Visualizers for change management system

• US 10,002,336 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Keane, Thomas, Ontaneda, Marisol, Martino, Thomas N., Cain, Nigel Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Rines, David
• Application Number:
  US14/034,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

A change management system may use a phased status indicator that may illustrate several phases of a change request and a current status for each phase of a change management lifecycle. Additionally, a group of change requests may be displayed in a linked manner showing various relationships between change requests. The status indicator and linked display may be used together or separately to illustrate the status of various change requests and within interactive displays of change request data.

Claims

1. A method for user at a computer device, the computer device including a display device, the method comprising:

for a stage associated with a multi-stage change management item, the computer device changing the format of data representing the stage by supplementing the format of data representing the stage, including;

the computer device assigning a stage identifier icon for the stage; and

the computer device defining one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage, each of the one or more additional icons for visually indicating a corresponding additional status for the stage when the stage is the current state in the multi-stage process;

the computer device communicating with a change management database to access change management data for the multi-stage change management item;

the computer device analyzing the change management data corresponding to the multi-stage change management item to;

identify the stage as the current stage associated with the multi-stage change management item; and

identify a current status for the stage;

the computer device creating a composite graphical element having independently selectable functions associated with the composite graphical element, the composite graphical element defining a set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations, each stage identifier icon representing the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage and indicating an independently selectable function of associated computer-executable analytics for interacting with the multi-stage change management item at the display device, including;

a status icon to assign the identified current status for the stage to the stage identifier icon;

a completed icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage is completed; and

a not yet started icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage has yet to be started; and

the computer device initiating computer-executable analytics associated with an indicated independently selected function for a stage identifier icon in response to user interaction with the stage identifier icon through the composite graphical element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a composite graphical element having independently selectable functions associated with the composite graphical element comprises creating a composite graphical element for implementing a software upgrade change process.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying at least one selectable function for the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations; and

providing a mechanism by which a user may perform an activity associated with the selectable function by interacting with the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the independently selectable functions as selectable at the display device via the composite graphical element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein defining one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage comprises defining:

an in process status icon, an on-hold status icon, and a rejected icon.

6. The method of claim 1, the multi-state change management item comprising a change request.

7. The method of claim 1, the multi-state change management item comprising a relationship.

8. The method of claim 7, the relationship comprising at least one from a group consisting of:

a sequential dependency;

a parallel dependency;

a parent child dependency; and

a hierarchical dependency.

9. A system comprising:

a display device;

one or more hardware processors;

system memory coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the system memory storing instructions that are executable by the one or more hardware processors;

the one or more hardware processors executing the instructions stored in the system memory to;

for a stage associated with a multi-stage change management item stored in a change management database, change the format of data representing the stage by supplementing the format of data representing the stage, including;

assign a stage identifier icon for the stage; and

define one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage, each of the one or more additional icons for visually indicating a corresponding additional status for the stage when the stage is the current state in the multi-stage process;

communicate with the change management database to access change management data for the multi-stage change management item;

analyze change management data corresponding to the multi-stage change management item to;

identify the stage as the current stage associated with the multi-stage change management item; and

identify a current status for the stage;

create a composite graphical element having independently selectable functions associated with the composite graphical element, the composite graphical element defining a set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations, each stage identifier icon representing the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage and indicating an independently selectable function of associated computer-executable analytics for interacting with the multi-stage change management item, including;

a status icon to assign the identified current status for the stage to the stage identifier icon;

a completed icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage is completed; and

a not yet started icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage has yet to be started; and

initiate computer-executable analytics associated with an indicated independently selected function for a stage identifier icon in response to user interaction with the stage identifier icon through the composite graphical element.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising the one or more hardware processors executing the instructions stored in the system memory to:

display the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations;

identify an independently selectable function relating to the multi-stage change management item; and

provide an interactive mechanism by which a user may perform an action associated with the independently selectable function by interacting with a portion of the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations.

11. The system of claim 9, the multi-state change management item comprising a change request.

12. The system of claim 9, the multi-state change management item comprising a relationship.

13. The system of claim 12, the relationship comprising at least one from a group composed of:

a sequential dependency;

a parallel dependency;

a parent/child dependency; and

a hierarchical dependency.

14. A computer system, the computer system comprising:

a display device;

a processor;

system memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions configured to cause the processor to;

for a stage associated with a multi-stage change management item of a software upgrade change management process, change the format of data representing the stage by supplementing the format of data representing the stage including;

assign a stage identifier icon for the stage; and

define one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage, each of the one or more additional icons for visually indicating a corresponding additional status for the stage when the stage is the current state in the software upgrade change management process;

communicate with a change management database to access change management data for the multi-stage change management item;

analyze change the management data corresponding to the multi-stage change management item to;

identify the stage as the current stage associated with the multi-stage change management item; and

identify a current status for the stage;

create a composite graphical element having independently selectable functions associated with the composite graphical element, the composite graphical element defining a set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations, each stage identifier icon representing the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage and indicating an independently selectable function of associated computer-executable analytics for interacting with the multi-stage change management item at the display device, including;

a status icon to assign the identified current status for the stage to the stage identifier icon;

a completed icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage is completed; and

a not yet started icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage has yet to be started; and

initiate computer-executable analytics associated with an indicated independently selected function for a stage identifier icon in response to user interaction with the stage identifier icon through the composite graphical element.

15. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising instructions configured to group the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations into-the composite graphical element.

16. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising instructions configured to:

identify at least one selectable function for the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations; and

provide a mechanism by which a user may perform an activity associated with the selectable function by interacting with the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations using a pointing device.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the instructions configured to define one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage comprise instructions configured to define:

an in process status icon, an on-hold status icon, and a rejected icon.

18. The computer system of claim 14, the multi-state change management item comprising a change request.

19. The computer system of claim 14, the multi-state change management item comprising a relationship.

20. The computer system of claim 19, the relationship comprising at least one from a group composed of:

a sequential dependency;

a parallel dependency;

a parent/child dependency; and

a hierarchical dependency.