pcplantdb

[Stephanie Gerson <sgerson@stanfordalumni.org>]

Havn’t checked the listserv for a couple of days and…seriously holy 
guacamole!

rock on, yalls.

As usual, I’m gonna try to round everything up.  And actually, sending 
out these re-synthesis emails (I’ll start numbering them now, instead of 
gettin’ even punchier) will be my simple method for tracking/managing 
this project.  Like Chad said, we are few people, and probably don’t need 
something as sophisticated as SCRUM or Extreme Programming.  So if folks 
are ok with this, I will simply excavate through all recent posts (which 
is getting more and more tedious…but that’s a good thing!), summarize 
what’s been raised, and report back to the group.  

Also, someone requested that I not send important documents as 
attachments, but instead as plain text files posted
directly to the list.  Managing the project through synthesis posts would 
allow me to simply send text messages as requested, instead of sending 
attachments in some other project management format. 

I would post these syntheses every 3-4 days (depending on traffic), and 
also remind folks about deadlines, ask people how they’re coming along, 
etc.  Does this sound like an ok way to manage the project to everyone?  
And if the project gets increasingly complicated, then we can discuss 
using a more sophisticated project management tool (or, at least, I could 
learn to use one myself – to help me keep everything straight).  

Yes?

Onwards.

-LICENSE – Thank you Rich and all for the comprehensive discussion.  I 
agree with the consensus (yeehaw, one decision made!).  Umm...so...now 
what?  Do we need to submit a proposal for the license or something, 
Rich?  If so, let me know, and I’ll take care of it.

-NAMES – blah.  Still being bratty, and still pretty bored with the names 
suggested so far.  Chad asked, “Why choose a name that when in a year 
from now we will (generous foundations willing) be adding animals, 
articles, and garden logs or whatever?”  Completely agree.  And this is 
why I would like to focus on *relationships*, versus the components of 
the relationships - the strands, versus the nodes. Ya dig? (Ahhh 
Stephanie’s back at relationships again…something else that’s 
characteristic of Libras, n’est ce pas Lawrence?)  Anyways.  I’m thinking

of words:

in between 
strands
relationships (bien sur)
connection
link
web

hmmm… I will think seriously about it, and add suggestions to the wiki.

-SPEAKING OF RELATIONSHIPS – sounds like we are already making fruitful 
ones: “There was a definate yes to allowing the PFAF database to be 
included in the pcpdb under the CC-BY-NC-SA lisence. There was also a yes 
to releasing the 1000 odd photos under same lisence.”  Yay!  

And someone asked about an extra data field in a plant record, for the 
contributor?  Hey, then we could make a web of relationships between 
contributors!  (just kidding...kind of)

-DECISION-MAKING – speaking of the wiki, is everyone using it?  Have 
people posted their name suggestions to the wiki, or simply posted them 
to the listserv?  Because I think we ought to be committed to one format 
when it comes to decision-making - and if we simply post suggestions to 
the listserv and not to the wiki, then the wiki will not be useful.  Can 
everyone who has made name suggestions please post them to the wiki?  And 
I have added to the project plan that we should all post suggestions this 
week, and vote on them by Sunday.  Meaning: we will have a domain name on 
Sunday!

-WORKSPACES – now we're discussing a workspace/wiki with Ibiblio?  
Lawrence wrote, “Shall I go forward with creation of webspace on ibiblio 
for the pcplantdb website, i.e. http://www,ibiblio.org/pcplantdb? I could 
set up a pcplantdb wiki here if you all prefer that to the wikispace Rich 
has created in the  pcwiki. If I can get PMWiki installed we will have 
passworded logins and secure file uploads.”  Whoa.  I’m confused.  How 
many workspaces are we going to have?:

1. more public pcplantdb listserv
2. more private (decision-making) pcplantdb listserv
3. a wiki
4. webspace on ibiblio

Can we be clear about how these workspaces differ, and what they are all 
for?  Just so we know when to use what (i.e. should we use listserv or 
wiki for decision making?).

Regarding creating two lists – one that is more public and another that 
is more private – wonderful idea.  I would say do what is easiest – keep 
this list as the more public one (so all the current subscribers don’t 
have to do anything) and then create an alternate private one.  Lawrence, 
it sounds like you know what yer doing!  

Also related to shared workspace, Chad responded that the task of 
creating this workspace was done.  What are you referring to – the wiki?  
Once again, how many workspaces do we need and for what?

-PROJECT PLAN – Rich and Chad have expressed they might need more time to 
complete tasks.  No worries, the project plan was just an initial 
estimate.  But can people please be specific about how much more time 
they need so that I can edit project plan accordingly?  For example, Chad 
– did you want me to shift all of your tasks after August first forward 1 
week?

Also Chad, you asked to switch your Week 4 and Week 5 tasks.  All of 
them?  Can you please be more specific?

Finally, I updated the project plan as best I could given your comments, 
and have cut and pasted it below instead of attaching it as a Word doc 
(but if you would also like me to send it as a Word doc, just let me 
know).  Does it look allright?  Please keep sending me changes that need 
to be made.

-USER-INTERFACE/VISION – Chad wrote that agreement/design of server-
client interface needs to happen way earlier than what is on the project 
plan.  Does server-client interface refer to UI design?  Because this is 
a large component of my vision, and yes, I would like to start discussing 
this now.  I posted a separate message regarding my vision for this, and 
would appreciate feedback.

-MISCELLANEOUS -
+I posted a HEY YOU message.  I hope people know it’s for THEM.

+John S., it’s fine with me if you are the issue tracker.  You wrote, 
“Let's get the issue tracker up ASAP and all this sort of stuff can go in 
as feature requests and so on.”  As the issue tracker, would you be 
setting up the issue tracker?  Or what do you need to do so?

+And then who will be the administrator?   

+Also John, you wrote “I'm guessing by "user testing" you mean either 
"users testing functionality" (a.k.a. functional testing) or "usability 
testing," which means "real users" feeding back to us on how *usable* it 
is for *them* - which is *not* the same as whether it works at all or not 
or how usable *we* think it is! Which do you mean in this case?”  I 
understand the difference, and that we need to practice both kinds of 
testing.  I assume you will be responsible for both, so when (what week) 
should I insert them in the project plan?

+Chad wrote, “BTW: What's up with Robin Williamson?  Haven't heard from 
him in a bit.”  Actually, Robin’s a she, and I’m assuming that she’s
no 
longer participating (at least at this point).

-FINAL ANNOUNCEMENTS – Please suggest names on the wiki (if that is, in 
fact, our decision-making space), respond to my vision, and keep checking 
the project plan – and sending me changes if need be.

peace out 
*Stephanie

++++++++++
Project Calendar

Notes:
∑ Tasks are listed by week (the week during which they should be 
completed)
∑ Tasks are “due” on the Sunday at the end of the week (i.e. tasks for 
week of July 25-31 are due Sunday, August 1st) – this is not fixed, I 
understand that there is contingency involved
∑ Every Sunday, everyone involved in the project should send an update to 
the group, describing task status and sending any completed work to share
∑ Every Monday, everyone should respond (if necessary) to whatever team 
members sent out on Sunday (the day before)
∑ This calendar is simply a tool to assist with our project process, and 
it is flexible!
∑ Please notify me if you need to shift deadlines around
∑ If team member is not specified in task, then the task is the 
responsibility of all team members (i.e. respond to project plan is a 
task for everyone)
∑ I will send reminder emails each week (or, more frequently if 
necessary) reminding everyone of their tasks

Until July 24
∑ Stephanie – create initial project plan
∑ All participants respond to project plan, making comments/edits/
suggestions

Week 1: July 25-31
∑ Agree on common vision (clarify importance of user-interface) – I will 
initiate a dialogue about this and all should respond
∑ Learn about SCRUM (http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/darrell.norton/
articles/3910.aspx) and respond if you are interested in using it
∑ Post name suggestions to wiki, and vote by Sunday!
∑ Stephanie 
o look into project management software and learn one if need be
o initiate dialogue about common vision regarding user-interface
o post decisions that need to be made on wiki

Week 2: August 1-7
∑ Whoever is in charge of shared web workspace (as determined Week 1) 
creates it 
∑ Chad 
o a working database (with no real data) with php connection and simple 
front end (basically just checking that the different bits can work 
together)
o issue tracker working, cvs working, zope working
∑ Stephanie 
o write first draft of email describing project to PC lists, sends to 
team for feedback
o write up description user interface/experience, send to list
o re-create project plan with new project management software, if need be
∑ Lawrence 
o write a clear description of relationship between PCKnowledgebase and 
HG (if separate entities)
∑ John 
o set up issue tracking system and whatever data/parameters/
customizations are necessary to start using it on our project
∑ Paula
o Send info about her work to the list

Week 3: August 8-14
∑ Respond to Stephanie’s draft of PC email
∑ Respond to Stephanie’s description of user interface/experience
∑ Respond to Stephanie’s vision for user interface
∑ Chad and Rich
o Sample plant info added to database, simple query (maybe just query by 
Latin name) and simple plant report
o Facility to append info to plant, and add a new plant
o Go back to rethink/evaluate former 2 steps, come up with some sort of 
DB-schema
o communicate with Paula about how to get database information in usable 
form
∑ Stephanie
o Edit email to PC lists and send
o Edit user interface/experience incorporating feedback from team, send 
back out
∑ John 
o prepares and posts FAQs and other documentation on use of issue tracker 
and general software test/QA procedures and guidelines

Week 4: August 15-21
∑ Finalizing design of server-client interface
∑ Chad and Rich
o import PFAF dataset
o Import Paula’s dataset 
o work on queries/frontend
∑ Stephanie
o Compiling and keeping track of feedback from PC lists
o Incorporating feedback into design of server-client interface

Week 5: August 22-28
∑ Chad and Rich
o Testing, re-iterating
o  Fixing bugs of server-client interface
∑ Stephanie
o synthesizes feedback from PC lists, sends to group
o if necessary, drafts another email for PC lists, asking more specific 
questions
∑ John
o Manage test/QA process and issue tracker 
o Test HG releases and coordinate efforts of community/volunteer testers
o agreement/design of server-client interface

Week 6: August 29-September 4
∑ Chad, Rich, and John
o Testing, re-iterating

Week 7: September 5-11
∑ John
o Compiles results from user testing, sends to group
∑ Chad and Rich
o Incorporate results from user testing, re-iteration

Week 8: September 12-18

Week 9: September 19-25

Week 10: September 26-October 2

Week 11: October 3-9
∑ Stephanie
o Write proposal to Whole Systems Foundation (include functioning 
component)

Week 12: October 10-16
∑ Whole Systems Foundation grant proposal due October 15



+++++++++++++++
Stephanie Gerson
sgerson@stanfordalumni.org
(c) 415.871.5683


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