Important block toolbar settings missed by users

[culturerich]

PROBLEM
After a series of Usability Tests for a project I work on, it became clear that the Block/Site Editor was causing issues for users where there is a difference between a setting being located in the block toolbar OR the sidebar.

Many times users assumed the block toolbar was a shortcuts toolbar[1] and used the sidebar as the main place to look for settings. When they didn't find a setting they were expecting to find in the sidebar the often didn't check the toolbar to see if it was there.[2] This issue applied to users that were new to Wordpress (but experienced with other website creation tools) and those more experienced with Wordpress (but new to the Block/Site Editor).

[1]: This makes sense based on other popular software, where settings sidebars are often comprehensive.
[2]: This was made worse by the toolbar only being icons, by default, and many of them not making sense / being intuitive to users.

Examples of settings ONLY located in the block toolbar (and not the sidebar) include:

• Display settings, Query loop block (items per page etc.).
• Align settings, various blocks (full width etc.).
• List / Grid settings, Post Template block.
• Vertical & Horizontal Alignment, various blocks.
• Heading level, Heading block.

There are probably others, but these are the main ones that came up in the tests.

SOLUTION
From these tests, I think making sure that each setting is in the toolbar AND the sidebar would improve usability and 'quality of life' for a lot of Wordpress users, and not just new ones. I think this is already the case for some settings, e.g. Duotone for Featured Image and Site Logo.

This is my first time posting here, so apologies if I'm not following any conventions, I searched for some time and couldn't find anything on this and it was just so striking from the tests that I thought I should share it.

[culturerich]

Added an image with one of the "worst offenders" in terms of important hidden-to-many-users settings...

[nextab]

It is completely un-intuitive that I can only set the background image of an item in Gutenberg in the toolbar instead of the settings panel on the right. So yes, I totally agree with this and have had the very same gripes a number of times. Working with Gutenberg sometimes feels like you're playing an Escape Room game.... you need to check every corner in the room and try and move / touch absolutely everything until you finally come across the correct solution by accident.