Elvis loves Options

gistfile1.sbt

implicit def elvisSyntax[A](o: Option[A]) = new { 
  def ?[B](f: A => Option[B]) = o flatMap f 
  def :?[B](f: A => B) = o map f
  def ??(default: => A) = o getOrElse default 
}

case class Head(name: String) 
case class Department(head: Option[Head])
case class Employee(department: Option[Department])

scala> val bob: Option[Employee] = None  
scala> val alice: Option[Employee] = Some(Employee(Some(Department(Some(Head("foo"))))))

scala> (bob ? (_.department) ? (_.head) :? (_.name)) ?? "no name"
res6: String = no name

scala> (alice ? (_.department) ? (_.head) :? (_.name)) ?? "no name"                     
res7: String = foo