What's an Assigned Date?

[Shotster]

In the repeat inspector, there's the option to repeat from the "assigned date". What exactly is the assigned date? In the date inspector, you can apparently assign a start, due, and complete date. To which one of these assigned dates is the repeat inspector referring?

[Shotster]

In the repeat inspector, there's the option to repeat from the "assigned date". What exactly is the assigned date? In the date inspector, you can apparently assign a start, due, and complete date. To which one of these assigned dates is the repeat inspector referring?

I'm starting to think that this is a UI inconsistency. Perhaps "assigned date" in the repeat inspector actually means "due date"?

[Lizard]

Hmm...maybe it would be clearer to call it the "due date".

[coconino]

Hmm...maybe it would be clearer to call it the "due date".

The assigned date can also be the start date, given that either of the dates can be set without the other. Since the effect of repeating on either the start or due dates would be the same (i.e. shifting the entire start-due block one unit ahead) the choice is between saying something like "repeat every n units from assigned date" or "repeat every n units from start/due date". Assigned seems clear enough.

[Shotster]

Assigned seems clear enough.

Not to me. It's ambiguous. In fact, the Complete date is also assigned by the user. If the effect is the same regardless of whether it's referring to the start or due date, then the term "start/due" might be better.

-Steve

[curt.clifton]

"Scheduled Date" is the term I think we're looking for.

[Shotster]

"Scheduled Date" is the term I think we're looking for.

The only problem is that (especially to a newcomer) it implies that there's a 4th kind of date - a start date, a due date, a completion date, and a scheduled date. I think there should be more consistency with regard to terminology throughout the interface.

It's these small things that can lead to confusion and make the app seemingly more complex and less approachable, especially to those new to it. And, IMHO, a personal productivity tool should be relatively simple, elegant, and not have a steep learning curve. And anything that can be done to simplify the interface, and a user's understanding of it, without sacrificing utility is a good thing.

Just my $0.02 worth...

-Steve

[eronel]

I agree with calling it "start/due date" for accuracy.

[curt.clifton]

Good point, Steve. I hadn't considered that.

[brianogilvie]

Coming to this late (there has been a lot of forum traffic since the public beta!).

"Assigned date" makes sense to me because repeat from assigned date uses both start and due date if they're both assigned. I use it assiduously for my reviews, which are set to start at 3 pm, be due at 6 pm, and repeat from assigned date. Once I complete a review, the next review appears with the new start date of 3 pm the next day/week and due date of 6 pm the next day/week.

Perhaps, to avoid ambiguity, the option should read "Assigned date(s)".

Since "completion date" is an alternative to "assigned date", I don't see how someone would easily confuse the two. Generally a user wouldn't set an action or project to repeat after completing it, though I can imagine exceptions.

[Shotster]

Since "completion date" is an alternative to "assigned date", I don't see how someone would easily confuse the two.

The confusion is not necessarily between those two options, but rather general confusion about the semantics and behavior because of so many date types (start, due, completion, assigned, [scheduled]). In fact, I'm still not sure I completely understand the repeat behavior.

Generally a user wouldn't set an action or project to repeat after completing it,

And yet the UI allows it. Potential for confusion perhaps? Not only that, but didn't you just say that you do precisely that - i.e. have an action repeat after completing it? You said...

Once I complete a review, the next review appears with the new start date...

So how exactly does "repeat after completion" differ from "repeat from completion"? I am genuinely still unclear about this.

though I can imagine exceptions.

I certainly won't pretend to know all the ways a user might exploit certain features. All I know is that it's not entirely clear to me, after looking at the Repeat and Dates inspectors, exactly what behavior to expect from a given combination of UI settings and field values. To put it bluntly, the repeat behavior is not at all intuitive to me.

-Steve

[jasong]

Generally a user wouldn't set an action or project to repeat after completing it, though I can imagine exceptions.

Sure they would.

* Take in dry cleaning. Repeat one week after completion.

* Backup database. Repeat three days after completion.

* Clean bedroom. Repeat every two weeks after completion.

* Get drunk with mates. Repeat a month after completion.

I could probably go on....

[brianogilvie]

Sure they would.

* Take in dry cleaning. Repeat one week after completion.



Ah, ambiguity. My point was that I, at least, know when I create an action whether it is going to be a repeating action or not. When I create my "Take in dry cleaning" action, I'll also set it to repeat if I think it will be a routine action. I am less likely to do it, mark it complete, and *then* decide, "Oh, wait, that really should be a repeating action, so let me set it up to repeat." That's all.

Of course, events in OF only repeat after you have completed them. My point (to drive it home!) was that the *decision* about whether it should be a repeating event is usually, for me at least, made before completing it for the first time.

[brianogilvie]

And yet the UI allows it. Potential for confusion perhaps? Not only that, but didn't you just say that you do precisely that - i.e. have an action repeat after completing it?

Unfortunately work isn't leaving me time for a long conversation in the forums, but as I said in my reply to Jason, I expressed myself ambiguously. When I wrote, "Generally a user wouldn't set an action or project to repeat after completing it," I meant the prepositional phrase "after completing it" to modify "set," not "repeat."