Displaying and navigating implicit and explicit enterprise people relationships

• US 10,270,666 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Viral, Herstad, Berit, Jassal, Vikramjeet Singh, Kempton, Alexander, Sorensen, Stale, Rasmussen, Sveinar, Distel, Alexander, Dovedan, Zoran, Dijan, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ell, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US15/391,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 715734
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A network map of an individual'"'"'s implicit and explicit people relationships across multiple workloads is provided. Relationships between people may be leveraged and ranking for people relationships may be performed based on activities across multiple workloads. People relationships may be displayed in the network map to provide a visual understanding of relationships and connections. Navigation to any person represented in the network map may be enabled, and commonalities in relationships between a navigating user and a given person navigated to in the network map may be exposed. Trending items and activity streams for a person or group of persons may be shown in the network map.

Claims

1. A method for providing a network map, the method comprising:

collecting activity data for a plurality of individuals and a plurality of electronic documents from a plurality of information sources;

storing, in a graph, a plurality of nodes, comprising;

a first individual as a first node in the graph;

a second individual as a second node in the graph;

an electronic document as a third node in the graph;

evaluating the activity data to identify a plurality of relationships between the plurality of nodes;

automatically establishing a first edge representing a first relationship between the first node and the third node based on an indication that the first individual interacted with the electronic document;

automatically establishing a second edge representing a second relationship between the first node and the second node based on an indication that the second individual interacted with the electronic document, wherein the second relationship is an implicit relationship identified based on the evaluation of the activity data;

weighting the first edge based on a first type of interaction with the electronic document by the first individual and weighting the second edge based on a second type of interaction with the electronic document by the second individual, wherein the first type of interaction is weighted higher than the second type of interaction;

receiving a request to view a network map, wherein the request is associated with the first individual; and

based on receiving the request, causing the first node, the third node, and the first edge to be displayed in a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a third individual as a fourth node in the graph;

establishing a third edge between the first node and the fourth node based on an indication that the first individual is in a relationship with the third individual; and

based on receiving the request, causing the fourth node and the third edge to be displayed in the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

based on one of an organizational structure or a project structure, establishing an explicit relationship between the first individual and at least one other individual with whom the first individual interacts or is associated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ranking the first edge and the second edge according to the respective weighting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the weighting is based on implicit and explicit signals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a selection to view a network map associated with the second individual; and

causing display of the second node, the second edge, and the first node in the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first individual'"'"'s interaction with the electronic document comprises one of authoring the electronic document, modifying the electronic document, liking the electronic document, or commenting on the electronic document.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically establishing a third edge representing an explicit relationship between the first node and the second node, the explicit relationship comprising one of;

a manager relationship, a peer relationship, a directs relationship, a working with relationship, or a we both work with relationship.

9. A system for providing a network map, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more processors operable to;

collect activity data for a plurality of individuals and a plurality of electronic documents from a plurality of information sources;

store, in a graph, a plurality of nodes, comprising;

a first individual as a first node in the graph;

a second individual as a second node in the graph;

an electronic document as a third node in the graph;

evaluate the activity data to identify a plurality of relationships between the plurality of nodes;

automatically establish a first edge representing a first relationship between the first node and the third node based on an indication that the first individual interacted with the electronic document;

automatically establish a second edge representing a second relationship between the first node and the second node based on an indication that the second individual interacted with the electronic document, wherein the second relationship is an implicit relationship identified based on the evaluation of the activity data;

weight the first edge based on a first type of interaction with the electronic document by the first individual and weight the second edge based on a second type of interaction with the electronic document by the second individual, wherein the first type of interaction is weighted higher than the second type of interaction;

receive a request to view a network map associated with a first individual; and

based on receiving the request, cause display of the first node, the third node, and the first edge.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

storing a third individual as a fourth node in the graph; and

establishing a third edge between the first node and the fourth node based on an indication that the first individual is in a relationship with the third individual.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:

calculate a weight for each of the first edge, the second edge and the third edge based on implicit and explicit signals generated through activity on the plurality of information sources;

rank each edge according to the calculated weight; and

cause display of the ranks in a user interface.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:

receive an indication of a selection by a user to view a network map associated with a second individual; and

cause display of the fourth node, the first node and the third edge in a user interface.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first individual'"'"'s interaction with the electronic document comprises one of authoring the electronic document, modifying the electronic document, liking the electronic document, or commenting on the electronic document.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:

automatically establish a third edge representing an explicit relationship between the first node and the second node, the explicit relationship comprising one of;

a manager relationship, a peer relationship, a directs relationship, a working with relationship, or a we both work with relationship.

15. A method for providing a network map, the method comprising:

collecting activity data for a plurality of individuals and a plurality of electronic documents from a plurality of information sources storing a first individual as a first node in the graph;

storing a second individual as a second node in the graph;

storing an electronic document as a third node in the graph;

evaluating the activity data to identify a plurality of relationships between the nodes;

automatically establishing a first edge representing a first relationship between the first node and the third node based on an indication that the first individual interacted with the electronic document;

automatically establishing a second edge representing a second relationship between the first node and the second node based on an indication that the second individual interacted with the electronic document, wherein the second relationship is an implicit relationship identified based on the evaluation of the activity data;

weighting the first edge based on a first type of interaction with the electronic document by the first individual and weighting the second edge based on a second type of interaction with the electronic document by the second individual, wherein the first type of interaction is weighted higher than the second type of interaction;

receiving a request to view a network map, the request including a request for information related to the first individual; and

based on the request, causing display of the network map, wherein the network map includes at least the first node, the third node and the first edge.

16. The method of claim 15, further wherein causing display of the network map comprises causing display of a selectable thumbnail image of an individual associated with the first node.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying the network map further comprises displaying a third edge, the third edge indicating an explicit relationship between the first node and the second node comprising one of:

a manager relationship;

a peer relationship;

a directs relationship;

a working with relationship;

or

a we both work with relationship.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining one or more other nodes that are trending, the one or more other nodes connected to the first node by other activity edges; and

causing display of the one or more other nodes.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing a third individual as a fourth node in the graph;

establishing a third edge between the first node and the fourth node based on an indication that the first individual is in a relationship with the third individual; and

based on receiving the request, causing display of the fourth node and the third edge in a user interface.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first individual'"'"'s interaction with the electronic document comprises one of authoring the electronic document, modifying the electronic document, liking the electronic document, or commenting on the electronic document.