Entry Types Reference
Detailed reference for each catalogue entry type, their required fields, and examples.
CollabAtlas organizes its catalogue into six entry types. Each type has shared fields and type-specific fields that capture what makes that category unique.
Shared Fields
Every entry, regardless of type, includes these fields:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
id | Yes | Unique identifier, matches the filename (lowercase, hyphens) |
type | Yes | Entry type: tool, method, framework, case-study, dataset, resource |
title | Yes | Display name |
tagline | Yes | One-sentence summary |
description | Yes | Paragraph-length explanation |
domains | Yes | List of domains from the taxonomy |
collaboration_types | Yes | List of collaboration types |
scales | Yes | List of scale levels |
modalities | Yes | List of modalities |
maturity | Yes | One of: emerging, well-documented, established |
status | Yes | One of: published, draft, archived |
contributors | Yes | List of contributor identifiers |
created | Yes | Creation date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
last_reviewed | Yes | Last review date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
external_links | No | List of related links with type, url, and title |
related_entries | No | List of IDs of related catalogue entries |
tags | No | Free-form tags for search |
Tools
Software, platforms, and instruments that support collaborative work.
Type-Specific Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
website_url | Yes | Official website URL |
license | No | License type (e.g., MIT, Proprietary) |
open_source | No | Boolean: is the tool open source? |
supported_platforms | No | List of platforms (Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android) |
Example
id: figma
type: tool
title: Figma
tagline: Collaborative interface design tool with real-time multiplayer editing.
description: >-
Figma is a browser-based design tool that enables teams to
collaborate in real time on interface design, prototyping,
and design systems.
website_url: https://figma.com
license: Proprietary
open_source: false
supported_platforms: [Web, macOS, Windows]
Methods
Structured approaches and processes for collaborative work.
Type-Specific Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
when_to_use | Recommended | Guidance on when this method is appropriate |
limitations | Recommended | Known constraints or challenges |
steps | Recommended | Ordered list of steps in the method |
research_methods | No | Associated research methodologies |
Example
id: world-cafe
type: method
title: World Cafe
tagline: Conversational process for collaborative dialogue in large groups.
when_to_use: >-
Use when you need to engage a large group in meaningful dialogue
around questions that matter to them.
limitations: >-
Requires skilled facilitation and adequate physical space.
Less effective for highly technical or adversarial topics.
steps:
- "Set up small tables of 4-5 people with paper tablecloths"
- "Pose a clear, open-ended question for discussion"
- "After 20 minutes, participants rotate to new tables"
- "Table hosts summarize previous conversations for new arrivals"
- "Harvest collective insights in a plenary session"
Frameworks
Theoretical or analytical models for understanding collaboration.
Type-Specific Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
key_concepts | Recommended | List of core concepts in the framework |
seminal_works | Recommended | List of foundational publications with title, authors, year, and optional url |
limitations | No | Known critiques or limitations |
Example
id: communities-of-practice
type: framework
title: Communities of Practice
tagline: Theory of learning and identity formation through participation in shared practice.
key_concepts:
- "Legitimate peripheral participation"
- "Shared repertoire"
- "Mutual engagement"
- "Joint enterprise"
seminal_works:
- title: "Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity"
authors: ["Etienne Wenger"]
year: 1998
url: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511803932
Case Studies
Real-world examples of collaboration in practice.
Type-Specific Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
outcomes | Recommended | Summary of what the collaboration achieved |
key_concepts | No | Concepts illustrated by the case |
limitations | No | Limitations of the case or approach |
Example
id: openstreetmap
type: case-study
title: OpenStreetMap
tagline: Volunteer-driven open mapping project demonstrating crowd-sourced geographic data creation.
outcomes: >-
OpenStreetMap has produced a comprehensive, freely-available global map
maintained by over 10 million registered contributors, used by
humanitarian organizations, tech companies, and governments worldwide.
Datasets
Data sources for studying or analyzing collaboration.
Type-Specific Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
source_url | Yes | URL to access or download the dataset |
format | Yes | Data format (e.g., CSV, JSON, Parquet) |
size | No | Approximate dataset size |
license | Recommended | Data license (e.g., CC0, CC-BY) |
temporal_coverage | No | Time period covered |
platform | No | Hosting platform identifier |
platform_id | No | Identifier on the hosting platform |
Example
id: stack-overflow-survey
type: dataset
title: Stack Overflow Developer Survey
tagline: Annual survey of developer practices, tools, and collaboration patterns.
source_url: https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey
format: CSV
size: ~100 MB per year
license: ODbL
temporal_coverage: "2011-present"
platform: stack-overflow
Resources
Books, handbooks, reference materials, and educational content.
Type-Specific Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
resource_type | Yes | One of: book, report, handbook, guide, video, course |
authors | Yes | List of author names |
year | Yes | Publication year |
doi | No | Digital Object Identifier |
access | No | One of: open, paid, freemium |
Example
id: the-open-source-way
type: resource
title: The Open Source Way
tagline: Community guidebook for open source project management and collaboration.
resource_type: guide
authors: ["Red Hat Community"]
year: 2020
access: open
Taxonomy Values
All taxonomy values must come from the official taxonomy definitions in data/taxonomies/. Current taxonomies:
- Domains: healthcare, education, urban-planning, software-engineering, design, environmental-science, social-sciences, public-policy, business, arts-culture, disaster-response, citizen-science, manufacturing, agriculture
- Collaboration types: co-design, co-creation, distributed, open-source, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, crowdsourcing
- Scale: individual, small-team, organization, community, multi-org, global
- Modality: in-person, remote, hybrid