EPIC On going Themes and Priorities

Themes and Priorities for Q4 2006 and Q1 2007

The following are the approved themes and priorities for EPIC. It is expected we will execute on these themes and priorities over the next 6 months.

1. Improve Usability for users of EPIC to make it easier to find/search plug-ins and relevant information

2. Increase visibility of Member plug-ins

3. Better integration with EPIC and eclipse.org

4. Add services/training component to EPIC

The following was used for discussions purposes to develop the above themes and priorities. It is remains here for archival purposes.

Overall Ojectives for EPIC

• Increase the eye-balls to Members and organization sites
• Provide a portal for orgznizatins to communicate and collaborate about non development matters.
• Enable 3rd parties to provide fulfillment (Sales) and distribution services for Eclipse based technology.

Add special capabilities/visibility for Eclipse Foundation members.(MT)

• Special highlighting of member listings
• Eclipse Member logo attached to listing
• Special Search capabilities (i.e. "search for member plug-ins")
• Highlight with special visual representation
• Give members a special "geographical" preference on various pages

Improve Usability

• Redesign the home page to focus more on 'featured' plug-ins and less on news and forum posting
• When scanning list of plug-ins in a category, make it easier to see a summary without opening the plug-in entry.
• Require forum postings to be from registered users only.
• Administration - Improve the approval interface for news and new plugins.
• Administration - When new content is submitted send an email to the administrator.
• Add the ability to show related plug-ins from a plug-in page, ie the Amazon model of showing other books you might be interested in.
• Add category listing to the home page to enable quickier access to plug-in listings.
• Improve usability of input of content, ie. adding a plug-in
• Integration with eclipse.org, ex. registration, look and feel
• Continual usability testing by professional usability testing
• Establish usability guidelines
• Recruit professional usability experts to be involved with EPIC project

Increase Number of Plug-ins

• Outreach program to Eclipse member companies
• Migrate eclipse.org plug-in catalog to EPIC
• Add category for services and training
• Establish metrics for growth of plug-ins
• Build strategic partenrships with the goal to increase number plug-ins
• Harvest plug-in from other sites

Increase traffic to EPIC

• Introduce Plug-in of the day on eclipse.org home page
• Start advertising campaign

Organizations Content pages

The idea of this program is that the Eclipse Foundation supply the content management tools, content creation tools for Members to be responsible for the content: create and enter data, maintain the data and provide dialogue about the information. The enforcement mechanics would be community responsibility. This program would be open only to members. Members can be Add-In Providers, associates, strategic Members, and committers.

• Need view off EPIC Home Page of EPIC by organization.
• This section of EPIC would be developed to meet the needs of Members. After this is funtinonal, non members would be provided with the same services. In addition the unique needs of non members would be determined and would be included in the EPIC Road map Process.

• Each Organization has opportunity and responsibility to supply information in a structured format. Some of the items might be:
  • Organization name
  • Eclipse Contact name and eMail
  • Marketing contacts and eMail
  • Business Development contacts and eMail

• Each Organization has the opportunity to supply information about their "Eclipse" offerings. Some of this type of information might be:
  • Type of offering
    • Product
    • As is code and technology
    • Service Offering
    • Education Program
    • Support Program
  • Technology description highlights
  • Target audiences
  • Features functions
  • Benefits
  • Geography Distribution
  • Channels
  • How to order
  • Support
  • Warrantees

• Each Orgznization has the opportunity to describe their go to market strategy and networking opportunities
• Each Organization has the opportunity to describe their Partner programs. For example:
  • Partner program descriptions,
  • Eligibility,
  • Membership requirements, program requirements,
  • Key initiatives
  • Contact information
  • Program Scope

Integration with Eclipse Open Source Community Plug-ins

The objective is to provide the user a view of plug-ins from multiple sources and producers.

• Under the program there would be a single information repository for all Eclipse Related Technology and offerings. The Current EPIC approach of providing a asset listing opportunity for any registered organization or individual would be modified to include a listing of the Open Source Plug-ins and frameworks.
• Each Eclipse project would have the opportunity and responsibility to list their technology in the EPIC Technology Registry.
• Each Eclipse Project would have the opportunity to lsit their technology in the Members Content Pages.
• Like all entities that produce Eclipse Based Technology the individuals and organizations are encouraged to participate but theya re under no obligationis to participate.
• Harvest plug-ins from other sites
• Harvest plug-ins from other open soruce sites
• Harvest plug-ins from Universities and research centers
• Harvest plug-ins from WWW.eclipse.org

Outreach Programs

• EPIC would enable the creation of topical communities who desire to form a community, network with other individuals of similar interest and values. Some of these communities could include:
  • Embedded
  • Linux
  • Collaborative Marketing Programs
  • Technical Content Creation for Education and training programs
  • Documentation communities
  • Translation services
  • Partner programs with Sun’s customers and partners including migration utilities
  • Partner programs with Microsoft's customers and partners including Migration utilities
  • Educating programs for computer science or engineering
  • Business Development within particular geographies
• EPIC via the Eclipse Foundation and others would provide the tools to enable the community to form prosper and build the necessary infrastructure.

EPIC Partner Program

• The purpose of this program is to link the other organizations who catalogue and provide technology services into a collaborative network. Some of these programs would include:
• Links to Distribution partners who distribute software for a fee
• Links to certification programs
• Links to testing services
• Links to IP and legal services
• Links to best practices sites
• Links to library services of interest to developers

EPIC Speaker and Content Program

• EPIC would sponsor a brokerage service between those who have presentations and content and those that need speakers or writer documents
• EPIC would enable a partner to design, create, and maintain this program

Jobs and Employment Posting Program

• EPIC would enable a partner to design, create, and maintain this program

Creation of Leverage Resource Program

• EPIC would initiate a leveraged resources program to enable Member organizations to design, develop, maintain many of the programs associated with EPIC.