1157171 - User does not have a chance to read the install confirmation doorhanger, if the extension opens a new Tab on startup

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, defect, P3)

Description

[Vasilica Tamas, QA [:vtamas]]

Attachment: gif.gif

Reproducible on: Firefox 40.0a1 using Windows 7 64-bit and Ubuntu 14.04 32-bit

STR
1.Launch Firefox with clean profile.
2.Go to: https://addons.mozilla.org/ro/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/
3.Click "Add to Firefox" green button
4.Click "Install" button

ER
The system confirms the successfully install using the doorhanger. If the add-on provides an own confirmation, this will be delayed by 2 seconds to ensure the user can see this doorhanger confirmation. 

AR
The doorhanger confirmation cannot be seen for add-ons that provides an own confirmation because there is no delay. After the install is completed, the confirmation page is automatically displayed.

Additional notes:
- This issue is reproducible on Firefox 40.0a1 (2015-04-21) using Windows 7 64-bit and Ubuntu 14.04 32-bit
- Filled this bug according with https://bug1120996.bugzilla.mozilla.org/attachment.cgi?id=8586113
- I am attaching a video recorded on Windows 7 64-bit where I captured this issue.

Comment 1

[Vasilica Tamas, QA [:vtamas]]

Attachment: confirmation.gif

This issue is still applicable on Firefox 54.0a1 (2017-02-27) and Firefox 53.0a2 (2017-02-27) across all platforms (also mentioned in https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1334479#c12). 
I am attaching a recent screencast.

Andrew, what do you think, is this issue difficult to fix?

Comment 2

[Andrew Swan [:aswan]]

Putting in a 2 second delay for all extensions would be straightforward enough but I'm skeptical about the value now that bug 1334354 has been fixed...

Comment 3

[Andy McKay]

I agree with aswan that its not required that users read the confirmation and we specifically don't block on it. As compared to say, the permissions dialog. It's a little unfortunate for add-ons that open a new tab, but I don't think we should delay start up either.

I'm tempted to just close this bug, Markus, any opinion?

Comment 4

[Markus Jaritz [:designakt] (UX)]

Lot's of opinion on that. ;-)
This bug addresses a problem we also observed in user research, however the proposed solution will likely not improve the user experience as intended, as anything opening automatically will have the same effect on users, no matter if delayed or not. It will be confusing and result in users loosing orientation for a bit. (I adjusted the summary to focus on the problem, not a specific solution)

Our last research confirmed that a number of people where confused about the tab opening on install [1], and where left uncertain if the install was successful, or they where overwhelmed by the amount of new content shown.
So having a consistent confirmation can help to ease users into their new extension. However, with us not providing any ways for extension developers to address their new users, opening a new tab on install has become common practice, even though it does not provide good user experience.
We should seek to provide a solution that can satisfy all needs:
 - the users need for clarity on the successful install
 - the users need for orientation on how to use the extension they installed
 - the developers need to introduce their extension to new users

To solve this we could offer developers a alternative way to surface essential information to new users. 
This could be done by:
 - linking their tab from our install confirmation [2] so that they do not need to force-open it on users
 - adding their content to our install confirmation [3] so that there is no need for a separate tab

[1] https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EZYM6izj27TUFQ7W6RqfCynvnX5yes-MdOPHLe9Grk8/edit#slide=id.g2a7ce307f2_0_13
[2] https://mozilla.invisionapp.com/share/WEF85T3FR#/161496296_Subtle1
[3] https://mozilla.invisionapp.com/share/76F85UJFG#/161497216_Scrollable-Confirmation1

Comment 5

[Rares Doghi, Desktop QA]

This issue no longer occurs in our latest builds, the behavior changed for when we install addons.