Mylyn The Task-Focused Interface Mik Kersten, Tasktop President & CTO, Mylyn Project Lead

Retrospective Two years ago First public release (0.4, ) User study done One year ago Mylyn 1.0 released (December) Technology validated Six months ago Mylyn 2.0 released, bundled with Europa distributions Now 1860 bugs resolved (1224 fixed) since Mylyn 1.0 Mylyn 2.2 ready today, thriving community and growing ecosystem We have demonstrated that Eclipse is a platform for innovation Mylyn 0.2, EclipseCon 2005

Information overload Context loss when multi-tasking

With Mylyn Tasks are integrated See only what you are working on

Demo 0

Overview Task-Focused UI Demos of key features Integrated task management Automated context management Collaboration and planning The framework How the task context model works How to build on Mylyn Integration showcase Extensions and ecosystem

Task management Before Mylyn Scattered throughout web apps, code and pieces of paper No integration with IDE workflow One task list Manage all your tasks in a single personalized view Eclipse’s rich searching, linking and editing facilities Repository connectors Integrate issue trackers and project management tools Offline editing and access Integrated change notifications Demo

Demo 1: Tasks Task List Open “plan and prepare” task with incoming comment Make outgoing comment Show planning section, make note Drag-and-drop attachment Queries and repositories Add query to Eclipse Outliner (non-existing repository) Show Browser tab, open query with browser Integration Linking in task editor, in Java editor Open task dialog Search for all Mylyn 2.0M2 bugs Create bug from error

Task-focused UI Information overload Time wasted scrolling, browsing and searching, filtering Constant multi-tasking causes context loss Task context Mylyn monitors your interaction Creates degree-of-interest model Context is obvious and managed Task-focused UI View filtering, element decoration Automatic folding, content assist ranking Editor and perspective management One-click task switching Demo

Demo 2: Task context Activate task Unfilter Package Explorer, then Alt+click Open ContextCore plug-in Navigate to BundleContext, then back Ctrl+Space Unfilter, Alt+click Decay, make less interesting Deactivate, activate, editor management Open build.xml, filter Outline

Collaboration Before Mylyn Manual management of change sets overload, interruption, difficulty sharing expertise Change set management Changes are automatically grouped by task Commit messages are automatic Everything is linked Task context sharing Expertise is captured and can be shared via repository Tasks are easy to recall, knowledge easy to share Demo

Demo 3: Collaboration Change sets Multiple separate sets Commit messages, commit message templates Linking Navigate from History view entry Context sharing Activate a task with server context only Work on it, show Context tab, start upload Working sets Demonstrate switching

Planning With Mylyn Too many tasks end up in your Task List Personal planning Meshes with team planning activities Can monitor components and collaborations Focused workweek See only the tasks you need to work on Working sets Manage groups of projects Demo

Demo 4: Planning

Mylyn Framework

Status Mylyn 1.0 provided APIs that supported a core set of connectors Mylyn 2.0 supports numerous connector extensions Mylyn 3.0 evolution based on integrator feedback APIs Tasks: task management Context: context management Team: team provider integration Monitor: workbench interaction monitoring

Tasks API Goal Bring your repositories’ tasks into Eclipse Streamline task management user experience across repositories Provide customizable behavior with consistent integration Task repository connectors Core facilities: lifecycle, persistence, synchronization UI facilities: queries and task editing Decide on level of integration: queries only, rich editing Reference implementation is Bugzilla

Context API Goal Connect task context model to domain-specific artifacts Task context bridges Structure bridges: map context to existing models: e.g. JavaModel UI bridges: selection/edit/refactoring capture, map to UI Reference implementation is Java

Team & Monitor APIs Team API Provides change set integration, automatic commit messages Reference implementation is CVS Monitor API Captures user’s workbench interaction history Monitors views, editors, commands, preferences Provides privacy, obfuscation, reporting Reference implementation is user study example

Usage Reporting 21

Framework

Under the hood

Interaction Task context Degree-of-interest (DOI) weighting Frequency and recency of interaction with element Both direct and indirect interaction Model interest

Task context graph Edges added for relations between elements Scaling factors determine shape, e.g. decay rate Thresholds define interest levels Topology [l, ∞] Landmark (0, ∞] Interesting [-∞, 0] Uninteresting

Why it works Memory Episodic memory: one-shot, only single exposure required Semantic memory: multiple exposures required Approach Leverage episodic memory, offload semantic memory Mylyn Tasks: episodes Context: weighting of relevant semantics Validated Statistically significant increase in programmer productivity

Integration Showcase

Community needs Eclipse Mylyn Tasks Bugzilla Trac JIRA ContextTeam CVS Java Files Ant SVN Perforce ClearCase CollabNet CodeBeamer Rally Ruby Spring … … …

Changing the way we work Tasks become explicit Dramatic reduction in information overload Information you need to get work done is at your finger tips Multitasking and recalling old tasks become effortless UI automation (e.g. working sets, search, commit messages) Keeps you in Eclipse and out of your browser and inbox Validated technology Statistically significant increase in programmer productivity Task context model supports generic knowledge work The frameworks are open and growing Eclipse and Mylyn are all about integration

Credits Mylyn Team: Eclipse SDK Teams: Links Download Eclipse: Learn more about Mylyn: Questions?