Online Community Information Management with Customizable Data Entry Forms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing online social-network services constrain users by limiting the types and formats of information they can post and do not provide sufficient flexibility in controlling access to their information, making it difficult for individuals to manage and share information effectively within online communities.
Innovation Solution
A system that assigns each member a distinct domain for hosting online information archives, allowing members to create customizable data entry forms and set access permissions, enabling flexible information management and sharing within online communities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If members use fixed Web forms with predetermined categories to post information, then the system maintains simplicity and ease of operation, but members lack flexibility to create new categories or alter form designs
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, fixed Web forms to dynamic, member-configurable forms. Members can create custom categories, define form fields, and adjust form structures according to their needs. The system automatically generates and updates form definitions based on member configurations, enabling adaptability without manual system reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
Members independently configure their own information forms and categories without requiring system administrator intervention. The system provides tools for members to self-configure form fields, define data types, and create custom categories, thereby gaining flexibility while maintaining system simplicity through automated form generation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If members have unrestricted access to all information archives, then information sharing is maximized, but security and privacy control are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides access control into granular segments, allowing members to define specific permission levels for different information archives and fields. Instead of binary access control, the system enables fine-grained permission management where members can control who can view, edit, or delete specific information types within their archives.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows members to dynamically adjust access permission parameters for different information categories. Members can configure access rights based on user roles, relationships, or other parameters, enabling flexible control over information visibility and modification rights without complex administrative overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides extensive customization options for information formats, then member flexibility is improved, but the complexity of managing and processing information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated validation and processing feedback mechanisms that work with member-defined form structures. When members create custom forms, the system provides guidance on acceptable data formats and automatically validates submitted information against defined schemas, reducing processing complexity while maintaining format flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameterized form definitions where members can specify data types, validation rules, and format requirements without defining complete processing logic. The system automatically interprets these parameters and generates appropriate processing rules, enabling format customization while keeping processing complexity manageable through automated rule generation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for managing information in an on-line community is described. One embodiment assigns, in an information management system, a distinct domain to each member of the on-line community, each member of the on-line community being associated with a client computer that is connected with the information management system over a network, each distinct domain being capable of hosting at least one on-line information archive associated with the member assigned to that distinct domain; associates with each on-line information archive at least one member-configurable data entry form, each member-configurable data entry form associated with a given on-line information archive defining a format of a specific type of information item that may be posted to that on-line information archive, each member-configurable data entry form associated with the given on-line information archive including a name and at least one form field, the name being specifiable by the member of the on-line community associated with the given on-line information archive, the at least one form field being definable and configurable by the member of the on-line community associated with the given on-line information archive; and sets access permissions for each on-line information archive in accordance with preferences of the member associated with that on-line information archive, the access permissions specifying which members of the on-line community are permitted to access that on-line information archive and to what extent each of those members is permitted to access that on-line information archive.