Method and apparatus for a product lifecycle management process
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of designing a process lifecycle using a computer system comprising:
- presenting a series of user interfaces allowing a process architect to define a process lifecycle using business model objects as building blocks; and
presenting input indications in said series of user interfaces allowing a process architect to specify what parts of said defined process lifecycle can be deleted or modified; and
wherein said parts of said process lifecycle comprises one or more of said business model objects or one or more relationships between said business model objects.
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Abstract
Techniques, methods, systems and system components facilitate new product development and product lifecycle management in an enterprise. According to a specific embodiment, the invention provides a networked-enabled development software engine that assists users coordinate and keep track of progress and status of development activities. A unifying structure for Business Objects allows the software engine to provide a number of integrated cross-program functions, such as portfolio review and automated resource assignment and allows object portability and allows new objects to be more easily created from old objects.
391 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method of designing a process lifecycle using a computer system comprising:
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presenting a series of user interfaces allowing a process architect to define a process lifecycle using business model objects as building blocks; and
presenting input indications in said series of user interfaces allowing a process architect to specify what parts of said defined process lifecycle can be deleted or modified; and
wherein said parts of said process lifecycle comprises one or more of said business model objects or one or more relationships between said business model objects. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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2. A method of initiating a product development process using a computer system comprising:
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presenting one or more user interfaces allowing a program manager to select from one or more defined process lifecycles;
presenting a series of user interfaces allowing a program manager to modified those parts of a selected process lifecycle that are specified as modifiable in said process lifecycle; and
presenting a series of user interfaces allowing a program manager to make assignments to roles in said process lifecycle. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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3. A method of executing a product development program using a computer system comprising:
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using an instance of a product development process, with one or more predefined roles assigned to one or more process implementers, to coordinate activity of various resources;
presenting one or more user interfaces to one or more process implementers to provide a task list to said one or more process implementers;
presenting one or more user interfaces to one or more process implementers to receive data indicating completed or incompleted tasks from said one or more process implementers;
aggregating data received from said one or more process implementers into project summary data; and
presenting project summary data to a program manager.
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13. A computer system software engine usable for designing process lifecycles and managing and executing instances of process lifecycles for particular projects comprising:
- one or more methodologies;
wherein each of said methodologies comprises one or more similar lifecycles;
wherein each of said lifecycles comprises one or more phases; and
wherein each of said phases can comprise one or more deliverables. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
- one or more methodologies;
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22. A method of managing a product development process using a computer system comprising:
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defining elements of a process lifecycle in a structured hierarchy of phases and deliverables;
wherein once said structured hierarchy of phases and deliverables is specified, said computer system is capable of enforcing required aspects of said process lifecycle;
wherein once said structured hierarchy of phases and deliverables is specified said computer system automates execution of a program by distributing assignments as they are needed and providing a continuously updated living schedule integrating progress status of all aspects of a program;
defining states associated with phases and deliverables that characterize their status;
after said defining, providing access to one or more process managers to input initial information regarding phases and deliverables including relationships and dependencies between phases and deliverables and state goals for phases and deliverables;
providing access to said computer system to one or more process implementers in order for said implementers to enter data indicating changing status of phases/deliverables;
in accordance with said defined process/lifecycle phases and deliverables, informing one or more process implementers of updated lifecycle resource needs and due dates;
in response to a request from a manager, providing overview and drill-down reports of updated process/lifecycle status. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of evaluating and comparing a group of product development programs in a portfolio using a computer system comprising:
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allowing a user to define program-specific metrics that will be tracked by said computer system;
allowing a user to define how metric values will be obtained during execution of a program; and
presenting to a user multi-program portfolio data regarding multiple programs'"'"' phase, cost, schedule, and risk status. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A network-based method for automating requesting and assigning resources to work on projects comprising:
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allowing a user to search for available resources/users with the skill and competency level required to accomplish tasks on a development project with a single action;
returning to a user a list of resources/users;
including in said returned list an analysis of how a proposed assignment will impact overall utilization of indicated resources;
including in said returned list an analysis of how well the resources are able to satisfy the demands of the assignment;
allowing the user to request a single user or group of users from one or more users acting as resource managers, via the web;
routing a request to the appropriate users acting as functional managers for review;
providing reports that show the detailed impact of the assignment on the requested user(s) and allows the user acting as the functional manager to approve, reject, or propose an alternative user; and
routing the functional managers decision back to the requesting user for review, who can accept the decision or make another resource request, wherein accepting the decisions automatically assigns the user in question to the program and gives the assigned user him access to the web based program workspace.
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Specification