MylynMylynThe Task-Focused The Task-Focused

InterfaceInterfaceMik Kersten, Tasktop President & CTO, Mylyn Project Mik Kersten, Tasktop President & CTO, Mylyn Project LeadLead

Retrospective

Two years ago• First public release (0.4, 2005-11)• 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

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 MylynScattered throughout web apps, code and pieces of paperNo 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

Task-focused UI

Information overloadTime wasted scrolling, browsing and searching, filteringConstant 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

Collaboration

Before MylynManual management of change setsEmail 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

Planning

With MylynToo 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

Mylyn Framework

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

74%

11%

2%

10%3%0%

Package ExplorerSearchType HierarchyOutlineCall HierarchyBookmark

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

Context Team

CVS

Java

Files

Ant

SVN

Perforce

ClearCaseCollabNet

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: http://eclipse.org/mylyn/team• Eclipse SDK Teams: http://eclipse.org/platform

Links• Download Eclipse: http://eclipse.org/downloads• Learn more about Mylyn:

http://eclipse.org/mylyn/start

Questions?