Cognitive learning workflow execution

• US 10,713,084 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Molly, Brunner-McDonald, Kirsten, Bryant, Charlie, Siconolfi, Philip, Walle, Marna
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhao, Bing
• Application Number:
  US15/795,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20190129746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning

Abstract

Technical solutions are described for machine-assisted workflow execution. An example method includes selecting a workflow for interactive execution, the workflow including a sequence of workflow steps. The method further includes pulling a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source and modifying the workflow dynamically. The method further includes selecting a workflow step from the workflow for execution, and pulling updated information for the workflow step from the data source. The method further includes executing the workflow step using the pulled updated information, the execution includes changing a target system. The method further includes accumulating execution information including attributes associated with execution of the workflow step, and pushing the execution information to the data source upon completion of the workflow step.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for a machine-assisted workflow execution, the method comprising:

selecting, by a user, using a workflow access-system, a workflow for interactive execution, the workflow comprising a sequence of workflow steps;

pulling, by the workflow access-system, a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source and modifying the workflow according to the preliminary update, the preliminary update being an update performed prior to execution of the workflow;

executing, by the user, using the workflow access-system, the workflow, wherein the execution comprises;

selecting, by the user, a workflow step from the workflow for execution on a target system;

pulling, by the workflow access-system, updated information for the workflow step from the data source;

executing, by the user, the workflow step using the pulled updated information and an execution information from the data source, the workflow step effecting a change to the target system;

accumulating, by the workflow access-system, from the user, the execution information comprising an annotation that identifies a level of ease associated with execution of the workflow step; and

pushing, by the workflow access-system, the execution information to the data source upon completion of the workflow step.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the workflow comprises adding the workflow step to the workflow.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the workflow comprises removing one of the workflow steps from the workflow.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the workflow comprises changing an operation being performed by the workflow step.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein pulling the preliminary update for the workflow comprises identifying the preliminary update based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein pulling the updated information for the workflow step comprises identifying the updated information based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow step.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data source comprises a plurality of data sources comprising a data source from a vendor of the workflow, a data source within an organization of the target system, a non-vendor data source.

8. A workflow-access system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured for machine-assisted workflow execution comprising;

selecting, by a user, using the workflow access-system, a workflow for interactive execution, the workflow comprising a sequence of workflow steps;

pulling, by the workflow access-system, a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source and modifying the workflow according to the preliminary update, the preliminary update being an update performed prior to execution of the workflow;

executing, by the user, using the workflow access-system, the workflow, wherein the execution comprises;

selecting, by the user, a workflow step from the workflow for execution on a target system;

pulling, by the workflow access-system, updated information for the workflow step from the data source;

executing, by the user, the workflow step using the pulled updated information and an execution information from the data source, the workflow step effecting a change to the target system;

accumulating, by the workflow access-system, from the user, the execution information comprising an annotation that identifies a level of ease associated with execution of the workflow step; and

pushing, by the workflow access-system, the execution information to the data source upon completion of the workflow step.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein modifying the workflow comprises adding the workflow step to the workflow.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein modifying the workflow comprises removing one of the workflow steps from the workflow.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein modifying the workflow comprises changing an operation being performed by the workflow step.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein pulling the preliminary update for the workflow comprises identifying the preliminary update based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein pulling the updated information for the workflow step comprises identifying the updated information based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow step.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the data source comprises a plurality of data sources comprising a data source from a vendor of the workflow, a data source within an organization of the target system, a non-vendor data source.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processing circuit to cause the processing circuit to provide machine-assisted workflow execution comprising:

selecting, by a user, using a workflow access-system, a workflow for interactive execution, the workflow comprising a sequence of workflow steps;

pulling, by the workflow access-system, a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source and modifying the workflow according to the preliminary update, the preliminary update being an update performed prior to execution of the workflow;

executing, by the user, using the workflow access-system, the workflow, wherein the execution comprises;

selecting, by the user, a workflow step from the workflow for execution on a target system;

pulling, by the workflow access-system, updated information for the workflow step from the data source;

executing, by the user, the workflow step using the pulled updated information and an execution information from the data source, the workflow step effecting a change to the target system;

accumulating, by the workflow access-system, from the user, the execution information comprising an annotation that identifies a level of ease associated with execution of the workflow step; and

pushing, by the workflow access-system, the execution information to the data source upon completion of the workflow step.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein modifying the workflow comprises adding the workflow step to the workflow.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein modifying the workflow comprises removing one of the workflow steps from the workflow.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein modifying the workflow comprises changing an operation being performed by the workflow step.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein pulling the preliminary update for the workflow comprises identifying the preliminary update based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein pulling the updated information for the workflow step comprises identifying the updated information based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow step.