Let’s talk about the Queue
Your email inbox is great. It helps you prioritize, as it sorts your emails into categories. But does it tell you when there’s something that you need to do? Not so much.
Your Cardstack Workflow queue not only sorts your messages and gives you informative previews—it actually tells you if there is a task for you inside a thread, or that you’re blocking an entire workflow.
Take these categories, for example:
- Unread: “There’s a new message in this thread. Read it!”
- Need Response: “We’re waiting for you to take an action. Go click that button already!”
- Recent Activity: “Nothing for you to do right now. Feel free to take a nap.”
If you expand your queue, you get a full-screen view with even more categories, where you can put messages that annoy you or the ones that are no longer relevant.
Your queue is also searchable. And you can have a separate queue that’s shared among your team.
But most importantly, it’s the place where you click on a queue item to open a thread. In our example, let’s open the thread of an Ebook Editing workflow.
=> more on threads coming up
Your email inbox is great. It helps you prioritize, as it sorts your emails into categories. But does it tell you when there’s something that you need to do? Not so much.
Your Cardstack Workflow queue not only sorts your messages and gives you informative previews—it actually tells you if there is a task for you inside a thread, or that you’re blocking an entire workflow.
Take these categories, for example:
- Unread: “There’s a new message in this thread. Read it!”
- Need Response: “We’re waiting for you to take an action. Go click that button already!”
- Recent Activity: “Nothing for you to do right now. Feel free to take a nap.”
If you expand your queue, you get a full-screen view with even more categories, where you can put messages that annoy you or the ones that are no longer relevant.
Your queue is also searchable. And you can have a separate queue that’s shared among your team.
But most importantly, it’s the place where you click on a queue item to open a thread. In our example, let’s open the thread of an Ebook Editing workflow.
=> more on threads coming up
Let’s talk about Threads & Workflows
You simply click on a queue item to open the corresponding thread.
Now, your typical message thread in Telegram or Discord has a few participants and a bunch of chat messages, possibly with an attachment or smiley face here and there. But there is much more to this thread.
For one thing, it is not only a simple conversation. It can be a formal workflow between multiple participants—a step-by-step process with milestones, actions / buttons, reminders, and progress updates.
Secondly, both the thread itself and individual messages can be annotated with tasks. You can assign them to yourself or to your colleagues, if it’s their turn to finally do some work.
In this example, the thread is an Ebook Editing workflow—with messages to send, buttons to click, tasks to complete, and milestones to reach through the collaboration of author and editor.
=> more on participants next week
You simply click on a queue item to open the corresponding thread.
Now, your typical message thread in Telegram or Discord has a few participants and a bunch of chat messages, possibly with an attachment or smiley face here and there. But there is much more to this thread.
For one thing, it is not only a simple conversation. It can be a formal workflow between multiple participants—a step-by-step process with milestones, actions / buttons, reminders, and progress updates.
Secondly, both the thread itself and individual messages can be annotated with tasks. You can assign them to yourself or to your colleagues, if it’s their turn to finally do some work.
In this example, the thread is an Ebook Editing workflow—with messages to send, buttons to click, tasks to complete, and milestones to reach through the collaboration of author and editor.
=> more on participants next week
Let’s talk about Participants
A thread between several parties is like group DM—but one that connects people from inside and outside your organization.
Of course, participants of a thread can be from the same community, like author and editor in our Ebook Editing workflow. But they could also be from different organizations, like representatives from two or more companies who share a workflow for a collaborative project.
A Cardstack Workflow makes it possible to send messages, transfer cards, and assign tasks across organizations—with visibility settings playing an important role. For instance, if you add participants at a later point, you get to choose how much they see: Do you want them to be able to catch up and see the entire thread history? Or do you want them to see only messages sent after they have joined? Either way, you can adjust the settings according to your needs.
=> more on messages coming up
A thread between several parties is like group DM—but one that connects people from inside and outside your organization.
Of course, participants of a thread can be from the same community, like author and editor in our Ebook Editing workflow. But they could also be from different organizations, like representatives from two or more companies who share a workflow for a collaborative project.
A Cardstack Workflow makes it possible to send messages, transfer cards, and assign tasks across organizations—with visibility settings playing an important role. For instance, if you add participants at a later point, you get to choose how much they see: Do you want them to be able to catch up and see the entire thread history? Or do you want them to see only messages sent after they have joined? Either way, you can adjust the settings according to your needs.
=> more on messages coming up
Let’s talk about Messages & Versioned Attachments
The messages inside a thread are similar to emails and chat messages—but without the headache. No need to send 25 files back and forth, because each version of your document is a separate attachment with a different name (“final.doc” / “final1.doc” / “final2.doc” / “finalfinal.doc” / FINAL.doc”). Instead, you can attach and exchange the same card as often as you like, even while you’re editing it collaboratively—because this attached card is alive and remembers its version history.
And when it’s your turn to act on the card, you will be asked to take an action, e.g. by a bot who points you to the button that you need to click.
=> more on actions coming up
The messages inside a thread are similar to emails and chat messages—but without the headache. No need to send 25 files back and forth, because each version of your document is a separate attachment with a different name (“final.doc” / “final1.doc” / “final2.doc” / “finalfinal.doc” / FINAL.doc”). Instead, you can attach and exchange the same card as often as you like, even while you’re editing it collaboratively—because this attached card is alive and remembers its version history.
And when it’s your turn to act on the card, you will be asked to take an action, e.g. by a bot who points you to the button that you need to click.
=> more on actions coming up
Let’s talk about Actions
Take an action, reach a milestone. That’s the basic idea.
But it’s a little bit more complicated, because there are different kinds of actions—typically in the form of buttons you can click:
1. Required actions that you have to complete in order to move the workflow forward. These actions are needed to check off a milestone.
For example, in an Ebook Editing workflow:
- You have to share your manuscript with your editor if you want his help to edit it.
- You have to submit your manuscript if you want to publish it.
2. Suggested actions that you can (but don’t have to) take. These actions are optional because they aren’t needed to reach a milestone; they normally don’t affect the current workflow. For example:
- You could click to revise your manuscript after you have submitted it.
- You could click to view your published ebook on the publishing platform when the workflow is completed.
=> more on milestones next week
Take an action, reach a milestone. That’s the basic idea.
But it’s a little bit more complicated, because there are different kinds of actions—typically in the form of buttons you can click:
1. Required actions that you have to complete in order to move the workflow forward. These actions are needed to check off a milestone.
For example, in an Ebook Editing workflow:
- You have to share your manuscript with your editor if you want his help to edit it.
- You have to submit your manuscript if you want to publish it.
2. Suggested actions that you can (but don’t have to) take. These actions are optional because they aren’t needed to reach a milestone; they normally don’t affect the current workflow. For example:
- You could click to revise your manuscript after you have submitted it.
- You could click to view your published ebook on the publishing platform when the workflow is completed.
=> more on milestones next week
Let’s talk about Milestones
As you move through your workflow step by step, the system tracks your progress until you reach the final milestone and the workflow is completed.
Let’s look at the example of our Ebook Editing workflow between author and editor:
You’re the author. You want the editor’s help to make your book really great. So, the nice bot asks you to share your manuscript with your editor (see “Required actions” in Friday’s post). Good author that you are, you click the “Share Manuscript” button. Now, your action
- embeds your manuscript card in the workflow, so your editor can access it,
- checks off your first milestone,
- adds the corresponding “Milestone reached” notification to the workflow,
- updates the status of your project via progress wheel, and
- triggers the next action —in this case, a prompt for your editor to start editing your manuscript (this prompt is visible to him only).
Of course, not all milestones are reached that easily. They may require more than one click (and the completion of more than one task) to accomplish the desired check mark....
=> more on tasks coming up
As you move through your workflow step by step, the system tracks your progress until you reach the final milestone and the workflow is completed.
Let’s look at the example of our Ebook Editing workflow between author and editor:
You’re the author. You want the editor’s help to make your book really great. So, the nice bot asks you to share your manuscript with your editor (see “Required actions” in Friday’s post). Good author that you are, you click the “Share Manuscript” button. Now, your action
- embeds your manuscript card in the workflow, so your editor can access it,
- checks off your first milestone,
- adds the corresponding “Milestone reached” notification to the workflow,
- updates the status of your project via progress wheel, and
- triggers the next action —in this case, a prompt for your editor to start editing your manuscript (this prompt is visible to him only).
Of course, not all milestones are reached that easily. They may require more than one click (and the completion of more than one task) to accomplish the desired check mark....
=> more on tasks coming up
Let’s talk about Tasks
Tasks in the Cardstack Workflow system are like tasks on Asana or Trello, but they are much more useful—because they are directly associated with your different workflows!
Tasks can not only be added to your personal or shared to-do list like they can everywhere else, but to a message thread as well—even to individual messages, attachments, or actions inside that thread. A colorful pointer in the thread tells you immediately what your task is about, which message it concerns, which card you need to look at, or which button you have to click. Meanwhile, you can use the expandable task list at the top to keep track of all tasks related to that thread.
Any participant can assign tasks inside a thread. You can add a task for someone else —e.g. to let your editor know that you need him to look at your outline before you can continue. Or you can add a task for yourself that only you can see—e.g. to remind yourself to check out the link to the stock image library your editor has sent you for your cover art. And once you’ve completed a task, you can check it off with one click, as you would on Asana or Trello.
In addition, there are tasks a nice bot can assign. Those are tasks you should look out for, because they are tied to required actions and tell you that someone (maybe even you) is blocking the workflow. For example, only when you’ve clicked the “Share manuscript” button (thus shared your manuscript with your editor) can the editing workflow continue.
Very convenient feature: You don’t need to check off system-generated tasks manually. They are automatically resolved once you have clicked the button that the bot asked you to click.
Tasks in the Cardstack Workflow system are like tasks on Asana or Trello, but they are much more useful—because they are directly associated with your different workflows!
Tasks can not only be added to your personal or shared to-do list like they can everywhere else, but to a message thread as well—even to individual messages, attachments, or actions inside that thread. A colorful pointer in the thread tells you immediately what your task is about, which message it concerns, which card you need to look at, or which button you have to click. Meanwhile, you can use the expandable task list at the top to keep track of all tasks related to that thread.
Any participant can assign tasks inside a thread. You can add a task for someone else —e.g. to let your editor know that you need him to look at your outline before you can continue. Or you can add a task for yourself that only you can see—e.g. to remind yourself to check out the link to the stock image library your editor has sent you for your cover art. And once you’ve completed a task, you can check it off with one click, as you would on Asana or Trello.
In addition, there are tasks a nice bot can assign. Those are tasks you should look out for, because they are tied to required actions and tell you that someone (maybe even you) is blocking the workflow. For example, only when you’ve clicked the “Share manuscript” button (thus shared your manuscript with your editor) can the editing workflow continue.
Very convenient feature: You don’t need to check off system-generated tasks manually. They are automatically resolved once you have clicked the button that the bot asked you to click.
This is what the expanded task list at the top of a thread could look like.
The tasks for the thread are divided up into 3 sections:
- Assigned to me
- Pending response
- Completed
For context, you can just click on a task in the list, and your click will take you directly to the corresponding message in the workflow.
=> more on related workflows coming up
The tasks for the thread are divided up into 3 sections:
- Assigned to me
- Pending response
- Completed
For context, you can just click on a task in the list, and your click will take you directly to the corresponding message in the workflow.
=> more on related workflows coming up
Let’s talk about Composable Workflows
Some workflows are simple. Others are more complex. Which is why Cardstack workflows are composable.
Say you’re done editing your manuscript with your editor. Now it’s time to involve a proofreader. So, you can simply add an Ebook Proofreading workflow into your main Ebook Editing workflow (alternatively, you could start with a complex workflow that comes with related flows already).
This related workflow will be included in your main workflow, so you can access it easily—but other participants can’t. Each participant can only see the workflow that person participates in, meaning: Your editor can only access Ebook Editing, your proofreader can only access Ebook Proofreading, and you can access everything.
Now, you can send your manuscript through a portal to your Ebook Proofreading workflow, get it proofread, then send it back to the main Ebook Editing workflow, where that action will check off your “Proofread” milestone. This way, you keep the participants separate—and yet, they work together towards the completion of the same overall project.
This composability allows you to combine workflows in two ways. You can
- nest workflows inside each other: Such “included workflows” help you to complete your main workflow, e.g. you can get chapter 1 of your ebook proofread or translated before you submit it.
- chain workflows together: Such “linked workflows” don’t affect the main workflow, but help you to keep track of your project, e.g. you can repeat the same editing workflow again for chapter 2 of your ebook.
Some workflows are simple. Others are more complex. Which is why Cardstack workflows are composable.
Say you’re done editing your manuscript with your editor. Now it’s time to involve a proofreader. So, you can simply add an Ebook Proofreading workflow into your main Ebook Editing workflow (alternatively, you could start with a complex workflow that comes with related flows already).
This related workflow will be included in your main workflow, so you can access it easily—but other participants can’t. Each participant can only see the workflow that person participates in, meaning: Your editor can only access Ebook Editing, your proofreader can only access Ebook Proofreading, and you can access everything.
Now, you can send your manuscript through a portal to your Ebook Proofreading workflow, get it proofread, then send it back to the main Ebook Editing workflow, where that action will check off your “Proofread” milestone. This way, you keep the participants separate—and yet, they work together towards the completion of the same overall project.
This composability allows you to combine workflows in two ways. You can
- nest workflows inside each other: Such “included workflows” help you to complete your main workflow, e.g. you can get chapter 1 of your ebook proofread or translated before you submit it.
- chain workflows together: Such “linked workflows” don’t affect the main workflow, but help you to keep track of your project, e.g. you can repeat the same editing workflow again for chapter 2 of your ebook.
The Cardstack Workflow is a multi-functional tool for multi-faceted work.
It makes your work life easier, because it keeps you updated on the progress of all your projects.
It makes your communication more cohesive, because you get to communicate on the same platform where you’re doing your work, so all participants can see that the work they’re discussing is actually getting done.
It makes your project management more organized, because the actions you take inside a flow organize your work for you.
And it makes everything more fun, because the pain of switching between 10 different apps every single day is finally over. All the different aspects of your workflows are combined in this 1 tool, which can be further extended to provide absolutely everything you need.
This way, you can finally leave subscription hell behind and manage your whole work efficiently, without a handful of SaaS companies holding you down. And if you want to use this workflow system on your phone, this screenshot shows you what the mobile version of the Cardstack Workflow will look like.
We will continue working hard to bring this unique workflow system to life and plan to release a video demo soon. Use cases of the Cardstack Workflow could include content collaboration, payment collaboration, contracting, governance, community formation, and much more. Stay tuned for future updates!
It makes your work life easier, because it keeps you updated on the progress of all your projects.
It makes your communication more cohesive, because you get to communicate on the same platform where you’re doing your work, so all participants can see that the work they’re discussing is actually getting done.
It makes your project management more organized, because the actions you take inside a flow organize your work for you.
And it makes everything more fun, because the pain of switching between 10 different apps every single day is finally over. All the different aspects of your workflows are combined in this 1 tool, which can be further extended to provide absolutely everything you need.
This way, you can finally leave subscription hell behind and manage your whole work efficiently, without a handful of SaaS companies holding you down. And if you want to use this workflow system on your phone, this screenshot shows you what the mobile version of the Cardstack Workflow will look like.
We will continue working hard to bring this unique workflow system to life and plan to release a video demo soon. Use cases of the Cardstack Workflow could include content collaboration, payment collaboration, contracting, governance, community formation, and much more. Stay tuned for future updates!
This article about DeFi hacks and security issues just came out, co-authored by Chris Tse and Emma Channing. Check it out: https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2020/11/169250-defi-solidity-sees-significant-uptick-in-security-errors-in-2020/
Crowdfund Insider
DeFi: Solidity Sees Significant Uptick in Security Errors in 2020
Click HERE to find out ⭐ DeFi: Solidity Sees Significant Uptick in Security Errors in 2020. | Crowdfund Insider: Global Fintech News, including Crowdfunding, Blockchain and more.
We've published a new video, where Chris talks about his vision and strategy for Cardstack—specifically about his plans to grow the ecosystem. This is the first in a series of (both long and short) videos about the progress and the products of Cardstack that we will publish in the coming weeks.
https://youtu.be/Sd73a89K3xQ
https://youtu.be/Sd73a89K3xQ
YouTube
Growing the Cardstack Ecosystem - Cardstack Strategy Talk
Chris Tse, Founding Director of the Cardstack Project, presents the vision of Cardstack and his strategy for growing the ecosystem.
What is Cardstack aiming to accomplish? Why is it “the interface for the next decade”? How does it combine the cloud and…
What is Cardstack aiming to accomplish? Why is it “the interface for the next decade”? How does it combine the cloud and…
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Our work on the Cardstack mobile app is currently focused on applying the latest visual design, which contains the Cardstack branding as well as the UI components from the Boxel design system. The plan is to bring it to the live mobile app soon.
Learn more: https://twitter.com/cardstack/status/1367064015491399683
Learn more: https://twitter.com/cardstack/status/1367064015491399683
Coming up: A product talk about Card Pay! Make sure you join us for the premiere on Monday, 9 a.m. EST / 3 p.m. CET / 10 p.m. SGT.
https://youtu.be/zeGxShpQHWI
https://youtu.be/zeGxShpQHWI
YouTube
Card Pay: A Payment & Reward Network for Creators – Cardstack Product Talk
Chris Tse, Founding Director of the Cardstack Project, introduces Card Pay—a payment and reward network designed for the creator market.
In this video, Chris presents the Card Pay system in detail and gives insights into the work in progress. He explains…
In this video, Chris presents the Card Pay system in detail and gives insights into the work in progress. He explains…