DSpace User Interface Prototype Challenge
Help us discover the technology/platform for our new user interface
(UI) for DSpace! Create a prototype UI on a platform of your choice
(in any programming language), with basic DSpace-like capabilities as
described below. The goal of a UI prototype is to exercise a new UI
technology/platform to see whether it would meet the needs of our
DSpace community.
* *Why?* In time for DSpace 7.0 (late 2016), the plan is to develop
a new (single) UI for DSpace that will replace our aging JSPUI
and XMLUI interfaces. (See RoadMap
<https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSPACE/RoadMap>)
* *How?* The goal of the "UI Prototype Challenge" is to give
everyone a chance to show off what you feel may make a great
replacement UI framework. Have a cool idea for what would make a
better DSpace UI? This is your chance to show it off in 80 hours
or less! Register your idea on our sign-up page
<https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSPACE/DSpace+UI+Prototype+Challenge#DSpaceUIPrototypeChallenge-PrototypeSign-Up>
to find other collaborators.
* *What?* Prototypes are not meant to be full applications, but
more of a proof-of-concept (something that proves a new DSpace UI
could be built in your technology or platform of choice).
Prototypes need not be Java (any/all languages welcome).
Additional guidelines/scope is provided below and at
https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSPACE/DSpace+UI+Prototype+Challenge
* *When?* Prototypes / proof-of-concepts are due by *Friday, Dec
4*. At that time, all will undergo a public review period. We
will work with Committers, DCAT, Steering and Leadership Groups
to select a "best of class" platform to build the new DSpace UI.
Even incomplete proof-of-concepts are useful to submit, as we are
judging the suitability of the *platform* and not the flashiness
of the prototype itself.
* *What do I win?* While there are no official prizes (at this
time), this challenge gives you an excellent opportunity to
increase your reputation in our DSpace Community. It also
provides you and your institution with an opportunity to directly
influence the path of the DSpace UI going forward.
* Other questions? Ask them on this mailing list, and we'll be glad
to clarify any of the goals/guidelines of this challenge.
Good luck! The full guidelines / requirements are included below, and
are also available at:
https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSPACE/DSpace+UI+Prototype+Challenge
Guidelines
*
Prototypes are due by Friday, Dec 4. Please sign up to register
your prototype
<https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSPACE/DSpace+UI+Prototype+Challenge#DSpaceUIPrototypeChallenge-PrototypeSign-Up>(and
possibly find collaborators).
*
Do not spend more than 80 hours total per prototype!
*
Use the REST API or DSpace Java API (v5 or pre-6) when accessing
DSpace content. Direct database or bitstream file system access
is not allowed.
*
UseBootstrap <http://getbootstrap.com/>or emulate the
existingXMLUI Mirage2 theme <http://demo.dspace.org/xmlui/>.
Prototype UI design will not be a major factor in the decision,
so keep it simple. Focus on functionality over fancy UI look and
feel.
*
Make sure the prototype is “developer friendly”: keep the code
readable and understandable at this early point. Keep the code
DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself), but don’t overdo it.
*
Make all code publicly available on Github, along with
installation instructions. A publicly accessible demo is also
nice but not required.
*
Documentation may be provided as a GitHub README, or via a
publicly accessible Wiki page (feel free to use the DSpace Wiki).
*
Features that can’t be implemented in 80 hours or features not
mentioned below may be mocked up or wireframed. But again, please
don’t spend more than 80 hours.
*
NOTE: We will be evaluating the fit of the prototype’s
platformand not the flashiness or even completeness of the
prototype itself. For example, an incomplete prototype revealing
a lot of potential for the platform may be preferable to a
complete prototype that reveals platform-level limitations.
Prototype Scope
The following features should be implemented or mocked up in all
prototypes. These basic features are meant to exercise some very
basic DSpace UI needs within the selected UI platform/technologies.
1.
User Interface Layout: The prototype UI should also fulfill these
general layout requirements:
1.
The prototype should have a header and a footer.
2.
The prototype should have something to help an end user keep
track of their location in the system (e.g., a breadcrumb trail).
3.
The prototype should have a menu or sidebar that contains
context-sensitive options.
4.
The prototype should allow users to go to the main locations
in the system using a url: the browser history, back, and
previous buttons, should all work.
5.
The prototype should display and function well on screens of
all sizes (responsive / mobile friendly, not native mobile).
2.
Simple Item View:The prototype should have an equivalent of a
simple item view, which displays key metadata about the item,
along with links to downloadable files.
3.
Community / Collection View:The prototype should have an
equivalent to a Community/Collection view page, which displays
key metadata about a community or collection
4.
Browse Navigation:The prototype should allow basic browse
navigation of communities and collections and items.
5.
Authentication:Users should be able to authenticate themselves
via simple password authentication.
6.
Authorization:A very basic example of authorization operations
should be supported. For example, only allow editing of items to
authenticated users in the Administrator group.
7.
Edit/Create Item: The prototype should offer a basic capability
to edit or create items via a simple web form. (Please no
submission workflows as that is out of scope!) A single page form
can serve both edit and create purposes. Not all metadata fields
need be included, we are just looking for a simple example of a
web form, including the ability to upload a file.
Customization Capabilities
A new DSpace UI should allow for the following common UI
customization options. Based on your prototype, please either show an
example of how these may be achieved in this UI platform or describe
them via documentation.
1.
Show or describe how an administrator would be able to easily
adjust the site wide theme layout based on local design/needs.
Specifically, show or describe how the following changes might be
achieved:
1.
How would someone change the colors, fonts, sizes of the
site? (e.g. css changes)
2.
How would someone modify the sitewide header/footer? (e.g. to
change logo, title, etc)
3.
How would someone adjust the navigation bar to appear on left
or right?
4.
How would someone change the location of the breadcrumb trail
(e.g. from header to footer)?
5.
How would someone display additional metadata fields on the
Item view page? For example, displaying “dc.publisher” on the
default Item view site wide?
6.
How would someone add new links or an entire section to the
navigation menu (e.g. links to other university pages)?
Modularization Capabilities
A new DSpace UI should allow for / support common modularization
needs. Based on your prototype, please describe (via documentation)
how you feel this UI platform may (or may not) be able to achieve the
modularization examples below:
1.
How could this UI platform support optional modules/features?
1.
For example, Embargo is an existing optional feature within
DSpace. While it is disabled by default, many sites choose to
enable it.
2.
Enabling Embargo functionality requires additional metadata
fields to be captured in the deposit form (e.g. embargo date,
embargo reason).
3.
Does this UI framework support the idea of easily enabling
(or disabling) features that require UI-level changes? In
other words, in this framework, do you feel enabling Embargo
functionality could be automated via a configuration (e.g.
embargo.enabled=true)? Or would it require manual editing of
the deposit form to add additional metadata fields?
2.
How could this UI platform support new extensions/add-ons?
1.
Assume that someone has created a new Streaming feature for
DSpace which provides a streaming capability for Video/Audio
content. How might this UI platform support
overriding/overlaying the default Item View to make that
streaming feature available?
Prototype Documentation
Each prototype MUST come with the following documentation. Some of
this documentation includes brainstorms on how you feel this
prototype or UI platform might be extended to support more advanced
UI features. Please base your answers on what you know (or have
learned) about this UI platform during the prototyping process.
1.
Describe the design of the prototype(e.g. technologies/platforms
used, including version of DSpace, etc.)?
2.
How do you install the prototype on a new system? (Note: we will
be testing the installation of prototypes in order to evaluate
the installation of the platform itself)
3.
How would you envision i18n (internationalization)support could
be added to this UI prototype/platform in the future?
4.
How would you envision theming capabilitiescould be added to this
UI prototype/platform in the future? In other words, how might
local or third-party themes be installed or managed? Think of a
theme as a collection of styles, fonts, logo, and page overrides.
5.
How would you envision supporting common DSpace authentication
mechanisms (e.g. LDAP, Shibboleth) in this UI prototype/platform
in the future?
Out of Scope
The following DSpace features should be considered out-of-scope, and
need NOT be implemented in prototypes. No bonus will be given for
implementing any of these features:
*
Search capabilities (especially via Solr)
*
Submission or Approval Workflows.
*
Administrative UI
* Any other DSpace features not specifically mentioned in the
“Scope” section above.
