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885 Views 6 Replies Last post: Nov 17, 2009 2:39 PM by rrutan RSS
rrutan Beginner
rrutan
435 posts since
Jun 5, 2007
Currently Being Moderated

Oct 20, 2009 3:07 PM

Feature Request: New Question Field -> Preferred Resolution Date + UI Hooks

So this one is hopefully pretty straight forward and adds a decent amount of value. It would be nice, if the Question object had a 1st level attribute called "Preferred Date" in which they can indicate a Preferred Date to get an Answer.  Right now, we'd have to store this as meta-data; however, I think this is a generic Question field that can be leveraged across multiple use-cases.

 

Data Model Changes

  • Addition of "preferredResolutionDate" field to jiveQuestion (core)
    • Addition of get/setPreferredResolutionDate methods to the Core API (core)
    • Addition of get/setPreferredResolutionDate methods to the ForumThread Service/WSForumThread API (bonus)

UI Interactions:

  • When posting a thread, and "Marking as a Question", the form has an additional field, select "Preferred Date" (core)
    • This new field could be controlled via a System Property and/or Container meta-data override, to prevent it from showing when not configured, leaving existing clients alone.
  • Enhanced Widget for Discussion Threads (bonus)
    • Show Only Questions that are Unanswered
    • Sort by Preferred Due Date
    • UI Reflects GREEN,RED,YELLOW (similar to project status), when question preferred date is coming due.
  • Enhanced View of Discussions per container (bonus)
    • When viewing questions, a pretty time such as (in the next 5 days, next 4 hours, 2 hours ago, 2 days ago, etc...) is displayed (when container property is set), that shows preferred time.
      • This could possibly be represented as a Sprite variation of the "unanswered questions"...perhaps Green, yellow, Red
      • This would require a small configuration off set (perhaps per container) to define what is green, yellow, red offsets

 

This seems that the (core) features could be added pretty easily in a patch release...and would allow users of SBS to add these other features as it make sense.  Any chance, we can get a feel for liklihood of a feature such as this.  Alternatives, are the standard meta-data due-date storage; which is duable, but this would be much more clean in my opinion.

 

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Tags: feature-request, question, answer, preferred-resolution-date
Karl Cyr Jive Employee
Karl Cyr
6,819 posts since
Mar 12, 2008
Currently Being Moderated
Oct 20, 2009 9:50 PM in response to: rrutan
Re: Feature Request: New Question Field -> Preferred Resolution Date + UI Hooks

Hey Ryan,

 

I'll bring this up to the product team and file a feature request, as I agree that it could be a very valuable enhancement. It is not likely to be included in a minor release as we try to steer clear of API and schema changes in patches, but I think this is something which we could seriously consider for future inclusion in the product.

 

Thanks for the detailed feedback!

 

Regards,
Karl

Karl Cyr Jive Employee
Karl Cyr
6,819 posts since
Mar 12, 2008
Currently Being Moderated
Oct 22, 2009 4:45 PM in response to: rrutan
Re: Feature Request: New Question Field -> Preferred Resolution Date + UI Hooks

Hey Ryan,

 

I filed this in our JIRA database, and brought it to the attention of our Product team. Thanks again for the feedback!

 

Regards,
Karl

Olivia Teich Jive Employee
Olivia Teich
26 posts since
Aug 17, 2009
Currently Being Moderated
Oct 22, 2009 5:31 PM in response to: rrutan
Re: Feature Request: New Question Field -> Preferred Resolution Date + UI Hooks

Great timing! The product team has actually been talking recently about Questions and some things we can do there to help people find answers and tap into more of the community's knowledge. While we generally can't add new features in patch or point releases (even small ones) for a bunch of reasons -- plugins are a good alternative -- we will absolutely think about this as we look at discussions in our future planning.

 

Thanks!
Olivia

rrutan Beginner
rrutan
435 posts since
Jun 5, 2007
Currently Being Moderated
Oct 22, 2009 6:06 PM in response to: Olivia Teich
Re: Feature Request: New Question Field -> Preferred Resolution Date + UI Hooks

Olivia,

 

It's understandable about the API changes during Patch releases..for now...storing the date as metadata will work, but this will be an AMAZING feature to add that will open the doors for numerous types of collaborations and follow-ups.  Right now, one of the biggest 'complaints' we get about using a community collaboration platform, is that it leaves things up in the air...and in order to guarantee follow-thru...we have to pony up our own processes to manage the questions (even with the "unanswered questions" notifications which inundate your email box).

 

I think this will provide more options for the tool to promote, suggest, and recommend discussions relevantly.  If there are any questions or ideas you'd like our company to participate in, just let us know.  Also, anyone from Jivespace land have suggestions...interested to hear your thoughts. =)

Olivia Teich Jive Employee
Olivia Teich
26 posts since
Aug 17, 2009
Currently Being Moderated
Oct 22, 2009 6:14 PM in response to: rrutan
Re: Feature Request: New Question Field -> Preferred Resolution Date + UI Hooks

I'd love to hear more about how you're guaranteeing follow-through today.

 

Do you ever know which specific user(s) need to answer a question? Or is it more common that someone should but no one has?

 

In your community, are questions often driven by an event or deadline that creates the hard "need and answer by" date, or is the timing a little fuzzier (this is really important vs I'm kind of curious...)?

 

Any more specific examples you can share would be very helpful, and I'll take you up on the offer to participate when we have a design we can share.

 

Thanks!
Olivia

rrutan Beginner
rrutan
435 posts since
Jun 5, 2007
Currently Being Moderated
Nov 17, 2009 2:39 PM in response to: Olivia Teich
Re: Feature Request: New Question Field -> Preferred Resolution Date + UI Hooks

Sorry I missed your response...I went out of the office suddenly right after this posting and must have never made it back.  In regards to our use-case(s), it is more common for a group of people (Social Group) or list of individuals to be the target of a question, rather than a specific person, but even more the case of your latter proposal...which is that someone should answer it...

 

Questions are created via an Event in most cases, for example support.  We guarantee a deadline for resolution, but we have the need to manage multiple dates through the life-cycle of the question...for example, a date of "Preferred Response Date" (more fuzzy and flexible, but still firm), as in I need to at least get some information by this date...but it doesn't have to be the exact answer...as well as a "Resolution Date", this is absolute...

 

Being able to sort by these dates, and possibly priority as well could be useful.  I have 3 questions in my space that I need to answer today...which of them do I tackle 1st...and more importantly, being able to represent that in the UI via icons...perhaps different colors of Red, Orange, Green or something for questions of high-medium-low and blue for normal?

 

The ability to see at an aggregate level, in any view, the state of a Question is very important...when I can see a question's RED icon come up next to a document that I am viewing in the "incoming Links" section....it triggers a thought that there are some very high-priority things going on in relation to the context I am working, and it could draw me in as a possible solver to the problem.

 

That being said, I think a Resolution Date / Priority should be handled separately...the only icon treatment I would make for Questions that have passed their resolution date, would be similar to the overdue tasks....take the base treatment R,O,G,B icon....and add an explanation.

 

Those are the ideas I have for now...perhaps...these are some more features to be tracked?  thanks for your interest =)

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