Streamlining of the workflow with Tagging

[jenspoder]

Hi Tag2Find people. I have tested the product for a couple of days now, and I'm sad to say, I have uninstalled it again. But here is my feedback, which I hope will be useful.

I think the basic concept of tagging files to get out the filetree straightjacket (one file one place) is a very powerful idea.

Your browser for finding files, and the tagcloud is beautiful as well.

But I think you need to focus on the how the user tags their files. I don't want to do it in a separate pop up program, that I only can access from right clicking on the file, when viewing it in a file exlorer window.

This is "miles" from where I do my work on my desktop. I create and handle my files in programs like Word, Photoshop and only go to the explorer if I need to find something.

So right now my experience of Tag2Find is. Create and name file in one of my usual tools. Then, as an after thought, I need to open Explorer, find the file, right click or drag'n drop, and then tag via a fairly slow interface. This is just to much to trouble.

In my opinion you need to make users able to tag, when they make the file, not something they have to do as a "cleaning out the sock-drawer" boring extra-task.

A simple hack would be to allow user to add special strings in the filenames, for instance +news or +project, for adding news and project as tags to the file. This certainly wont appeal to not so tech-savvy users. But it would be a practical lean workflow for accomplished users, and these will probably be your main usergroup. But further down the road you need to come up with something better than that of course.

What I'm saying is, that making it SUPEREASY to tag should be your prime focus. Smart automatized searches is fine, but if I wan't a machine to do the work, I will probably install Google Desktop or X1 instead of Tag2Find.

I think tagging appeals to people who needs pretty tight control over a fairly simple taxonomy, that when applied gives a super precise access to a group of relevant files.

I know I wouldn't like a smart tagging-engine to add tags and pollute my taxonomy.

Best Wishes. I hope you succeed in your quest.

- Jens Poder, Denmark

[martin]

Hi,

thank you for your feedback & for your time to give us such a long feedback. I totally agree with your points. We are working on how to efficiently hook into   the "everyday workflow", this will be one main topic of our development.

I totally agree with you that tagging should be right there, not being a cleanup. I really like your ideas and we will work hard to make them come true.

Hope you will try tag2find again when we are further down the road and have realized more of what we want to bring to you, as our user.

Best regards,
Martin

[Thragor]

Hello,

I also would like to add something to the topic "streamlining" the tagging workflow.

I also made the experience that it is rather hard to tag files "on the fly". I personally have no problem using the explorer to tag the files. But I don't want to acknowledge every tag I want to set to a file.

My current workflow is:

* Open Explorer in search for a photo in this case with certain people appearing on it.
* Right Click and choose "Quick tag this"...

Here comes problem number 1: Although the tag-box has a blinking cursor inside it does not have the focus, so that I can "type right away". I need an additional keystroke into the textfield.

Now go on:

* Click into the text-field.
* Type Tag
* Hit Enter

Here comes problem number 2: I wanted to be finished by now. But I get a dialog asking me: "Are you sure you want to add the following tag to the selected file?" At least I would like to have a checkbox saying: Never ask me again...

* Well ok, I say "yes"... Hope to get finished now...

But problem number 3 arises: "All files successfully tagged". I have to hit "ok"...

And all this for tagging one single file...

This is my most common use case. Now I want to verify that a file has the tags I wanted. Best thing either would be to have a details-column in the explorer informing about this or if a tooltip above the file would say which tags apply to it. I know this from extensions which show e. g. EXIF Data of Images in the Tooltip.

That's it for now.

Kind Regards,
- Thragor

[Thragor]

Oh. Just saw there is something to add:

Wanted to add multiple tags. Tried "feuerwerk silvester".. what I got is a tag "feuerwerk silvester" and not "feuerwerk" and "silvester". This might be wanted but even the acknowledge dialog does not help there. If it appears it could offer some more useful information like:

Are you sure you want to add the the following 1 tag to the selected file?

(Btw. just detected a typo: two times "the" in the text).

or for multiple tags:

Are you sure you want to add the the following 2 tags to the selected file?

Currently the counter is only applied to the "files" as it says "2 files" if 2 files are selected. About one or two tags you can just see it by one little difference:

Are you sure you want to add the the following tag to the selected file?
Are you sure you want to add the the following tags to the selected file?

(Mind the "s")

It would be also useful if while typing a tooltip might raise saying how to add multiple tags.

[Thragor]

Well... still collecting:

While "Quick adding tags" the tag-textfield stays open after having added the tags. Everything looks (to my eyes) as before, when I first decided to "Quick Add Tags". But: After adding one or two tags the field suddenly got a search-box rather than an "add" box. But but what I just wanted to do is to add another tag (I had forgotton before). But instead of beeing able to add it right away it seems to be necessary to close the dialog again and reselect "Quick add tags" from contextmenu. Not nice...

Kind Regards
- Thragor

[martin]

Hi,

thank you for your feedback.

To add multiple tags to a file, separate them with a comma ",".

Regarding the confirmation: we will make this configurable, if you are really asked if you want to add a tag to the files.

"Quick tagging" opens the Floating TagTextBox, which is in search mode after tagging. We will change this (i.e. it will be hidden after that tagging). We are currently looking into how to streamline the whole process.

Regarding the additional explorer column, we are trying to integrate better with the shell.

Thanks again for the feedback. We really appreciate it!

Best regards,
Martin