Distributed system for interactive collaboration

• US 20050086230A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IQ Holdings, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mount Hamilton Partners, LLC (Innovation Management Sciences, LLC)
• Inventors: Frees, Lewis, Frees, Ann
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A distribution management system can facilitate synchronous and asynchronous communications, take advantage of electronic scheduling tools, support a facilitator paradigm, and store meeting communications for later retrieval. The system can create a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with a computer network. An interactive forum can be provided in the collaborative environment in a manner offering varying degrees of structure for collecting information from the members of the team. The information can then be used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision.

Claims

1. A method of using a computer network for interactive collaboration, comprising:

creating a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the computer network;

in the collaborative environment, collecting information from the members of the team in an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure; and

facilitating a collaboratively derived decision based on the collected information.

2. The method of claim 1 further including supporting an interactive process having a topic to be considered by the members of the team.

3. The method according to claim 2 further including employing techniques to collect data from the members of the team regarding the topic or process.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the techniques include requesting the members to consider at least one option regarding the topic.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the data is returned in the form of an absolute metric, relative measure, or free-form input.

6. The method according to claim 2 further including automatically informing members of the team of the topic in an asynchronous manner.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including providing a direct link to the members for responding.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including employing a process that solicits input from the team members for a present state of the topic, an end state of the topic, and a process for proceeding from the present state to the end state.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including building the team in a manner that allows a member to be coached on the problem solving process in a manner driven by the team member.

10. An apparatus for interactive collaboration over a computer network, comprising:

a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the computer network; and

in the collaborative environment, an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure to collect information from the members of the team that is used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further including an interactive process having a topic to be considered by the members of the team.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further including techniques to collect data from the members of the team regarding the topic or process.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the techniques request the members to consider at least one option regarding the topic.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the data is in the form of an absolute metric, relative measure, or free-form input.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further including a generator automatically informing members of the team of the topic in a asynchronous manner.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the generator provides a direct link to the members for responding.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10 further including a solicitation unit to solicit input from the team members for a present state of the topic, an end state of the topic, and a process for proceeding from the present state to the end state.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10 further including a composer to build the team in a manner that allows a member to be coached on the problem solving process in a manner driven by the team member.

19. An apparatus for interactive collaboration over a computer network, comprising:

means for creating a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the computer network; and

in the collaborative environment, means for providing an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure for collecting information from the members of the team that is used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision.

20. A system for providing interactive collaboration, comprising:

an interface coupled to a computer network;

a processor coupled to the interface that creates a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the server over the computer network, the collaborative environment having an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure to collect information from the members of the team that is used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision; and

a data store coupled to the processor and storing the information from the members in the interactive forum for later retrieval.