Training - Activity Basics - Add a Task Group that accepts a 3rd party Activity (NEEDS REVIEW)

Owned by Nadine Burroughs
Last updated: Mar 14, 2022 by Seth Petry-Johnson
5 min read

Summary

Introduces Activities as the primary mechanism for collecting data on a Learning Plan ("application"). Modifies the sample Certified Office Dog Application to include a Task Group that lets the user search for Provider-added Activities, using pre-existing Activities to simplify the configuration.

(Please follow the Learning Plan Basics training first, as this will build on those concepts. See also the more advanced modules Provider-Defined Activities and User-Defined Activities)

Sample Scenario

The TRAINING database includes an application process for a fictional Certified Office Dog credential. The application (Learning Plan Definition) is set up to require the user to enter a vaccination record and their training history.

This module will extend that Learning Plan Definition to also require the user to select their favorite toy(s) that will be selected from a list, rather than entered by the user directly.

Supporting Concepts

Activity

The term "Activity" is often used loosely. Depending on context, it may refer to an Activity Definition or an Activity Instance. 

If you see the term "Activity" by itself, and you aren't sure how it's being used, ask for clarification. Being explicit with the terminology will give you a stronger mental model. 

Activity Definition

An Activity Definition represents something that can be added to an application (Learning Plan Instance) to collect data from the applicant.

In some cases, these Activity Definitions represent generic things where all of the relevant data is provided by the applicant when it is added to their Learning Plan Instance. The "Vaccination Records" task group on the Certified Office Dog application is an example of this "user-defined" Activity.

In other cases, Activity Definitions represent specific things, such as a specific education course, and the applicant must select from a list rather than doing free-form data entry. This is the scenario that this module introduces.

Activity Instance

An Activity Instance represents that a specific Member has added a specific Activity Definition to a specific Learning Plan Instance. 

Information about the "thing being added", such as the Training Course title, is stored on the Activity Definition.

Information about "the user's experience with that thing", such as the date they received a vaccination or the name of their specific vet, is stored on the Activity Instance.

Activity Type

Each Activity Definition is of a specific Activity Type. Among other things, the Activity Type specifies the "Create Activity" Workflow Definition and "Complete Activity" Workflow Definition that govern the creation and use of Activity data.

"Create Activity" Workflow

The "Create Activity" Workflow Definition describes the process for creating a new Activity Definition. This workflow is usually performed by an administrator or a Provider.

"Complete Activity" Workflow

The "Complete Activity" Workflow Definition describes the process for adding an Activity Instance to a Learning Plan Instance. This workflow is performed by the person filling out the Learning Plan Instance.

Step 1: Add a new Task Group to "Certified Office Dog Application"

Steps

  1. Log in as a program admin, admin@example.com

  2. Go to Admin → Credentials → American Society of Office Dogs (DOGGOS) and click Certified Office Dog Application to edit the Task Group structure for that Learning Plan Definition

     

  3. Click the Add Group link, then click Edit Group edit the newly added group...


    …and make the following edits (anything not circled in red can be left at its default value):

     

  4. Click the Configure Search button for the new "Favorite Toys" group and configure it as shown below. (Anything not circled in red can be left at its default value)

     

Step 2: View the Activity Definition as a Doggo

Steps

  1. Log in as an initial applicant, SleepyBulldog@example.com, or any user that has a Certified Office Dog Application that they have yet to begin.

  2. Begin their Certified Office Dog Application. Note the new Task Group added to the Application.

     

  3. Click Add Toy under the “Favorite Toys” group.

  4. Note that there is only one Activity Type that the Doggo can select from since we only allowed the “DOGGO TOY!” Activity Type in Step 1: Add a new Task Group to "Certified Office Dog Application" - Substep 4

     

  5. Click Search to view the list of selectable Activities the Doggo can add to their Learning Plan Instance. Note that currently only three Activities are available to choose from. This is quite sad considering Doggos surely have all sorts of different favorite toys. So let’s add some more!

Step 3: Create an Activity Definition

Steps

  1. Log in as a system admin, admin@heuristics.net

  2. Go to Admin → Activities and click Add Activity

  3. Configure the popup as shown below and click Continue and then Publish

     

  4. Log out and then repeat Step 2: View the Activity Definition as a Doggo by logging back in to the same user as before. Notice that you do not need to log in as a different user as the new Activity Definition added does not interfere with any Acivity Instances already entered into the Learning Plan Instance.

  5. Note that in Step 2: View the Activity Definition as a Doggo - Substep 5, you now have one more selectable Activity to pick from. You may continue repeating Step 3: Create an Activity Definition as many times as you’d like to create a large list of toys for the Doggos to choose from!