Managing project tasks using content items

Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing project tasks using content items. A user can create tasks within a content item. The tasks can be assigned to users and/or be assigned due dates. The content item can be shared with other users such that updates to the content item (e.g., updates to the tasks) can cause sending notifications to users associated with the content item. When a task in the content item is updated, all members of the project can be notified of the updated status of the task. A task list for a project can be created that aggregates tasks from multiple content items associated with the project. Tasks can be organized in the task list according to the content item the task was created in. Updates to tasks in the task list can cause corresponding updates to the tasks in the content items.

BACKGROUND

There are many software applications that assist users in managing projects. Often these software applications are complicated and difficult to use. Many times several different software applications are required to manage the various tasks, documents types, schedules, communications, and other project related activities and files. Using these existing systems to manage a project can be difficult to learn, burdensome to use, and time consuming for the user.

SUMMARY

Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing projects using references between the project and project items. Project items can be, for example, synchronized content items, collaborative content items, other projects, folders, tasks, user accounts, etc. The content management system can create a project identifier for managing data and/or people associated with a project. In some implementations, the storage location of a content item does not affect whether it is associated with the project. In various implementations, the content management system can associate a project and project items by storing references between the project and project items, e.g., in one or more folders associated with the project, in a database, in content item metadata, etc.

When a project is selected by a user, the content management system can generate a project view that presents various project items associated with the project in a convenient and easy to access graphical user interface. A project view can provide access to many different types of content items that may be stored in many different locations while simultaneously providing information about users associated with the project and what actions these users have performed in relation to project items.

Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for automatically suggesting project affiliations. For example, the content management system can track user behavior while using the content management system. The content management system can track user behavior with respect to content items managed by the content management system and with respect to other users. For example, the content management system can store affiliation data that describes which content items a user has viewed, edited, created, shared, commented on, etc. The content management system can store affiliation data that describes which other users the user has interacted with (e.g., because the user shared content items with the other users, messaged the other users, referenced the other users in content the user has created, viewed or edited the same or similar content items as the other users, etc.). The content management system can store affiliation data that describes which projects a user is a member of and which projects a user has viewed or interacted with. The content management system can suggest relationships between users, content items, and/or projects based on the affiliation data.

Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing project tasks using content items. For example, a user can create tasks within content items. The tasks can be assigned to particular users and/or be assigned due dates. The content item can be shared with other users or followed by other users such that updates to the content item (e.g., updates to the tasks) can cause notifications to be sent to the users with whom the content item is shared or who follow the content item. When the content item is shared with or added to a project, the content item can be shared with all members of the project. Thus, when a task in the content item is updated, all members of the project can be notified of the updated status of the task. When viewing project data, the system can generate a task view that presents tasks defined within content items associated with the project.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed technology addresses the need in the art for an easy, simple, and convenient way for users to manage project data. By associating project data managed by the content management system with a project identifier, as described herein, users are able to access multiple types of project data for a specific project by selecting the corresponding project identifier. Moreover, since the project data is actually linked to the project, the project can include content that is stored internally and/or externally to the content management system. Thus, a wide variety of content item types (e.g., synchronized content items, collaborative content items, web pages, etc.) can be added to the project regardless of where the content is actually stored.

Additionally, since the content management system can synchronize some of the project data with the computing devices associated with members/users of the project, project members can access this project data through the content management system's servers or on the local file system of the users' devices (e.g., when a user's device is not connected to the network). The technology disclosed herein improves the efficiency of both user device and content management system server devices by reducing the number of software applications a user previously had to install on the user's device to perform project management tasks. Moreover, by managing project data using links (e.g., instead of making copies of project data), the user device and/or the content management system servers are required to use fewer resources to store and manage project data.

With respect to implementing various embodiments of the disclosed technology, an example system configuration100is shown inFIG. 1A, wherein electronic devices communicate via a network for purposes of exchanging content and other data. The system can be configured for use on a wide area network such as that illustrated inFIG. 1. However, the present principles are applicable to a wide variety of network configurations that facilitate the intercommunication of electronic devices. For example, each of the components of system100inFIG. 1Acan be implemented in a localized or distributed fashion in a network.

In system100, a user (e.g., an individual, group of users, company, etc.) can interact with content management system106(e.g., an online synchronized content management system) through client devices1021,1022, . . . ,102n(collectively “102”) connected to network104by direct and/or indirect communication. Content management system106can include a single computing device (e.g., a server) or multiple computing devices (e.g., multiple servers) that are configured to perform the functions and/or operations necessary to provide the services described herein. Content management system106can support connections from a variety of different client devices, such as: desktop computers; mobile computers; mobile communications devices, e.g. mobile phones, smart phones, tablets; smart televisions; set-top boxes; and/or any other network enabled computing devices. Client devices102can be of varying type, capabilities, operating systems, etc. Furthermore, content management system106can concurrently accept connections from and interact with multiple client devices102.

A user can interact with content management system106via a client-side application installed on client device102i. In some embodiments, the client-side application can include a content management system specific component. For example, the component can be a stand-alone application, one or more application plug-ins, and/or a browser extension. However, the user can also interact with content management system106via a third-party application, such as a web browser, that resides on client device102iand is configured to communicate with content management system106. In either case, the client-side application can present a user interface (UI) for the user to interact with content management system106. For example, the user can interact with the content management system106via a client-side application integrated with the file system or via a webpage displayed using a web browser application.

Content management system106can enable a user to store content items, as well as perform a variety of content management tasks, such as retrieve, modify, browse, and/or share the content items. Furthermore, content management system106can enable a user to access the content from multiple client devices102. For example, client device102ican upload content to content management system106via network104. Later, the same client device102ior some other client device102jcan retrieve the content from content management system106.

To facilitate the various content management services, a user can create an account with content management system106. User account database150can maintain the account information. User account database150can store profile information for registered users. In some cases, the only personal information in the user profile can be a username and/or email address. However, content management system106can also be configured to accept additional user information such as birthday, address, billing information, etc.

User account database150can include account management information, such as account type, usage information, (e.g., file access or edit history), storage space used, content storage locations, security settings, personal configuration settings, content sharing data, etc. Account management module124can be configured to update and/or obtain user account details in user account database150. The account management module124can be configured to interact with any number of other modules in content management system106.

An account can be used to store content items, such as digital data, documents, collaborative content items, text files, audio files, image files, video files, webpages, executable files, binary files, placeholder files that reference other content items, etc., from one or more client devices102authorized on the account. The content items can also include collections for grouping content items together with different behaviors, such as folders, playlists, albums, etc. For example, an account can include shared collections or group collections that are linked with and available to multiple user accounts. The permissions for multiple users may be different for a shared collection.

The content items can be stored in content storage160. Content storage160can be a storage device, multiple storage devices, or a server. Alternatively, content storage160can be a cloud storage provider or network storage accessible via one or more communications networks. Content management system106can hide the complexity and details from client devices102so that client devices102do not need to know exactly where or how the content items are being stored by content management system106. In some embodiments, content management system106can store the content items in the same collection hierarchy as they appear on client device102i. However, content management system106can store the content items in its own order, arrangement, or hierarchy. Content management system106can store the content items in a network accessible storage (NAS) device, in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), etc. Content storage160can store content items using one or more partition types, such as FAT, FAT32, NTFS, EXT2, EXT3, EXT4, HFS/HFS+, BTRFS, and so forth.

Content storage160can also store metadata describing content items, content item types, and the relationship of content items to various accounts, collections, or groups. The metadata for a content item can be stored as part of the content item or can be stored separately. In one variation, each content item stored in content storage160can be assigned a system-wide unique identifier.

Content storage160can decrease the amount of storage space required by identifying duplicate content items or duplicate segments of content items. Instead of storing multiple copies, content storage160can store a single copy and then use a pointer or other mechanism to link the duplicates to the single copy. Similarly, content storage160can store content items more efficiently, as well as provide the ability to undo operations, by using a content item version control that tracks changes to content items, different versions of content items (including diverging version trees), and a change history. The change history can include a set of changes that, when applied to the original content item version, produce the changed content item version.

Content management system106can be configured to support automatic synchronization of content items from one or more client devices102. The synchronization can be platform agnostic. That is, the content items can be synchronized across multiple client devices102of varying type, capabilities, operating systems, etc. For example, client device102ican include client software, which synchronizes, via a synchronization module132at content management system106, content in client device102i's file system with the content in an associated user account. In some cases, the client software can synchronize any changes to content in a designated collection and its sub-collections, such as new, deleted, modified, copied, or moved content items or collections. The client software can be a separate software application, can integrate with an existing content management application in the operating system, or can be some combination thereof. In one example of client software that integrates with an existing content management application, a user can manipulate content items directly in a local collection, while a background process monitors the local collection for changes and synchronizes those changes to content management system106. Conversely, the background process can identify content items that have been updated at content management system106and synchronize those changes to the local collection.

A user can view or manipulate content via a web interface generated and served by user interface module122. For example, the user can navigate in a web browser to a web address provided by content management system106. Changes or updates to content in the content storage160made through the web interface, such as making edits to text or media that are part of the content item, can be propagated to other client devices102authorized to access the content item. For example, multiple client devices102, each with their own client software, can be associated with a single account and content items in the account can be synchronized between each of the multiple client devices102.

Content management system106can include a communications interface120for interfacing with various client devices102, and can interact with other content and/or service providers1091,1092, . . . ,109n(collectively “109”) via an Application Program Interface (API). Certain software applications can access content storage160via an API on behalf of a user. For example, a software package, such as an app running on a smartphone or tablet computing device, can programmatically make calls directly to content management system106, when a user provides credentials, to read, write, create, delete, share, or otherwise manipulate content. Similarly, the API can allow users to access all or part of content storage160through a web site.

Content management system106can also include authenticator module126, which can verify user credentials, security tokens, API calls, specific client devices, and so forth, to ensure only authorized clients and users can access content items. Further, content management system106can include analytics module134module that can track and report on aggregate file operations, user actions, network usage, total storage space used, as well as other technology, usage, or business metrics. A privacy and/or security policy can prevent unauthorized access to user data stored with content management system106.

Content management system106can include sharing module130for managing sharing content items. Sharing content items can include making the content item accessible from any computing device in network communication with content management system106. Sharing content items can also include linking a content item in content storage160with two or more user accounts so that each user account has access to the content item. The sharing can be performed in a platform agnostic manner. That is, the content can be shared across multiple client devices102of varying type, capabilities, operating systems, etc. The content can also be shared across varying types of user accounts.

In some implementations, to share a content item, sharing module130can be configured to add a user account identifier to the content entry associated with the content item, thus granting the added user account access to the content item. Sharing module130can also be configured to remove user account identifiers from a content entry to restrict a user account's access to the content item.

In some implementations, to share a content item, sharing module130can be configured to generate a custom network address, such as a uniform resource locator (URL), which allows web browsers to access the content in content management system106, which in some implementations, can be allowed without any authentication. To accomplish this, sharing module130can be configured to include content identification data in the generated URL, which can later be used to properly identify and return the requested content item. For example, sharing module130can be configured to include the user account identifier and the content path in the generated URL. Upon selection of the URL, the content identification data included in the URL can be transmitted to content management system106which can use the received content identification data to identify the appropriate content entry and return the content item associated with the content entry.

In some implementations, content management system106can include collaborative content item management module136. Collaborative content item management module136can provide an interactive content item collaboration platform whereby users can simultaneously create collaborative content items, comment in the collaborative content items, and manage tasks within the collaborative content items. Collaborative content items can be files that users can create and edit using a collaborative content items editor, and can contain collaborative content item elements. Collaborative content item elements may include a collaborative content item identifier, one or more author identifiers, collaborative content item text, collaborative content item attributes, interaction information, comments, sharing users, etc. Collaborative content item elements can be stored as database entities, which allows for searching and retrieving the collaborative content items. Multiple users may access, view, edit, and collaborate on collaborative content items at the same time or at different times. In some embodiments this can be managed as multiple users access a content item through a web interface and there they can work on the same copy of the content item at the same time.

In some implementations, portions of a collaborative content item can be represented by a list of attributed text (e.g., a string of text where each character or character range has a set of attributes). An attribute can be a (key, value) pair: for example, (“bold”, “true”), (“list”, “bullet1”), or (“author”, authorID). Furthermore, a collaborative content item can be stored as a sequence of change sets. A change set represents an edit to a particular version of a collaborative content item. Applying a change sets can insert and delete characters and apply attributes to ranges. Thus, a given change set can be applied to a particular collaborative content item representation to generate another collaborative content item representation. For example, a collaborative content item representation “abc\n” and a change set “insert d at position 2”, which when applied, would yield a collaborative content item representation “abdc\n”. Applying all of the change sets, in a given order, to an initial version of a collaborative content item representation, can produce a current version of the collaborative content item comprising a list of attributed text representation. Multiple users may access, view, edit, and collaborate on a collaborative content item at the same time or at different times. In some embodiments this can be managed by providing multiple users with access to a content item through a web interface where they can interact with a same copy of the content item at the same time.

While content management system106is presented with specific components, it should be understood by one skilled in the art, that the architectural configuration of system106is simply one possible configuration and that other configurations with more or fewer components are possible.

FIG. 1Bshows an example collaborative content item management module136, according to some embodiments. Collaborative content item management module136may include productivity management gathering module172, collaborative content item processing interface module174, collaborative content item editor module176, user notification module178, collaborative content item presentation module180, and productivity management modification module182. One or more of productivity management gathering module172, collaborative content item processing interface module174, collaborative content item editor module176, user notification module178, collaborative content item presentation module180, and productivity management modification module182may be coupled to one another or to modules not explicitly shown.

Productivity management gathering module172may be configured to gather productivity data from productivity management system140. In various embodiments, productivity management gathering module172identifies an event and gathers information related to the event. For instance, productivity management gathering module172may gather a specific calendar entry and/or a specific task from an online calendar. Productivity management gathering module172may further gather information from the calendar entry or gather information related to the calendar entry such as time(s), date(s), relevant locations, title(s), agenda(s), summaries, description(s), and/or attendees related to the event. Productivity management gathering module172may provide the productivity data to the other modules of collaborative content item management module136.

Collaborative content item processing interface module174may be configured to interface with collaborative content item management module136. In various embodiments, collaborative content item processing interface module174may provide collaborative content items to one or more modules of collaborative content item management module136, as described further herein.

Collaborative content item editor module176may be configured to create and/or modify collaborative content items. A collaborative content item may be created in a variety of ways. In some embodiments, collaborative content item editor module176enables creation of the collaborative content item into the content management system106. Collaborative content item editor module176may enable access to or be any collaborative content item editing application (e.g., Microsoft Word®, Google Docs®, or the like) either in the cloud or executed locally. In one example, content management system106may provide to one of client devices102a user interface element (e.g., a box or a button) that allows creation of a new collaborative content item.

In some embodiments, collaborative content item editor module176may create the collaborative content item in conjunction with the productivity management system140. For example, collaborative content item editor module176may provide a suggestion to a user to create or invoke a collaborative content item associated with an upcoming event. In various embodiments, collaborative content item management module136may identify a user that is opening or otherwise using collaborative content item editor module176. Productivity management gathering module172may identify an upcoming event for the user on the user's calendar. Subsequently, collaborative content item editor module176may provide a suggestion to the user to create or invoke the collaborative content item associated with the upcoming event.

Although it is discussed that collaborative content item editor module176may provide a suggestion to the user to create or invoke the collaborative content item associated with the upcoming event, it will be appreciated that the suggestion to create or invoke the collaborative content item may be made by any application. For example, a user may log into and/or otherwise access any application or suite of applications. Once the user is identified and an upcoming event is identified on the user's calendar, any application may provide the user with the suggestion to create or invoke the collaborative content item associated with the upcoming event. The suggestion may be provided to the user in any number of ways. In one example, an application suite management system (e.g., managing a variety of different applications) may provide the suggestion in a notification section of a window. In another example, a workspace may include the suggestion to the user in a section dedicated to notifications. In a further example, an email program may generate an email containing the suggestion to the user.

If the user requests creation or invocation of the collaborative content item in response to the suggestion, collaborative content item editor module176may create or invoke the requested collaborative content item. If the application that provided the suggestion to the user is not a collaborative content item editor, then a collaborative content item editor may be executed and the requested collaborative content item created and/or invoked in response to the user's request.

In accordance with some embodiments, collaborative content item editor module176may configure the productivity management system140to provide access to the collaborative content item (e.g., using a link, including the collaborative content item, or any other mechanism to enable access to the collaborative content item) in a meeting request, a task entry, or the like. In some embodiments, collaborative content item editor module176may instruct productivity management system140to place an icon corresponding to a link to the collaborative content item in the calendar entry, meeting request, task entry, or the like. When a user has opened the link (e.g., by clicking the icon), the user may be directly guided to the collaborative content item from the meeting request, task entry, or the like. In one example, the link in the calendar entry may provide the user (e.g., using client device102) access to a collaborative content item stored in content management system106(e.g., in storage accessible through the cloud) or in productivity management system140.

Once the user requests to create or invoke the collaborative content item, collaborative content item editor module176may create and/or invoke a collaborative content item. The collaborative content item may be subsequently edited, altered, viewed, changed, stored, and/or the like by an editing application (e.g., either stored locally on a client device102or in the cloud). In various embodiments, one or more different client devices102may utilize different editing applications to make changes to the collaborative content item. Collaborative content item editor module176and/or other editing applications may allow for the collaborative content item to be changed by multiple different users using different client devices102at the same time or substantially at the same time (e.g., in real time or substantially in real time).

It will be appreciated that users may be automatically guided to a collaborative content item related to a calendar entry, meeting request, a task entry, or the like without human intervention. In some embodiments, users may be guided to a collaborative content item related to a calendar entry, a meeting request, a task entry, or the like without having the users separately open collaborative content item editing applications. Such functionalities may prove particularly convenient for users seeking to take, review, or collaborate on notes associated with an event, as these users need not open applications other than productivity management applications.

Collaborative content item editor module176may receive from users additional content for the collaborative content item. For example, collaborative content item editor module176may be configured to receive from the client devices102changes or edits to the collaborative content item. In various embodiments, the changes may include text, characters strings, or the like. The changes may also include annotations to the collaborative content item, comments to the collaborative content item, files to be attached to the collaborative content item, pictures to be attached to the collaborative content item, links to be attached to the collaborative content item, tasks related to the collaborative content item, or the like that can be incorporated into the collaborative content item. In various embodiments, edits to the collaborative content item are collaborative. For instance, collaborative content item editor module176may obtain edits (e.g., text changes and/or additions of audio files, pictures, tables, or the like) from any number of client devices102at a given time (or in real time). Collaborative edits may be incorporated in a variety of formats, including formats that provide different text attributes such as colors, fonts, styles, or the like for different users.

In various embodiments, collaborative content item editor module176(and or a security or permissions module associated with a server) may establish permissions and/or security for the collaborative content item. For example, collaborative content item editor module176may enable event attendees to view and/or make edits to the collaborative content item while others may not have rights to view the collaborative content items and/or make changes. Permissions and/or security may be enforced in any number of ways. However, access to the collaborative content item may, in various embodiments, be provided to attendees of the event or a subset of attendees.

In various embodiments, access to the collaborative content item is limited based on storage access rights. For example, a user with access rights to cloud storage may access, view, and/or make changes to the collaborative content item. In some embodiments, a user with access rights assigned by the content management system106may access, view, and/or make changes to the collaborative content item.

User notification module178may be configured to notify users of each of the client devices102of information related to the state and/or contents of the collaborative content item. Notifications may be sent, for example as an email notification, a chat message notification, a notification in a display of the collaborative content item, or in relation to the collaborative content item through a file system or other organizational system. In various embodiments, user notification module178provides notifications about changes to the client devices102. For example, user notification module178may notify users whether a collaborative content item has been created for an event. As another example, user notification module178may notify specific users that they have been invited to attend an event.

Collaborative content item presentation module180may provide to the client devices102selected collaborative content items. The collaborative content items may be displayed in the client devices102through a native application, an Internet browsing window, or the like supported by the client devices102.

It will be appreciated that collaborative content item presentation module180may restrict writing permissions to the collaborative content items at any time. In an example, prior to occurrence of the event, collaborative content item presentation module180may restrict writing permissions to the collaborative content item (and turn the collaborative content item into a read-only collaborative content item) for all users except the creator or invoker of the collaborative content item. In some embodiments, the creator or invoker of the collaborative content item may select a subset of recipients to receive writing permissions.

Collaborative content item presentation module180may also support a collaborative content item viewing portal users can use to view existing collaborative content items. The collaborative content item viewing portal may order specific collaborative content items based on one or more ordering factors. “Ordering factors,” as used herein, may include any factors used to order collaborative content items. Ordering factors can include factors used to order collaborative content items chronologically. More specifically, in some embodiments, the collaborative content item viewing portal orders collaborative content items according to the date(s) and/or times the collaborative content items were created. The collaborative content item viewing portal may also order collaborative content items according to the date(s) and/or time(s) the collaborative content items were edited. In various embodiments, the collaborative content item viewing portal orders collaborative content items according to the date(s) and/or time(s) of corresponding events to which the collaborative content items were related. Ordering factors can also include factors used to order collaborative content items according to the preferences of a specific user, such as whether the user has accepted events to which the collaborative content items were related.

In some embodiments, a collaborative content item viewing portal may be dedicated to a particular user who has received access to the collaborative content item because the particular user was related to an event. The user's collaborative content item viewing portal may provide access to any number of collaborative content items including the collaborative content item. The collaborative content items represented in the collaborative content item viewing portal may be ordered in any number of ways. For example, the collaborative content item viewing portal may order collaborative content items based on date and time of corresponding events.

The collaborative content item viewing portal may support search functions. For instance, the collaborative content item viewing portal may enable or allow searching for collaborative content items according to textual strings, titles, event attendees, and/or other attributes. The search functions may allow a specific user to search one or more collaborative content items for that user or for other users.

In some embodiments, productivity management modification module182may be configured to coordinate collaborative content items with calendar entries and to enable access to the collaborative content item through calendar entries.

FIG. 2is a block diagram of an example system200for managing projects in a content management system. For example, system200can correspond to system100ofFIG. 1A, described above. As described above, system200can include content management system106.

In some implementations, content management system106can include project module202. For example, project module202can be a software module installed and/or running on content management system106. Project module202can manage project data (e.g., project members, links to project content, project tasks, etc.) associated with projects (e.g., project identifiers). Project module202can generate project views (e.g., graphical user interfaces) for presenting project data to a user (e.g., project member). Project module202can, for example, store content items and/or project data204associated with a project in content storage160.

In some implementations, project module202can suggest project affiliations based on the users' behavior. For example, content management system106can monitor user behavior with respect to content items, projects, communications with other users, etc. Content management system106can store user behavior data describing the user behavior in a database (not shown) of content management system106. Project module202can use the user behavior data stored by content management system106to recommend affiliations between users, content items, projects, etc. For example, project module202can suggest that different users should be members of the same project. Project module202can suggest that a content item should be added to a particular project or particular projects. Project module202can suggest other affiliations, as described further below.

In some implementations, system200can include client device240. For example, client device240can correspond to client device102idescribed above. Client device240can, for example, be a laptop computer, tablet computer, smart phone, wearable device, and/or any other computing device. AlthoughFIG. 2illustrates a system200having only one client device240(e.g., client device102i), system200can include many client devices240(e.g., client devices102i-102n) that interact with content management system106and/or project module202to manage projects. For example, each member of a project may have a different client device240that communicates with content management system106to access project data managed by content management system106and/or project module202.

In some implementations, client device240can include content management system (CMS) client242. For example, CMS client242can be a native application of client device240. For example, a native software application can be an application that is built specifically for the hardware and/or software configuration of client device240. Thus, the graphical user interfaces (and other functionality) of CMS client242described below can be implemented using instructions, application programming interfaces (APIs), and other technologies native to client device240. To generate the various graphical user interfaces below and/or implement various features described herein, CMS client242can request project data (e.g., project content items, project member identifiers, tasks, etc.) from project module202over a network connection (e.g., through network104). Project module202can obtain project data204from content storage160, for example. CMS client242can then present the project data on various graphical user interfaces generated by CMS client242.

Alternatively, CMS client242can be a web client executed by a web browser running on client device240. Thus, the graphical user interfaces (and other functionality) of CMS client240can be implemented using instructions, APIs, and other technologies that are not native to client device240. For example, CMS client240can be built as a web application using non-native web code or instructions. CMS client240can be served to a web browser on client device240and the web browser can execute CMS client240to present the graphical user interfaces (and other functionality) to the user, as described in detail below. To generate the various graphical user interfaces below and/or implement various features described herein, CMS client242(e.g., the web browser) can request various project views (e.g., graphical user interfaces, web pages, etc.) from project module202. Project module202can generate the project views (e.g., the graphical user interfaces described below) for presenting project data (e.g., project content items, project member identifiers, tasks, etc.) and send the project views to CMS client242over a network connection (e.g., through network104). For example, project module202can obtain project data204from content storage160, generate the project views based on the project data, and send the project views to CMS client242. CMS client242can then present the project views on a display of client device240.

In some implementations, client device240can include CMS daemon244. For example, CMS daemon244can be a client of content management system106that maintains synchronization of data between content management system106and client device240. For example, client device240can include managed content250. Managed content250can be a portion of the file system on client device240managed by content management system106and/or CMS daemon244. CMS daemon244and/or content management system106can synchronize content items, project data, etc., stored in managed content250with content items, project data, etc., stored in content storage160. In particular, when the user of client device240is a member of a project corresponding to project data204, CMS daemon244and/or content management system106can synchronize project data204and project data252so that project data204and project data252include the same project content items, and/or project data (e.g., links, tasks, etc.). Thus, a user of client device240can access project data204/252stored in content storage160through CMS client242or through managed content250stored in the local file system on client device240.

FIG. 3illustrates an example graphical user interface300for presenting projects. For example, CMS client242can present graphical user interface (GUI)300on a display of client device240. In some implementations, GUI300can include side panel301presenting various graphical elements for viewing content management system data associated with a content management system user. While side panel301is not represented in each figure described below, side panel301can be presented along with each graphical user interface described herein. In the example illustrated byFIG. 3, the user has selected graphical element302to view projects managed by content management system106. Upon receiving the selection of graphical element302, CMS client242can present projects view304.

In some implementations, projects view304can present projects that are relevant to the user. For example, projects view304can present project322, project340and/or project344. Each of the projects presented in projects view304can have a corresponding project identifier, as described above. A user can cause content management system106to create a new project, and corresponding project identifier, by selecting graphical element314. Projects and project data can be shared with and/or accessible by other users of content management system106. For example, projects can include a team of people that perform various tasks to accomplish the goals of the project. Thus, the project data corresponding to projects322,340and/or344can be shared with other users (e.g., project members) of content management system106. To share the project data with members of a project, members of the project can be granted permissions to view, edit, share, comment on, link, or otherwise interact with project data.

In some implementations, the members of each project322,340and/or344can be represented in areas324,342, and/or346, respectively, by graphical elements (e.g., images, initials, avatars, etc.). For example, project members can be users of content management system106that have permissions to access a project or project data. Permissions can specify which actions a project member can take with respect to content items associated with the project and how representations of the content items are arranged in a hierarchy under the project identifier. For example, permissions can specify whether a project member can open, edit, or share the associated content items; comment on the project or on associated content items; invite other users to be project members; add and/or assign tasks; and/or assign project roles. The collection of graphical elements representing members of a corresponding project can be referred to as a “face pile.”

In some implementations, the face pile can be arranged according to a project member's contribution to the project. For example, content management system106can track the number of content item edits, comments, tasks, etc., associated with users (e.g., project members) of content management system106. When presenting a face pile associated with a project, content item, task, etc., content management system106can present the graphical elements representing each project member or user according to the user's contribution to the project (e.g., when presenting project level items) and/or content item (e.g., when presenting individual content items, folders, etc.). For example, users who contribute a higher number of edits, comments, tasks, content, etc., can be presented at a higher position in the face pile (e.g., to the left, towards the top, etc.) than members or users who contribute relatively fewer edits, comments, tasks, etc. Alternatively, a project member's contribution to a project can be determined based on how long the project member has been a member of the project. For example, one metric for determining a project member's contribution can be the period of time a project member has been associated with a project. Thus, a project member having served the project for a longer period of time than other project members can be placed at a more prominent position in the face pile relative to other project members (e.g., on top, to the left, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the representations of the project members in the face pile can be arranged or ordered according to how recently each project member has accessed the project. For example, members who have most recently accessed the project may be presented in a more prominent position than members who have not accessed the project in a while.

In some implementations, the face pile can be arranged according to a project member's role in the project. For example, project module202can manage roles for members of a project. The roles can be configurable by members of a project such that role labels (e.g., titles) can be created by members of the project. Thus, two different projects can define different roles for project members. For example, a project can have a “project manager” role, an “engineering manager” role, a “designer” role, and/or other roles. When presenting a face pile for a project, the graphical element representing the project member who has the “project manager” role can be presented at the first position (e.g., left most, right most, top, etc.) of the face pile so that the project manager can be quickly identified by other users. In some implementations, a project member's role can be a factor in determining the project member's level of contribution to the project.

A mention can be a reference that links an associated content item or project item to a particular user. In some implementations, a user can create a mention by entering a pre-defined character sequence (e.g. “@”) followed by a designation of a user identifier. For example, when creating a task in a content item, a user can assign the task to a particular user by mentioning the assigned user in the task. As a more specific example, if a task is created by entering the character sequence “[ ]”, this task can be assigned to a user “Bob” by entering the character sequence: “[ ]@Bob”.

In some implementations, project module202can use project roles to address comments, assign tasks, share content items, and/or make other associations. For example, a user of content management system106can enter a comment in a content item addressed to the project manager of “Project Widget” (e.g., “@ProjectWidgetManager”). Content management system106can determine the user who is the project manager for “Project Widget” based on the roles assigned in the project “Project Widget” and notify the user who has the project manager role of the comment addressed to the project manager. Similarly, users can assign tasks to roles. For example, a design task can be assigned to the user having the “designer” role by at (@) mentioning the designer role in a task (e.g., “@ProjectWidgetDesigner”). In some implementations, resolving the target user of a role-based mention can depend on the project the mention is associated with. For example, when adding a task to a project A, a user can assign the task to the project's owner by mentioning @projectOwner. In response, content managements system106can determine the user assigned to the owner role for project A and create an association between the user and the task. This association can be determined by retrieving a mapping between the project and the project's roles. If the role is reassigned to a different user, the (task, target user)-association can be automatically updated, such as by updating an explicit mapping between the new user and the task or through the updated project owner role mapping. Thus, the same project role mention (e.g., @projectAdmin) can map to different users depending on the roles assigned in an associated project.

In some implementations, content items can be shared with roles. For example, there may be some project content items that should only be accessible to the project manager and/or other high-level members of the project. Instead of changing permissions assigned to individual users when the people or users associated with these roles changes, these content items can be shared with the roles (e.g., project manager, engineering manager, etc.). Then, when the users assigned to the roles change, the old project manager can automatically lose her permissions to access the project content items and the new project manager can automatically gain permission to access the project content items.

In some implementations, projects view304can include featured projects area320. For example, featured projects area320can include representations of projects that are featured or important to a company, group, or other endeavor. For example, a company officer may start a project associated with an important company-wide initiative. The company officer (e.g., user) can provide input identifying the project as a featured or important project for the company. In other implementations, content management system106can determine that a project is important and should be featured based on the number of project members in the project and/or the popularity of the project (e.g., how many users are viewing or accessing the project). For example, project module202can determine that project322is an important project based on one or more of the criteria above and cause project322to be presented in featured projects area320when GUI300is presented by client device240. In some implementations, featured projects320can be user-specific such that the projects selected as featured for a particular user can vary depending on the user's characteristics. Any number of characteristics can be used to select projects such as team or group membership, location of the project, location of project team members, content item access or sharing history, device type, etc. For example, a particular project can be featured for a user when the user has above a threshold number of interactions with content items in the particular project or when common group membership between the user and members of the particular project is above a threshold number of members.

In some implementations, projects view304can include user project area330. For example, user projects area330can include projects associated with the user or projects where the user is a member. A user may be associated with a project if the user has previously been a member of the project (and perhaps no longer is a member), if the user has previously worked on content items associated with the project, if the user has worked or collaborated with members of the project, and/or if the project or project data is otherwise connected to the user. In some implementations, the user can filter or sort the projects presented in user projects are330. For example, the user can select graphical element332to cause CMS client242to present projects that the user has recently visited or viewed. The user can select graphical element334to cause CMS client242to present projects that the user manages, owner, or created. The user can select graphical element336to cause CMS client242to present all projects for which the user is a member. The user can select graphical element338to cause CMS client242to present projects that have been archived by content management system106. In response to the user selection of one of graphical elements332,334,336and/or338, CMS client242can request information describing the corresponding projects (e.g., project identifiers, project metadata, project membership information, etc.) from content management system206and present the project information (e.g., representations of the projects and/or project membership), in user project area330on GUI300.

In some implementations, the user can select a project to view project content items and other project data associated with the project. For example, the user can select project340to cause CMS client242to present GUI400ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 4illustrates an example graphical user interface400for presenting a project view. For example, CMS client242can present GUI400on a display of client device240in response to the user selecting project340ofFIG. 3. GUI400can present a view of a project selected by the user. The project view presented by GUI400can include various content items and/or other project data associated with project340(e.g., “Project Widget”) selected by the user from GUI300, for example.

In some implementations, GUI400can include graphical element402representing the project presented by GUI400. For example, graphical element402can be a banner presented across the top of GUI400. Graphical element402can include an image or other graphical element representing the project340. The aesthetic provided by graphical element402can provide a means by which a viewing user can distinguish project340from other projects. In some implementations, graphical element402can be customized according to individual user preferences. For example, the user can change the image presented by graphical element402by selecting another image. Thus, graphical element402can be different for each member of the project.

In some implementations, graphical element402can include graphical element404representing the selected project340. For example, graphical element404can have a specific icon or shape (e.g., hexagon) that distinguishes a content item associated with a project from other items that are not associated with projects. Stated differently, the shape of graphical element404can allow users to quickly distinguish between content items that are associated with projects and content items that have no project affiliation. For example, a content item associated with a project can be presented with graphical element404(e.g., a hexagon), while content items that are not associated with a project may be presented with other corresponding shapes or icons such as a square or rectangular graphical representation. In addition to having a unique shape associated with projects, graphical element404may include a visual identifier, such as an image or color, that is specific to project340. Thus, when a content item associated with project340is presented with graphical element404, the user can quickly identify with which project the content item is associated.

In some implementations, graphical element402can include an identifier for the selected project. For example, graphical element402can include graphical element406that provides a textual representation (e.g., project identifier) of the selected project340.

In some implementations, graphical element402can include graphical element408for searching content items managed by content management system106. For example, the user can provide text input to graphical element408to specify search parameters. CMS client242can send the search parameters to content management system106in a search request. Content management system106can return to CMS client242search results (e.g., content items, comments, tasks, users, projects, content item collections, etc.) that match the search parameters. CMS client242can then present the search results on a search results GUI (not shown).

In some implementations, graphical element402can include graphical element410for accessing notifications. For example, when a notification is sent to the user or to a project associated with the user, graphical element410can indicate that a new notification has been received. The user can select graphical element410to cause CMS client242to present the notifications on a GUI (not shown).

In some implementations, graphical element402can include graphical element412. For example, graphical element412can be a graphical representation (e.g., image, avatar, icon, etc.) of the user who is currently signed in to content management system106through CMS client242.

In some implementations, GUI400can include project content area420. For example, content area420can present representations of content items linked to the selected project340. For example, rather than having project content items stored within a project specific and/or distinct project storage location, project data can include links (e.g., references, uniform resource locators ‘URL’, etc.) to content items external to the project and/or content management system106. A user can actuate (e.g., click, right click, control click, tap, hover over, etc.) a link to view the corresponding content items. In some implementations, multiple projects can link to and/or include the same content items. To decrease storage requirements and eliminate the need to replicate changes made to a content item in one project to copies of the content item in other projects, content items stored within content management system106may be linked to multiple projects but stored only once within the system. Moreover, using links to associate content with projects allows projects to link with any type of content that is stored anywhere reachable by a network connection (e.g., both internal and external to content management system106). For example, project340can include links to content items (e.g., content item422), collaborative content items (e.g., collaborative content item424), content item collections (e.g. folder426), and/or other projects (e.g., project428).

Linked content items, such as content item422, can be stored by content management system106, e.g., in association with a user account of content management system106. Linked content items can be any type of content item such as documents, collaborative content items, text, audio, images, videos, webpages, executable files, binary files, placeholder files that reference other content items, or etc. In some implementations, content items can be linked to a project based on a mapping between an identifier of the content item in content management system106and an identifier of the project. In some implementations, a content item can be linked to a project by associating the project with a URL to the content item in the content management system106or with a network resource storing the content item external to content management system106. Linked content item collections, such as content item collection426, can be linked to a project in a similar manner as other content items.

Linked collaborative content items, such as collaborative content item424, as discussed above, can be files that users can create and edit using a collaborative content items editor, and can contain collaborative content item elements such as a collaborative content item identifier, one or more author identifiers, text, media, collaborative content item attributes, interaction information, comments, sharing users, etc. Collaborative content items can be linked to a project by storing a mapping between the collaborative content item identifier and the project. In some implementations, a project view can be provided in a web interface and selecting a collaborative content item linked to a project can cause the web browser to load a collaborative content item editor to edit the selected collaborative content item.

Project340can include other projects, such as project428. A first project can be included in a second project by storing a mapping between the included project identifier and the project.

In some implementations, CMS client242can filter or sort content items in content area420according to various criteria. For example, content area420can include graphical element430for presenting recently updated content items linked to project340. When the user selects graphical element430, CMS client242can present project content items that have been updated since the user last viewed the selected project340. Alternatively, when the user selects graphical element430, CMS client242can present project content items that have been updated during a period of time prior to the current time. For example, CMS client242can present content items that have been updated during the last 24 hours, 3 days, etc. In some implementations, content items can be organized by last update time when graphical element430is selected.

In some implementations, content area420can include graphical element432for sorting content items alphabetically. For example, in response to receiving a user selection of graphical element432, CMS client242can present content items in alphabetical order by name or identifier.

In some implementations, content area420can include graphical element434for presenting external content linked to the selected project340. For example, in response to receiving a user selection of graphical element434, CMS client242can filter content items associated with the selected project so that only links to external content are presented in content area420.

In some implementations, content area420can include graphical element436for presenting content items that are shared with the user. For example, in response to receiving a user selection of graphical element436, CMS client242can filter content items associated with the selected project so that only content items that were shared with the user (e.g., content items that another user shared with the user, provided a content item link to the user, or had permissions set for access by the user) are presented in content area420.

In some implementations, content area420can include graphical element438for presenting content items that were created by the user. For example, in response to receiving a user selection of graphical element436, CMS client242can filter content items associated with the selected project so that only content items that were created or originated by the user are presented in content area420.

In some implementations, content area420can include graphical element440for presenting content items that were archived. For example, content management system106may archive content items that have not been accessed for a period of time. Content management system106may archive content items in response to user input indicating that a content item should be archived. Archived content items may not be generally accessible, however, in response to receiving a user selection of graphical element440, CMS client242can present archived content items associated with the selected project in content area420.

Content management system can use other filtering and/or sorting criteria to present content items linked to a project. For example, content management system106can filter and/or sort content items presented on GUI400based on which content items are currently being accessed, which user is currently accessing a corresponding content item, which content items are only accessible by project members, which content items are accessible to any user, based on the date the content item was added to the project or to content management system106, whether the content item has been pinned in the project (discussed below), which folder the content item is stored in or associated with, and/or which project members or content management system users have seen or edited the content item.

In some implementations, GUI400can include face pile450. For example, face pile450can include graphical elements representing some or all members of the selected project340. As described above, member representations in face pile450can be ordered based on the member's role in project340and/or the member's contributions to project340. The number of users displayed in the face pile450can be limited to a threshold number of users from the ordered list of project members.

In some implementations, GUI400can include graphical element452for adding a new member to the project. For example, if the user is not currently a member of project340, the user can select graphical element452to join the project. In some implementations, project membership can be contingent on project manager approval, in which case, in response to receiving a user selection of graphical element452, a notification can be sent to the project manager indicating the user would like to join project340. The project manager can then accept or reject the user's request to join the project. If the project manager approved the request to join or if project manager approval is not necessary, the user can then be added as a project member. If the user is currently a member of project340, the user can select graphical element452, which can be displayed with an alternate label such as “invite project members,” to invite another user or users to join the project. In some implementations, content management system106can recommend users for a project. For example, when the user selects graphical element452to invite another user to the project, CMS client242can receive a list of suggested users from content management system106and present the list of suggested users to the user. The list of suggested users can be generated based on the user's previous interactions with the suggested users. The list of suggested users can be generated based on the user's previous interactions with the same content items as the suggested users or with content items associated with the project.

In some implementations, GUI400can include graphical element460for creating a new content item for the project. For example, the user can select graphical element460to cause content management system106to generate a new content item (e.g., collaboration content item, document, spreadsheet, image, etc.) for the project. After creating the new content item, content management system106can link the content item to the project. Similarly, GUI400can include graphical element462for creating a new folder for the project. The user can select graphical element460to cause content management system106to create a new folder within the project. After creating the new folder, content management system106can link the new folder to the project.

In some implementations, GUI400can include graphical element464for adding a new content item to the project. For example, a user can select graphical element464to cause CMS client242to present GUI500ofFIG. 5to add another project, content item, and/or external content (e.g., URL) to the current project.

As described above, GUI400can include, in a single project view, a variety of project items associated with a project. For example, GUI400can include representations of one or more project items including any of: synchronization content items (e.g. content items managed by content management system106for synchronization with one or more client devices), content items stored externally to content management system106, collaborative content items (e.g. content items that can be provided by content management system106through a web-based collaborative content item editor), other projects, content item collections, tasks (discussed below), member user accounts, or any combination thereof.

FIG. 5illustrates an example graphical user interface500for adding a link to a project. For example, CMS client242can present GUI500in response to receiving a user selection of graphical element464ofFIG. 4. GUI500can have similar features as GUI400. However, in response to receiving a selection of graphical element464, GUI500can present graphical element502for receiving user input specifying a new content item for project340.

In some implementations, graphical element502can include project suggestions. For example, when graphical element502is initially presented by CMS client242, graphical element502can present suggested projects that content management system106has determined might be relevant to the user or to project340. For example, content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of content items linked to candidate projects to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between the currently selected project and a candidate project suggestion. Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project links to the same or similar content as the currently selected project (e.g., project340). Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project has some of the same project members as the currently selected project. Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project has some members that regularly interact with (e.g., communicate, assign tasks, send comments, share calendar events, etc.) and/or share content items with members of the currently selected project. Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap in people (e.g., members), content, and/or subject matter between the currently selected project and a candidate project suggestion. If an overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate project suggestion as a project suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the project suggestion to the user on graphical element502. The user can select a project suggestion to add or link the suggested project to the current project340.

In some implementations, graphical element502can include graphical element506for receiving search parameter input from the user. For example, graphical element506can be a text input box for specifying search parameters (e.g., search strings) for performing a search of content items in the currently selected project and/or throughout content management system106. For example, the user can select graphical element506and then use a keyboard or voice input to specify one or more search parameters. For example, the search parameters can include strings that identify content items, projects, users, etc. The search parameters can include uniform resource locators (URL) that identify network resources internal or external to content management system106. CMS client242can send the search parameters to content management system106and content management system106can return search results (e.g., metadata) describing content items, projects, users, etc., that match the specified search parameters. CMS client242can then present the search results on graphical element502. The user can select one or more of the search results to link the corresponding project, content item, user, etc., to the current project.

FIG. 6Aillustrates an example graphical user interface600for adding a particular content item to a project. For example, GUI600can be presented by CMS client242on a display of client device240.

In some implementations, CMS client242can present a content item on GUI600. The content item may or may not already be associated with a project. GUI600can include graphical element602identifying the content item and may present area608showing contents of the content item.

In some implementations, GUI600can include graphical element604for adding the content item to a project. For example, while presenting the content item, CMS client242can receive user input selecting graphical element604. In response to receiving the user selection of graphical element604, CMS client242can present graphical element610(e.g., a window, popup, overlay, etc.) presenting options for adding the content item to a project.

In some implementations, graphical element610can include recommended projects618and/or620. For example, content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of content items linked to candidate projects to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between the currently presented content item and a candidate project suggestion. Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project links to the same or similar content as the currently presented content item. Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project has project members that have edited, viewed, commented on, or otherwise interacted with the currently presented content item. Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap in people (e.g., members), content, and/or subject matter between the currently presented content item and a candidate project suggestion. If an overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate project suggestion as a project suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the project suggestion to the user on graphical element610. The user can select a project suggestion to add or link the currently presented content item to the selected suggested project.

In some implementations, graphical element610can include graphical element612for searching for projects managed by content management system106. For example, graphical element612can be a text input box for specifying search parameters (e.g., search strings) for performing a search for projects managed by content management system106. For example, the user can select graphical element612and then use a keyboard or voice input to specify one or more search parameters. CMS client242can send the search parameters to content management system106and content management system106can return search results (e.g., metadata) describing projects, that match the specified search parameters. CMS client242can then present the search results on graphical element610. The user can select one or more of the search results to add the currently presented content item to the corresponding project.

In some implementations, graphical element610can include graphical element614to create a new project. For example, in response to receiving user input selecting graphical element614, CMS client242can present GUI650ofFIG. 6B.

FIG. 6Billustrates an example graphical user interface650for creating a new project. For example, GUI650can be similar to GUI600. However, at this point the user has selected graphical element614to create a new project and, in response to receiving the selection of graphical element614, CMS client242has presented graphical element660for configuring a new project. Alternatively, CMS client242can present graphical element660for configuring a new project upon user selection of graphical element314.

In some implementations, graphical element660can include graphical element662for specifying an identifier for a new project. For example, graphical element662can be a text input control. The user can select graphical element662and provide text input to specify the name or identifier for the new project.

In some implementations, graphical element660can present suggested members for the new project. For example, when graphical element660is presented by CMS client242, graphical element660can present suggestions for members for the new project that content management system106has determined might be relevant to the user, the new project, or the currently presented content item. For example, content management system106can determine members to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of content items associated with candidate suggested members to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between what the candidate suggested members are working on and the content of the currently presented content item. Content management system106can determine candidate members to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of the project name662and content items associated with candidate suggested members (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) to determine similarities in subject matter. Content management system106can determine candidate members to suggest based on whether the candidate member belongs to some of the same projects as the user or has worked on the same content items as the user. Content management system106can determine candidate members to suggest based on whether the candidate member regularly interacts (e.g., communicates, assigns tasks, sends comments, shares calendar events, etc.) with the user or interacts with the currently presented content item (e.g., the content item is shared with candidate members). Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap between (A) the currently presented content item, the user, and/or the new project, and (B) the candidate suggested members. If a threshold amount of overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate member suggestion as a member suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the member suggestion to the user on graphical element660. The user can select a member suggestion (e.g., member suggestion664, member suggestion666, etc.) to add or remove the candidate member from the new project. In some implementations, graphical element660can present representations of other (non-suggested) users that the user can select to add these users to the new project. For example, these non-suggested users can be presented in response to a user entering a search string and the non-suggested users matching the entered search string.

In some implementations, graphical element660can present suggested content items for the new project. For example, when graphical element660is presented by CMS client242, graphical element660can present suggestions for content items to include in the new project that content management system106has determined might be relevant to the user, the new project, or the currently presented content item. For example, content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of the candidate content items to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between the candidate content items and the content of the currently presented content item. Content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of the project name662and content of the candidate content items (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) to determine similarities in subject matter. Content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on whether the candidate content items are associated with or linked to some of the same projects as the user. Content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on whether the user regularly interacts (e.g., opens, edits, shares, etc.) with the candidate content items. Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap between (A) the currently presented content item, the user, and/or the new project, and (B) the candidate content items. If a threshold amount of overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate content items suggestions as a content item suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the content item suggestion to the user on graphical element660. The user can select a content item suggestion (e.g., content item suggestion668, content item suggestion670, etc.) to add or remove the candidate content item from the new project.

In some implementations, content item suggestions and/or member suggestions can be selected for a project by default. For example, when CMS client242presents graphical element660, each of the suggested items (e.g., suggested members, suggested content items, etc.) can be pre-selected for inclusion in the new project. Thus, if the user agrees with the suggestions, the user can simply select graphical element672to create a new project that includes the suggested items. If the user does not agree with some of the suggestions, the user can deselect suggested items so that they are not included in the project and then select graphical element672to create a new project that includes any remaining selected suggested items. When the user provides input to create the new project, content management system106can create a new project that includes any selected suggested items and the currently presented content item (e.g., “Widget Specification”602).

FIG. 7illustrates an example graphical user interface700for presenting suggested content for a project. For example, GUI700can correspond to GUI400described above. GUI700can be presented by CMS client242on a display of client device240in response to the user selecting a project (e.g., project340) from GUI300.

In some implementations, GUI700can include content suggestion area702. For example, when a user selects project340from GUI300, CMS client242can present GUI700that includes project data associated with the selected project received from content management system106. In some implementations, CMS client242can receive project data that includes suggested content for the currently selected project340. For example, content management system106can analyze content managed by content management system106to determine which content items not already associated with or added to the currently selected project might be relevant to the currently selected project. Content management system106can then send the relevant content items, or metadata describing the relevant content items, to CMS client242to present on GUI700as suggested content.

In some implementations, content management system106can determine suggested content for the currently selected project. For example, content management system106can determine content items to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of candidate content items to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between (A) the candidate content items and (B) the name or description of the project and/or the content already associated with the currently selected project. Content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on whether the candidate content items are associated with or linked to some of the same projects as members of the currently selected project. Content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on whether the members of the currently selected project regularly interact (e.g., recently edited, recently viewed, comment on, shared, etc.) with the candidate content items. Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap between the currently selected project, the user, and/or the candidate content items. If a threshold amount of overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate content items as a content item suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the content item suggestion to the user on graphical element660. The user can select graphical element706corresponding to content item suggestion704to add the suggested content item to the currently selected project represented on GUI700.

In some implementations, content management system106can adjust the permissions associated with a content item when a content item is added to a project. In some implementations, to add a content item to a project, as described above, the user adding the content item to the project must have write permissions with respect to the content item. In some implementations, to add a content item to a project, the user must also be a member of the project. When the content item is added to the project, content management system106can grant all members of the project access to the content item. For example, content management system106can grant read-only permissions or read-write permissions with respect to the content item to members of the project to which the content item was added.

FIG. 8illustrates an example graphical user interface800for presenting pinned content items and/or related projects. For example, GUI800can correspond to GUI400ofFIG. 4. GUI800can be presented in response to a user selecting a project from GUI300ofFIG. 3.

In some implementations, GUI800can include pinned content area810. For example, a user can select graphical element802corresponding to content item428to designate content item428as a pinned content item within the selected project. For example, the user can select graphical element802to cause content management system106to present a menu that allows the user to designate the corresponding project as a pinned project. Content management system106can store metadata for linked content indicating whether a content item has been pinned within the project. Pinned content items can be presented on pinned content area810below banner402so that users and/or project members can quickly access the pinned content. For example, pinned content can include project content items that project members consider to be important content items for the project.

In some implementations, pinned content area810can include graphical element812and/or graphical element814representing a pinned content item for the project. For example, graphical element812can be a preview image of the pinned content item. Graphical element814can be text and/or icons identifying the pinned content item. The user can select graphical element812and/or graphical element814to cause CMS client242to present the corresponding content item on a display of client device240.

In some implementations, GUI800can include related projects area820. For example, related projects area820can include representations of projects that are related to the currently selected project, members of the currently selected project, and/or content items linked to the currently selected project. For example, when GUI800is presented by CMS client242, related projects area820can present suggested projects that content management system106has determined might be relevant to the user and/or relevant to the current project. For example, content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of content items linked to candidate projects to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between the title, descriptions, or linked content items of the currently selected project and a candidate project suggestion. Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project links to the same or similar content as the currently selected project (e.g., project340). Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project has some of the same project members as the currently selected project. Content management system106can determine projects to suggest based on whether the candidate project has some members that regularly interact with (e.g., communicate, assign tasks, send comments, share calendar events, etc.) and/or share content items with members of the currently selected project. Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap in people (e.g., members), content, and/or subject matter between the currently selected project and a candidate project suggestion. If a threshold amount of overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate project suggestion as a project suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the project suggestion to the user in related projects area820of GUI800. The user can select a project suggestion to add or link the suggested project to the current project340.

FIG. 9illustrates an example graphical user interface900for suggesting content items and/or project members for a selected project. For example, GUI900can correspond to GUI400ofFIG. 4. In some implementations, CMS client242can receive from content management system106content item suggestions and/or project member suggestions for the selected project340. CMS client242can then present the content item suggestions and/or project member suggestions on GUI900.

In some implementations, GUI900can include suggested content area910. For example, content management system106can determine content items to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of candidate content items to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between the candidate content items and the content already associated with the currently selected project and/or the title and/or description of the selected project. Content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on whether the candidate content items are associated with or linked to some of the same projects as members of the currently selected project. Content management system106can determine candidate content items to suggest based on whether the members of the currently selected project regularly interact (e.g., recently edited, recently viewed, comment on, shared, etc.) with the candidate content items. Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap between the currently selected project, the user, and/or the candidate content items. If an overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate content items as a content item suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the content item suggestion to the user in suggested content area910of GUI900. The user can select graphical element916corresponding to content item suggestion912to add suggested content item912to the currently selected project represented on GUI900.

In some implementations, GUI900can include suggested people area920. For example, when GUI900is presented by CMS client242, GUI900can present membership suggestions for the currently selected project that content management system106has determined might be relevant to the user or the currently selected project. For example, content management system106can determine individual members, groups of members, and/or teams of members to suggest based on natural language processing analysis of content items associated with the currently selected project to determine similarities in subject matter (e.g., common keywords, common phrases, etc.) between content items the candidate suggested members are working on, have recently worked on, created, etc., and the content items the currently selected project and/or the title and/or description of the currently selected project. Content management system106can determine candidate members to suggest based on whether the candidate member belongs to some of the same projects as other project members or has worked on the same content items as other project members. Content management system106can determine candidate members to suggest based on whether the candidate member regularly interacts (e.g., communicates, assigns tasks, sends comments, shares calendar events, etc.) with the user or other members of the currently selected project. Generally, content management system106can determine whether there is some overlap between (A) the currently selected project and/or the user and (B) the candidate suggested members. If a threshold amount of overlap exists, then content management system106can provide the candidate member suggestion as a member suggestion to CMS client242and CMS client242can present the member suggestion to the user in suggested people area920on GUI900. The user can select graphical element926to add the corresponding suggested member to the currently selected project.

FIG. 10is a flow diagram of an example process1000for managing a project using links to project content. For example, content management system106can manage projects for teams of users (e.g., project members). The project data can be stored in a project database that maps project data to a project identifier for the project. In some implementations, project content items (e.g., files, documents, collaborative content item, images, notes, etc.) can be associated with the project using links to the project content items. For example, the content items can be stored separately (e.g., in a different storage location) than the project data204. To associate content items with a project, links (e.g., a content item, file, database entry, etc., that references another content item, file, etc.) that reference the project content items can be stored, e.g. in a database or project folder. Thus, content management system106does not have to replicate content items when the same content item is associated with multiple different projects.

At step1002, content management system106can identify a storage location for project data corresponding to a project. In some implementations, the storage location can be one or more databases or other metadata storage or can be a particular project folder. In some implementations, the project data can be a mapping of a project identifier for the project to content items, links, references, membership data, and/or other project data managed by content management system106. The project data can be shared with members of the project such that the project members can access, modify, share, and otherwise view or manipulate content items and/or other attributes associated with the project and/or project folder.

At step1004, content management system106can store references between the project content and the project in the identified storage location. For example, when a project member adds a content item to the project, as described above, the content item can be associated with the project using a reference to the content item. For example, a link (e.g., a content item, file, etc., that references another content item, file, etc.) that references the content item can be stored in the project folder. As another example, a database entry can be created joining an ID of the content item with an ID of the project. Because the content item can be stored separately from the content item reference and because the reference merely refers to the content item, the reference can be moved, deleted, etc., without affecting the corresponding content item. However, the members of the project can use the reference to access and modify the referenced content item using the appropriate editor.

At step1006, content management system106can store references between the project members and the project in the identified storage location. For example, content management system106can store information indicating which users of content management system106are members of the project.

At step1008, content management system106can store project metadata describing project roles in the project data. For example, project members and/or content management system106can define various project roles for the project and assign the project roles to members of the project. The role assignments can be stored in the project data.

At step1010, content management system106can store project metadata describing activities of project members. For example, content management system106can monitor the behavior and/or activities of project members and/or other users of content management system106. Content management system106can record or store information describing the users' activities within content management system106. For example, content management system106can store information describing interactions (e.g., messaging, mentioning, sharing, collaborating on a content item, etc.) between users, which content items a user views and/or edits, which projects a user has viewed or is a member, and/or which groups or teams a user is a member.

At step1012, content management system106can generate a project view that includes representations of content linked to a project, project members, project member roles and/or project member contributions. For example, content management system106can generate a project view (e.g., graphical user interface400,500,700,800,900, etc.) that presents representations of content items linked to the project. Content management system106can generate a project view (e.g., graphical user interface400,500,700,800,900, etc.) that presents representations of project members (e.g., face pile). Content management system106can generate a project view (e.g., graphical user interface400,500,700,800,900, etc.) that presents representations of project member roles and/or contributions to the project (e.g., order in face pile).

When generating a project view, content management system106can generate links for project items, which can be any of: synchronization content items (e.g. content items managed by content management system106for synchronization with one or more client devices), content items stored externally to content management system106but that are accessible through a network addresses, collaborative content items (e.g. content items that can be provided by content management system106through a web-based collaborative content item editor), other projects, content item collections, tasks member user accounts, or any combination thereof. Links to project items can be associated with the project, e.g. by virtue of the data stored in blocks1004-1010. The generated links can be configured to have different actions when activated depending on project item type.

Links to collaborative content items can be configured to open the collaborative content item, e.g. in a collaborative content item editor. Links to collaborative content items can also be alternatively selected (e.g. through a context menu) that provide other functions related to the collaborative content item such as moving it, deleting it, pinning it, sharing it, etc.

Links to synchronization content items synchronized with or managed by the content management system106can be configured to open a web view of the content item; download the content item; or, if the content item is downloaded or is already stored locally on the client, can cause the content item to be opened by an associated program or to be displayed in a folder, in the file system on the client device, that contains the content item.

Links to content items accessible through third-party network addresses can be configured to open the content item using the third-party network addresses, such as in a web browser or another application configured to use the network address.

Links to projects or other content item collections managed by the content management system106can be configured to open a project view or web view of the content item collection, download the content item collection; or, if the content item collection is downloaded or is already stored locally on the client, can cause the content item collection to be opened, e.g. by the file system on the client device.

Links to user accounts can be configured to enter the user name in a search area of the project view or open a user details page for the user. A user details page can include general user information or can include information about the user in relation to the current project, e.g. the user's role, content items the user has added to the project, content items of the project the user has opened or edited, etc.

The generated project view can also include elements indicating actions relating to the project or project items. For example, these elements can include how project items have been shared (e.g., which project members and/or other users, or a numerical count of users with access to the content item), project level discussions or comments, and/or tasks or a task list that have been created for the project or in content items linked to the project.

At step1014, content management system106can cause the project view to be presented on display of a client device. For example, the project view can be a web page, web GUI, etc., that can be presented by CMS client242when CMS client242is a web browser running on the client device. Content management system106can serve the project view to CMS client242to cause CMS client242to present the project view on a display of the client device. Alternatively, content management system106can send data for creating a project view to the client device when CMS client242is a native client. CMS client242can then present a native GUI that presents the project view data.

FIG. 11Ais a flow diagram of an example process1100for generating membership, content, and/or associated project suggestions for a selected project. For example, content management system106can determine associations between users, content items, and/or projects and make recommendations or suggestions with respect to linking content items, users, and/or projects to the selected project.

At step1102, content management system106can receive a project identifier. For example, the user of client device240can interact with CMS client242to select a project to view on a GUI of CMS client242. In some implementations, the user can provide input to CMS client242to create a new project. CMS client242can send information describing the selected project to content management system106. For example, CMS client242can send a project identifier to content management system106. In some implementations, all or part of process1100can be initiated by an automated process, such as a process to identify suggestions for existing project while a server's load is low. In these implementations, process1100may not be initiated by user action. In these implementations, project identifiers can be identified in a variety of ways such as by iterating through the existing project identifiers, selecting high-priority projects, or selecting projects that have not had suggestions determined in a threshold amount of time.

At step1104, content management system106can determine candidate project items for the identified project. For example, the candidate project items can include all project items (e.g., user accounts, content items, tasks, etc.) managed by content management system106. The candidate project items can include content items for which the current user has permissions. For example, the user may need permissions to access a candidate project item to add it to a project, thus only project items for which a current user has sufficient permissions can be analyzed to suggest to the user. The candidate project items can include content items which the current user has created. The candidate project items can include content items which the current user has opened, edited, or commented on, or performed one of these actions on within a threshold period of time. The candidate project items can include content items stored in particular locations or owned by certain users. Candidate project items that are other projects can be determined based on project relevance, as determined by process1130described below. The candidate project items can be included in a collection of candidate project items that can be analyzed for relevance to the identified project, as described further below.

At step1106, content management system106can select a candidate project item from the candidate project items. For example, content management system106can select a candidate project item from the collection of candidate project items to determine whether the selected candidate project item is relevant to the identified project. Content management system106can iterate through the candidate project items in the collection to determine whether each candidate project item is relevant to the identified project. When a candidate project item is selected from the candidate project items collection, the selected candidate project item can be removed from the collection. Alternatively, content management system106can maintain a counter identifying a location in the collection corresponding to the current iteration.

At step1108, content management system106can compute a relevance score for the selected candidate project item. For example, content management system106can determine a relevance score representing how relevant the candidate project item is to the identified project. The relevance score can be determined by process1160described below. In some implementations, computing the relevance score can include logging reasons for the resulting relevance score, such as project membership or content item editing/viewing overlap, content item overlap, subject matter overlap, or other factors described in relation to process1160.

At step1110, content management system106can determine whether the relevance score for the selected candidate project item is above a relevance threshold value. If the relevance score for the selected candidate project item is not above the relevance threshold, then process1100can proceed to step1112. If the relevance score for the selected candidate project item is above the relevance threshold, then process1100can proceed to step1114.

At step1112, content management system106can determine whether the candidate project item collection includes more candidate project items that have not been analyzed. If the candidate project item collection includes more candidate project items, then content management system106can continue process1100at step1106. If the candidate project item collection does not include more candidate project items to analyze, then content management system106can continue process1100at step1122.

At step1114, content management system106can determine whether the selected candidate project item is another project. If the candidate project item is another project, content management system106can continue process1100at step1118. If the candidate project item is not another project, content management system106can continue process1100at step1116. Process1100can make this distinction because, for non-projects, process1100is only making a determination for whether it should suggest the candidate project item to add to the identified project. For other projects, process1100can make the further determination for whether it should suggest the candidate project to merge with the identified project.

At step1116, content management system106can add the selected candidate project item to a project item suggestions list. For example, the project item suggestion list can include user accounts, content items, tasks, projects, and/or other items that a user may wish to add to the identified project. After adding the selected candidate project item to the project item suggestions list, content management system106can continue process1100at step1112.

At step1118, content management system106can determine whether the relevance score for the selected candidate project item is above a merge threshold. For example, when the candidate project item is another project, content management system106can determine whether the relevance score for the other project is so high that the identified project and the other project should be merged into the same project. When the relevance score for the other project is not above the merge threshold, content management system106can continue process1100at step1116. When the relevance score for the other project is above the merge threshold, content management system106can continue process1100at step1120.

At step1120, content management system106can add the candidate project item to a project merge list. For example, when the relevance score for the other project is above the merge threshold, content management system106can add the other project to a project merge list so that content management system106can suggest that the projects in the merge list with the identified project. After adding the selected candidate project item (e.g., the other project) to the merge list, content management system106can continue process1100at step1112.

At step1122, content management system106can present the suggestions list and/or merge list. For example, content management system106can generate a project view for the identified project that includes the project items included in the suggestions list and/or merge list. In some implementations, suggestions provided in the suggestions list or merge list can include the corresponding reasons for the suggestion, e.g., the reasons for the corresponding relevance score discussed above. In some implementations, projects on the merge list can be selected for either merging with the identified project or for linking to the identified project. Content management system106can send the project view to CMS client242for presentation on a display of client device240.

FIG. 11Bis a flow diagram of an example process1130for generating a project suggestion for a selected content item. For example, content management system106can determine associations between the selected content item and users, content items, and/or projects, and make recommendations or suggestions for project to which the selected content item should be added.

At step1132, content management system106can receive a content item identifier. For example, the user of client device240can interact with CMS client242to select and/or view a content item managed by content management system106. While viewing the content item, the user can provide input to CMS client242to add the selected content item to a project, as described above with reference toFIG. 6AandFIG. 6B. In some implementations, all or part of process1130can be initiated by an automated process, such as a process to identify suggestions for existing content items while a server's load is low. In these implementations, process1130may not be initiated by user action. In these implementations, content item identifiers can be identified in a variety of ways such as by iterating through the existing content items, selecting high-priority content items, or selecting content items that have not had suggestions determined in a threshold amount of time.

At step1134, content management system106can determine candidate projects for the identified content item. For example, the candidate projects can include all projects managed by content management system106. The candidate projects can include all projects relevant to the current user of client device240. For example, the candidate projects can be relevant to a user (or user account) when the user has previously favorited, shared, opened, edited, and/or commented on content items and/or project data associated with the candidate project. The candidate projects can be relevant to a user when the user has been assigned a role in the candidate project or is active within a project. For example, a user's activity level within a candidate project can be measured based on number of content items the user has added to the candidate project, number or volume of edits in content items linked to the candidate project, number of other users the user has invited to join the candidate project, number of tasks created by the user related to the candidate project, and/or number or volume of comments created within the candidate project. A project can be selected as a candidate project when the user's activity level is above some threshold activity level and/or the activities were performed within some threshold period of time. The candidate projects can be added to a collection of candidate projects. Each project in the collection of candidate projects can be analyzed for relevance to the content item identified at step1132, as described further below.

At step1136, content management system106can select a candidate project. For example, content management system106can select a candidate project from the collection of projects generated at step1134. When content management system selects a candidate project from the collection, content management system106can remove the selected candidate project from the collection of candidate projects. Alternatively, content management system can maintain a counter identifying a location in the collection corresponding to the current iteration.

At step1138, content management system106can compute a relevance score for the selected candidate project. For example, content management system106can compute a relevance score that represents how relevant the selected candidate project is to the identified content item, as described below with reference to process1160. In some implementations, computing the relevance score can include logging reasons for the resulting relevance score, such as project membership or content item editing/viewing overlap, content item overlap, subject matter overlap, or other factors described in relation to process1160.

At step1140, content management system106can determine whether the relevance score for the selected candidate project is above a relevance threshold value. When the relevance score is not above the relevance threshold value, process1130can continue to step1142. When the relevance score is above the relevance threshold value, process1130can continue to step1144.

At step1142, content management system106can determine whether there are more candidate projects in the collection of candidate projects that have not been iterated over. When there are more candidate projects in the collection of candidate projects to analyze, process1130can continue to step1136, as described above. When there are not more candidate projects in the collection of candidate projects to analyze, process1130can continue to step1146.

At step1144, content management system106can add the selected candidate project to a project suggestions list. For example, when the relevance score for the selected candidate project is above a relevance threshold value, indicating the user may want to add the content item to the candidate project, content management system106can add the selected candidate project to a project suggestions list. Process1130can then continue to step1142where content management system106can determine whether there are more candidate projects in the collection of candidate projects.

At step1146, content management system106can present the project suggestions list to the user. For example, content management system106can generate a project selection view that allows the user to select a project for the identified content item. Content management system106can include the projects in the project suggestion list in the project selection view as project recommendations. In some implementations, project recommendations provided in the project selection view can include the corresponding reasons for the recommendation, e.g., the reasons for the corresponding relevance score discussed above. The user can select a recommended or suggested project to add the identified content item to the selected project.

FIG. 11Cis a flow diagram of an example process1160for generating a relevance score between a project and a project item. For example, process1160can be performed by content management system106when making suggestions for associating projects and project items (e.g., user accounts, content items, etc.), as described above.

At step1162, content management system106can receive a project item identifier and a project identifier. For example, when process1160is performed as part of process1100described above, the project identifier can correspond to the project selected by the user and the project item identifier can correspond to the selected candidate project item. As another example, when process1160is performed as part of process1130described above, the project identifier can correspond to the selected candidate project and the project item identifier can correspond to the content item selected by the user.

At step1164, when the project item is a content item, content management system106can compute a relevance score for the content item. For example, the relevance score can be computed based on natural language semantic similarity (e.g., looking for common keywords/phrases, vector closeness of vector representations of content items or content item portions, employing machine learning models to gauge similarity between language snippets). The relevance score can be computed based on similarities between the project description or title and content item contents (e.g., content item title, entire content item, content item comments, content item metadata). The relevance score can be computed based on similarities between the content item contents and content item contents of content items previously associated with the project. The relevance score can be computed based on analysis of associated multi-media in the content item and multi-media in content items previously associated with the project (e.g., similarity between assigned tags or identified objects). The relevance score can be computed based on sharing history of the content item with a relevant user or a member of the project. The relevance score can be computed based on access and/or edit history of the content item by a relevant user or a member of the project.

At step1166, when the project item is a user account, content management system106can compute a relevance score for the user account. The relevance score can be computed based on how often the user account appears (either as the sharer or recipient) in the sharing history of content items within a project. The relevance score can be computed based on an overlap between identified characteristics of the user account (e.g., sharing history, known team memberships, biographic/demographic characteristics) and characteristics of a project or of other project members. The relevance score can be computed based on a number of calendar events matching calendar events of other project members and/or calendar invites including other project members. The relevance score can be computed based on a number of calendar events and/or invites that are related to the project or content items associated with the project. The relevance score can be computed based on overlap, in the same content items, of task assignments or at ‘@’ mentions indicating the user account. The relevance score can be computed based on level of similarity in content item access, edit history, and/or commenting by the user account in content items related to the project.

At step1168, when the project item is another project, content management system106can compute a relevance score for the other project. The relevance score can be computed based on natural language semantic similarity between (A) the project description, title, or content of project content items and (B) the project description, title, or content of project content items of the other project. The relevance score can be computed based on overlap in content items associated with the project and the other project. The relevance score can be computed based on overlap in user membership between the project and the other project. The relevance score can be computed based on relevance scores between content items in the project and the other project. The relevance score can be computed based on relevance scores between members of the project and members of the other project.

At step1170, content management system106can provide the relevance score to the calling process. For example, after computing the relevance score, content management system106can provide the relevance score to process1100and/or1130, as described above. In some implementations, the reasons for how the relevance score was computed at block164,166, or168can be logged. These reasons can be selected based on how much of an impact they had on the relevance score. For example, such reasons could include “there are 167 content items that overlap between these two projects,” “there is an 89% overlap between editors of this content item and project members of this project,” “there is a 75% overlap in project membership between the first user and the second user,” “there is a high degree of common phrases between the first and second content items,” etc. In some implementations, one or more of the reasons can be returned with the relevancy score.

FIG. 12illustrates an example graphical user interface1200for defining tasks in a content item. For example, GUI1200can be presented by CMS client242when a user selects a content item managed by content management system106. For example, GUI1200can be a content item editor user interface that allows the user of client device240to edit the selected content item.

In some implementations, content management system106can create tasks based on the content of a content item. For example, a user can edit a selected content item to define tasks associated with the content item. The user can type expressions, prefixes, and/or symbols that can be interpreted by content management system106to define tasks, users to whom the tasks are assigned, due dates, etc. By defining tasks in content items, the content items can be used by project members and other users to group tasks in a logical or meaningful manner. For example, the content item can be named to reflect a related grouping of tasks within a project or subproject. A user viewing a project can use the name of the content item to quickly locate and identify tasks that are relevant to the user.

In some implementations, GUI1200can include content area1202for presenting the content of the selected content item. The user can provide input to CMS client242to add textual content to content area1202. When the textual content includes a task symbol or expression (e.g., open and closed square brackets “[ ]”), content management system106can interpret text following the task symbol or expression as a task definition. For example, each line of text in content area1202that starts with the task symbol or expression can define a corresponding task (e.g., task1204, task1206, task1208, etc.).

In some implementations, the user and/or content management system106can assign a task to another user of content management system106. For example, when a task definition includes a user's name or identifier, the task can be assigned to the specified user. For example, a task can be assigned to a user by prefixing a user's identifier with the symbol or character ‘@,’ e.g., using a mention as described above. For example, when a task definition includes the textual expression “@Kevin Holm”, content management system106can assign the corresponding task to the user “Kevin Holm.” Any changes to the task assigned to the user identified in the task definition will cause the identified user to receive a notification that includes a description of the changes made to the task.

In some implementations, the user and/or content management system106can assign a task to a role defined in content management system106. For example, when a task definition includes a project name and/or role, the task can be assigned to the user who is currently assigned the specified role. For example, a task can be assigned to a role by prefixing the role identifier with the symbol or character ‘@’. For example, when a task definition includes the textual expression “@ProjectWidgetManager”, content management system106can assign the corresponding task to the user who currently has the project manager role for the project “Project Widget.” Any changes to the task assigned to the role identified in the task definition will cause the corresponding user to receive a notification that includes a description of the changes made to the task. In some implementations, assignment of a task to a project role can be accomplished by just specifying the role identifier, without an identifier of the project. For example, “[ ]@techLead build web interface” can create a “build web interface” task assigned to the role of techLead for whatever project the content item is currently linked to. This task assignment can be dynamic, updating as the role changes or when the content item is linked to additional or different projects. In some implementations, if the content item is linked to multiple projects that all have this role, multiple users can be assigned to the task.

In some implementations, GUI1200can include comments area1220. For example, comments area1220can include comments made by various users with respect to the selected content item. For example, a user can select a portion of content (e.g., a task) in content area1202and provide textual input to comment on the selected portion of content. For example, the user Kevin Holm can create comment1222after selecting task1208to generate a comment with respect to task1208. Since the comment is associated with task1208, the user assigned task1208(e.g., Ben Berliner) can receive a notification describing the comment made by Kevin Holm.

In some implementations, a user can direct a comment to a user and/or role. Similar to tasks above, a user can use an assignment prefix (e.g., ‘@’) to direct a comment to a particular user (e.g., “@Ben Berliner”) or to a particular role (e.g., “@ProjectWidgetManager” or “@Manager”). After the comment is created, content management system106can send a notification to the identified user or role describing the comment. Since comment1222is directed to “Project Widget” (e.g., “@ProjectWidget”), content management system106can send a notification to all members/users associated with Project Widget that describes comment1222. Thus, comments, tasks, etc., can be directed at users, roles, and/or projects using the assignment prefix ‘@’.

FIG. 13illustrates an example graphical user interface1300for updating tasks in a content item. For example, GUI1300can be presented by CMS client242on a display of client device240. For example, GUI1300can correspond to GUI1200described above.

As described above, content management system106can notify project members of changes made to project content items. For example, when a content item is added to a project, content management system106can share the added content item with all members of the project. Whenever a change is made to a project content item, all members of the project, members in specific roles, or members with specific affiliations to the project (e.g., indicated they are following the project, have edited a content item linked to the project, etc.) can be notified of the changes. Thus, when a content item that includes tasks is updated to reflect changes to the tasks defined by the content item, content management system106can notify the relevant members of the corresponding project of the changes to the content item and/or tasks. For example, when a user changes a task definition, due date, assignment, and/or completion status of a task defined in a project content item, content management system106can notify the relevant members of the corresponding project of the changes to the task and/or content item.

In some implementations, GUI1300can include graphical element1302for specifying a due date for a task. For example, a user of client device240can provide input to CMS client242selecting task1204presented on GUI1300. The user can, for example, select the text of task1204by providing explicit input selecting task1204or by hovering a cursor over task1204. In response to the selection of task1204, CMS client242can present graphical element1302. In some implementations, graphical element1302can be automatically displayed for a task without having the corresponding task selected by a user. The user can select graphical element1302to cause CMS client242to present an input (e.g., a text field or calendar control) for selecting a due date for the selected task. After receiving user input selecting the due date for the selected task, CMS client242can send the due date for the task to content management system106to update the task data with the new due date. Content management system106can send notifications to the appropriate users, as described above, informing the users of the new due date. CMS client242can present the due date information on GUI1300, as illustrated by task1208.

In some implementations, GUI1300can include graphical element1304for specifying a user responsible for performing a task. For example, a user of client device240can provide input to CMS client242selecting task1204presented on GUI1300. The user can, for example, select the text of task1204by providing explicit input selecting task1204or by hovering a cursor over task1204. In response to the selection of task1204, CMS client242can present graphical element1304. In some implementations, graphical element1304can be automatically displayed for a task without having the corresponding task selected by a user. The user can select graphical element1304to cause CMS client242to present a user selection control for selecting one or more users to assign to the selected task. This can be an additional way to assign a task to a user in addition to or as an alternative to using mentions as discussed above. In some implementations, a representation of the users assigned to a task can be displayed in place of graphical element1304. In some implementations, where there are multiple users assigned to a task, the representation of the users assigned to a task can be a face pile, as described above. After receiving user input assigning one or more users for the selected task, CMS client242can send the user assignment for the task to content management system106to update the task data with the new assigned user(s). Content management system106can send notifications to the appropriate users, as described above, informing the users of the new user assignment. CMS client242can present the user assignment information on GUI1300, as illustrated by task1208.

In some implementations, GUI1300can modify the presentation of a task to indicate task status. For example, a user can provide input changing the status of a task presented on GUI1300. For example, the user can select a checkbox associated with task1206to indicate that task1206has been completed. In response to receiving the input, CMS client242can send the updated status for the task to content management system106. Content management system106can send notifications to the appropriate users, as described above, informing the users of the new status of the task (e.g., completed). CMS client242can modify the appearance of task1206to indicate that the task has been completed. For example, CMS client242can present task1206with a line through the task to indicate that the task has been completed.

FIG. 14illustrates an example graphical user interface1400that presents tasks associated with a selected project. For example, GUI1400can correspond to GUI400ofFIG. 4. GUI1400can be presented by CMS client242on a display of client device240in response to the user selecting graphical element1402. For example, the user can select graphical element1402to cause CMS client242and/or content management system106to generate and/or present task view1404that presents tasks associated with the currently selected project.

In some implementations, task view1404can include graphical element1406for specifying sorting parameters for tasks associated with the selected project. For example, the user can select graphical element1406to present options for sorting the various tasks associated with the currently selected project presented by GUI1400. In some implementations, CMS client242can sort tasks based on the content item in which the tasks are defined. For example, in response to receiving input indicating that the user would like to sort tasks by content item, CMS client242can present, in task view1404, tasks grouped by content item, as illustrated byFIG. 14. For example, all tasks (e.g., task1412, task1414, task1416, etc.) that are defined in content item1410(e.g., “Widget tasks”), can be grouped and presented together by CMS client242. Similarly, all tasks (e.g., task1422, task1424, etc.) defined in content item1420(e.g., “Quality control tasks”) can be grouped and presented together by CMS client242. These groups of tasks can be organized under a heading corresponding to a title or filename of the content item in which the tasks are defined. Other sorting options can include sorting by task creation date, task due date, task assignments, etc.

In some implementations, task view1404can include graphical element1408for specifying filtering parameters for tasks associated with the selected project. For example, the user can select graphical element1408to specify a filtering option for the tasks associated with the currently selected project. For example, the filtering options can include showing only tasks created by the user, showing only tasks assigned to the user, and/or showing all tasks associated with the selected project (e.g., no filter). When the user selects a filtering option, CMS client242can present tasks according to the selected filtering option. Thus, CMS client242may show only tasks assigned to the user, only tasks created by the user, and/or all project tasks depending on the filtering option selected.

In some implementations, the user can modify tasks in task view1404. For example, when a user provides input to modify or update a task, a corresponding change can be made to the content item in which the task is defined. For example, a user can select the checkbox associated with task1414presented in task view1404to indicate that the task1414has been completed. In response to receiving the input, CMS client242can send the updated task status to content management system106. Content management system106can update the task status in the “Widget tasks” content item to indicate that the corresponding task has been completed. Thus, when the user subsequently opens the “Widget tasks” content item, the user can see that the task has been updated. Moreover, since modifying a task in task view1404causes a corresponding change to the task-defining content item, all users with whom the content item is shared will get notified of the update to the task, as described above. Similarly, the user can update the task description, due date, assignment, comment on a task, and/or make any other task-related update through task view1404to cause a corresponding change in the content item in which the task is defined.

FIG. 15Ais a flow diagram of an example process1500for managing tasks using content items. For example, process1500can be performed by content management system106to manage tasks using content items. The tasks can be associated with users and/or projects by sharing the content items with users and/or adding the content items to projects. Thus, the organization and maintenance of task data can be simplified using content items as task containers.

At step1502, content management system106can store a content item that includes task definitions. For example, a user of CMS client242and/or content management system106can create a content item and define tasks within the content item, as described above. The user can create tasks using various expressions, prefixes, and symbols to define the various attributes of the tasks using text, as described above.

At step1504, content management system106can receive an instruction to associate the content item with a project. For example, the user can provide input to CMS client242to add the content item to a project, as described above with reference toFIG. 6.

At step1506, content management system106can determine members of the project. For example, each project can include members (e.g., users of content management system106) who have access to the project and/or can modify content items, membership, and/or other attributes of the project. Content management system106can store project metadata identifying which users are members of the project. Thus, content management system106can determine members of the project based on the project metadata.

At step1508, content management system106can share the content item with members of the project. For example, content management system can grant all project members, project members with particular roles, or project members that have above an activity threshold within the project, permission to view and/or edit content items associated with the project.

At step1510, content management system106can receive an update to a task defined in the content item. For example, a user of content management system106can update a task by adding a due date to the task, assigning the task to one or more users, commenting on the task, changing the task description, and/or changing the status of the task.

At step1512, content management system106can send a notification to the members of the project describing the update to the task. For example, since content management system106sends notifications to users with whom a content item is shared when the content item is modified, content management system106can send a notification to all or particular members of the project when the task defined within the content item is updated. Thus, content management system106can inform all or some members of the project of changes to tasks when a user modifies a task defined by the content item.

FIG. 15Bis a flow diagram of an example process1530for determining tasks associated with a project. For example, process1530can be performed by content management system106in response to a request for a task view from CMS client242. Content management system106can determine which tasks are associated with a project by performing process1530, generate the task view that includes the determined tasks, and send the task view to CMS client242for presentation on a display of client device240.

At step1532, content management system106can receive a project identifier. For example, content management system106can receive the project identifier from CMS client240when a user provides input to CMS client240identifying a project for which the user would like to view associated tasks.

At step1534, content management system106can identify content items associated with the project identifier. For example, content management system106can determine which content items are mapped to the project identifier in the project data managed by content management system106.

At step1536, content management system106can determine tasks defined in the project content items. For example, content management system106can parse the content items identified at step1534to determine whether the content items include task definitions, as described above.

At step1538, content management system106can determine project level tasks. For example, project level tasks can be tasks that are defined externally to project content items. For example, a user can define a task by providing task definitions and/or task attributes as input to a project view generated by content management system106and presented on a display of client device240by CMS client242. When a user provides input to define a project level task, CMS client242can send the task definition to content management system106and content management system106can store the project level task definition in the project data associated with the identified project. Thus, content management system106can determine or obtain project level tasks by parsing the project data associated with the project identifier.

At step1540, content management system106can generate a task view that includes project level tasks and/or content item tasks. For example, a project can include both project level tasks and/or tasks defined in content items. Thus, when CMS client242requests a project task view from content management system106, content management system106can generate a task view that may include project level tasks and/or content items tasks. In some implementations, the tasks presented on the task view can be filtered such that only tasks assigned to the user of client device240are presented on the task view when CMS client242on client device240is requesting the task view. Content item tasks, in the project view, can be displayed under a heading corresponding to the title or filename of the content item in which the task is defined. Project level tasks, in the project view, can be displayed under a heading corresponding to the title of the project. In some implementations, when a first project is linked under a second project the project level tasks of the second project can be displayed, in the task list for the first project, under a heading corresponding to the title of the second project. Tasks defined in content items linked to the second project may be excluded from the task list for the first project or may be displayed under sub-headings under the heading corresponding to the title of the second project. When a content item is associated with multiple projects, the tasks defined in the content item may appear in the project task views for the multiple projects.

FIG. 16AandFIG. 16Bshow example possible system embodiments. The more appropriate embodiment will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when practicing the present technology. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will also readily appreciate that other system embodiments are possible.

FIG. 16Aillustrates a conventional system bus computing system architecture1600wherein the components of the system are in electrical communication with each other using a bus1605. Example system1600includes a processing unit (CPU or processor)1610and a system bus1605that couples various system components including the system memory1615, such as read only memory (ROM)1620and random access memory (RAM)1625, to the processor1610. The system1600can include a cache of high-speed memory connected directly with, in close proximity to, or integrated as part of the processor1610. The system1600can copy data from the memory1615and/or the storage device1630to the cache1612for quick access by the processor1610. In this way, the cache can provide a performance boost that avoids processor1610delays while waiting for data. These and other modules can control or be configured to control the processor1610to perform various actions. Other system memory1615may be available for use as well. The memory1615can include multiple different types of memory with different performance characteristics. The processor1610can include any general purpose processor and a hardware module or software module, such as module11632, module21634, and module31636stored in storage device1630, configured to control the processor1610as well as a special-purpose processor where software instructions are incorporated into the actual processor design. The processor1610may essentially be a completely self-contained computing system, containing multiple cores or processors, a bus, memory controller, cache, etc. A multi-core processor may be symmetric or asymmetric.

To enable user interaction with the computing device1600, an input device1645can represent any number of input mechanisms, such as a microphone for speech, a touch-sensitive screen for gesture or graphical input, keyboard, mouse, motion input, speech and so forth. An output device1635can also be one or more of a number of output mechanisms known to those of skill in the art. In some instances, multimodal systems can enable a user to provide multiple types of input to communicate with the computing device1600. The communications interface1640can generally govern and manage the user input and system output. There is no restriction on operating on any particular hardware arrangement and therefore the basic features here may easily be substituted for improved hardware or firmware arrangements as they are developed.

Storage device1630is a non-volatile memory and can be a hard disk or other types of computer readable media which can store data that are accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, solid state memory devices, digital versatile disks, cartridges, random access memories (RAMs)1625, read only memory (ROM)1620, and hybrids thereof.

The storage device1630can include software modules1632,1634,1636for controlling the processor1610. Other hardware or software modules are contemplated. The storage device1630can be connected to the system bus1605. In one aspect, a hardware module that performs a particular function can include the software component stored in a computer-readable medium in connection with the necessary hardware components, such as the processor1610, bus1605, display1635, and so forth, to carry out the function.

FIG. 16Billustrates a computer system1650having a chipset architecture that can be used in executing the described method and generating and displaying a graphical user interface (GUI). Computer system1650is an example of computer hardware, software, and firmware that can be used to implement the disclosed technology. System1650can include a processor1610, representative of any number of physically and/or logically distinct resources capable of executing software, firmware, and hardware configured to perform identified computations. Processor1610can communicate with a chipset1660that can control input to and output from processor1610. In this example, chipset1660outputs information to output1665, such as a display, and can read and write information to storage device1670, which can include magnetic media, and solid state media, for example. Chipset1660can also read data from and write data to RAM1675. A bridge1680for interfacing with a variety of user interface components1685can be provided for interfacing with chipset1660. Such user interface components1685can include a keyboard, a microphone, touch detection and processing circuitry, a pointing device, such as a mouse, and so on. In general, inputs to system1650can come from any of a variety of sources, machine generated and/or human generated.

Chipset1660can also interface with one or more communication interfaces1690that can have different physical interfaces. Such communication interfaces can include interfaces for wired and wireless local area networks, for broadband wireless networks, as well as personal area networks. Some applications of the methods for generating, displaying, and using the GUI disclosed herein can include receiving ordered datasets over the physical interface or be generated by the machine itself by processor1610analyzing data stored in storage1670or1675. Further, the machine can receive inputs from a user via user interface components1685and execute appropriate functions, such as browsing functions by interpreting these inputs using processor1610.

It can be appreciated that example systems1600and1650can have more than one processor1610or be part of a group or cluster of computing devices networked together to provide greater processing capability.

Any of the steps, operations, functions, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In an embodiment, a software module can be software that resides in memory of a client device and/or one or more servers of a content management system and perform one or more functions when a processor executes the software associated with the module. The memory can be a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

As used herein, the word “or” refers to any possible permutation of a set of items. For example, the phrase “A, B, or C” refers to at least one of A, B, C, or any combination thereof, such as any of: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B, and C; or multiple of any item such as A and A; B, B, and C; A, A, B, C, and C; etc. Moreover, claim language reciting “at least one of” an element or another element refers to any possible permutation of the set of elements. For example, claim language reciting “at least one of A and B” or “at least one of A or B” means “A, B, or both A and B.”