Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Technography, Knowledge Management and Frontier

Author:ghanek@cs.indiana.edu
Posted:2/27/1999; 10:32:40 AM
Topic:Technography, Knowledge Management and Frontier
Msg #:3304 (In response to 3280)
Prev/Next:3303 / 3312

For example, imagine we are working on a strategic plan. We've met and come up with what we all agree are the major objectives of the plan. Let's say there are twenty of us. And over the next two weeks, until we have time to meet again, we each, via discussion group, add to the plan. The hope is that on the next meeting we can begin with a revised plan that we have all read and agreed to.

Let's continue with your scenario: Imagine if the major objectives are on a magicWhiteBoard (mWB) that we all have access to (it captures a "picture" of itself which provide a record of changes), and we stop by and scribble our changes, provide some reasoning behind why the changes were made (or other comments, as well) so others can start to figure out what were thinking when we made the addition/change, then capture the version before we walk away.

When I work at the mWB, I might want to be able to review past versions, and perhaps grab pieces from some to make a new version. One problem I see with this is how to we track the "true" version that we should work on? What if two folks start doing very different things at almost the same time, and then others add to these forking paths? How would we get the paths "un-forked"?

How would we interact with this not-yet well-described revision/versioning and annotation system? What/how would it track changes? I can see where having the flexibility of XML could help provide a method of organizing all of this data we might need, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how a batch of folks will play in this workspace... Hmmm...

How about an outline with each head/subhead having a set of XML tags identifying who created/revised it, WHY they did, when they did it, if it has moved in the heirarchy, where the previous positions were, and so on... Let's ignore how this looks in the interface for the moment. We'll get back to that part later, I'm certain. :-D

So, if I decide I want to modify a chunk of the outline on mWB, I select it, and click on a modify this chunk button (like edit this page), and that then does the following:

1) prevents anyone else from modifying that chunk AND automatically racks up a time/date/ID stamp for when I clicked the button (cookies and all that).

2) provides a text box for my rationale behind my revision (which I must fill out, otherwise we lose part of the process and possibly allow for confusion -- for others and myself when I come back to view this later).

3) captures a copy of the chunk before my changes were made, and notes it's previous position in the outline, if I moved it in the heirarchy.

4) I have to commit the changes for all this to become part of the record. If YOU come to the mWB while I'm changing a chunk, there needs to be some indicator that I've got that chunk for revision, and I suspect we'll need some kind of admin control for when someone grabs a chunk, then leaves for vacation/the night before committing the changes :-)

This last bit is where I can see the need for a "chat" type of communication, so if Charley has a chunk I'm interested in, I can see what's happening on her end. Hmm.... Would it be possible for the PROGRESS on chunks which are checked out to be viewed by others somehow??

Anyone else want chime in here?

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