Support » Plugin: BulletProof Security » Works well, but has a difficult user interface

  • sweman

    (@sweman)


    This plugin works really well (I use it on all 7 sites that I administer), but the user interface could really use an update. It is a bit of a guessing game sometimes to understand what you are doing – this could be simplified into a more fool-proof experience, like clicking two or three checkboxes and one apply button. Clarification through contextual information is vital!

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Plugin Author AITpro

    (@aitpro)

    Please see this video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZmwDV1_YYk

    Does the BPS plugin UI look the same on your websites as it does in the video tutorial or does it look different? The reason I would like to know that is because there a lot of other WP plugins that load their scripts in BPS plugin pages and break everything visually and even cause a wide range of BPS plugin functionality problems. I am trying to put together a list of those plugins so I can just do a “known list of plugins wreaking havoc for the BPS plugin” kind of thing and post a link to that plugin list.

    “The same button is used for activating/deactivating, but with no permanent indication on what kind of change has been made (you have to click one of two radio buttons above the button, so you will know for the moment though).”

    Both the BPS Inpage Status Display: BPS .51.7 RBM: On WBM: On LSM: On DBB: February 22, 2015 9:09 am (also displays the status of other BPS security features as well) and the Security Status tab page show you the status of htaccess files activated.

    Personally I think it is simpler just to have 1 button for activating and deactivating instead of 2 buttons so that is just going to be a personal preference thing. 😉

    “…and NOT showing the steps for initiating the process on the first settings page when it’s already been done.”

    Not sure what you mean regarding this above??? In order to setup BPS htaccess Core security you have to do the BPS htaccess Core Setup Steps.

    Any UI|UX suggestions would be appreciated, but keep in mind that it is not possible to create something that everyone will like and trying to do that would be foolish. 😉 As long as the majority of folks are ok with the UI|UX design then we have to be ok with that and not try to make everyone happy. 🙂

    Thanks for the feedback.

    Stefano

    (@madking-web-design)

    tHINGs in Security, i think must be keeped simple, the are many informations and they re all so sensitive, you should not trade with fancy user interfaces, this is a really hackable UI platform, i love the way That bUllet Proof it is, and it makes thing simple, and thats the key to security….greetings

    Thread Starter sweman

    (@sweman)

    Thanks for your reply! I just want to repeat what I stated before, it’s a great plugin and I use it for all my sites.

    My critique only concerns the usability of the UI, not the design (although I personally would have made different choices there too). What makes a good UI good is more than personal preferences – it’s a lot about clarity, information flow and eliminating user errors. My point is: in this plugin there are problems with these three things. Users should be able to get started without watching an instruction video first, and relevant information should be provided at each option in the settings. Another important thing is that users should be prevented from doing the same steps over again because of uncertainty.

    Don’t know if this explains good enough what I meant i the review… I do have pictures showing what I mean would be improvements to the UI, but apparently I can’t post them here. Do you have an e-mail address I can send them to?

    Cheers

    Thread Starter sweman

    (@sweman)

    Also, is there a way to change my review? I realize that my choice of words were a bit clumsy…

    Plugin Author AITpro

    (@aitpro)

    Oh ok technically I think this falls under UX instead of UI. Great description and excellent ideas! I completely understand what you are saying now and agree with you 100%. We will implement these ideas in the next BPS version release.

    Additionally I think that we need to go through any/all displayed messages and add “Reminder” to portions of the text in some displayed messages to let folks know that the additional text in a displayed message is just a heads up reminder. Also even though the Inpage Status Display and Security Status pages display status information, folks expect to see a status indicator (ie green|red|on|off|activated|deactivated) directly next to the Forms on the Security Modes page since this is the most common place where a status indicator would be and folks are conditioned to look there first.

    You used to be able to go back and edit Reviews, but maybe that is no longer allowed? WordPress has done a lot of changes to the WP Forum site in the last couple of weeks.

    Andrew Nevins

    (@anevins)

    WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support

    Thread Starter sweman

    (@sweman)

    Thanks, I have edited the review, hopefully looks a bit less offensive now. This has probably made your first comment look strange, but oh well 🙂

    Plugin Author AITpro

    (@aitpro)

    It is a bit of a guessing game sometimes to understand what you are doing – this could be simplified into a more fool-proof experience, like clicking two or three checkboxes and one apply button.

    Hmm yeah this is quite different then your last post or the original post, but what is important and awesome is that you have pointed out something very obvious that I was missing all along since I am so familiar (too familiar :)) with the BPS plugin. The perspective your last post described made me see the problem instantly. If you stand too close to something you can’t see it at all. 🙂

    Plugin Author AITpro

    (@aitpro)

    Also changing things based on personal preferences is the original mistake I was making. So instead of going down that rabbit hole any further you have pointed out what is most important – a logical flow – funnel – for first time installations and additional assurances that things are completed. Thanks again. Very much appreciated

    Thread Starter sweman

    (@sweman)

    You’re most welcome, I’m happy to help! Thanks for an otherwise great plugin, and keep up the good work 🙂

    Please don’t bloat it up by trying to make it too friendly for everyone.

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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