[wp-hackers] GSoC2009 idea: Workflows/Moderation in WordPress

[Edward Dale]

I'm thinking of applying for a GSoC slot this summer.  Here's the
beginnings of my idea.  If anyone has any feedback, I'd appreciate it.

This ties in a bit to the 'User Roles' project suggestion on the wiki,
but goes in a slightly different direction.  It could encompass the
ideas mentioned there or not.  I'm interested in adding a moderation
workflow to WordPress.  If WordPress is a CMS (not to touch a nerve),
then such a system that controls the flow of information from the
brains of the authors through the hands of editors/managers into the
eyes of the public would be useful.

I think what I'm proposing would make the most sense as a plugin, as
most people probably don't need a full publishing workflow on their
one-person blogs.

Typical use cases might include:
* category editors - to be published in a category, a post/page must
be approved by an editor for that category
* the big boss - everything that gets published must get the ok of the boss
* writer->editor->designer - the writer writes text, which is edited
by the editor, and then made pretty by the designer
* Is limiting an author to a category just a simple workflow case or
something different?

The major pieces of the plugin would be:
* interface for designing the workflow, could have multiple stages,
stages dependent on category...
* notifications when a post/page reaches the next stage of the workflow
* moderation comments and sending the post/page back to the previous
stage of the workflow
* lots of hooking into capabilities to force things into the workflow.

Here's a bit of personal background.  I developed a simple workflow
plugin called Zensor for a high school in Germany.  It hasn't been
updated in a long time and isn't designed to facilitate the above
ideas.  I did some theorizing about workflows in WordPress on the
codex (http://codex.wordpress.org/User:Scompt/Workflow_With_WordPress),
but never took it any further than that.  I've done some WordPress
consulting while at university, including developing plugins and
complex WP-based sites.

Thanks for your feedback!
Edward