Creating new items workflow

Status First draft. Needs to be reviewed by Design team. MimiYin 12 May 2004

Motivation
Allow users to create new items and then tweak them (via the mark-up bar) so that they end up with exactly what they want. Users don't need to know a priori what kind (Email, Calendar event, Task, Note) of item they want. They can start out with a blank item or a templated item (ECTN) and then activate and deactivate tools in the mark-up bar to refine the detail view. We're giving users 28 different ways to get to what they want, presented in a way that won't be overwhelming. We're trying to give users more direct control of their items rather than forcing them to operate through a layer of "application imposed" indirection where the application defines kinds of items and users have to choose a kind and hope that they chose the right one.

• current_silos.gif:
  

• many_ways.gif:
  

Workflow

• Starting from scratch
• User clicks New item to create blank item
• User activates and de-activates buttons in mark-up bar to fine tune what kind of item they want

• Starting from a template
• User clicks and holds New item to select from a pull-down menu of templates (ETC or N-same as starting from scratch)
• New templated items comes with "pre-activated" buttons in the mark-up bar (ie. Tasks come with a pre-activated Task icon)
• User activates and de-activates buttons in mark-up bar to fine tune what kind of item they want

• workflow.gif:
  

See also:

• EndUserStampingModelSpec
• JottingNewItemsWorkflow
• ToolbarSpec

Wireframe Storyboard

• Create_new_item.gif:
  

• Send_as_message.gif:
  

• Put_on_calendar.gif:
  

-- MimiYin - 13 May 2004