What's an Assigned Date?
 

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?

[QUOTE=Shotster;26362]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?[/QUOTE]

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

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

[QUOTE=Lizard;26384]Hmm...maybe it would be clearer to call it the "due date".[/QUOTE]

The assigned date can also be the [I]start[/I] 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 [I]assigned[/I] date" or "repeat every n units from [I]start/due[/I] date". Assigned seems clear enough.

[QUOTE=coconino;26398]Assigned seems clear enough.[/QUOTE]

Not to me. It's ambiguous. In fact, the [B]Complete[/B] date is also [I]assigned[/I] 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

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

[QUOTE=curt.clifton;26526]"Scheduled Date" is the term I think we're looking for.[/QUOTE]

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

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

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

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.