Report generation based on user responsibility

• US 10,268,980 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Apptio (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Gindin, Jay Randolf, McLachlan, Paul Damien
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US15/858,945
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards generating reports for visualizing data models. A RACI engine may obtain RACI information for a user. A report engine may provide metadata associated with a report for visualizing the data model. The report engine may be arranged to provide anchor points in the data model based on the metadata, the RACI information. The report engine may be arranged to provide a report template based on the anchor points, the RACI information, and the metadata such that the report template includes references to data objects selected automatically based on the metadata and the anchor points. The report engine may display a report based on the report template that provides visualizations based on values associated with the data objects.

Claims

1. A method for generating reports for visualizing data models using a computer that includes one or more hardware processors, where each step of the method is performed by the one or more hardware processors, comprising:

instantiating a RACI (Responsibility, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) engine to perform actions, including;

obtaining RACI information for a user, wherein the RACI information indicates the user'"'"'s responsibility or interest in one or more data objects included in a data model;

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI information is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects that are associated with two or more responsible users; and

providing one or more notifications that the two or more users have responsibility for the same determined data objects; and

instantiating a report engine to perform further actions, including;

providing metadata that is associated with a report for visualizing one or more portions of the data model;

providing one or more anchor points in the data model based on the metadata, the RACI information, and an index in a flattened version of the data model that corresponds to a geometry of the data model, wherein the one or more anchor points are provided absent a traversal of the geometry of the data model;

providing a report template based on the one or more anchor points, the RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the report template includes references to one or more data objects that are automatically selected based on the metadata and the one or more anchor points;

employing geolocation information from a Global Positioning System (GPS) device at a client computer to determine one or more features to include in a report presented to the user of the client computer, and wherein the one or more features are used by one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases; and

displaying the report on a hardware display of the user'"'"'s client computer based on the report template and included features, wherein the report provides one or more visualizations based on values associated with the one or more data objects, and wherein the one or more features enhance the one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases, and wherein the one or more features include one or more of time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting, and wherein the one or more features are included when the client computer is located at a particular geo-location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the RACI information further comprises:

displaying a user-interface that lists a plurality of data objects that are included in the data model;

tagging the one or more data objects as a responsibility of the user or of interest to the user based on one or more selections of the one or more data objects that are performed in the user interface; and

including one or more references to the one or more data objects in the RACI information for the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing actions with the report engine, further comprises, providing another report template based on one or more other anchor points, other RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the other report template includes references to one or more other data objects that are selected based on the other RACI information that is associated with the other user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the report template, further comprises, including one or more of date formats, time formats, units, colors, fonts, punctuation, time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting based on geolocation information provided by one or more sensors associated with a computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising:

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects based on an absence of one or more indications of user responsibility or user interest in the one or more other data objects; and

providing one or more notifications that the one or more other data objects are omitted from the other RACI information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising:

associating one or more of the one or more data objects with the user based on one or more inferences made by an ingestion engine, wherein the one or more inferences are derived from one or more raw data sets used to generate the data model.

7. A system for generating reports for visualizing data models, comprising:

a network computer, comprising;

a transceiver that communicates over the network;

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processor devices that execute instructions that perform actions, including;

instantiating a RACI (Responsibility, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) engine to perform actions, including;

obtaining RACI information for a user, wherein the RACI information indicates the user'"'"'s responsibility or interest in one or more data objects included in a data model;

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI information is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects that are associated with two or more responsible users; and

providing one or more notifications that the two or more users have responsibility for the same determined data objects; and

instantiating a report engine to perform further actions, including;

providing metadata that is associated with a report for visualizing one or more portions of the data model;

providing one or more anchor points in the data model based on the metadata, the RACI information, and an index in a flattened version of the data model that corresponds to a geometry of the data model, wherein the one or more anchor points are provided absent a traversal of the geometry of the data model;

providing a report template based on the one or more anchor points, the RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the report template includes references to one or more data objects that are automatically selected based on the metadata and the one or more anchor points; and

a client computer, comprising;

a client computer transceiver that communicates over the network;

a client computer memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processor devices that execute instructions that perform actions, including;

employing geolocation information from a Global Positioning System (GPS) device at a client computer to determine one or more features to include in a report presented to the user of the client computer, and wherein the one or more features are used by one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases; and

displaying the report on a hardware display of the user'"'"'s client computer based on the report template and included features, wherein the report provides one or more visualizations based on values associated with the one or more data objects, and wherein the one or more features enhance the one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases, and wherein the one or more features include one or more of time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting, and wherein the one or more features are included when the client computer is located at a particular geo-location.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein obtaining the RACI information further comprises:

displaying a user-interface that lists a plurality of data objects that are included in the data model;

tagging the one or more data objects as a responsibility of the user or of interest to the user based on one or more selections of the one or more data objects that are performed in the user interface; and

including one or more references to the one or more data objects in the RACI information for the user.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein performing actions with the report engine, further comprises, providing another report template based on one or more other anchor points, other RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the other report template includes references to one or more other data objects that are selected based on the other RACI information that is associated with the other user.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein providing the report template, further comprises, including one or more of date formats, time formats, units, colors, fonts, punctuation, time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting based on geolocation information provided by one or more sensors associated with the client computer or the network computer.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising:

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects based on an absence of one or more indications of user responsibility or user interest in the one or more other data objects; and

providing one or more notifications that the one or more other data objects are omitted from the other RACI information.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising:

associating one or more of the one or more data objects with the user based on one or more inferences made by an ingestion engine, wherein the one or more inferences are derived from one or more raw data sets used to generate the data model.

13. A processor readable non-transitory storage media that includes instructions for generating reports for visualizing data models, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more hardware processors performs actions, comprising:

instantiating a RACI (Responsibility, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) engine to perform actions, including;

obtaining RACI information for a user, wherein the RACI information indicates the user'"'"'s responsibility or interest in one or more data objects included in a data model;

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI information is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects that are associated with two or more responsible users; and

providing one or more notifications that the two or more users have responsibility for the same determined data objects; and

instantiating a report engine to perform further actions, including;

providing metadata that is associated with a report for visualizing one or more portions of the data model;

providing one or more anchor points in the data model based on the metadata, the RACI information, and an index in a flattened version of the data model that corresponds to a geometry of the data model, wherein the one or more anchor points are provided absent a traversal of the geometry of the data model;

providing a report template based on the one or more anchor points, the RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the report template includes references to one or more data objects that are automatically selected based on the metadata and the one or more anchor points;

employing geolocation information from a Global Positioning System (GPS) device at a client computer to determine one or more features to include in a report presented to the user of the client computer, and wherein the one or more features are used by one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases; and

displaying the report on a hardware display of the user'"'"'s client computer based on the report template and included features, wherein the report provides one or more visualizations based on values associated with the one or more data objects, and wherein the one or more features enhance the one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases, and wherein the one or more features include one or more of time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting, and wherein the one or more features are included when the client computer is located at a particular geo-location.

14. The media of claim 13, wherein obtaining the RACI information further comprises:

displaying a user-interface that lists a plurality of data objects that are included in the data model;

tagging the one or more data objects as a responsibility of the user or of interest to the user based on one or more selections of the one or more data objects that are performed in the user interface; and

including one or more references to the one or more data objects in the RACI information for the user.

15. The media of claim 13, wherein performing actions with the report engine, further comprises, providing another report template based on one or more other anchor points, other RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the other report template includes references to one or more other data objects that are selected based on the other RACI information that is associated with the other user.

16. The media of claim 13, wherein providing the report template, further comprises, including one or more of date formats, time formats, units, colors, fonts, punctuation, time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting based on geolocation information provided by one or more sensors associated with a computer.

17. The media of claim 13, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising:

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects based on an absence of one or more indications of user responsibility or user interest in the one or more other data objects; and

providing one or more notifications that the one or more other data objects are omitted from the other RACI information.

18. The media of claim 13, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising:

associating one or more of the one or more data objects with the user based on one or more inferences made by an ingestion engine, wherein the one or more inferences are derived from one or more raw data sets used to generate the data model.

19. A network computer for generating reports for visualizing data models, comprising:

a transceiver that communicates over the network;

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processor devices that execute instructions that perform actions, including;

instantiating a RACI (Responsibility, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) engine to perform actions, including;

obtaining RACI information for a user, wherein the RACI information indicates the user'"'"'s responsibility or interest in one or more data objects included in a data model;

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI information is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects that are associated with two or more responsible users; and

providing one or more notifications that the two or more users have responsibility for the same determined data objects; and

instantiating a report engine to perform further actions, including;

providing metadata that is associated with a report for visualizing one or more portions of the data model;

providing one or more anchor points in the data model based on the metadata, the RACI information, and an index in a flattened version of the data model that corresponds to a geometry of the data model, wherein the one or more anchor points are provided absent a traversal of the geometry of the data model;

providing a report template based on the one or more anchor points, the RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the report template includes references to one or more data objects that are automatically selected based on the metadata and the one or more anchor points;

employing geolocation information from a Global Positioning System (GPS) device at a client computer to determine one or more features to include in a report presented to the user of the client computer, and wherein the one or more features are used by one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases; and

displaying the report on a hardware display of the user'"'"'s client computer based on the report template and included features, wherein the report provides one or more visualizations based on values associated with the one or more data objects, and wherein the one or more features enhance the one or more of the report, data objects, data models, report meta-data, file systems, RACI information, user-interfaces, internal processes or databases, and wherein the one or more features include one or more of time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting, and wherein the one or more features are included when the client computer is located at a particular geo-location.

20. The network computer of claim 19, wherein obtaining the RACI information further comprises:

displaying a user-interface that lists a plurality of data objects that are included in the data model;

tagging the one or more data objects as a responsibility of the user or of interest to the user based on one or more selections of the one or more data objects that are performed in the user interface; and

including one or more references to the one or more data objects in the RACI information for the user.

21. The network computer of claim 19, wherein performing actions with the report engine, further comprises, providing another report template based on one or more other anchor points, other RACI information, and the metadata, wherein the other report template includes references to one or more other data objects that are selected based on the other RACI information that is associated with the other user.

22. The network computer of claim 19, wherein providing the report template, further comprises, including one or more of date formats, time formats, units, colors, fonts, punctuation, time zones, languages, currencies, or calendar formatting based on geolocation information provided by one or more sensors associated with a computer.

23. The network computer of claim 19, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising:

comparing the data model to other RACI information, wherein the other RACI is associated with other users;

determining one or more other data objects based on an absence of one or more indications of user responsibility or user interest in the one or more other data objects; and

providing one or more notifications that the one or more other data objects are omitted from the other RACI information.

24. The network computer of claim 19, wherein the RACI engine performs further actions, comprising, associating one or more of the one or more data objects with the user based on one or more inferences made by an ingestion engine, wherein the one or more inferences are derived from one or more raw data sets used to generate the data model.