Let's open a discussion about the practicality and the needs in order to create a unified and cohesive OpenVCE site with a single login, consistent structure, and clear mapping of all needed collaborative functions for the WoSCR community.

I'd like to see a single platform used as the frame with some core capabilities of it's own but it's primary function is to host more specialized functions from other sources. I see Drupal as this frame.

The specialized functions fall into 3 general areas (taken from the CWA):

1. Activity awareness
2. Communication
3. Coordination

The front page of the site would provide an overview of each of these functions and act as the entry point for further detail specific to that function if needed by the user. Consider this a dashboard with 3 primary functional components. The attached document provides a general layout.

With this model, each of the specialized components are required to be inserted or embedded into the general frame (Drupal). This automatically rules out some of the social networking sites that we've been investigating like Ning and Groupsite, which are more of a stand-alone turnkey solution. Using this general piece-by-piece approach, we have the flexibility to add or subtract components as new or changing technology comes and goes. We have all the resources under one framework which allows for a single login and consistent layout/structure.

The general layout shown in the image here gives emphasis on activity awareness and communication (closer to the top and given more area) as these are persistent functions that will be used more frequently with bursts of coordination required by community members. The communication panel, like all the site components in the header will remain constant across all pages. As the protocol is further developed, we can begin to tailor the specific structure within each component area to support that protocol and process.

Each time I view the GoogleWave video (condensed version, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itc4253kjhw), I'm further convinced it provides the best solution for our communication needs. For that reason, I'd like to substitute the social network features for it until it's ready and then replace the social networking communication features for that of GoogleWave. Other than document collaboration, GoingOn for example provides all the features that GoogleWave would (but potentially not as well).

Thoughts, ideas, issues, and concerns?

Added a more developed concept image at OpenVCE-MEET-9 on 3-Sep-2009 - Image by Jeff Hansberger