Workspace Design Tools and Methods
Review of Previous Workspaces
The workspace design form is developed by looking at all of the workspaces that we have already created and identifying their 'features'
- Create observation table that identifies workspaces, components and other pieces
- Harvest workspaces, observe what are pieces that emerge as normally present in the workspace
Patterns Identified
- Work Group Pattern - AQ Workgroup copied by 3 others
- Activities/Events | Active Collaborations
- Resources | Get Involved
- AIP Pattern - CCRM example. Workspaces were initially set up for each group and then the groups used them as they wanted
- News/Events | Issues/Discussion
- Work Items | Capabilities/Results
- Resources | Participants
- Each type of content was structured. Sites enforces a hierarchy for pages.
- Proposal pattern - initially created for NSF proposal. Modified for NASA Roses 08 and the exact same pattern was used for NASA ACCESS 09
- News | Schedule
- Context | Proposal | Participants/Forum/Resources
- Also includes template breadcrumb included on every page of the workspace with links to all other parts of workspace
- Class front page
- News | Resources | Project (2008)
- Lectures | Assignments | Project (2009)
- All had -
- Summary or intro to what workspace is about
- What's New,
- Resources/Context,
- Place for Product, purpose of workspace
- Participants/Get Involved
- Work Items/Schedule both task oriented could be combined?
Workspace Parts
The workspace is a collection of parts that all relate to the outcome product or object of the workspace. The parts may also be connected to each other.
Goal Statement/Project Plan
Each workspace has a goal statement that links to more information in a project plan. The project plan lays out what the group wants to accomplish, the approach the group will follow.
Who's this for: The goal statement is helpful for the core group of participants to agree on the purpose of the workspace and the desired outcome. It is also helpful and necessary for new participants to find this information
How does this help the product: The goal and project plan align the group goals and activities making it more likely that there will be a positive product outcome.
Examples:
Workspace Product or Object
The workspace is designed for a particular product, output, goal. If the product or object is a collaboratively written document then that page is connected to the workspace. The product may be a collection (i.e. outcome of EE workspace is list of AQ events analyzed).
Examples:
- Proposals
- Class Projects
- Event/Meeting
- Scenario development
- Tool development
- Analysis
- Demo preparation
Product important to participants because they need it or can use it. Participants important to product because they provide multiple perspectives that enhance the quality.
What's New
Who is it for: What's new is for both people new to the space as well as group members.
What's new is a space to communicate:
- changes to the workspace
- events related to workspace
Need to have a way to archive the news. Need a way to create automatically so that top few show up.
Participants/Get Involved
Evolution
the evolution section of the workspace is designed to contain information on how the product grows and develops, to highlight key changes.
Tools and Methods Developed
The tools and methods section of the workspace describe each of the tools created or processes developed to produce the product. Tools may need their own sub-workspace in order
Discussion
Schedule/Tasks
Workspace-related ideas. Tags for workspace and idea are added to each idea page. Create an idea template for the workspace, then use the auto page generator, create another page to show all of the ideas listed. Main workspace page will show the most recent ideas and have link to see all ideas.
