a dsl for corporate wiki initialization (caise'11)

A DSL for Corporate Wiki Initialization

ONEKIN Research GroupUniversity of the Basque Country (Spain)

Jun 22th, 2011

CAISE 2011, London, United Kingdom

Oscar Díaz and Gorka Puente

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Outline

Introduction

WSL Analysis

WSL Design

WSL Realization

Verification of WSL Maps

Enactment of WSL Maps

Conclusions

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Introduction

Wiki

Domain Specific Language (DSL)

Wiki Scaffolding Language (WSL)

Introduction

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The success of the wiki

Introduction

www.communitywiki.org

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Corporate wikis

Introduction

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Wiki scaffolding

Introduction

Structural concerns

Communication means

Permissionneeds

A wiki installation where some categories, templates, permissions, etc are initialized at the outset to mimic the corporate background

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Wiki scaffolding requires …

…organizational knowledge• Organigrams• Internal documents• Terminology

…technical knowledge• Installing wiki engine• Installing extensions• Access control mechanisms• …

7Introduction

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Problem statement

To make wiki scaffolding accessible to

non-technical people (who)

that collaboratively agree (how)

on a blueprint for the wiki (what)

Introduction

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Which hat to wear?

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Domain expert hat

Introduction

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What is the rabbit in the hat?

Doman-Specific Languages

• “A programming language that offers expressive power focused on a particular problem domain” [1]

10Introduction

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Why DSLs?

Enhance quality, productivity, maintainability and portability

Allow domain experts understand, validate and develop program themselves

11Introduction

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Wiki Scaffolding Language (WSL)… pronounced “whistle”Aim: wiki scaffolding

Target audience: non programmers

Implementation Platform: FreeMind

12Introduction

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WSL ANALYSIS

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WSL Analysis

Capture the company’s work practice and setting as long as they impact the wiki operation

WSL Analysis

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Documentation setting

Company terminology

Wiki Terms

Glossary Category

Content Article

Documentation guideline

Template

Event Event

WSL Analysis

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Communication setting

Internal External

Discussion pages RSS feeds

Templates Email

WSL Analysis

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Organigram setting

Existing hierarchy based on roles that the employees adopt in projects

WSL Analysis

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Restriction setting

Two permissions: read and edit at page level

WSL Analysis

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Presentation setting

WSL Wiki Terms

WikiSize and wikiEditFreq

Wiki Skin

Logo Logo

Sidebar Index Panes

WSL Analysis

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WSL DESIGN

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WSL Design

Abstract syntax

Concrete syntax

WSL Design

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WSL Abstract Syntax (metamodel) Abstract syntax describes the concepts, the relationships

among them, and constraints to respect the domain rules.

22WSL Design

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WSL concrete syntax

Mapping between the metamodel concepts and their textual or visual representation

WSL visual representation is Freemind mind map models• Easy to engage end users• Capitalize on FreeMind interface

23WSL Design

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FreeMind

FreeMind: popular, simple, open source and scalable

24WSL Design

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FreeMind

25WSL Design

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Example: a wiki for software documentation Rationales:

the scattering of stakeholders,

the need for collaboration and tracking,

iterative manners

WSL Design

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FreeMind example

27WSL Realization

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WSL REALIZATION

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Concrete Syntax

A mapping is set between elements of the abstract syntax and their counterparts in FreeMind.

WSL FreeMind MediaWiki

Scaffolding Root node Main page

Organigram Organigram bubble node n.a.

Role Child of organigram node Wiki group

Employee Grandson of organigram node Wiki user & user page

Presentation Presentation bubble node Wiki skin

Logo Logo node Wiki logo

wikiSize Wikisize node Wiki skin

WikieditFreq wikiEditFreq node with traffic light icons

Wiki skin

WSL Realization

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Concrete Syntax

WSL Realization

Abstract syntax

FreeMind

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VERIFICATION OF WSL MAPS

31Verification of WSL Maps

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Verification of WSL Maps

WSL expressions are FreeMind maps

But not all FreeMind maps are WSL expressions

Some constraints need to be obeyed: abstract syntax

Verification of WSL Maps

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Verifying WSL Expressions

Verification of WSL Maps

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ENACTMENT OF WSL MAPS

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Enactment of WSL Maps

WSL maps are turned into a wiki installation

Enactment of WSL Maps

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WSL generation

Enactment of WSL Maps

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Pages generated by WSL

Enactment of WSL Maps

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CONCLUSIONS

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Conclusions

WSL focus on “wikifolding”

It bets for FreeMind to engage end users

Conclusions

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Conclusions

DSL success

right abstractions

minimum disturbance to existing practices

Evaluation needed!

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Thanks for your attention!

Gorka.puente@ehu.es

www.onekin.org/wsltwitter.com/GorkaPuente

twitter.com/onekin