Oracle Usability and Interface Design

Create with Approval Portlet (Oracle Portal) 
User Interface Specification

August 1st, '01
Version: 2st draft

Contact: Benson Lam

Overview
Create with Approval Portlet allows Approver quickly and easily navigate created item to approve or reject.

• The problem:Creator must email approver. Creator must know who the approver is. And creator must describe new item location. - Approver must go to item to approve it.
• Proposed solution: Workflow Notifications. Workflow targets the approver. Workflow points to the item.
  

Interaction flow
Basic steps of an interaction scenario include:

1. In Site Builder, creator creates a item by clicking Edit Folder link on top of right hand corner.
2. Click on the Add Item link and start Create New Item wizard.
3. Item has been created and shown in Creator's Site Builder page as a new item with a Awaiting Approval.
4. Approver receives a notification in portlet (portlet customized to include this type of Notification).
5. Approver may approve or reject item form Notification details page.
6. In Notifications portlet, the subject string should look like [Item Display Name] [Action required phrase] For example: "Sales Report for Jan '01", requires your approval.
7. Approver clicks on subject string, the Create with Approval page will show the details of the item need to be approved or rejected.
8. Action includes Close.
9. Creator receive a email if the item has been rejected. Otherwise, item will shown in a portlet will shown as a regular item.
   
   


Figure 1: Create with Approval Portlet, interaction flow


Page layouts
The trim for top header areas will inherit either the standard Oracle Portal style or the BLAF components as appropriate. Illustrations here are show with Oracle Portal style UI. Interaction follows BLAF direction.



Figure 2: Create with Approval Detail page.

 


Outside issues
Issues outside the scope of this spec include:

• Site builder will use their own workflow-like screens, but not the real Workflow Notifications Model.
• Create Item Approval notifications will be list in their own portlet (not the same portlet as real Workflow notifications).
• Keep the subject string structure- "Sales Report for Jan '01", or - "Sales Report for Jan '01" requires your approval. When integrate with the real Workflow, use the longer string.
• Location for "Awaiting approval", keep as is.
• URL to send to Karthic: Portlet Customization
  • UI_ Specifications/table_contents.htm
  • UI_ Specifications/portlet_customization.htm