Method for enforcing workflow processes for website development and maintenance

• US 20010039594A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interwoven Incorporated (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interwoven Incorporated (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, Britt H., Cochrane, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US09/727,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039594A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/311
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A method for enforcing workflow processes for website development and maintenance. Development and maintenance of a website may include the concerted efforts of plural persons. So that the work progresses in a predictable and orderly fashion, tasks are assigned and performed in accordance with a workflow. The workflow is an arrangement of tasks to be performed. The arrangement may include tasks performed in serial order, in parallel with each other or in combinations of serial and parallel. To enforce a particular workflow, the present invention provides an environment that constrains work to progress according to the workflow. An administrator, such as a “webmaster,” develops a workflow file that dictates how the efforts of users (or “contributors”) should progress. Accordingly, the webmaster has increased control over the processes by which the website is developed and updated. As a result, website development proceeds efficiently even where many persons are involved in the effort.

Claims

1. A method for controlling workflow for website development comprising:

selecting a workflow template from among a plurality of workflow templates stored in computer-readable memory, the workflow template having rules which constrain work to progress according to a predetermined arrangement of tasks;

creating a workflow form based upon the workflow template;

filling out the workflow form based upon user input;

combining the user input with the workflow template file, thereby forming a job specification in the memory; and

performing a job in accordance with the job specification.

2. The method according to

claim 1

further comprising verifying validity of the user input by applying specified validation rules included in the template file.

3. The method according to

claim 2

wherein said verifying is performed prior to said combining.

4. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said job specification comprises a hierarchy of sections including an initial section that defines a characteristic of the job specification and a plurality of task sections, each of which describes specific tasks to occur in the job.

5. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said creating the workflow form is performed by a common gateway interface.

6. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said combining is performed by a common gateway interface.

7. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said filling out the workflow form is performed through a browser-based graphical user interface.

8. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said workflow template is an XML file.

9. The method according to

claim 8

wherein said XML file includes Perl instructions specifying the tasks to be performed wherein the Perl instructions are declared as CDATA.

10. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said performing the job comprises users modifying website content files.

11. The method according to

claim 10

wherein at least one task specifies a sending an email notification to one of the users regarding said modifying website content files.

12. The method according to

claim 10

wherein said modifying includes modifying said website content files in serial order.

13. The method according to

claim 10

wherein said modifying includes modifying said website content files in parallel.

14. The method according to

claim 12

further comprising merging said website content files modified in parallel.

15. A method for controlling workflow for website development comprising:

copying a work file from an original file defining content of a website;

performing tasks according to a job specification wherein the job specification constrains work to progress according to a predetermined arrangement of tasks including performing multiple tasks in parallel and wherein individual copied work files are modified by each of the multiple tasks thereby creating a modified file for each task; and

merging the modified files created by the multiple tasks into a merged file to incorporate modifications made in parallel to the original file.

16. The method according to

claim 15

wherein said merging is performed while performing the multiple tasks.

17. The method according to

claim 15

wherein said merging is performed after at least one of the multiple tasks is completed.

18. The method according to

claim 15

wherein said merging is performed after all of the multiple tasks are completed.

19. The method according to

claim 15

wherein said merging comprises comparing said modified files to each other, retaining like elements, deleting elements deleted from any of said modified files, adding elements added to any of said modified files and modifying elements modified in any of said modified files.

20. The method according to

claim 15

wherein after creating one of said modified files, the method further comprises submitting the modified file containing proposed changes to the original file for approval of proposed changes by a one or more entities.

21. The method according to

claim 20

wherein if the proposes changes are approved by all of the one or more entities, the method further comprises publishing the changes to be incorporated into the original file.

22. The method according to

claim 20

wherein if the changes are approved by a majority of the one or more entities, the method further comprises publishing the changes to be incorporated into the original file.

23. The method according to

claim 15

wherein said workflow template is an XML file.

24. The method according to

claim 15

further comprising deploying the merged files to the website.

25. A method for controlling workflow for website development comprising:

creating a job specification in computer readable memory, the job specification specifying an arrangement of tasks to be performed on website content files;

modifying the website content files wherein said modifying is constrained to progress in accordance with the arrangement of tasks; and

deploying the modified website content files to the website.

26. The method according to

claim 25

wherein said job specification is an XML file.

27. The method according to

claim 26

further comprising directly editing the XML file.

28. The method according to

claim 26

further comprising creating the job specification using a workflow template.

29. The method according to

claim 28

wherein said workflow template is an XML file.

30. The method according to

claim 25

wherein users perform said modifying and wherein at least one task specifies a sending an email notification to one of the users regarding at least one other task.

31. The method according to

claim 25

wherein said modifying includes modifying said website content files in serial order.

32. The method according to

claim 31

wherein said modifying includes modifying said website content files in parallel.

33. The method according to

claim 32

further comprising merging said website content files modified in parallel.