How it all started

We love to hear what our users think about our products! We are always collecting feedback about Trellis Desk via email and our company forums. Here's a glimpse into some of the information we've collected over the past several months:

• Our customers like the appearance of our Trellis Desk 1.0 software. Many say that it is the best looking helpdesk software available, and a few comment that the stylish design is what drove them to use Trellis Desk in the first place.
• Some customers have mixed feelings about the overall layout/placement of functions. While many say that the interface suits them just fine, some express confusion over where particular features are located.
• Some customers are requesting features that already exist. This was a big eye-opener for us: we have been receiving feature requests from users who don't realize that their desired functionality already exists in Trellis Desk 1.0, which means they just aren't seeing it.

Setting some goals

Based on the above feedback, we set out to create an all-new ACP design for Trellis Desk 2.0. But before we did, we set some basic goals that the new interface needed to accomplish. Here they are, listed verbatim:

• Enable the user to work without interference. Trellis Desk users need to be able to focus on quickly helping their customers; they shouldn't have to worry about navigating their way through a tedious user interface.
• Reduce complexity wherever possible. Limit the amount of information and the number of choices presented to the user at any given time. Contextualize as many commands and properties as possible. Eliminate unnecessarily long menus.
• Avoid burying functionality. Several Trellis Desk 1.0 ACP features are hidden in screens that require lots of clicks to access; due to their remote nature of these screens, the user may not even know they exist. Functionality should be no more than a few clicks away.
• Minimize wasted space. Maximize efficiency by converting more of the user interface into actual, usable space. (Have you seen the lengthy Trellis Desk 1.0 ACP header design?!?) Devote more screen real estate to getting things done.
• Look sharp, act be smart. Our company is continually commended for its attractive web design work. Let's hold ourselves to an even higher standard and create a new interface that is smarter and sleeker.

Planning it out

The Trellis Desk 2.0 ACP design process was challenging. We had to ask ourselves a lot of questions: How long should menus really be? How can we more efficiently display certain features? What aspects of the current design should be preserved? How do we maintain some level of familiarity with the new design to avoid discomforting long time Trellis Desk users? Several weeks were spent creating mockups (haphazardly scribbled down on paper), and developing actual prototypes of any ideas that seemed interesting.

So? How did it turn out?

Let's look closer, shall we?

Introducing the zipline. The zipline is an easy-to-use navigation system that zips you to wherever you need to be. Just pick a category, and you'll be presented with a list of relevant subcategories instantly -- no page refresh. Click a subcategory and you're on your way.
	But wait, there's more. What if there are more options we can present to help narrow down your navigation quest? Well, when you click on certain subcategories, you'll be instantly greeted with a slick little popup menu. Just click to reach your destination. It's really cool.

And what's this at the bottom of my screen? The hoverbar is a dark line that sticks to the bottom of your browser viewport, so it is always visible. For now, the left side displays the name of the currently logged in user and lets you know how many tickets are currently awaiting staff action. The right side will serve as home to future Trellis Desk features.

Let's try something different. Remember how in the Trellis Desk 1.0 ACP, the same old menu options would appear on the left of every page in a particular section? Not anymore! The new sidebar shows relevant options for whatever you're looking at.

Help is just a glance away. Many pages have useful inline help located right in the sidebar, which will explain the basics of the function you happen to be looking at. No more wondering what the heck a custom department field is.

Better. Once you get your hands on the Trellis Desk 2.0 ACP, you'll understand why.

We'll be posting more updates at our company blog.

Comments? Questions? Complaints? Discuss here.