[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #27403: Improve UI for linking areas of Customizer preview to corresponding controls (desktop and mobile)

[WordPress Trac]

#27403: Improve UI for linking areas of Customizer preview to corresponding
controls (desktop and mobile)
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 Reporter:  westonruter  |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement  |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal       |   Milestone:  Future Release
Component:  Customize    |     Version:  3.9
 Severity:  normal       |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  needs-patch  |     Focuses:  ui, javascript
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Comment (by folletto):

 Some design questions that were raised in the chat (see link above), and
 brief answers. :)

 >  what's the best experience for showing edit icons when you need them
 and hiding them when you don't

 In simple terms, this should be added to the collapse icon. While that has
 some drawbacks (mobile will require something still), it's still a fairly
 acceptable way everything considered, and avoids further clutter.

 >  the design of the edit icons

 The current design has been iterated already multiple times on
 WordPress·com, and it's currently live. While I think everything can be
 improved, I feel this is already a solid design, thanks in large measure
 to @melchoyce.

 >  each widget/menu item gets an icon or only the associated area

 * Widgets should be individually referred to. They are big and it also
 helps differentiating them on themes where it might not be very clear.
 * Menus are instead too small to do it, so they should have just one icon
 for the entire menu area.

 >  should themes be able to specify a custom icon for a given partial, or
 does the edit icon always work?

 While providing a way to change icon is possible, it shouldn't be up to
 the theme but to Core (widgets, menus, etc) and maybe Customizer Plugins.
 Then the theme uses these features, thus getting the icon, but it's not
 set explicitly by the theme.

 However, there's also a solid argument in keeping always the same icon.
 It's simple. It's intuitive. And the user easily associates the icon to
 edit.

 >  do we need tooltips of some sort? Is there a good way to make that
 accessible with touch, etc?

 On mobile it's not possible, as there's no hover and tap would open the
 panel. But even so, the point of direct manipulation is that you are
 seeing what you're editing, and then by clicking you get the full
 explanation. A tooltip there feels redundant.

 I hope it helps. :)

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/27403#comment:34>
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