Remember Scroll State In Conversations Overview
=====================================================
Problem Statement
When entering a chat and then navigating back to the conversationOverview screen, the scroll state is lost. This is frustrating for the users, eg when they miss-click on the wrong chat and have to navigate back and scroll all the way back to the previous state. To enhance the usability, we should retain the previous scroll state, like it is also done eg in Slack or Whatsapp mobile apps.
Current Behaviour
The current implementation of the conversationOverview screen does not retain the scroll state when navigating back from a chat. This means that every time a user navigates back to the conversationOverview screen, they are taken back to the top of the screen, requiring them to scroll all the way back to their previous position.
Example Use Case
Let's say a user is in the middle of a conversation with a friend and they accidentally click on a different chat. They then navigate back to the conversationOverview screen, only to find themselves at the top of the screen, having to scroll all the way back to their previous position. This can be frustrating and time-consuming, especially if the user has a lot of conversations to scroll through.
Expected Behaviour
The expected behaviour is that after navigating back from a chat, the conversationOverview screen should be scrolled to the same position as it was before the navigation. This means that the user should be taken back to the exact position they were in before they navigated away from the conversationOverview screen.
Example Use Case
For example, let's say a user is in the middle of a conversation with a friend and they navigate back to the conversationOverview screen. The conversationOverview screen should be scrolled to the same position as it was before the navigation, so that the user can pick up where they left off.
Technical Requirements
To implement the expected behaviour, we will need to make the following technical changes:
- Store the scroll position: We will need to store the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen when the user navigates away from it.
- Restore the scroll position: We will need to restore the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen when the user navigates back to it.
Technical Solution
To store the scroll position, we can use a combination of the following approaches:
- Use a scroll position variable: We can store the scroll position in a variable that is accessible throughout the application.
- Use a scroll position service: We can create a service that is responsible for storing and restoring the scroll position.
To restore the scroll position, we can use the following approaches:
- Use a scroll position variable: We can retrieve the stored scroll position from the variable and use it to restore the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen.
- Use a scroll position service: We can use the service to retrieve the stored scroll position and use it to restore the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen.
Benefits
Implementing the expected behaviour will have the following benefits:
- Improved user experience: The user will no longer have to scroll all the way back to their previous position when navigating back to the conversationOverview screen.
- Increased productivity: The user will be able to pick up where they left off more quickly and easily.
- Enhanced usability: The conversationOverview screen will be more user-friendly and easier to navigate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, implementing the expected behaviour of retaining the scroll state in conversations overview will improve the user experience, increase productivity, and enhance usability. We will need to make technical changes to store and restore the scroll position, but the benefits will be well worth the effort.
Future Work
In the future, we can consider implementing additional features to enhance the usability of the conversationOverview screen, such as:
- Auto-scrolling: We can implement auto-scrolling to automatically scroll the conversationOverview screen to the correct position when the user navigates back to it.
- Scroll position persistence: We can implement scroll position persistence to store the scroll position even when the user closes the application.
By implementing these features, we can further enhance the usability of the conversationOverview screen and provide an even better experience for our users.
====================================================================
Q: Why is it important to retain the scroll state in conversations overview?
A: Retaining the scroll state in conversations overview is important because it improves the user experience. When a user navigates back to the conversationOverview screen, they should be taken back to the exact position they were in before they navigated away from it. This saves time and reduces frustration.
Q: How does the current implementation of the conversationOverview screen handle scroll state?
A: The current implementation of the conversationOverview screen does not retain the scroll state when navigating back from a chat. This means that every time a user navigates back to the conversationOverview screen, they are taken back to the top of the screen, requiring them to scroll all the way back to their previous position.
Q: What are some examples of how retaining the scroll state can improve the user experience?
A: Here are a few examples:
- Reduced scrolling: When a user navigates back to the conversationOverview screen, they should be taken back to the exact position they were in before they navigated away from it. This reduces the amount of scrolling they need to do.
- Improved productivity: When a user can pick up where they left off more quickly and easily, they can be more productive.
- Enhanced usability: When the conversationOverview screen is more user-friendly and easier to navigate, users are more likely to use it.
Q: How can we implement retaining the scroll state in conversations overview?
A: To implement retaining the scroll state in conversations overview, we can use a combination of the following approaches:
- Store the scroll position: We can store the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen when the user navigates away from it.
- Restore the scroll position: We can restore the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen when the user navigates back to it.
Q: What are some technical requirements for implementing retaining the scroll state?
A: Here are some technical requirements:
- Store the scroll position: We will need to store the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen when the user navigates away from it.
- Restore the scroll position: We will need to restore the scroll position of the conversationOverview screen when the user navigates back to it.
Q: What are some benefits of implementing retaining the scroll state?
A: Here are some benefits:
- Improved user experience: The user will no longer have to scroll all the way back to their previous position when navigating back to the conversationOverview screen.
- Increased productivity: The user will be able to pick up where they left off more quickly and easily.
- Enhanced usability: The conversationOverview screen will be more user-friendly and easier to navigate.
Q: What are some future work items for implementing retaining the scroll state?
A: Here are some future work items:
- Auto-scrolling: We can implement auto-scrolling to automatically scroll the conversationOverview screen to the correct position when the user navigates back to it.
- Scroll position persistence: We can implement scroll position persistence to store the scroll position even when the user closes the application.
Q: How can we measure the success of implementing retaining the scroll state?
A: Here are some ways to measure the success of implementing retaining the scroll state:
- User feedback: We can collect user feedback to see if the user experience has improved.
- Usage metrics: We can track usage metrics to see if the user is using the conversationOverview screen more frequently.
- Productivity metrics: We can track productivity metrics to see if the user is able to complete tasks more quickly and easily.
By implementing retaining the scroll state in conversations overview, we can improve the user experience, increase productivity, and enhance usability.