Memo Manager

[qwertygc]

Hello,
I created a specific issue on GitHub on "Memo Manager" (#1244), I report main informations here.

I’m following up on a discussion among QualCoder users. There is a need for a ‘Memo Manager’ or ‘Memo’ menu, which would allow users to quickly and easily find journals, file memos, cases, codes, project memos, etc., all within a single menu. This could be located between ‘Manage’ and ‘Coding’, for example.

The idea can be create a specific "submenu" Memo Manager in Analysis menu.

For me, the idea is to bring together some of the functions that are currently scattered across different menus (Project Memo in Project, Journals in Manage).

For dimensions that do not list memos (Codes, Cases, Files), we could envisage a list of codes, cases and files modelled on Journals, where double-clicking would allow you to view or edit the journal.

@Salomon-Mazatlan offers to extend the existing Journals module, with the creation of similar module with added element-based filtering system:

We could build on the existing Journals module (it's already quite useful and intuitive) by creating a similar module with an added element-based filtering system. This would also allow us to reuse some of the Journals functionality, such as converting memos into documents. At the same time, both modules could be enhanced with additional features, such as:

• a rich text editor (supporting formatting, coded segments (text/images), and internal links).

• timestamps (e.g., adding time to better track change history).

• memo templates or types (e.g., “emergent hypothesis,” “constant comparison,” “researcher reflexivity”).

• multiple linking capabilities (allowing a memo to be associated with codes, segments, cases, files, or even other memos, following a similar logic to codes belonging to multiple categories).

Kai purpose:

Interesting idea, but I would not add yet another menu. It could be part of the new "analysis" menu and workspace. The more important question seems to me, what a good user interface would be for such a memo manager? It should allow people to quickly and intuitively find and edit the different memos in QualCoder, including text annotations. Not so easy... Do the people in your user group have ideas or good examples from other apps?

For inspiration, the Memo manager in different software:

Atlas.ti

MaxQDA

I like the approach of MaxQDA, we can see all memos with navbar.

[Salomon-Mazatlan]

A clearer hierarchical structure for the tree view widget and the module as a whole could be something like the following:

MEMO_CASE_1*
├──── MEMO_FILE_1
│ └──── MEMO_CODE_1
│ ├────── MEMO_CODED_SEGMENT_1
│ └────── MEMO_CODED_SEGMENT_2
└──── MEMO_FILE_2

(Concept art, image created in PowerPoint :p)

*I’m not sure whether file names can be duplicated across different cases in an interface like this.

Here, we would only need to duplicate the files from the Journals module and apply some targeted modifications, as well as update the memo editor already included in the software.

[qwertygc]

Nice ! In my opinion, we need include in this window "free memo" also (journal in QualCoder now).

And a file it's not automacally added in case.

[qwertygc]

Suggestion of @ccbogel

Also, I think there needs to be a lot of time and thought into how this would work well, to meet the needs of the end users.
Multiple linking a memo to multiple other locations (codes, files, etc.) - I am not sure about this.
An idead. It could be that the journal itself is a memo (as is currently I guess), and to have additional journal table fields, to link it to the file, case, code, etc.

I agree. It's maybe more simple for architecture, and can be more flexible.

[qwertygc]

What we need to have in the same window, (in most beautiful UI) :
SELECT project.memo, date FROM project;
SELECT code_cat.memo, code_cat.name, code_cat.owner FROM code_cat;
SELECT memo, date, owner FROM code_text;
SELECT memo, date, owner FROM code_av;
SELECT memo, date, owner FROM code_image;
SELECT annotation.memo, date, owner FROM annotation;
SELECT name, memo, date, owner FROM code_name;
etc

I’m running some tests to improve my SQL queries. But the idea is simply to bring all this together in one place, using tabs for example.

For me: table with memo entry.

annotation.memo, code_cat.memo, annotation_visible.memo, attribute_type.memo, case_text.memo, cases.memo, code_av.memo, code_av_visible.memo, code_cat.memo, code_image.memo, code_image_visible.memo, code_name.memo, code_text.memo, code_text_visible.memo, journal.jentry, project.memo, source.memo

[Salomon-Mazatlan]

Hello, all

Sharing some progress on the Memo manager module.

I built it using the Journals module as a base. There are still a few details to fix and to tidy up in the interface design (.ui), but the core is already working: you can view all memos from all elements, edit them, add coded segments, and link memos to one another.

A main window brings together, in a single view, the memos from every element type that supports memos in QualCoder,

Cross-references are handled through hyperlink tokens inserted into the memo body: {quote:} (text), {imquote:} (image), {avquote:} (audio/video) and {memo:} (another memo). When a link is created, the system offers to register the reciprocal backlink, so the relationship becomes navigable in both directions (memo<->memo).

Each memo's identity (memo_ref) is wired into the coding and management modules, so a memo keeps its identity and stays linkable regardless of where it is opened from. ODT export includes a "Memo trail" structure as an audit trail.

and reuses the DialogMemo editor to create and edit them.

P.S. A few minor details remain, such as the arrangement of the buttons in the interface and defining the keyboard shortcut, I added a temporary one for now.

[qwertygc]

It's amazing, thanks !

[ccbogel]

This is good thank you Lorenzo. A suggestion: Can you also add a hyperlink token to link the memo to a reference.

[kaixxx]

Great. And you always create these nice infographics :) Thank you for that. One idea: Would it be possible to also include text annotations? These could also be considered as memos I guess. Or is there a reason to exclude them?

[Salomon-Mazatlan]

Hi everyone,

@ccbogel , Yes, I could include the references. Right now, I am working on the references module to allow importing .RIS files with attachments (PDF and EPUB files) so that they link automatically. I am also working on the integration to import libraries directly from Zotero:

(I am preparing these improvements to present them after the updates to the code_pdf module)

Additionally, I believe references could be included in the code retrieval reports whenever the corresponding file has an associated reference.

@kaixxx , The reason the annotations were left out is that I honestly forgot about them, hehehe.

[kaixxx]

The reason the annotations were left out is that I honestly forgot about them, hehehe.

Hehe, poor annotations... ;)