International ILIAS Blog
How To ILIAS: Suggest a New Function
ILIAS is an open source learning platform that is continuously being developed by an active community. The project is based on the contribution of ideas and requirements from real users.
Anyone can help plan and shape the software. Anyone who has an idea for a new function can suggest it directly - even without any prior technical knowledge.
In this how-to, we describe step by step how it works. By submitting a feature request, anyone can contribute to the further development of ILIAS.
Step 1: Check for Duplicates
Before suggesting a new feature, you should first check whether a corresponding suggestion already exists. This prevents duplicate entries and allows you to add to or support existing ideas.
This is how to proceed:
- Call up the Feature Wiki overview.
- Select under chapter 3 "Components" the category page of the module / component to which your request belongs to, e.g. "Learning modules", "Courses" or "Test & Assessment".
- Search through the suggestions linked there under "Suggested Features" and "Accepted Features".
If a similar suggestion already exists, you can leave a comment on the corresponding wiki page or contact the author directly. Perhaps there is only a lack of funding to realise the development.
Step 2: Add a New Feature Request
If no feature request exists that describes your requirements, start to write a new one. This requires a user account on docu.ilias.de.
After registration, proceed as follows:
- Open the appropriate category page in the wiki (see above).
- Switch to edit mode.
- In Chapter 3, click in the numbered list and insert the desired title for the new suggestion as a wiki link, i.e. in double square [[brackets]]. The title should be as precise as possible, as it also serves as the page name.
- Finish editing the page and click on the title to generate a new page.
- You must now use the template to create a new feature page.
After saving, a new wiki page is automatically generated based on the template. This will be filled in the next step.
Step 3: Describe the new Feature
On the new wiki page, the desired function is described as specifically as possible. The predefined structure helps to make the proposal comprehensible. It also helps to ensure that no aspect is forgotten in the planning and description.
You should ask yourself the following key questions while planning:
- What problems are to be solved?
- For which target group is it intended?
- What exactly should the new function do?
- Are there similar functions that can be built on?
- What ideas are there for implementation?
- What could the new function look like?
- Which areas of ILIAS are affected by a change?
The more concrete and clearer the suggestion is, the better the community can evaluate and develop it.
Step 4: Involving the responsible developer
Once the wiki page has been created, the responsible developers or authorities should be informed of the suggestion.
They can...
- provide initial feedback and draw attention to inconsistencies in the concept,
- complete the missing information on the wiki page (e.g. technical requirements),
- make statements on how to proceed and
- put the feature request on the agenda of the Jour Fixe, where the suggestion is presented to the community and discussed.
You can find the responsible developer on the overview page of the respective category page in the wiki (i.e. where you created the page). The person responsible is the person who has the "Authority to Sign off on Conceptual Changes".
Step 5: Presentation in the Jour Fixe and implementation afterwards
The biweekly Jour Fixe is the central coordination meeting of the developing ILIAS community, at which among other things new feature requests are to be presented and discussed.
Here...
- the finalised suggestion is presented by yourself or by the developer responsible.
- the community decides on the acceptance and thus the inclusion of the function in the core of ILIAS.
If the suggestion is accepted, the implementation must be organised. The development of new functions is often financed by institutions or community projects. However, individual institutions or project groups are also involved in driving forward the development of ILIAS.
Conclusion
If you have an idea for a new ILIAS function, you can introduce it into the development process yourself - even without technical expertise.
Here is an overview of the most important steps:
- Check existing suggestions.
- Create a new page in the feature wiki.
- Describe the suggested feature in a comprehensive way.
- Inform those responsible.
- Present the suggestion (or let present it) at the Jour Fixe.
Be brave!
If you prepare well and clearly present your idea, you have a good chance of making a real contribution to the further development of ILIAS.