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Project Planner

Project Planner. Michael Adcock & KFTF Research Team Lab Meeting 12/13/06. Outline. Definition and features of the Project Planner Short term goals Long term goals Potential features. What is it?. Provides a new External Representation (ER)

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Project Planner

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  1. Project Planner Michael Adcock & KFTF Research Team Lab Meeting 12/13/06

  2. Outline • Definition and features of the Project Planner • Short term goals • Long term goals • Potential features

  3. What is it? • Provides a new External Representation (ER) • Alternative to interacting with files and folders • Does not require saving information in a new proprietary file format • Organization emerges directly through planning the project • “What are the long-term costs and benefits associated with the use of ERs for PIM?” • “Can tools change the cost/benefit equation?” Jones, William. "Personal Information Management." Annual Review of Information Science and Technology. Ed. Blaise Cronin. Volume 41. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc., 2007. 482.

  4. Features • Permanent folder hierarchy • Indicates the organization of files • Will remain even when the user stops using the Planner • In a way, we’re just providing a new “view” into the filesystem

  5. Features • Creating and organizing information in the context of activities to which that information belongs • Information is organized as an incidental by-product to planning the project • In-context creation • Drag & Link

  6. Features • Outline view • Tries to represent the way the user thinks about the project

  7. Looking Ahead • What needs to be fixed in the short term? • What are our long term goals (next year)? • What are the ultimate goals of the Planner?

  8. Short Term • Investigate and fix Drag & Link support from • Word documents • Email messages in Outlook • Calendar details in Outlook • PowerPoint presentations • PDF documents (Currently, the feature only works consistently from Internet Explorer)

  9. Short Term • Fix any bugs with In-context creation • Word • Excel • PowerPoint • Outlook (new mail message)

  10. Short Term • Allow deletion of entries in Planner outline • Automatically delete corresponding folder(s) and files in file system, or • Move associated folders and files to an archived location, or • Ask the user how to proceed

  11. Long Term • Synchronization with filesystem • Currently, any change/move/deletion of folders and files will not be reflected in Project Planner outline • User must only manipulate files from within Planner, or things start to break • Since the Planner is only another “view” of the user’s files, we need to keep all the information synchronized

  12. Long Term • Synchronization with filesystem • On load, the Planner should scan the file system (under the project folder) and adjust the outline for any changes • If possible, these changes should be automatic • Sometimes, it may be necessary to ask the user what to do • Might be useful to display what changes were found and how the Planner reacted

  13. Long Term • Other filesystem features (NTFS) • Use Hardlinks instead of shortcuts • Shortcuts will break when the target file is renamed, moved, or deleted • With Hardlinks, a file can exist in multiple folders at the same time, however the actual file data only occurs once • The file system will manage changes to Hardlinks and update as necessary for move, delete, etc. • Example: price list for countertops in both kitchen and bathroom

  14. Long Term • Other filesystem features (NTFS) • Use Junction Points for folder replication • The hierarchy provided by the outline is useful, but unnecessarily restrictive • We may want the same folder (and contents) to appear in different places in the outline • Junction Points appear as folders, but are effectively shortcuts to the original folder • Like Hardlinks, the file system manages Junctions • Example: folder contains contact information, price lists, etc for a given contractor

  15. Long Term • Other filesystem features (NTFS) • Use Multiple Data Streams per file • Could possibly get rid of hidden XML files for extra Planner information • Would allow the use of Tags on files • Tags would allow for grouping and searching features • Could provide the means for alternate views • This also works with folders, so we can store extra information, tag them, etc.

  16. Ultimate Goals & Potential Features • Investigate Integration with • Windows Vista • Office 2007 • Better interfaces with Outlook and message store? • Investigate OneNote 2007 • Update to .Net version 3

  17. Ultimate Goals & Potential Features • Provide different views in the Planner • Table / Excel-like grid view • Mind-mapping view • Concept-mapping view • Allow some sort of wiki-like note taking feature • Arbitrary links and navigation between items • Not meant to replace the main view – would supplement it • Support timestamps on items and/or due dates • Link to Task Management… feature?

  18. Ultimate Goals & Potential Features • Discuss handling files in a different way • Keep all Planner-created documents “flat” in one place under My Documents • Make shortcuts or hardlinks to these files • Less chance of user tampering/modification of files outside of Planner • Just how integrated does the Planner really need to be with the filesystem? • Do we need filesystem shortcuts? • Do we need folders for headings (& subfolders for subheadings) • How much does this get us?

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