User Brainstorm Session

Date: Friday, July 18, 2008 Leads: Allan Kuchinsky, Alex Pico, Gary Bader

Description

Cytoscape users and developers will brainstorm and discuss aspects of Cytoscape. The goal of this session is to listen to the users to find out ways of improving Cytoscape.

Agenda

• Evolution Game
  • Everyone gets three cue cards of a given color. Use one cue card to answer each of the following questions:

    • What is the biggest problem you have with Cytoscape?

    • How would you use Cytoscape to solve a problem? How does Cytoscape fit into your process, workflow and other tools?

    • What do you want to discuss?

  • Participants break up into groups defined by the color of your cue cards (i.e., 5 colors, 5 groups). Each group discusses the cue cards of the participants in the group and chooses the best one per question.
  • Groups report back and present the best ideas from each group.
  • All participants vote on what the best idea is from all groups.
• Selected topics will be discussed further.

Notes

AllanK: This looks like a good starting point. We might want to split the two sessions into one breakout session and one plenary session. Purpose of the plenary session is to consolidate the ideas from both breakout sessions. I have a couple of questions:

• How much do we want to be brainstorming new features for Cytoscape? Does Cytoscape already have 'enough' features, at least in the core system, for the next year. Since the next year's work is going to be focused upon making the structural changes for 3.0, will we have the resources to develop new features? If not, then are we improperly setting expectations by soliciting new feature requests?
• Do we want to have separate brainstorming for end users vs. plugin developers? Do we have a venue in which plugin developers can communicate their needs, frustrations, goals, etc?