Patent ID: 8099673
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, by an annotation program running on a client machine executing an application program, a request from a user to enter an annotation mode for presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) of the application program, wherein the GUI is running in a normal operating mode that excludes presenting any annotations in the GUI; invoking, by a GUI module of the annotation program, the annotation mode for presenting the GUI by creating an information collection tool overlaid on the GUI to receive one or more comments from the user regarding a functional capability of at least one user interface (UI) elements in the GUI; retrieving, by a database accessing module of the annotation program, comments from a database coupled to the client machine, wherein the comments are contributed by a plurality of other users and subjects of the comments relate to the functional capability of the at least one user UI element in the GUI, and wherein the comments in the database are accessible for review for purposes of application development of the application program; presenting, by the GUI module, one or more annotations corresponding to a UI element in the GUI at a location that associates each annotation with the corresponding UI element, wherein each annotation is a graphical representation indicative of an existence of a comment relating to the corresponding UI element; detecting a selection of one of the annotations corresponding to a comment relating to a UI element; and displaying details of the comment at the UI element in response to detecting the selection of the annotation, wherein the GUI can further receive user input to generate a comment corresponding to a UI element.