Allow comments on artefacts (e.g. issues, codelists, elements, etc.) in STH
Problem / goal
In the previous front-end users could add Q/A comments to a certain element. This is functionality is gone in front-end v3. It wasn't used very much and the way of using it could have been better, but there still is a need for this kind of functionality in the new SETU 2.0 messages that we are going to develop.
What is the expected outcome? / Solution design
When referring on how we want to apply this functionality in the SETU context, I think we should improve on three points.
1. Reintroduce Old Q/A functionality
I am not sure how the old Q/A functionality worked, but for each element in the treeview a Q/A tab must be present for users to add a Q/A comment, but also to see the thread of other Q/A comments submitted for this particular element by other users. Suggestion for improvement: rename 'Q/A' section to 'review' section.
2. Add functionality: visually show elements with Q/A comments in treeview
I foresee newly added functionality on top of the 'old' Q/A section to make it work better and prevent from using Excels. This new functionality relates to the fact that it must be clear when looking at the treeview of the draft version model which elements have Q/A comments and which don't. This needs to be visible for users, not only maintainers; therefore this functionality comes on top of the current development notes and labels that are for internal use (see issue #961 (closed)). Suggestion is to introduce some icon or label at elements in the treeview that have Q/A comments so users know there is something to be discussed for that element. There are two options for this:
- One option is that this icon is added to an element in the tree automatically when a Q/A comment is there, but then we must think about whether we also want this icon to be gone when the discussion is resolved, e.g. by adding the option to mark comments as resolved. In practice, this option might end up with us adding a Q/A comment to a certain element we have questions about to the reviewers, or by reviewers starting a discussion at a certain element; and both can be notified by all users on treeview level.
- Second option is that we as maintainers grant an icon or label to an element manually. Downside is that it takes more time for the maintainers to keep this up-to-date, and that focus is more on the comments of maintainers instead of an equal playground for comments of everyone, both reviewers and maintainers.
3. Add/change functionality: Allow access to Q/A section only to specific group of users
Ideally, maintainers can select which group of STH users gets access to the Q/A section of a certain message and/or message version. Options:
- With #978 (closed) an issue is already created to make it possible to only show a certain message version to only a specific group, so this is one way to achieve this. E.g. only show SETU Timecard v2.0 to the Group 'SETU 2.0'. Then only those users part of this group can see the Timecard v2.0 and place Q/A comments.
- Another option is that for draft versions of a message spec the issues section is (automatically or can be) replaced by a Q/A section (or the Q/A section can be turned on). For draft versions it is not desirable to create issues/CRs to place review comments, as it is only comments on a draft version and not real change requests on a final version of a message. E.g. as long as SETU Timecard v2.0 is in draft status we can only place Q/A comments and not create formal issues/CRs.