[thelist] information architecture question (non technical)

[Phil Turmel]

Matt Warden wrote:
> thelist,
> 
> This question does not require any specific technical knowledge to answer.
> 
> Suppose you are trying to present summary level data about tasks.
> Here's a quick rundown of the characteristics of the tasks:
> 
> 1) Each task is assigned to a single worker (and only workers -- not
> supervisors, etc.)
> 2) Each task has a task type
> 3) Each task has a number of days until it must be completed (I am
> calling this "criticality")
> 
> The idea is to display a summary of tasks assigned to a worker, broken
> down by task type and criticality level (levels are "past due", "0-10
> days", "11-20 days", "20-30 days", "> 30 days").
> 
> This is relatively easy.
> 
> The problem is that there also needs to be a display of the same
> summary for portions of the organization. So, for example, a manager
> manages two units of three workers, each led by a supervisor. So:
> 
> manager
>  |____Unit 1 Supervisor
>             |_____ Worker 1
>             |_____ Worker 2
>             |_____ Worker 3
>  |____Unit 2 Supervisor
>             |_____ Worker 4
>             |_____ Worker 5
>             |_____ Worker 6
>  |____Unit 3 Supervisor
>             |_____ Worker 7
>             |_____ Worker 8
>             |_____ Worker 9
> 
> The summary for the manger should be the sum of all the summaries of
> the units below. The summary of each unit should be sum of the summary
> data for the workers in that unit. The number of levels could be
> anywhere from 1 to 6 or 7. All of the data does not need to be shown
> at the same time, but it is important to convey the data in a way that
> makes sense (i.e., it needs to be clear how Unit 3 Supervisor gets her
> total).
> 
> I currently do have a solution, but I hate it....

Matt,

It seems to me that you should format the summary for each supervisor 
the same way you format for a single worker, with counts for each type. 
Then include links up one level, and links to subordinates, as needed.

I'm picturing something like this:


   Heading for mgr/supervisor name & dept/unit name
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | Past Due |  Current |  10 - 19 |  20 - 29 |   30+    |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          |          | ##  type | ##  type |          |
   |          |          | ##  type |          |          |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+

   Link up one level

   Link to subordinate #1
   Link to subordinate #2
   Link to subordinate #3
   Link to subordinate #4

A worker display would be identical, but without subordinate links.  And 
it might list individual keywords for tasks instead of counts of tasks.

For a printable report, I would expand slightly, to something like this:

   Heading for mgr/supervisor name & dept/unit name
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | Subtotal for Subordinate #1                          |
   | Past Due |  Current |  10 - 19 |  20 - 29 |   30+    |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          |          | ##  type | ##  type |          |
   |          |          | ##  type |          |          |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | Subtotal for Subordinate #2                          |
   | Past Due |  Current |  10 - 19 |  20 - 29 |   30+    |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          |          | ##  type | ##  type |          |
   |          |          | ##  type |          |          |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | Subtotal for Subordinate #3                          |
   | Past Due |  Current |  10 - 19 |  20 - 29 |   30+    |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          |          | ##  type | ##  type |          |
   |          |          | ##  type |          |          |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | Subtotal for Subordinate #4                          |
   | Past Due |  Current |  10 - 19 |  20 - 29 |   30+    |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          |          | ##  type | ##  type |          |
   |          |          | ##  type |          |          |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+

   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | Total for dept/unit name                             |
   | Past Due |  Current |  10 - 19 |  20 - 29 |   30+    |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+
   | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type | ##  type |
   |          |          | ##  type | ##  type |          |
   |          |          | ##  type |          |          |
   +==========+==========+==========+==========+==========+

As for generating these values, the big DBs have big advantages:  MSSQL 
can do recursion with Common Table Expressions [1], and Oracle can 
return hierarchies with the CONNECT BY clause[2].  There's a patch for 
PostgeSQL to support the Oracle syntax[3].  Most everyone else is stuck 
with multiple UNIONS of multiple INNER JOINs, or games with hashcode 
columns and adjacency sets.  Bleah!

[1] http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175972.aspx

[2] 
http://download-east.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14200/queries003.htm#i2053935

[3] http://gppl.moonbone.ru/

HTH,

Phil