{Linked:Bug25741511;Linked:Bug24983095} New Feature Request: Rating control (stars)

Proposal: Adaptive Cards Feedback Controls

Summary

Feedback control features should be implemented in the Adaptive Cards framework. Specifically, the framework should allow for binary feedback (i.e., thumbs up/thumbs down functionality), as well as the traditional star-rating feedback. These controls should be flexible enough to fit the needs of any card author.

Rationale

• Several customers have directly expressed interest in tools allowing users to easily send feedback, such as a star-rating system or a thumbs up/thumbs down system. Customers are currently finding workarounds to this functionality, but a native feature would improve usability for both users and developers.
• User feedback and customer data are key for companies to gauge success and explore avenues for improvement. Feedback control functionality for Adaptive Cards would facilitate easier collection of feedback and data points.
• Both the traditional star-rating control as well as a separate thumbs up/thumbs down control are necessary due to the different use cases between the two controls. A binary system may be better suited for situations in which a company values quantity of responses (a user may be more inclined to respond with fewer options). In fact, Netflix recently made the switch to a binary feedback system after finding that this type of system received 200% more user responses than the traditional star-rating system. On the other hand, a company that values more engaged feedback, such as Yelp or Amazon in the case of restaurant and product reviews, may find that a star-rating system better suits its needs.

Scope

Important Notes

• Example 1: Medical survey
  

  • Features of note:
    • Labels for options
    • Flexible quantity of options
    • Icon customization

• Example 2: Yelp restaurant feedback
  

  • Features of note:
    • Dynamic hover changes rating icons
    • Dynamic hover changes elements outside of rating; once an option is clicked, this could potentially lead to further input options based on the initial rating option (e.g., a bad rating will lead to an optional text box appearing asking the end user to explain their rationale)
    • Basic five-point rating system

• Example 3: Simple 5-star rating
  

• Example 4: Rating sliders
  

• Example 5: Binary controls
  

Open Questions

• Should default rating icons should be native to the host? If so, this may add an extra burden to the host

Adaptive Cards-specific Considerations

Schema

https://github.com/microsoft/AdaptiveCards/compare/master...specs/3054-2

Introduce a new Input.Rating element.

{
    "type": "AdaptiveCard",
    "body": [
        ...
        {
            "type": "Input.Rating",
            "id": "userRating"
        }
    ],
    "$schema": "http://adaptivecards.io/schemas/adaptive-card.json",
    "version": "1.0"
}

Customizing the number of stars

Say they want 6 stars...

{
    "type": "AdaptiveCard",
    "body": [
        ...
        {
            "type": "Input.Rating",
            "id": "userRating",
            "maxValue": 6
        }
    ],
    "$schema": "http://adaptivecards.io/schemas/adaptive-card.json",
    "version": "1.0"
}

Customizing the icons

{
  "type": "AdaptiveCard",
  "body": [
    {
      "type": "Input.Rating",
      "id": "userRating",
      "icons": {
        "unselected": {
          "type": "Image",
          "url": "https://yelp.com/icons/unselectedStar.png"
        },
        "selected": {
          "type": "Image",
          "url": "https://yelp.com/icons/selectedStar.png"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "$schema": "http://adaptivecards.io/schemas/adaptive-card.json",
  "version": "1.0"
}

Host Config

There should not be any changes to the host config.

Down-level impact

If the authors were using work arounds for previous versions, they could choose move to the simpler version of having native feedback controls.

Host burden

It is possible that the host would have to configure how they would like stars to show up in terms of color and style, but they could just render as default stars.

Start with the linked schema comparison and the proposed Input.Rating schema in the issue, then review how Adaptive Cards input elements are represented and rendered across hosts. Done would require an agreed design and implementation covering the stated rating controls, customization, interaction behavior, and host considerations.