd Merge Export My Calendar

FieldsExport Public CalendarSubscribe to a Calendar