I've included the issues I've come across with the friend list, as well as some possible solutions. Some of solutions are redundant and simply alternative ways of solving the same problem -- the intent is not to say that each item be implemented concurrently.

Pain Points:
1. Friends are difficult to find in the list.
Suggetions:
  • Add search feature for the friend list, preferably as part of the friends window itself (like the Windows 7 start menu search -- just start typing the name and friend list starts filtering to matches).
  • Add sorting options for the friends list on name, currently equipped class, etc.

2. There's no way to organize people you've friended -- its often difficult to remember why you friended someone. Problem is exaggerated by the armory system, as theres no way to just look at the job and recall "oh, they were a great tank," etc. (i.e. they might be on an off job, etc.).
Suggestions:
  • Add a categories option to either place friends in a bucket, or give them a flag for one or more groups to be filtered on. Think 'circles' in Google+.
  • Allow for short annotations to be added to friend list entries where player can describe the nature of the contact for future reference.
  • Give players a ranking option for friend list entries (from 1-5? etc.) allowing them to create their own system based on the number associations with minimal coding required (i.e. a player can say "1's" are all best friends, "2's" are good tanks, "3's" are high level crafters, etc.).

3. It's difficult to accept a friend requests with larger friend lists. Sometimes the request doesn't show up at all in friend list, forcing the friend request prompt to get stuck on the window with no way of dismissing.
Suggetions:
  • Make a click on the Friend Request prompt lead directly to the accept/deny window instead of the friend list.
  • Have the friend list automatically kick friend request entries to the top of the list.

4. It's difficult to see a list of online, available friends. You have to check the "show online players at top" box every time, and players already in an instance get thrown in seemingly at random.
Suggetions:
  • Give players more custom-sort options for priority -- let players set hierarchy for other-world players, and other defaults for sorting when friend list is opened.