Comment system for interactive graphical designs

Abstract

Various methods and systems for collaborating on the specification of an interactive graphical design are provided. An exemplary system comprises a graphical design environment. The system also comprises a note interface in the graphical design environment that displays a note field for accepting a text string from the user. The system also comprises a design player that renders the design. The system also comprises a discussion interface that: (i) is displayed in the design player consistently with the design; (ii) displays the text string from the user as a note; and (iii) accepts a comment from a second user regarding the note. The system also comprises a data store accessible to the graphical design environment and the design player. The comment is displayed in the graphical design environment after being accepted in the discussion interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 providing a graphical design environment to a first user using a processor, wherein the graphical design environment includes an interface that allows the first user to add a widget to a design;   exporting the design from the graphical design environment;   storing the design as an intermittent coded representation of the design in a markup language format, wherein the widget is exported with the design;   rendering the design in a first design player using the intermitted coded representation of the design to create a rendering of the design for a second user;   recording an interaction between the second user and the rendering of the design to create a set of instructions for rendering the design in accordance with the interaction;   attaching the set of instructions to a note that is associated with the widget; and   rendering the design in a second design player in accordance with the interaction using the set of instructions to create a playback for the first user.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after the set of instructions is attached to the note, storing the set of instructions and the note in a common database with the widget;   wherein the second design player is accessed from the graphical design environment; and   wherein the first design player is a web browser.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the note is included in a script referenced by the intermittent coded representation of the design.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 rendering the note along with the design using an add-on to the web browser;   wherein the note is rendered apart from the design as the design is rendered by the web browser.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 exchanging control of a simultaneous rendering of the design between the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the note and an indication of the widget the note is associated with;   importing the design, the note, the indication, and the set of instructions into the graphical design environment, wherein the importing includes linking the note with the widget to create a linked note; and   saving the linked note and the widget to a disk.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a note field in a note interface in the graphical design environment that accepts a text string from the first user, wherein the text string is subsequently stored as the note;   wherein exporting the design from the graphical design environment includes exporting the note and storing the note as part of the intermittent coded representation of the design in the markup language format.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a discussion interface in the first design player, wherein the discussion interface includes a scrollbar, and wherein the scrollbar allows the second user to scroll through a set of notes that includes the note; and   automatically adding a hyperlink to the note if the note is displayed in the discussion interface and the widget is not displayed in the first design player.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying an icon in the first design player; and   displaying a discussion interface in the first design player when the second user hovers a mouse cursor over the icon;   wherein the discussion interface includes the note.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a message via email to the first user when the second user changes a status of the note;   wherein the message includes a file with the set of instructions.   
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a first workstation configured to instantiate a graphical design environment with an interface that allows a first user to add a widget to a design;   an intermittent coded representation of the design that: (i) is exported from the design environment; and (ii) includes the widget;   a second workstation that is configured to instantiate a first design player that renders the design for a second user using the intermittent coded representation; and   a memory that stores: (i) a note associated with the widget; and (ii) a set of instructions for rendering the design in accordance with an interaction between the second user and the design;   wherein the set of instructions is attached to the note in the memory; and   wherein the first workstation: (i) has access to the memory; and (ii) is configured to instantiate a second design player that renders the design in accordance with the interaction using the set of instructions.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a common database that stores the note and the widget, wherein the common database is configured to store the set of instructions after the instructions are attached to the note;   wherein the second design player is a part of the graphical design environment; and   wherein the first design player is a web browser.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a script that is referenced by the intermittent coded representation of the design and that includes the note.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an add-on to the web browser that is configured to render the note; and   an unmodified portion of the web browser that is configured to render the design apart from the note.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a routing system that is configured to exchange control of a simultaneous rendering of the design between the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a disk that is configured to save the note, an indication of the widget, the design, and the set of instructions after an importing process.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first discussion interface displayed in the first design player, wherein the first discussion interface includes a scrollbar, and wherein the scrollbar allows the second user to scroll through a set of notes that includes the note; and   a processor that is configured to automatically add a hyperlink to the note if the note is displayed in the first discussion interface and the widget is not displayed;   wherein the hyperlink provides a link to a rendering in which the widget appears.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first discussion interface displayed in the first design player when the first user hovers over an icon;   wherein the icon is displayed in the first design player; and   wherein the first discussion interface includes the note.   
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 a means for providing a graphical design environment to a first user, wherein the graphical design environment includes an interface that allows the first user to add a widget to a design;   a means for exporting the design from the graphical design environment and storing the design as an intermittent coded representation of the design in a markup language format, wherein the widget is exported with the design;   a means for rendering the design using the intermitted coded representation of the design to create a rendering of the design for a second user; and   a means, attached to a note associated with the widget, for rendering the design in accordance with a recorded interaction between the second user and the design.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a means for storing the note and an indication of the widget; and   a means for importing into the graphical design environment: (i) the design; (ii) the note; and (iii) the means for rendering the design in accordance with the recorded interaction.