astrolabe/docs/ux-second-pass.md

UX second pass — batched council review

A running parking lot of small UX / interaction decisions deferred for a batched /council review, rather than gating each one the moment it surfaces. Append quirks here as they come up; resolve them together in one pass, record the resolution into the contract (docs/architecture/09+10 and the relevant docs/spec/), then delete the row.

Open

Chart Builder — encoding type control: cycle vs. explicit pick

• Where: src/app/components/ChartBuilderModal.tsx → ChannelPill (the pillType chip).
• What: a mapped channel's field type is shown as a cycling chip — activating it steps N → O → Q → T within the set valid for the column/channel. It is compact and matches the approved field-first pill design, but a cycling button gives a screen-reader / keyboard user no way to jump straight to a type; they step through the cycle. The pre-2B control was an explicit N | O | Q | T segmented radio (direct pick, APG radio pattern).
• Decision to make: keep the cycle, restore the explicit segmented control, or a hybrid (chip for a quick mouse cycle + an accessible radio/menu for direct selection).
• Lens: WAI-ARIA APG (radio vs. toggle button), IBM Carbon, the project's keyboard-first accessibility bar.

Chart Builder — empty Colour/Size "or constant" affordance

• Where: ChannelPill / ChannelSlot — the constant-value entry on Colour/Size (2A).
• What: an empty Colour/Size slot offers a small underlined "or constant" text button to switch the channel from a field binding to a fixed { value }. Confirm the copy, emphasis, and discoverability read well alongside the field-assign affordance.
• Lens: Carbon / GOV.UK content + control emphasis.