Xjyuk

We've a grid where users can select multiple rows and perform actions on them. When rows are selected, we show action buttons at the top of the grid. We've been thinking about making these actions available in a context menu where users can right click on the grid and see this menu. We think it's useful in some cases where the selected rows are at the bottom and user won't have to scroll all the way up to click on those actions.

Any thoughts about right click on the grid from UX perspective?

I've actually tried to right click on some cells to see if I could add more rows or columns (and sometimes it doesn't happen at all and I have to look for another tool). So, from my experience/opinion as a user, it's a good idea I would like to see more often.

From a UX designer perspective I would tell you to test it in some way, asking the user which tools he would like to see on that context menu. Maybe you can have some answers with a card sorting workshop :)

Gl!

I think it is a great idea to use right click to context menu. If is a norm in desktop application and I see no reason for it not to be the case in web interfaces. And many if not all tools from Google and Microsoft no use right click actions to offer content related actions. And right click can be nicely replaced with long tap on touch-enabled devices, which also become commonplace.

The only problem with then is that they are difficult to discover, so I would say you still should keep that action row on top of the table.

Good thing that pretty much every tool with table based use uses right-clicks for content menu: gmail, google sheets, excel on desktop an on the web. So you have that going on for you, plus if if visual state of the row changes on hover or click, you can assume that people expect to see context menu on right click.

First, gangsta move, before spending time on implementing the functionality, just make sure that to track if users right clicking and then you can consider if it worth it ot not.

This post I will answer like a web user.

I have a confession: I'm always trying to use right-click on the web tools (web applications that work like a tool, like Google Drive) and nobody care with this. Rarely I saw someone using it. Otherwise, I will feel strange, maybe unhappy, if you do it on a website or e-commerce.

Congratulations for your idea. Please, try it and tell us if it works.

But before it I will list some considerations as a UX Professional:

• Make a list of good and bad reasons/consequence why you would like to do it.


• Just do it if is really necessary. And If look natural for the users like swipe an image in a mobile screen to see next.


• The user has any other reason to use right-click? If yes, don't do it.


• How do you communicate the user that they can do it as it's not common action?


• Make a prototype and test with some users (real users, not your boss or not your mom and not your friends).


• Analyze how often your users need these actions. All the needed time to develop and teach the user worth it?

Google Drive does it very well.

No, it's not bad UX, but it's risky and requires additional concerns

• What happens if the user's right button doesn't work? a trivial task becomes impossible


• What happens with touch screens?

However, I think there are undeniable benefits in your approach, so I think you can do it, just keeping a way to make this context menu or its related actions work even without right click. This secondary set of actions will cover those cases mentioned above, increase visibility of the system's capabilities and its affordances, Supporting Internal Locus of Control, which is one of the 8 Golden Rules of Interface design