System and method for improving management in a work environment

• US 20030065546A1
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intersect Software Corp.
• Original Assignee: Intersect Software Corp.
• Inventors: Harris, James Michael, Hosey, Michael Lee, Gorur, Ravi Srinath, Silton, Roderick Peter
• Application Number:
  US10/073,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065546A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention addresses the aforementioned needs by providing a mechanism that enables team leaders to effectively manage the complex interrelationships of deliverables within an organization. In one embodiment, a contract object is defined that represents an agreement between a provider and a customer, wherein the provider delivers some product or service to the customer within a certain timeframe.

Claims

1. A method for enabling management in a work environment, comprising:

storing contract information that describes an agreement for a contract provider to provide a deliverable to a contract customer without providing details of how said deliverable is to be produced by said contract provider; and

displaying, in a graphical display, a contract icon associated with said contract information at an intersection point between a provider icon associated with said contract provider and a customer icon associated with said contract customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said contract information is implemented as a software object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said contract object includes a contract description attribute that describes said deliverable, and a contract state attribute that identifies a current state of said contract object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said contract state attribute includes a value taken from a set of proposed, agreed, delivered, and completed values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with an activity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a project.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a summary task.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a task.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a workflow activity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a resource.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a role.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a team.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises displaying said contract icon at an intersection point between said provider icon and a plurality of customer icons associated with a plurality of contract customers.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises displaying said contract icon at an intersection point between said customer icon and a plurality of provider icons associated with a plurality of contract providers.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises displaying said contract icon at an intersection point between a plurality of provider icons associated with a plurality of contract providers and a plurality of customer icons associated with a plurality of contract customers.

17. A method for enabling management in a work environment, comprising:

storing contract information that describes a peer-to-peer agreement for a contract provider to provide a deliverable to a contract customer; and

displaying, in a graphical display, a contract icon associated with said contract information at an intersection point between a provider icon associated with a first activity and a customer icon associated with a second activity, wherein said first activity and said second activity represent work performed within an organization.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a project.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a summary task.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a task.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein one of said provider icon and said customer icon is associated with a workflow activity.

22. A graphical user interface that enables management in a work environment, comprising:

a contract provider icon, said contract provider icon enabling a user to retrieve information regarding a first resource or activity;

a contract customer icon, said contract customer icon enabling a user to retrieve information regarding a second resource or activity; and

a contract icon displayed at an intersection of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon, said contract icon enabling a user to retrieve information regarding an agreement for said contract provider to provide a deliverable to said contract customer.

23. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein one of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon enables a user to retrieve information regarding a project.

24. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein one of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon enables a user to retrieve information regarding a summary task.

25. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein one of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon enables a user to retrieve information regarding a task.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein one of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon enables a user to retrieve information regarding a workflow activity.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein one of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon enables a user to retrieve information regarding a user.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein one of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon enables a user to retrieve information regarding a role.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein one of said contract provider icon and said contract customer icon enables a user to retrieve information regarding a team.

30. A computer program product, comprising:

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to store contract information that describes an agreement for a contract provider to provide a deliverable to a contract customer without providing details of how said deliverable is to be produced by said contract provider;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to display, in a graphical display, a contract icon associated with said contract information at an intersection point between a provider icon associated with said contract provider and a customer icon associated with said contract customer; and

a computer-usable medium configured to store the computer-readable program codes.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to store contract information that describes a peer-to-peer agreement for a contract provider to provide a deliverable to a contract customer;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to display, in a graphical display, a contract icon associated with said contract information at an intersection point between a provider icon associated with a first activity and a customer icon associated with a second activity, wherein said first activity and said second activity represent work performed within an organization; and

a computer-usable medium configured to store the computer-readable program codes.