WIP: New user guide-rails

[vyncent-t]

Proposal: Enhancing User Guide-rails for Headlamp

Work-in-Progress: This document aims to ideate and refine suggestions for an upcoming proposal.

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Feature Request

Objective: Improve the headlamp experience for the users by implementing informational guide-rails.

Background

Navigating the deep landscape of Kubernetes is often daunting for beginners. While Headlamp’s user interface serves as a powerful tool in this ecosystem, certain functionalities or terminologies may not be immediately evident to those unfamiliar with Kubernetes instruments.

Proposal

For a more intuitive Headlamp experience, especially for beginners, I think it would be useful to incorporate guidance mechanisms such as tooltips, dialog boxes, and more. These features, made to quickly explain terms and tools, are off by default. However, users can turn them on in the settings, making sure experts still have a smooth ride.

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Guidance Feature Ideas

1. Tooltips

• Description: Hover-enabled tooltips that provide explanations for technical terms and functionality for some action buttons.

  Examples:

  • Titles: tooltip icons next to title on pages such as Node, Namespace, etc can display a brief definition
  • Terminology: tooltip icons within the tiles on the Workloads page could also display definitions
  • Buttons: When mouse is over the button explains the action i.e. create / delete

  Benefits:

  • Efficiency: Users receive clarifications, thus eliminating the need for detour of external searches.
  • User Confidence: Reduces the uncertainty or second-guessing when interacting with Headlamp.

  

2. Dialog Boxes

• Description: Dialog boxes that surface for significant actions, providing a quick overview of the action's implications.

  Benefits:

  • Informed Actions: By understanding potential repercussions, users can make decisions with this awareness, thus avoiding inadvertent errors.
  • User Reassurance: Ensures users feel guided and supported in tasks that might otherwise seem daunting.

  

3. Links to Official K8s Documentation

• Description: Concise overviews complemented by hyperlinks leading to the Kubernetes documentation or related sections.

  Benefits:

  • Depth: Allows users to delve deeper into topics at their own pace, ensuring continued learning.
  • Authenticity: Directing users to official resources ensures accuracy and trustworthiness.

  

4. Quick Help Sidebar

• Description: A retractable sidebar featuring FAQs and a glossary of prevalent terms.

  Benefits:

  • Instant Reference: Acts as a readily available knowledge base, precluding the need to search externally.
  • User Autonomy: Allows users to self-help and find solutions without external support.

  

5. Interactive Walkthroughs

• Description: An optional bulb icon that starts an interactive guide to shepherd users through the current page and its relevant information and interactions.

  Benefits:

  • Skill Building: Assists users in tasks, enhancing their proficiency over time.
  • Reduction in Errors: Guided steps ensure tasks are executed correctly, minimizing potential mistakes.

  

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Overall Benefits

The introduction of these guide features seeks to broaden Headlamp's appeal, making it an invaluable tool for both Kubernetes experts and novices alike. This strategic move is poised to bolster adoption rates and instill greater confidence in users when they navigate their Kubernetes clusters via Headlamp.

[illume]

Some product walkthrough examples (in react): https://userguiding.com/blog/react-onboarding-tour/

• tips (like iOS tips)
• FAQs
• Q&As
• how to do things mentioned in the CKAD exams... but with headlamp

[illume]

This probably needs:

• a quick proof of concept to prove out one of the react onboarding libraries a bit (less than a day max)
• a more finished proposal
• designer input
• user testing to see if the onboarding experience works