Aggregated Layouts Michael Ivanov instructional media + magic, inc. As presented at the uPortal Development Meeting August 22-23, 2002 at the Memorial University of Newfoundland i n s t r u c t i o n a l m e d i a + m a g i c, i n c.

instructional media + magic The simplified cast in our story… The Governing Body - The State, County, District The Institutions – Universities, Colleges, Schools… The Schools – School of Medicine, School of… The Departments – Sociology, Psychology… The Users – Student, Faculty, Staff… The Campus Services – Library, Financial Aid… The Faculty – as related to student users

instructional media + magic The Governing Body Has information about: Members Meetings Bylaws Events Policies Budgets Directories Services Policies Directory Services Members Meetings Events Using the Tab & Column visual metaphor

instructional media + magic The Institutional System Has information about: Campuses Academic Programs Research Libraries News The System Research Campus Info Programs Libraries Search All Libraries

instructional media + magic The Institution Has information for: Prospective Students Current Students Faculty Staff Visitors Content such as: Admissions information eTranscripts Online gradebook Policies and procedures Campus events Directions/ Campus Map Online gradebook Institution Research Academics About Admissions Calendar Events

instructional media + magic A School in the institution Has information about: Admissions Programs Calendar Faculty & Research Career Management Directions/ Campus Map School of … Admissions Programs Academic Calendar Research News Faculty

instructional media + magic A department Has information about: Faculty Information Bios, Office Hours Program Information Career Tracks Seminars Calendar Directions/ Campus Map Department of … Alumni Endorsements Careers Faculty Info Programs Calendar Seminars

instructional media + magic A Faculty Member by Class Has information about: General Information Bio, Hours, Contact Syllabus Shared Files Student Reviews Threaded discussions Group Chats Enrolled Students List Opt-in Past Enrolled Group Chats Professor … Enrolled Students Virtual HD General Info Syllabus Past Enrolled Course Reviews

instructional media + magic Campus Services Has information about: Libraries Financial Aid Housing Health Services Legal Services School Paper Book Store Career Services Clubs Commons School Newspaper Legal Services Health Services Financial Aid Counseling Scholarships Current Aid Grant Search Career Center Book Store

instructional media + magic The User Wants to subscribe to: Weather News Arts & Entertainment Traffic Online Games Groups Calendar Online Invitation Instant Message Theater Search Groups Calendar myTabs Traffic Weather Instant Message Driving Directions Game

instructional media + magic What is Aggregated Layout? The experience constructed for the end user by the implementers/administrators of the portal combined with the end user's customized content A system for constructing, managing, and administering grouped content, such that the presence and level of visibility of this content is guaranteed to appear in a users layout A system to allow users to self select grouped content to appear in their layout

instructional media + magic A snapshot of the hierarchy Governing Body Institutions Schools Departments User Faculty

instructional media + magic The content path to the user Governing Body Institutions Schools Departments User Faculty

instructional media + magic Aggregation of content A users layout being constructed from pre-defined fragments

instructional media + magic Subscribable Groupings Health & Legal Services Column Tab by Faculty and course Departmental Calendar and Events Column User adding content that has been grouped by content administrators

instructional media + magic Some terms… Pushed Content The prearranged incorporation and updating of content in a user's uPortal Layout Pulled Content Self selected incorporation of content (including content fragments) into a users personal layout Propagate Spread or extend to users of the system

instructional media + magic Why Aggregated Layouts? To allow the construction of groupings of content (Layout Fragments) To allow modification to Layout Fragments that can be either propagated to the subscribed users of that content, or pushed to a specified set of users To allow the control of Layout Fragments Where do the fragments appear in the layout What restrictions are placed on the manipulation of the content by the user, etc… To provide access control Who can manage fragments, who can author them, who can subscribe to them

instructional media + magic Some more terms… User Layout An XML document representing the abstract structure of the content to be presented to a user Layout Fragment An XML fragment representing a grouping of content Fragment attachment point The node in the User Layout where a Layout Fragment is attached Restriction (examples) Depth greater than one (in a tab/column layout this would ensure that the node would not be a tab) Parent priority > 12 (sets the level of visibility)

instructional media + magic Some more terms… CFA's Content Fragment Administrators - Groups assigned permission to create content fragments CFA Modifications Modifications made to the fragment that is propagated to all of the users who have that fragment Personal Modifications Modifications made by the end user that only affect their own personal layout

instructional media + magic Simplified User Layout

instructional media + magic Simplified User Layout Channel Folder User Layout

instructional media + magic Two Simplified Layout Fragments

instructional media + magic Fragment Attachment Point Layout FragmentUser Layout

instructional media + magic Fragment Attachment Point Layout FragmentUser Layout

instructional media + magic Fragment Priority Layout FragmentUser Layout Priority

instructional media + magic Fragment Priority Layout Fragment User Layout Priority

instructional media + magic Fragment Depth Layout FragmentUser Layout Depth

instructional media + magic Fragment Depth Layout FragmentUser Layout Depth

instructional media + magic Process Overview Permissions assignment Über Administrator creates Content Fragment Administrators (CFA's) by assigning this right to a group Über Administrator assigns Priority Domains to CFA's Fragment Construction CFA's construct fragments and assign priority ranges to the content on each fragment CFA's decide which groups to push content to, and which groups will be allowed to pull content into their layout Layout Assembly Business rules are applied to assemble layouts for each end user Layout Management Users manage layouts according to assigned restrictions

instructional media + magic Process Illustration… Assume: The portal has been implemented at the top level by the University of Santa Maria Sally Smith is the Über Administrator Sally creates the following groups: Chancellors Office, Department, Faculty, Teachers Assistant, All Users Sally assigns rights to each of the groups, accept "All Users", to become Content Fragment Administrators Sally assigns a priority domain for each group Bob is the end user

instructional media + magic The Path to the User… Bob University of Santa Maria Chemistry DepartmentBiology Department Jill Jones CHEM 113 Jon Deats BIO 180 Jan Tanner BIO 211 Sam Kandu BIO 224 Sally Smith

instructional media + magic Permissions Assignment Sally must decide on: The groups to create to be given Content Fragment Administrator rights The priority domains to apply to each group A permission scheme/control level High: Only Content Fragment Administrators are allowed to modify fragments. Users cannot modify content of fragments. Medium: CFA's and users are allowed to modify content, but users may only make modifications within the scope of the fragment. Low: CFA's and users are allowed to make unlimited changes within the scope of the restrictions placed on individual elements of content.

instructional media + magic Permissions Assignment What priorities might look like for Sally Smith Aggregated Layout Manager Chancellors Office Department Faculty Priority :: Depth :: Advanced Restrictions Teachers Assistant All Users

instructional media + magic Priority Range Assignment Total priority range assignable by Über Administrator Priority range allowed to be assigned to content fragments created by Teachers Assistants

instructional media + magic Permissions Assignment If Sally selected the Department Group Aggregated Layout Manager Department Priority :: Depth :: Advanced Restrictions Priority: Groups:Administer -Sally Smith, Department

instructional media + magic Fragment Construction Jan Tanner now has her Content Fragment Administrator privileges and she wants to start constructing fragments. Fragment Manager New :: Edit :: Delete Select a Fragment Type: TabColumnChannel Cluster

instructional media + magic Fragment Construction After selecting a fragment type, she adds content and sets restrictions Fragment Manager New :: Edit :: Delete Include this fragment in the follow groups layouts: Selected Groups: - BIO211:Jtanner - Jtanner Select Group Allow the follow groups to subscribe to this fragment: Selected Groups: - BIO211 - Biology Department Select Group

instructional media + magic Fragment Construction Priority range determines the mobility of the content, and initial value is used to determine the position of content in the layout Fragment Manager New :: Edit :: Delete Set the priority range and initial value assigned to this tab:

instructional media + magic Some more terms… Unremovable A restriction placed on an element of content (such as a channel or column or tab) such that the content cannot be deleted from the layout. This restriction does not limit movement of content. Immutable A restriction placed on an element of content (such as a channel or column or tab) such that the content cannot be moved within the layout. Hidden A restriction placed on an element of content (such as a channel or column or tab) such that the content is not visible within the layout.

instructional media + magic Fragment Construction BIO 224 Syllabus unremovable immutable unremovable Enrolled Students unremovable Calendar unremovable

instructional media + magic Fragment Construction The restrictions below describe rules for content mobility Fragment Manager New :: Edit :: Delete Content and restrictions: Allow channels and columns to be relocated within the fragment Allow users to move personal channels and columns into this fragment Allow users to move fragment columns and channels out of the fragment and into their personal tabs

instructional media + magic Fragment Subscription If a user is a member of a group allowed to subscribe to a fragment, then that fragment will appear during user preferences - subscription User Preferences - New Content Channels: Dictionary.com Image of the day Salon.com Space.com Grouped Content: Bio224 Description: Bio224 is a Tab with two columns. The first column contains two channels: Syllabus and enrolled students. The second column contains: Calendar. This content was grouped by Professor Jan Tanner for use by students of her Biology 224 Course. AddCancel

instructional media + magic Technical Approach Define a system of elementary restrictions on the layout nodes Implement basic node operations (Move,Add,Delete) Implement layout assembly operations

instructional media + magic Restrictions Restriction types Node properties Depth Priority Group membership Immutable, unremovable, hidden Node relations Child Parent Examples Priority in range (a,b) Parent belongs to group A Child immutable equals true

instructional media + magic Node Operations Add node Check restrictions on parent node Immutable Child related restrictions Check restrictions on the new node Depth Parent related restrictions Priority (for sibling ordering) Check depth restrictions on the descendants of the node being added (if there are any) Add the new node

instructional media + magic Node Operations Move node Check restrictions on old parent node Immutable Check restrictions on new parent node Immutable Child related restrictions Check restrictions on the node being moved Depth Parent related restrictions Priority (for sibling ordering) Check depth restrictions on the descendants of the node being moved (if there are any) Move the node

instructional media + magic Node Operations Delete node Check restrictions on parent node Immutable Check restrictions on the node being deleted Unremovable Delete the node

instructional media + magic Layout Assembly Determine which fragments should be pushed to the user Perform node operations (add,move) for layout assembly Use Add operation to insert all fragments into the layout Use Move operation to restore local modifications of the fragments Resolve conflicts arising from restriction checks Example CFA reduced allowed priority range of the library tab and users tabs can no longer be moved in front of it

instructional media + magic Issues, Dilemmas, Ambiguities What happens when a user moves content into a fragment that is subsequently deleted? What happens when a user rearranges content on a fragment in their personal layout, then the fragment owner subsequently adds, deletes, or rearranges content? What happens when a user moves content out of a fragment into their personal content area, then that fragment is subsequently deleted?

The End Michael Ivanov m v i m m a g i c. c o m

Possibilities for Enhancement

instructional media + magic Process Illustration… Assume: The portal has been implemented at the top level by the University of Santa Maria Sally Smith is the Über Administrator Sally assigns restrictions/rights to the Chancellors office to become Content Fragment Administrators Sally assigns restrictions/rights to each of the departments of the university to become Content Fragment Administrators **The Chemistry and Biology Departments assign restrictions/rights to each of their faculty members to be Content Fragment Administrators (faculty inherit the restrictions originally applied to the department) Bob is the end user

instructional media + magic Permissions Assignment What priorities might look like for Sally Smith Aggregated Layout Manager Chancellors Office Jon Deats Chemistry Department Jill Jones Biology Department Jan Tanner Sam Kandu Priority :: Depth :: Advanced Restrictions

instructional media + magic Priority Range Assignment Aggregated Layout Manager Chancellors Office JonDeats Chemistry Department Jill Jones Biology Department Jan Tanner SamKandu Priority:: Depth :: Special Restrictions Total priority range assignable by Uber Administrator Priority range allowed to be assigned to content fragments created by the Biology Department Initial or default priority assignment applied to all content fragments created by Sam Kantank. Sam will be allowed to reset this value.

instructional media + magic Permissions Assignment If Sally selected the Chancellors Office Aggregated Layout Manager Chancellors Office Priority :: Depth :: Advanced Restrictions Priority: Depth: Note: at this depth, allowed to create – Tabs, Columns, & Channel Clusters Advanced:Parent restricted to - Top Level Groups:Administer -Sally Smith, Tom Hassleman

instructional media + magic Permissions Assignment If the Biology Department selected ALM channel Aggregated Layout Manager Jon Deats Biology Department Jan Tanner Sam Kandu Priority :: Depth :: Advanced Restrictions The Biology Department would not be able to reassign their own priority range, but they could reassign their default priority, and the priority ranges for each of the faculty member groups that they gave Content Fragment Administrator privileges.