patternlanguagenetwork.org
(aka PLaNet)

Formalities
● 6 partners, led by Janet Finlay, Leeds met
● Large Second circle
– advisory board
– user group
● 15 months, starting Jan 2008, ~£200k
● Sponsored by JISC Emerge

Problem
Keep the rain out
Context
Cold, wet, poor.
Method of solution
Thatched roof
Related
Timber frame,
Slanted roof,
Chimney

Design patterns
[describe] a problem which occurs over and over
again in our environment, and then describes the
core of the solution to that problem, in such a way
that you can use this solution a million times over,
without ever doing it the same way twice
(Alexander et al., 1977)

example: activity nodes
Design problem
Community facilities scattered
individually through the city do
nothing for the life of the city.
Design solution
Create nodes of activity
throughout the community,
spread about 300 yards apart.
http://www.uni-weimar.de/architektur/InfAR/lehre/Entwurf/Patterns/030/ca_030.html

Patterns are..
● “Experts' common sense”
– if only common sense was common
● “Researchers situated abstraction”
● “Elements of reusable design”
● “Semi-structured narratives of good practice”

pattern are structured
• Problem / intent
• Context
• the Pattern
• Examples
• Related patterns
• Notes

The Learning Patterns project
http://lp.noe-kaleidoscope.org/
(Niall Winters, Dave Pratt, others)

The Learning Patterns project
● Problem: How to use games for mathematical
learning?
● Context: (mainly) constructionist, high-school.
● Method of solution: collaborative construction
of a pattern language.
http://lp.noe-kaleidoscope.org/

a language of patterns
6 typologies, 26 case studies, ~150 patterns

Example pattern: guess my X (GmX)
The problem / intent
\" Sustaining a mathematical discussion is vital to
the establishment of socio-mathematical norms
and to the collaborative construction of
knowledge.
\" This goal is difficult to achieve in
geographically distributed communities.

The problem / intent GmX: context
Sustaining a mathematical discussion is vital to the
establishment of socio-mathematical norms and to the
collaborative construction of knowledge. This goal is difficult to
achieve in geographically distributed communities.
\" Assumes a degree of social and technical
sophistication.
\" Suitable for young teens and above.
\" Requires flexibility in time.
\" Suitable for concrete, well-bounded content
domains.

GmX: the pattern
A Challenge exchange of Build this puzzles, using a
League chart to orchestrate social interaction.

PLaNet
● Problem: how to make effective use of
“web2.0”?
● Context: Higher Education
● Method of Solution: collaborative construction
of a pattern language.
● Detail: use IDR methodology + iterative user-
centred design of supporting technology.

Looks like a ...
● Problem: understanding the potential of a new
technology in education.
● Context: interdisciplinary design-based
research.
● Method of solution: IDR
Winters, N. and Mor, Y. (in press) 'IDR: a participatory methodology for
interdisciplinary design in technology enhanced learning'. Computers and
Education. (available on TeLearn)

IDR: Identify, Develop, Refine
● Domain experts create typologies – conceptual maps
of the domain in their vernacular.
● Practitioners contribute case studies of incidents
highlighting critical challenges.
● Peer discussion prompts elucidation of the problem
and context, by reference to the typologies.
● Patterns are identified by observing common problems
and methods of solution across cases.
● Patterns enriched and refined through community
process.
● (Half) the Knowledge is in the links.

Scenario: participatory pattern
elicitation
• How do you facilitate sustainable design-
level discussion of transferable best-
practice?
– Transcend anecdotes, avoid fluffy abstractions.
– Leverage innate cognitive & social learning
mechanisms.

Anton presents case study

Bob and Charlie discuss

Anton adds details (per template)

Charlie identifies parallels

All elicit patterns

Anton and Charlie submit patterns

Needs
• System for collaborative authoring of pattern
language and related knowledge structures.
• System for distributed code management /
release engineering.
• System for daily project communication
(documents, deliverables, co-ordination)

LP authoring system
• Supports collaborative authoring of typologies,
case studies, patterns, and pattern languages.
• Features:
– Templates
– Wiki-style links
– Structure (hierarchies + lateral links)
– Multiple views
– Roles (admin, author, discussant, guest)
– Versioning
– Tagging & rating

Typology: light semantic map
(glossary++ / ontology--)

Typology: map view

Typology: versions & discussion

Case study repository

Create new case

Case study template

Case study: discussion

Patterns browser

Patterns: map view

Patterns: admin / table view

Pattern template

Pattern + versions + discussion

LP system
• 90% support for the requirements.
• Written in PHP over CCI (non-standard
CMS, standard parts).
• http://lp.noe-kaleidoscope.org/workspace/

Missing
• Standards & interoperability (IMS, LAMS,
PLML)
• Visualisation of single pattern
• Tagging, notifications, bibliographic citations
• Multiple languages

Ergo
• Use LP as reference
• Implement fresh in Java, over existing open-
source wiki platform.
• Integrate with bibsonomy.org for tagging
• Instigate an open source process.

patternlanguagenetwork.googlecode.com

stickmen: a visual language for
design patterns?
1 2 3
6
4 5

PlaNet: the benevolent parasite
● Feeds on the experience of others.
● Offers other projects a method and opportunity
to formalize their insights.
● Facilitates open design knowledge.
– Open content: free fish.
– Open source: free rods.
– Open design: free knowledge to make rods.

http://patternlanguagenetwork.org