Cognitive learning workflow execution

• US 10,719,365 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Issued: 07/21/2020
• 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:
  US15/795,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20190129759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• 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: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading

Abstract

Technical solutions are described for a machine-assisted workflow execution. An example method includes selecting a workflow for interactive execution, the workflow includes a sequence of workflow steps, and responsively, identifying a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source. The method further includes authenticating the data source, and if the data source is a trusted data source, pulling the preliminary update from the data source and modifying the workflow dynamically. The method further includes selecting a workflow step for execution, and responsively, pulling an 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 including changing a target system. The method further includes accumulating execution information 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;

identifying, by the workflow access-system, a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source;

validating, by the workflow access-system, the data source, and in response to the data source being a trusted data source, pulling, by the workflow access-system, the preliminary update for the workflow from the data source and modifying the workflow; and

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 that is validated;

displaying, by the workflow access-system, the updated information to the user;

executing, by the user, the workflow step using the pulled updated information, the workflow step effecting a change to the target system;

accumulating, by the workflow access-system, execution information comprising attributes, from the workflow access-system, associated with execution of the workflow step; and

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

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data source is a first data source, the method further comprising:

identifying a second updated information for the workflow step from a second data source, distinct from the first data source;

authenticating the second data source, and in response to the second data source being a trusted data source, pulling the second updated information for the workflow step from the second data source and modifying the workflow step dynamically using the second updated information.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the execution information is pushed to the first data source and the second data source.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the first data source is a vendor data source and the second data source is a non-vendor data source.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary update is identified based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow.

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

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein validating the data source comprises comparing an identifier of the data source with a predetermined list of trusted data sources.

8. A system used as a workflow-access system, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured for 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;

identifying, by the workflow access-system, a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source;

validating, by the workflow access-system, the data source, and in response to the data source being a trusted data source, pulling, by the workflow access-system, the preliminary update for the workflow from the data source and modifying the workflow; and

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 that is validated;

displaying, by the workflow access-system, the updated information to the user;

executing, by the user, the workflow step using the pulled updated information, the workflow step effecting a change to the target system;

accumulating, by the workflow access-system, execution information comprising attributes, from the workflow access-system, associated with execution of the workflow step; and

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

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the data source is a first data source, the workflow execution further comprising:

identifying a second updated information for the workflow step from a second data source; and

authenticating the second data source, and in response to the second data source being a trusted data source, pulling the second updated information for the workflow step from the second data source, distinct from the first data source, and modifying the workflow step dynamically using the second updated information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the execution information is pushed to the first data source and the second data source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first data source is a vendor data source and the second data source is a non-vendor data source.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the preliminary update is identified based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the updated information is identified based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow step.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein validating the data source comprises comparing an identifier of the data source with a predetermined list of trusted data sources.

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;

identifying, by the workflow access-system, a preliminary update for the workflow from a data source;

validating, by the workflow access-system, the data source, and in response to the data source being a trusted data source, pulling, by the workflow access-system, the preliminary update for the workflow from the data source and modifying the workflow; and

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 that is validated;

displaying, by the workflow access-system, the updated information to the user;

executing, by the user, the workflow step using the pulled updated information, the workflow step effecting a change to the target system;

accumulating, by the workflow access-system, execution information comprising attributes, from the workflow access-system, associated with execution of the workflow step; and

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

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the data source is a first data source, the workflow execution further comprising:

identifying a second updated information for the workflow step from a second data source, distinct from the first data source; and

authenticating the second data source, and in response to the second data source being a trusted data source, pulling the second updated information for the workflow step from the second data source and modifying the workflow step dynamically using the second updated information.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the execution information is pushed to the first data source and the second data source.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first data source is a vendor data source and the second data source is a non-vendor data source.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the preliminary update is identified based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow, and wherein the updated information is identified based on a unique identifier associated with the workflow step.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein validating the data source comprises comparing an identifier of the data source with a predetermined list of trusted data sources.