Less wasted space
I'd like to see a much more "data dense" presentation of the channels and conversations and really everything on the screen. There is far more whitespace than is needed, in my opinion, around everything. For instance, the gaps are massive between each channel in channel list as well as between the app sections in the list on the left and the "gutters" on either side of the chat/discussion within the center content panel of the channels. Compared to Slack, I can see far less on a single screen. This makes it more cumbersome to find things, notice when a channel has new posts, etc.
If not for everyone, then perhaps "modes" where a compact mode is an option like Outlook has.
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Comments46
Tanya Smith
Dec 11, 2023
I'd definitely prefer to have the new right sidebar be an optional display. Think about small communities in building mode that don't necessarily want to have credibility diminished because of a lower count, OR those communities who would like to maintain privacy as mentioned in another comment. Please consider making at least the new right sidebar optional.
Sawrah Amini
Dec 7, 2023
I have DMs for my community shut off, so none of my users need to know who is online. I did this for security and for distraction free learning. Being able to hide the right hand user online sidebar would create so much space. Particularly for courses.
Tri Ryuzaki
Dec 30, 2022
This is essential for e-learning +10 ❤
Tracy Gustilo
Sep 12, 2024
Compared with Circle (I'm a member of several communities on there), the layout and use of space on Heartbeat is becoming one of the most noticeable and objectionable differences. Time to work on the aesthetics a bit! Circle communities feel over-designed and rather intimidating and even "dead" to me. I choose Heartbeat because it's lively and friendly. Please keep that vibe. And yet, visuals and efficient use of screen real estate matters a lot to functionality.
Alexandra Kapelos-Peters
Jan 23, 2023
Would like this not only for courses, but also for Threads and Docs. Whitespace is nice on a large screen, but on laptops and smaller devices there is currently too much space and I find it's not efficent use of screen "real estate"
Tandem Support
Jan 11, 2023
especially since the course content becomes rather squeezed on smaller screens.
Stephanie Kunkel
Apr 23, 2025
If we work on this, pease make it customizable or an option - one of the reasons I love heartbeat is that it doesn't have a bunch of information and I dont get overwhelmed looking at the screen - all these other apps that have something going on in every corner when our brains are so overwhelmed day to day with information… its hard to want to be on there
Lesly Garreau
Apr 11, 2025
Honestly, my biggest problem with HeartBeat… The design really starts to feel unfinished or at least not to the level of the competition, like people quote: Circle. And this has been one of the most voted feedback and not even on the roadmap kinda sucks…
Florence Wlodarski
Mar 17, 2025
On desktop version of the app -- Too much wasted space to the left and right of the center content tiles require too much scrolling to read. My members are complaining, and there's plenty of dead space / real estate to expand the center content tiles horizontally.
Natascha Buck
Jan 4, 2025
Agree. The UI with courses with the video module it creates a second "box" when additional text is entered - confusing. If this part is short and there are many modules/lessons, the index takes the entire length of the page.