matthewwong525
commented
1 year ago Summarized feedback from matthew@fleetingnotes.app
Hey Matt, I'd be happy to offer as much input as you'd like. I do the internal testing for my companies internal employee app (one of the world's largest insurance companies) so can offer as much as you'd like. I also used to build websites so UX is a big deal to me. I love the premise of this app and would love to see it succeed. I'm going to write the below very directly, but please do not take any of it as a negative criticism if it at all feels that way in tone (I'm not the greatest in tone). It's all purely constructive and hopefully informative and helpful. It's also just an opinion (albeit based in quite a decent amount of experience).
I haven't been using Fleeting notes much for 2 main reasons.
-
Because I haven't been taking as many notes as I'd like to in general recently.
-
Fleeting Notes feels like it's not quite got the polish I need yet. (Android app)
- Like for example how it forces metadata into the top of the obsidian note by default. Hate this. I want my notes to be clean, not covered in 12 lines of metadata before I even begin. At a minimum this metadata has to be collapsed and hidden upon first open.
-
the login form is not built properly. The username field is not recognized as an email address field (this the operating system doesn't change the keyboard accordingly), and the password field is not recognized as a password field (it only obfuscates the characters) and thus does not prompt password autofilling by any means. I'm pretty sure this is probably bad security practice too, as the OS has no idea to protect this field. Actually you can't even use the autofill function at all because long pressing the field results in it glitching out. Login must always be as seamless as possible. And to be honest it should be part of the setup process. Give the user a choice if they want to log in or proceed without logging in, since you offer local use.
-
I don't understand the purpose of the fly out side menu as it's completely empty and a waste of space and intuitiveness at the moment. Put the settings button in the bottom navigation bar until you have content for the side bar.
-
Given its connection to Obsidian, it would be really great to implement tags here. This could then end up on your fly out side bar. The tags could then be seen as selectable categories in Fleeting notes, but in obsidian would simply behave as existing tag behavior. Or you could allow in the obsidian plugin for the user to organize tagged files into different folders. That way quick Notes are dumped where the user wants the moment the note is created. So you've got a catch all folder, and folders that designate where tagged items should land. Then of course filtering in Fleeting.
-
The setup process needs to be clearer. Especially the obsidian sync part. Gotta have an introduction set of pages to introduce the user to the app, and not just hand the user 4 notes which they need to actively go out of their way to read and understand the app (and even they aren't that detailed). Make 2 notes, purely for the purpose of explaining back linking. But the first can contain your entire Start here and more. But that's really only a backup to the starting screens upon first open of the app. First open should be: Register or Login or Local. If login, go straight to the notes. No intro, as the user knows what to do. If register, do the registration, then show the user how to use the app. If local, no registration, but show the user how to use the app. Use screenshots or something visual. Nice animations go a long way here.
-
"Enable auto focus title" is a convoluted way of describing what is actually happening with this new setting. Should be something like "Start notes with:" "Title" or "Body". Always think about end user simplicity over technical accuracy. Simplicity and clarity is key.
-
Enable list view should really be in the home navigation screen somewhere. You're already copying Google Keep (nothing wrong with that for now, it may be eventually if you blow up in a good way, so always keep thinking about how to make a unique and more intuitive approach), so might as well do this too and put it on the top right corner next to the search button.
-
Your Settings menu layout is a bit awkward. It starts with your fonts. Your section titles are smaller font size than the actual menu options themselves. This is super confusing. And no, indentation doesn't help by itself because smaller font sizes cause indentation to be smaller too. Sync is centered as a section, while all other sections are left justified. Missing consistency. Why is the Force Sync button not in the Sync section?
-
end to end encryption is not explained here since you're using obsidian. What does enabling this so if you are or aren't using obsidian.
-
Delete account is way too big and in a prominent place. This is both a risk (yes I know you're forcing people to type delete after) of causing a user unnecessary panic, and it's a marketing mistake. You don't want to offer the user the ability to delete their account the very moment they open your settings app. Put it at the bottom somewhere. Still easy to do if the user chooses, but something that they only do if they really wanted to. I would even argue that the entire account section should be last in this menu. That's not something a user is changing all the time. But customization is something a user may change over time.
-
Other settings are not Other settings. They're customization, appearance, etc. Treating them as other basically means you don't care about what they are.
-
So change the order: Sync, Customization, Plugin Slash Commands, Account (Backup becomes part of account - and rename to Import / Export - remember, consistency).
-
Sync is super confusing without the context of Obsidian. It's not clear what local file sync is, what that has to do with obsidian; does it interact or conflict? Etc. and why is this a drop down menu when everything else that is a full menu option isn't? Consistency. Simplicity. Clarity. Bring everything together. Explain things. Easily.
-
app feels a little flat. Maybe add some shading, animations or color to give the app a bit of life and feeling. Don't underestimate emotion in subtle ways. Speedy and smooth animations if you're doing it.
Just some initial thoughts. Hope that's ok. Feel free to write me any time. Or if I've overstepped, I apologize.
Have a wonderful weekend and best of luck!
Kind regards, Stefan
The Android app of Fleeting Notes lacks polish and has several issues, such as forcing metadata into the top of the note, login form not functioning properly, empty fly out side menu, lack of tags, unclear setup process, convoluted settings descriptions, awkward settings menu layout, confusion regarding sync with Obsidian, and a flat app design.