Interface to pair up dozens of users with resources

Question

We have a web application which connects users with certain resources.

The way it works currently is that we have a csv file like this:

resource_id_x, user_id_1
resource_id_y, user_id_2
resource_id_z, user_id_3
resource_id_y, user_id_4
.
.
.

[note: a resource can be connected to 0..n users]

We have a python script which reads in the file and makes the connections.

What we want to do is convert this into a web interface and remove the need for the admin users to mess with csv files or running python scripts.

In a typical uses-case, there would be 30-ish resource-user pairs. The admin user will have the information collected in a text file or spreadsheet before starting the operation. This is a list of which user_id is to be paired up with which resource_id

Our current thinking is just to have the admin user construct a text 'table', just like the csv file above (either in a text editor or spreadsheet app). Then paste the 'table' into a web textbox and have the system parse it (extract the user/resource pairs and process these). But this seems 'clunky' to us.

Is there a neater/simpler/more elegant way of doing this? We are especially thinking about first time admin users and making it obvious to them what to do.

Answer 1

You'd want to make it as simple as possible for your user. This might be some more work on your part, but it could ultimately help with your user satisfaction.

An idea(s)

1. Drop file
   If you could make your application smart enough to read different files and recognise the user_id and the corresponding resource_id you could just offer your user a file upload that parses and processes it as soon as a file is added (not even after clicking an upload button). Perhaps even allow for multiple files.
   MailChimp uses this pattern, they can import multiple contacts from different type of files.
   If this parsing and processing is the only functionality of your application, the designer inside of me is instantly thinking about a giant drop field with fun microcopy. Showing your user what hard work you're performing here could have positive effects like said in this artile on Smashing Magazine.

2. Paste content
   This is similar to what you proposed, but I suggest removing the "constructing a text table" part and just let the user paste the content in one go. This can also be considered a fallback to option 1. When automatic parsing of the file fails, let them upload it this way. You can tell the user what the markup is supposed to look like.

   Separate entries with a comma like this:
   User_id1 Resource_id1,
   User_id2 Resource_id2
   

If this is not possible and you need a table to correctly parse the information, at least provide the tool for creating said table. Users might not have the right tools on their device to create the table you want and you might not want users to leave your application so they can use a third application (next to your application and the application with the text file or spreadsheet).