[ARCHIVED] Can you make canvas look better on desktop?

[Manusvath]

Canvas looks so good on mobile, yet, it's a really weird and clunky interface when it comes to the web version...

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hello there, @Manusvath …

Thanks for the extra information and detail.  I’m not sure exactly how to address the Material Design portion of your reply, but I’ll pass your message along to a couple of my Canvas Coach friends who know more about mobile than I do to see if they have any suggestions for you.

The majority of your reply, though, does seem to focus around suggestions for improvements to Canvas (both for the mobile app and for Canvas using a desktop computer).  This website, the Canvas Community, does have an area for suggestions like that, and some of the things you’ve mentioned have already been suggested.  Here are a couple examples:

• Add rich-content editor to Conversations
• Dark Theme/Dark Mode for Canvas

Since the above two Feature Ideas already exist, there is no need to create a separate Feature Idea for each.  Instead, you can add your feedback directly to those conversations to let Instructure (the folks that make Canvas) know why these features would be important to you.  Also, you’ll see that these Feature Ideas also have a star rating…which you can also use.  There is more information on that in the following Guide: How do idea conversations work in the Instructure Community?.

I hope this extra information will be of some help to you.

[Chris_Hofer]

@Manusvath.…

Could you please provide some more detail on your question?  What are you finding as “weird and clunky” on the web/desktop view of Canvas?  Do you have any examples?  Also, are you a student or an instructor?

[Manusvath]

Hi, 

• I am a Student using Canvas
• Canvas on the mobile app is material design. 
• However, on the web app, it isn't.
• It would be easier for users if the web app used the concepts of Material Design (https://material.io)
• Also, the calendar feature could have a bit of improvement. Check out an example here: 

Here's a design I made on Canva:

https://www.canva.com/design/DAEtALJjb5U/iOuxJ8qxx4_7HlplxT8VSg/view?utm_content=DAEtALJjb5U&utm_cam...

Also, the "Inbox" feature should have a WYSIWYG text editor instead of a plain text editor, and maybe a dark mode for the entire website? 😄

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hello there, @Manusvath …

Thanks for the extra information and detail.  I’m not sure exactly how to address the Material Design portion of your reply, but I’ll pass your message along to a couple of my Canvas Coach friends who know more about mobile than I do to see if they have any suggestions for you.

The majority of your reply, though, does seem to focus around suggestions for improvements to Canvas (both for the mobile app and for Canvas using a desktop computer).  This website, the Canvas Community, does have an area for suggestions like that, and some of the things you’ve mentioned have already been suggested.  Here are a couple examples:

• Add rich-content editor to Conversations
• Dark Theme/Dark Mode for Canvas

Since the above two Feature Ideas already exist, there is no need to create a separate Feature Idea for each.  Instead, you can add your feedback directly to those conversations to let Instructure (the folks that make Canvas) know why these features would be important to you.  Also, you’ll see that these Feature Ideas also have a star rating…which you can also use.  There is more information on that in the following Guide: How do idea conversations work in the Instructure Community?.

I hope this extra information will be of some help to you.

[rseilham · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback! @Chris_Hofer has directed you to the best way to get your voice heard. The Canvas Mobile team tries to honor the design standards on mobile platforms, so even though they use Material design for Android, on iOS they use Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and design. They do this to create the most universal experience that is easy to understand, accessible, and conforms to a number of devices. Thanks again!