Method, system, and storage medium for providing a disciplined approach to business management activities

• US 20050131747A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vigil, Shirley
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• 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 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method, system, and storage medium for providing a disciplined approach to business management activities. The method includes developing an activity list of tasks and behaviors that relate to an identified opportunity, performing a time study of observable behaviors associated with the activity, and collecting data resulting from the time study and the performance of work activities. The method also includes identifying issues presented as a result of analyzing the data, generating and implementing a roadmap for resolving the issues, and training individuals affected by the roadmap in accordance with action items contained in the roadmap. The method further includes forecasting future resource requirements based upon reports generated as a result of collecting the data and identifying the issues.

Claims

1. A method of providing a disciplined approach for conducting business management activities, the method comprising:

developing an activity list of tasks and behaviors that relate to an identified opportunity;

performing a time study of observable behaviors associated with said activity;

collecting data resulting from said time study;

collecting data resulting from performance of work activities;

identifying issues presented as a result of analyzing said data;

generating and implementing a roadmap for resolving said issues;

training individuals affected by said roadmap in accordance with action items contained in said roadmap; and

forecasting future resource requirements based upon reports generated as a result of said collecting data and identifying issues.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a database of roadmaps based upon notification of a compliance resulting from an activity assessment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said developing an activity list includes:

establishing goals and strategies for exploiting said opportunity;

documenting said goals and strategies; and

communicating said goals and strategies to affected individuals.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising using information said activity list to develop an activity detail summary comprising:

documenting current workflow conditions and requirements;

identifying key volume indicators;

identifying activities and creating an activity list summary; and

identifying key measurement indicators.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said key volume indicators are derived by:

comparing like work units and validating differences between processes used in said like work units; and

establishing engineering service metrics and reasonable expectations resulting from said comparing like work units;

wherein said engineering service metrics include best demonstrated practices for activities conducted in said work units.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said key measurement indicators measure performance, service, quality, and effectiveness of work performed and quantify results into relevant measurements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing a time study of observable behaviors further includes:

identifying behaviors to observe;

observing said behaviors;

determining statistical validity of observations;

defining metrics for said behaviors;

documenting said observations; and

identifying issues resulting from said observations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting resulting from performance of work activities includes:

generating a tally sheet of detailed work volumes; and

creating a daily schedule control using said tally sheet, said daily schedule control including;

productivity data;

percentage of overtime data;

earned hours; and

lost time.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for causing said server to implement:

using information said activity list to develop an activity detail summary comprising;

documenting current workflow conditions and requirements;

identifying key volume indicators;

identifying activities and creating an activity list summary; and

identifying key measurement indicators.

13. The storage medium of claim 12, wherein said key volume indicators are derived by:

comparing like work units and validating differences between processes used in said like work units; and

establishing engineering service metrics and reasonable expectations resulting from said comparing like work units;

wherein said engineering service metrics include best demonstrated practices for activities conducted in said work units.

14. The storage medium of claim 12, wherein said key measurement indicators measure performance, service, quality, and effectiveness of work performed and quantify results into relevant measurements.

9. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for providing a disciplined approach for conducting business management activities, said storage medium including instructions for causing a server to implement a method, comprising:

developing an activity list of tasks and behaviors that relate to an identified opportunity;

performing a time study of observable behaviors associated with said activity;

collecting data resulting from said time study;

collecting data resulting from performance of work activities;

identifying issues presented as a result of analyzing said data;

generating and implementing a roadmap for resolving said issues;

training individuals affected by said roadmap in accordance with action items contained in said roadmap; and

forecasting future resource requirements based upon reports generated as a result of said collecting data and identifying issues.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for causing said server to implement:

updating a database of roadmaps based upon notification of a compliance resulting from an activity assessment.

11. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein said developing an activity list includes:

establishing goals and strategies for exploiting said opportunity;

documenting said goals and strategies; and

communicating said goals and strategies to affected individuals.

15. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein said performing a time study of observable behaviors further includes:

identifying behaviors to observe;

observing said behaviors;

determining statistical validity of observations;

defining metrics for said behaviors;

documenting said observations; and

identifying issues resulting from said observations.

16. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein said collecting resulting from performance of work activities includes:

generating a tally sheet of detailed work volumes; and

creating a daily schedule control using said tally sheet, said daily schedule control including;

productivity data;

percentage of overtime data;

earned hours; and

lost time.

17. A system for providing a disciplined approach for conducting business management activities, comprising:

a server;

a business management system executing on said server, said business management system including a business management system model comprising;

a plan phase component;

an execute phase component;

a report phase component;

a follow-up component;

a coach/train component;

a forecast component; and

a sustain component;

wherein said business management system performs;

developing an activity list of tasks and behaviors that relate to an identified opportunity via said plan phase component;

performing a time study of observable behaviors associated with said activity via said execute phase component;

collecting data resulting from said time study via said execute phase component;

collecting data resulting from performance of work activities via said execute component;

identifying issues presented as a result of analyzing said data via said report phase component;

generating and implementing a roadmap for resolving said issues via said follow-up component;

training individuals affected by said roadmap in accordance with action items contained in said roadmap via said coach/train component; and

forecasting future resource requirements based upon reports generated as a result of said collecting data and identifying issues via said forecast component.