Killer Workflow Apps! Get Rich Quick With an Intranet!

Killer Workflow Apps! Get Rich Quick With an

Intranet!Nathan Van Gheem -- Wildcard Corp.

T. Kim Nguyen -- U of Wisconsin Oshkosh, PloneEdu.org

What We'll Cover

● How is an Intranet different?● Features to drive repeat visits● What is a workflow application?● Example workflow apps● Workflow app design tools & demo

How is an Intranet Different?

● Used for communication, collaboration● Content rich vs. glitz● Dynamic interaction to drive repeat visits● User customization ("portal")

Features to Drive Repeat Visits

● Content is king○ highlight new; ratings; suggestions

● Intuitive navigation● Interactive, dynamic content● Forms ● Workflow apps

Content

Organized hierarchically, by org unit, eg.:● HR● Administrative Services (business office)● Facilities Management (work orders)● Library● Information Technology (support, policies,

requests, projects) Work with small "curator" groups; training; meetings

Navigation

● Make it the default home page for browsers● Quick links to commonly accessed info● Prominent search box ● Have a dual navigation structure:

● by hierarchy/org units● by role or job function ("lenses")

Dual Navigation

HR

Accounts

Library

Staff Students

Navigation by Role/Job Function

● Faculty○ Department chairs○ Tenure-track○ Adjunct Instructors

● Staff○ Administrative assistants○ Classified staff

● Students○ Junior, senior, etc.○ Student employees○ Students living in residence

Interactive, Dynamic Content

● discussion forum (integrated with email lists)● uwosh.meeting● jarn.xmpp.* collaborative editing and real

time chat● "to do" checklists, issue/request trackers● email notification on changes● enable commenting● project / group work spaces● social (follow someone / group / keyword)

User Customization

● flexibility for gaps in fixed navigation● pinning content● dashboard, group dashboards

○ need AJAX and more functionality from anz.dashboard, collective.idashboard, ftw.dashboard.* to get into Plone roadmap

Forms

At UW Oshkosh, online PloneFormGen forms address these issues:● forms are always current ● there is one consistent way to fill them out● can prefill names, email addresses, LDAP

directory data if login required

Workflow Applications

"Online forms plus backend multi-state business processes":● Save staff time, paper; accelerate business● Business process illumination

private pending publishedsubmit publish

Some Workflow Applications

● Office of International Education study abroad: saved half a staff person's time

● College of Business internship program● Add/drop card● Personnel transaction form● Travel expense form

Workflow App Design Tools

● plone.app.workflowmanager● uwosh.northstar● PloneFormGen● uwosh.pfg.d2c● dexterity● collective.pfg.dexterity

The Plone Workflow Manager

Walkthrough

● create workflow● create form● add save data to content adapter● apply workflow locally● create type● apply workflow through workflow manager

Create workflow

Create form

Apply local workflow policy

Create type

Assign workflow to type

● Placeful content types with uwosh.pfg.d2c● allow any user to create pseudo content type● Dexterity is full-fledged available anywhere

content types● fill dexterity content with ploneformgen

submission● generate product from TTW design

Other related cases to think about...

● more UI help for creating & adding a workflow policy "here" without having to bounce around Site Setup or ZMI

● adding metadata & indexes to portal_catalog● workflow queue management: alerts, manual

overrides, manager station

Future Directions

Killer Workflow Apps! Get Rich Quick With an

Intranet!vangheem@gmail.com

http://nathanvangheem.com

nguyen@uwosh.eduhttp://uwosh.edu/plone

http://ploneedu.org