Sample Data Project

Status

17 Mar 2004: We had a brainstorm session yesterday. We are limiting the scope of this project or at least staging it so that it is more tractable. I will be drafting out a plan for this project by end of this week.

26 Mar 2004: We discussed yesterday how to break down ZeroPointFourPlanning into a set of use cases and associated workflows, for better requirements specification for the SampleDataProject^?. I've written up the workflows and proposed a set of requirements for Sample Data. We should next discuss how to populate the data.

06 Apr 2004: Good meeting with Mitch. Mitch will be taking these requirements to start creating sample data

Goals

We'd like to create a suite of sample data using the content model schema (calendar events, contacts, mail messages, notes, etc.) Goals for the sample data:

• A tool for the design team:
  • Validate workflows for key use cases that we've identified, especially workflows that are controversial or involved
  • As a means to derive the out-of-the-box configuration of Chandler or at least Chandler 0.4
  • As a means to determine priority of use cases. Real data may shed light as to the importance of a use case.
• A means to validate the content model, to provide feedback on design/modeling decisions.

The following goals will be attempted only after we make significant progress on the goals listed above

• A use case for the repository, use "real" data to push on the repository's data model, etc.
• As test data for the apps team

Current Plan

• Identify all use cases and associated workflows based off ZeroPointFourPlanning, provide more detail for the workflows
• Derive examples of sample data and key attributes of data for each workflow
• Create simple entry form for sample data (in Excel?)
• Ask Mitch to supply more of such data for each workflow
• Decide how to render each workflow:
  • Storyboards for sure (but are they sufficiently high-fidelity?)
  • Maybe
    • Wireframes?
    • Prototypes
      • WxWidget prototype?

Warning: Can't find topic Journal.ZeroPointFourPlanning

Requirements for 0.4 Sample Data

Kind-specific requirements:

• Email
  • Sidebar Base Types
    • In
    • Out
    • Sent
    • Invitations
    • Notifications(?)
  • Base attributes
    • From
    • To
    • Subject
    • Body
    • Received date/time
    • Sent date/time
  • Should contain examples of
    • Email thread thread
      • Mailing list email thread
    • Email containing attachments
• Calendar
  • Sidebar Base Types
    • Home
    • Work
  • Base attributes
    • headline
    • location
    • start
    • end
    • attendees
    • calendar (e.g. Home, Work)
  • Should contain examples of
    • Jot events with missing info (e.g. time, place, invitee) to be filled in later
    • Shared event?
      • with item conversations
    • Email stamped as event
    • All day events
    • Particular day but anytime events
    • Recurring events
• Tasks
  • Base attributes
    • headline
    • status
    • due date
    • notes
  • Should contain examples of
    • Email stamped as task
• Contacts
  • Sidebar Base Types
    • Home
    • Work
  • Base attributes
    • Name
    • Nickname (?)
    • email (work,home, etc.)
    • phone (work, home, etc.)
    • im
    • address
    • sharingCircle status
    • notes
  • Should contain examples of
    • Jotted notes transformed to contacts
    • examples of Groups. Validate we do not need sub-groups
• Notes
  • Should contain examples of
    • Complex note that is later broken down into separate events, contacts, tasks, notes
    • Jotted notes

• Additional cross-kind requirements:
  • Example of ad-hoc collections (or thrasks, i.e. related mixed items for a mini-project)
  • Examples of search results collections (e.g. all items containg "Chandler")
  • Triage process and lifecycle
    • Items representing different triage status: needs processing, done, defer and delegate, reference, trash
  • Items associated to a project
  • Prefiltered set: Mitch's "important email" archive
  • Examples of share items and views, accompanied by lifecycle of shared items

• Optional attributes for all items:
  • triageStatus
  • itemConversation
  • project
  • sphere of life
  • context (@home, @work, @computer, etc.)

Longer-term Plan

• Create taxonomy of use cases for Chandler
• Evaluate if data is suitable for engineering needs. Convert sample data into Parcel.xml format as appropriate.
• Grab more common and frequent data and see if we are missing important use cases and narratives from such data

People who might want to be involved

• MimiYin -- needs sample data to use in wireframe images
• MitchKapor -- needs sample data to drive design discussions
• KatieCappsParlante -- apps group could use some sample data, and katie is one of the people who knows the most about the content model and the parcel.xml files
• BrianDouglasSkinner -- cares about content model
• ChaoLam -- Responsible for making forward progress on this project (design phase)

Involvement for following to come when attempting engineering goals for project:

• TedLeung -- interested in using sample data for repository work, and would like to be kept in the loop to see issues related to the data model and query API's.
• JeffreyHarris -- available to work on sample data project, and experienced with parcel.xml files
• HeikkiToivonen -- available to manage sample data project when attacking latter engineering goals for sample data

Related Projects

• UIDesignArchives
• ContentModelProject
• ContentModelInteroperationProject

See also SampleDataMeeting20040217

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Contributors

• KatieCappsParlante - 21 Jan 2004
• BrianDouglasSkinner - 14 Feb 2004

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Comments Welcome

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