We have a lot of drop down in JIRA, Issue Type, Priority etc. that have replaced simple Select lists. The key difference between the two that I find really frustrating.

Consider this scenario. I want to lower to priority of this field using a normal select list. Ordering matters (is critical, in fact) in this case.

I click on the field.

For a normal select list, it clearly shows where my current selection is (highlighted). I can easily select the item below or above it. Since the order matters, I also see where in the range of values my select is.

For the Frotherized drop down, you don't see the selected value in the list. You don't know what's above or below the current select value and you need to already know where the value sits in the continuum. The first item on that list is what's selected, which isn't really what you want. From a keytboard shortcut it also doesn't really work.

Thoughts on a solution

This is a big problem on fields / lists where order is critical (priority fields) and an annoyance on places where order is not critical (e.g. Rapid board drop down in GH, I know the board I care about all start with Bamboo, it'd be nice if that area was highlighted).

I understand the heritage of Frother as an auto-complete / type ahead and search replacement,, rather than a select list but if we're going to support having the down arrow on the right and ability to use it like a select list, it really needs to work like one when you click on it.

I think it would work if:

• When no text has entered in the input field, onclick or on down arrow, show all values (if the drop arrow mode enabled) with the current value highlighted
• If you start typing in the field, the current behaviour is used.

This is a pattern that's starting to repeat itself in a lot of places, and I think we need to seriously look at it from a overall UX perspective.

Maybe FEF or Design Trunk should look at this to get some consistency?