mxm Workgroups (3.0)

mxm Workgroups consists of three parts

1. A Workgroup content type, that acts just like a normal Plone folder. With the difference that you can add members to it, and give these member local roles in the workgroup. These folders acts like Member folders, only for groups. Different groupmembers can have different roles.
2. A workgroup tool that keeps track of the groups and their members. It registers the Workgroups internally for speed. This also means that Workgroup members does not need to have local roles in a workgroup to be members.
3. A Workgroup workflow with an additional state "Visible for users" Content and Workgroups in this state can only be seen by members of the workgroup that has the local roles of "GroupMember" or "Owner" in that Workgroup.

Workgroup content type

A Workgroup is a fully functioning Plone folder, with a few additional tabs. It has workflow and metadata as you would expect.

A workgroup can be added anywhere in the portal. This means that even members can add add-hoc workgroups in their own home folder.

They also allow for easy sharing of workgroups that are outside the members folder. Ie. you can have a Workgroup called "news" in the root of the portal, and let any member add news items in this workgroup. Just as easily as if it was in his own home folder.

Members has a complete list of the groups they are group members of.

You can make groups that you are not a member of yourself. Which makes it easy for managers and others to make groups for others to use.

Group members can delegate their roles to others in a workgroup. Meaning ie. that if a Member has the "Reviewer" role, he can easily give it to other group members of the Workgroup.

The workgroup also has a simple email form, for sending emails to all group members.

Workgroup tool

The Workgroup tool keeps track of the Workgroups and the members in an efficient internal data structure (BTree's). No need to search the catalog.

Groups and members are referenced back and forth, so it is easy to get the members of a group, and the groups for a Memmber.

It is possible to move workgroups around without loosing the group/member relationships.

You can set up default roles that members get when they are added to a Workgroup.

My workgroups

The workgroup tool adds a new action/link to the "personal toolbar", where the Member can get a complete overview of the Workgroups he is a member of. Including the roles he has in the context of the Workgroup, and the subjects of the workgroup.

A Workgroup workflow

The Workgroup workflows are a pretty good base for developing your own workflows. They have one additional state: "Visible For Group".

The content in this state is only visible for members of the group with the local roles of "GroupMember" or "Owner"