Spring minions DHIS2 Discussion forum web app

Overview

In vanilla DHIS2 there is a (fairly bare bones) "interpretations" system. In essence, this system allows users to annotate analytical objects such as charts, maps and tables with their interpretation (or other relevant information) of the data. UX-wise, interpretations are browsed through a Facebook-style news feed. Except the ability to comment an interpretation shared by another user, some obvious major features are missing:

• There is no way for a user to actively keep track of an interpretation they find interesting. Over time it will be swallowed by the newsfeed and there is no URL to a specific interpretation supplied to the user.
• There is no functionality to search interpretations for issues/items of particular interest.

In short, the existing interpretations feature set is only usable for posting (fairly) disposable data, and is not fit for encouraging proper discussion and interaction between users.

The task of this group project is to attempt to mend some of these issues through creating a separate web-app for exploring and discussing interpretations utilising the DHIS2 web-api.

Key project aspects and technologies

• HIbernate search
• Gameification / content rating
• AngularJS

Group members

• Thomas Iversen
• Trine Frimannslund
• Halvdan Hoem Grelland
• Johannes Akse

Major aspects

The existing DHIS2 web-api is lacking a lot of the basic features needed to achieve our goals, therefore we have elected to focus a large amount of resources on implementing new features and extending current ones where need be.

New API features

• Search feature
• Content rating/voting system

Back end

The needed amendments and additions to the web API is as follows:

• A (reasonably powerful) search feature for interpretations and associated comments - STATUS: IN PROGRESS
• The ability to title posts/interpretations - STATUS: DONE
• Exposing user/owner/creator information along with the content - STATUS: DONE
• The ability to rate content given by others. - STATUS: IN PROGRESS/CONSIDERATION

Front end

In short, we wish to achieve a "forum style" view of the interpretations. We believe this is a cleaner and more user friendly presentation format. Do note, though, that this will not attempt to replicate the functionality and architecture of traditional web forums such as phpbb et. al. The underlying data simply don't support this type of structure as there are no categories, no titles etc.

Front page view with subject, last updated date, last author

• baseurl
• Order by date
• Angular templates

• Fetch more posts when scrolldown
• display type icon

*Fetch name. In Progress: Halvdan, Thomas og Johannes

• Style(css)

Comment hierarchy

• display comment within comment
• show comments
• Style(css)

Division of tasks

Thomas and Halvdan is doing the Back end (Hibernate search/Lucene) Trine and Johannes is doing the Front end(Forum view)

Time scedule/Mile stones

• 01. nov: Finish wiki-page and make link to repository
• 15. nov: First prototype of features <- Front end not on schedule due to work load in other courses.
• 30. nov: Finished prototype
• 08. dec: Deliver prototype

Resources

• Repository: https://code.launchpad.net/~spring-minions/dhis2-academy/springminions-forum