Cylindo Ideas Portal
The online platform for Cylindo users to submit, vote, and collaborate on creative suggestions.
The online platform for Cylindo users to submit, vote, and collaborate on creative suggestions.
We received feedback from our main project contact at Interior Define regarding the new dashboard. She loves the new update but did have one suggestion.
It would be super helpful if links on the main dashboard could open in a new tab by default. This small update would make it easier for customers who are juggling multiple projects and tasks at once.
Hey Emily! This is a request that keeps coming up so I'll give you the main reasons why we (and basically any other web application) don't do that, plus a couple of shortcuts that users can use to override the default navigation pattern if they prefer so.
Why do open links in the same tab/window?
These are internal links, meaning they redirect the user to other pages within the application itself. Keeping the navigation in one tab maintains the user in the context of the Cylindo application
Opening new tabs by default can lead to a cluttered and confusing experience - this can be a problem to less tech-savvy in particular
By keeping the navigation in the same tab, we make sure that the browser's back navigation is kept consistent, giving the user alternatives on how to return to the dashboard - in addition to clicking the Cylindo logo
What are the exceptions to this pattern?
Links that take the user out of the application, such as those to the Learning Center (those are currently opening in the same tab, we will fix it)
Links that would interrupt a process (e.g.: the "Model & Material review guide" at the model review page has a link that opens on a new tab so that the user does not lose any info they provided before submitting their feedback)
Files such as PDF's, when the application does not have an internal document previewer
How to override the standard behavior and open links in a new tab/window?
Right-click the link and choose either "Open Link in New Tab" or "Open Link in New Window"
On Windows
Hold CTRL and click the link to open in a new tab
Hold SHIFT+CTRL and click the link to open in a new tab and switch to it
On Mac
Hold CMD and click the link to open in a new tab
Hold SHIFT+CMD and click the link to open in a new tab and switch to it
On Windows/Mac - Hold SHIFT and click the link to open in a new window