Improve draft authoring for Matrix fields

[gateszies]

Description
We use matrix fields to create a page builder experience, with each entry type mapping to a section used on a page (see below).

Our authors have run into some confusion when creating drafts in this builder. We'd like them to use the slide-out feature that the new Matrix field offers. This allows them to Create a Draft on the entire entry, slide out and edit different blocks, and view those various changes in Live Preview. This functionality works well, see below.

matrix-draft-behavior-slideout.mp4

They run into issues when they open the block in a new tab and create a draft on the block instead of on the page. They are unintentionally landing in this flow by clicking on the text link for the block (ie 2024 Holiday Collection) which takes them to a new tab instead of clicking on the card modal to trigger the slide-out. This misclick leads them into an experience where they Create a Draft on the block, have no way to preview it in their current tab, and also can't preview it when they go back to the entry and use Live Preview. See below for that flow.

matrix-draft-behavior-text-link.mp4

Suggestions
It's a bit too easy for authors to wind up in the block draft mode, when in the context of a page builder, we only want them to be using a page draft. I can see the advantage of offering both draft modes but it'd be great if we could have more control under the hood on how this is surfaced to authors depending on the use case for the Matrix field. Could there be additional configuration for Matrix fields to decide whether a block in a Matrix field should exist in an individual context (block draft mode) or if it should always exist in the context of the page (page draft mode, like a page builder).

Some of this is educating authors on how to interact with the CMS but it seems like an easy enough mistake to make that it'd be great to refine the experience a bit. Open to any ideas or suggestions!

[mmikkel]

On paper it makes sense that titles in entry cards and chips always link to the entry's dedicated edit page. In practice, there are several use cases where authoring content via slideouts is the preferred workflow – this being a very good example – and in those cases, a lot of authors definitely struggle to learn/remember not to click the entry title – inevitably getting tripped up from time to time when they end up navigating to a nested or related entry's edit page without meaning to. (In my experience, this is particularly frustrating when authors are working in live preview, and accidentally click on a card/chip title).

I've been wondering if it'd make sense to introduce a "Disable title link" setting for Matrix and other relational fields, in cases where the slideout AX is considered to be the preferred way to edit the nested/related content. That idea feels a bit clumsy to me though, maybe there's a better way to solve this?

[gateszies]

That's along the lines of what I was thinking, something to configure on Matrix/relational fields to improve the author experience based on the use case 🤔

[thupsi]

@gateszies The UX problem you are describing is not solved entirely by this, but do note that Matrix fields can have their own preview targets, so "block" (nested entries) drafts can be previewed.

Maybe an alternate/additional solution would be to surface the revision and drafts functionality (creation, switching between revisions etc) in slideouts?

[gateszies]

@thupsi Not sure I'm following -- I don't currently see a way to preview a draft on a nested entry when landing on the screen below 👇

[thupsi]

Have you setup an Entry URI Format for the matrix field?

[gateszies]

Ahh I see now. Thanks for the tip -- that at least helps authors if they end up in the entry view to be able to preview and view.

[gateszies]

@brandonkelly A few different suggestions for configuring these editing options below👇

[mmikkel]

Something like this would be really appreciated, both for Matrix and Entries fields.

However, after thinking about it some more, I'm not sure if the title links need to ever be disabled.

I think a far better solve would be an Open title links in slideouts setting – i.e. that cards could be configured to have the (nested) entry's title link open in a slideout, instead of navigating to the dedicated edit page.

At least from my POV, a setting like that would solve the issue altogether, for all practical purposes.

...and, since cards don't have any other links to the dedicated edit page besides the current title link, that additional "Only allow slideout" setting seems redundant – or, it would have to be something defined on the nested entry's entry type. I'm not sure if something like that is feasible, and there's probably always a legitimate use case for being able to edit a nested entry in a dedicated edit page – it'd just be nice if the UI didn't make it so easy for authors to end up on that dedicated edit page without intending to :)

[gateszies]

I agree with the above - a toggle titled Open title links in slideout seems like a good solution for the issue we're experiencing.

[ryanleichty]

The only other consideration would be the open in a new tab button in the drawer, but maybe that's ok to keep since it's more intentional if you're clicking it.

[mmikkel]

@ryanleichty Yeah, I don't think that button is ever a problem. For one, unlike the card/chip titles, it opens in a new tab so the original context for the chip/card that opened the slideout isn't lost. Second, also unlike the card/chip entry title I don't think authors are likely to ever click that button accidentally (at least not more than once) 🙂

[gateszies]

@brandonkelly Updated proposed UI for opening title links in slideout below 👇

[brandonkelly]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! Spent some time thinking through it this week, and decided on some improvements for Craft 5.7 which I think will help (#16983).

[brandonkelly]

Craft 5.7.0 is out with that change.