A Horrible UX Experience
A friend had asked me a question about Flipboard, so I needed to install it on my phone. No big deal, this is what I do. I set up my account, played around with the app, tried to give as credible and useful of an answer as possible and, since it is a nice interface and I could possibly see using it at some point in the future, I left it installed.
After a week of getting notifications, I finally got tired of notifications from the app so I popped open the app, went into the not very obvious settings, found the Push Notifications, unchecked all the boxes (no, no uncheck all option, or a disable notifications switch) and carried on with my day.
Oddly, I kept getting notifications.
No big deal. Bugs happen. Let me just go report this to them.
So began the descent into madness.
Let’s take a look at what you see when you open up Flipboard, at least on Android.
Now, as you can see, it isn’t exactly clear that there’s settings anywhere, at least, not for those who might not be technical of mind.
Typically, you’d expect to see a gear icon, or a hamburger icon, or even the word Settings.
But, you know, that person icon in the upper right, that looks pretty recognizable.
Probably has my settings behind it under my profile. That’d make perfect sense. Let’s tap on that.
There’s the Settings icon I’d expect, that little gear. Perfect!
Zero followers? That’s kind of sad. But then, it isn’t like I’m using this app.
Right. Let’s go report these notifications that I’m still getting so they can eventually fix it.
Tappity tap tap tap on the gear and, lo…
Oh my god, so easy, right? Help & Feedback!
Help AND Feedback.
I can probably leave feedback there! WOO! Job’s almost done.
Well, okay, this is a little odd. Not sure why the Android app is going to give me iOS or Web help, but, sure, I get it. If you’re doing a cross platform build, it might make sense to just put all the help in. Little sloppy, but, okay. Still not sure why the web help is going to be there, but… okay, Connect with Flipboard Support. Perfect. Exactly why I need.
Uh. Well. Okay.
Explaining what happens here is a bit more than just showing you a screenshot.
What you see here is a help screen. At the top if ‘If you’re using an iOS device, followed by this, followed by instructions if you’re on the web. Each section has an animated gif.
And, the end step it basically tells you is “Go back to the beginning, tap on Android, then tap that icon in the upper right.”
…What? I tapped on Connect with Flipboard Support twice just to be told that the Princess is in another Castle. I shouldn’t need to tap on Android to tell you I’m using an Android device. I’m using the device. Your app can tell this. There’s no reason to make your user tell you, just like there’s no reason that you can’t just make that first tap on Connect with Flipboard support actually, you know, connect you with Flipboard support.
Are you working on an app? Don’t do this. This is stupid.