System, method and computer-program product for allowing an entity to capture, integrate, and report desired information relating to a specific situation in a given process-related work environment

• US 20060026151A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Greene, Scott R., Milstead, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for collecting desired information from information that relates to a specific situation within the context of a specific work environment, wherein the information comprises extraneous information and the desired information. A template that relates to the specific situation can be opened and interpreted at a computing device to generate queries presented to a user for extracting the desired information from the information. A user can input responses to the queries, and a completed template can be generated based on the responses. The completed template includes the desired information. The completed template can be submitted to an information management system.

Claims

1. A method for collecting desired information from information that relates to a specific situation within the context of a specific work environment, wherein the information comprises extraneous information and the desired information, the method comprising:

opening a template that relates to the specific situation at a computing device;

interpreting the template in the computing device to generate queries presented to a user for extracting the desired information from the information;

inputting responses to the queries;

generating a completed template including the desired information based on the responses; and

submitting the completed template to an information management system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the information that relates to a specific situation in a specific work environment comprises the desired information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a template exists that relates to the specific situation;

if the template exists that relates to the specific situation, selecting the template that relates to the specific situation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting a template that relates to the specific situation, comprises:

matching the template to the specific situation at a point-of-use within the specific work environment, wherein the template that matches to the specific situation requests user input consisting of the desired information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting responses to the queries to generate a completed template, comprises:

entering user input responsive to each query to generate a report comprising the desired information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the completed template in a database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if a template does not exist that relates to the specific situation, further comprising:

creating a template that relates to the specific situation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a template that relates to the specific situation, comprises:

providing situation information to the information management system relating to the specific situation;

selecting an existing template for a different situation, based on the situation information, including attributes similar to those of the specific situation;

transmitting the existing template to the computing device;

prompting the user to create a new template; and

using the attributes of the existing template to generate a new template, wherein the new template includes queries to provide the desired information for the specific situation.

9. An interface system for guiding a user through an information collection process designed to collect desired information specific to a given task in a given business process, the system comprising:

a template generation unit configured to generate a template for extracting desired information which satisfies data inputs required to complete the given task; and

a computer configured to execute the template to guide a user through the information collection process by extracting the desired information from the user which satisfies data inputs required to complete the given task.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a database configured to store the desired information which is collected by the templates, wherein the database is accessible by other users to assist during other information collection tasks of the other users.

11. The system of claim 11, wherein the template further comprises a mechanism for connecting the user to an external data source which provides data to the user which assists the user in providing the data inputs for the given task.

12. A system for guiding a user to perform a desired task, the system comprising:

a template generation unit configured to generate a template based on any situation the user encounters while performing the task; and

a computer configured to execute the template to guide the user to collect desired information or make an appropriate decision while performing the task.

13. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further comprises:

a database configured to store the desired information which is collected by the templates, wherein the database is accessible by other users to assist during performing similar tasks.