Understanding design decisions on the iOS app

[matthiasdebaat]

Hey everyone 👋

I really like what the Meshtastic project is doing. It’s such a great example of open technology built around privacy and local control. I’d love to better understand some of the design decisions behind the iOS app, to get a sense of the goals, constraints, and thinking so far.

For context, I’m a UX designer at Home Assistant (Open Home Foundation) and I’m interested in contributing some of my free time from a UX perspective where it makes sense.

I will use this thread for some of my questions. Feel free to add more, and thanks in advance for sharing your insights!

* I start with the iOS app, because that is what I'm using with my T1000-e.

Edit
Started a Improving the Meshtastic app UX discussion
https://github.com/orgs/meshtastic/discussions/417

[matthiasdebaat]

Messages tab

I’ll start with the first tab, “Messages.”
I see there are two categories:

• Channels
• Direct Messages

A couple of questions:

• In the description, a channel is described as a group chat. Why call it a channel instead of just “group chat”?
• Why does the user need to click one of the categories first? Why not show group chats and direct messages together in a single list, like Signal or WhatsApp?
• Why are the filters introduced? What would happen if there where no filters?
• I see a lot of "Message status options". What is the goal of this? And why are most of them orange, one red and one gray?
• How often is a Message not encrypted? Why is the lock icon always shown?

[RCGV1]

In the description, a channel is described as a group chat. Why call it a channel instead of just “group chat”?
I think this is because it s a radio system and also due to the fact that the primary channel also dictates the frequency.

Why does the user need to click one of the categories first? Why not show group chats and direct messages together in a single list, like Signal or WhatsApp?

On Android they have all recent chats in one page but on iOS it is organized into channels and Dms. I think its easier to order channels by numbers as that's the way you order them in Meshtastic. Theres a lot of things that are different between the client applications but I think the web client also follows the ios approach of splitting them up.

I see a lot of "Message status options". What is the goal of this? And why are most of them orange, one red and one gray?

Theres a lot of ways something can go wrong when sending a packet as this is a radio based system. We want to inform the user of what happened with a message as thats very important to the UX. Grey means everything worked as intended and the message got out. Red is for if no one acknowledged and orange is if the packet never left your node or if its waiting for an ack.

How often is a Message not encrypted? Why is the lock icon always shown?

I think you mean the direct message lock, before 2.5 version dms were not encrypted but a lock is added to each dm now to show that they are encrypted with the other nodes public key. If you are dming a old node this would not show as a green lock.

[matthiasdebaat]

Connect

In my example I have one T1000-e that is connected.

A couple of questions:

• How often do you switch between radios?
• How many radios can be listed?
• Why is there a pill in the top right?

[RCGV1]

How often do you switch between radios?

Many people switch between radios often but the app is not intended to manage multiple nodes at once.

How many radios can be listed?

There can be a lot of nodes listed depending on how many nodes are discovered on the connect screen.

Why is there a pill in the top right?

The pill is to show if the radio is currently connected and also shows if you are sending something to the node or receiving something from the node.

[matthiasdebaat]

Nodes

• What is the goal of this tab?
• Why is my connected node also listed here?
• Why are the filters introduced? What would happen if there where no filters?

[RCGV1]

Nodes

* What is the goal of this tab?

To explore other nodes on the mesh and look at their details or do actions to them.

* Why is my connected node also listed here?

You can click into the details of your own node.

* Why are the filters introduced? What would happen if there where no filters?

If there are no filters it will first go your node then favorites and then sorted by last heard.

[matthiasdebaat]

Map

• What is the goal of the map?
• Why are the map options introduced? What would happen if there where no options?

[RCGV1]

Map

* What is the goal of the map?

To show the nodes in the mesh and where they are/where they have been. (Currently its more centered around where nodes are in general but in the future I want to make it so you can look at where nodes are in relation to you)

* Why are the map options introduced? What would happen if there where no options?

You can filter nodes as there can be a lot of them in your area to focus on the ones you are interested in. Or to switch the map style.

[matthiasdebaat]

Settings

This tab was the biggest one to map out. There’s a lot going on here, so I’ll start with a few questions. I’ll probably have more later.

• What are routes? What can I import, and what can I do with the Route Recorder?
• Which settings are related to my connected node, and which are not?
• Where are these settings stored?

[RCGV1]

Settings

* What are routes? What can I import, and what can I do with the Route Recorder?

Routes are just gps tracks that can show on the map, kind of like the hiking maps so you can record a route and then show it on the mesh map. (Ive never used the feature so I don't have more details)

* Which settings are related to my connected node, and which are not?

Radio Config, Device Config and Module Config are configuring the node. But if you have remote admin enabled you can change the drop down to another node and these options will instead be linked to the remotely admin-ed node.

* Where are these settings stored?

Settings are stored in the node so you need to reboot the node to save it

[RCGV1]

I'm not the one who designed these views as that was @garthvh so I just added some knowledge I know from using/developing for the app.