KB User's Guide - Document Edit Screen Transition FAQ
- Why did you decide to design a new document edit screen?
- What does the new document edit screen look like, and how is it different from the classic edit screen?
- What does the timeline for transitioning to the new edit screen look like?
- What did the team base the decision to retire the classic edit screen on?
- How do I submit feedback on the new edit screen?
- Will the edit screen for "News" be changing?
- See Also
Why did you decide to design a new document edit screen?
Because the majority of the work KB users perform is centered around the creation and updating of documents, it made sense to focus our efforts in this area of the application.
Additionally, user research that we have conducted over the years has shown that the document edit screen routinely comes up when discussing pain points. Of these, we particularly wanted to address the following challenges:
- New authors find the number of settings overwhelming and are often unsure of which settings are necessary
- Authors with a variety of experience levels struggle to find settings that they don't frequently use
- Options to manage document status can be confusing, and authors sometimes unintentionally select the wrong option (for example, save changes to the draft version when they intended to publish them)
Our hope is that the new edit screen helps improve your experience when editing documents, especially as it relates to the items above.
What does the new document edit screen look like, and how is it different from the classic edit screen?
For a detailed overview of the new edit screen, including the location of all document tools and settings, please see KB User's Guide - Document Edit Screen Overview.
In general, all of the functionality available in the classic edit screen can also be found in the new edit screen. However, many features have been moved around and re-grouped, and some have been renamed (and a few new features have been added).
What does the timeline for transitioning to the new edit screen look like?
Following an initial beta phase where groups had the option to opt in, the new edit screen was broadly released to all groups. At this time, all groups have access to the new edit screen (still alongside the classic edit screen).
The classic edit screen is currently scheduled to be retired on April 2, 2026. After this date, the classic edit screen will no longer be available for use in editing KB documents.
What did the team base the decision to retire the classic edit screen on?
The following points were taken into consideration when deciding when to retire the classic edit screen:
- All known issues reported for the new edit screen were resolved
- Improvements were made that addressed key feedback received on the new edit screen
- Strong usage of the new edit screen throughout the testing period, with increases over time (now exceeding 75% of all editing instances)
- The upcoming need to address outstanding accessibility issues in the edit screen, which is limited by maintaining two screens
How do I submit feedback on the new edit screen?
For general feedback (either positive or negative), you can click on the "Feedback" link at the bottom of the right side panel in the new edit screen to access our feedback form. You will have the option to submit the form anonymously or provide your email address for potential follow-up from our team.
If you encounter a problem with the new edit screen, for example, if something does not appear to be working correctly, please submit a support ticket by emailing kb-team@doit.wisc.edu. This will allow us to troubleshoot the issue with you in more detail.
Will the edit screen for "News" be changing?
Yes, we are currently working on designing a version of the News edit screen that uses the same interface as the new document edit screen. This will include a number of enhancements to news, such as the introduction of a basic status workflow (excluding the "Pending review" status), as well as support for attachments in news items.
Our goal is to release this prior to the retirement of the classic edit screen for documents, though it may come slightly later if additional development time is needed.