Apparatus, system, and method for creating customized workflow documentation

• US 20060059423A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lehmann, Stefan, Schweitzer, Brad Alan
• Application Number:
  US10/939,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20060059423A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are provided for creating customized workflow documentation. The apparatus includes an interface module, a-content module, and an assembly module. The interface module gathers input from a user regarding the workflow to be documented. The content module gathers the required pre-defined content sections for the workflow to be documented. The assembly module creates a single document containing the pre-defined content sections in an ordered, comprehensive, contiguous document that is available as an electronic copy or hard copy.

Claims

1. An apparatus for creating customized workflow documentation, the apparatus comprising:

an interface module configured to collect configuration information from a user;

a content module configured to retrieve one or more pre-defined content sections based on the configuration information; and

an assembly module configured to assemble the pre-defined content sections into a customized workflow document.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a single comprehensive document that provides instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the customized workflow document comprises an ordered set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a contiguous set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a print module configured to print a hard copy version of the customized workflow document.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the content module reads pre-defined content sections from a stand-alone content repository.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the assembly module generates the customized workflow document in a format selected from the group consisting of markup language format, word processing format, multi-media format, and electronic publishing format.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface module further comprises a web browser.

9. An apparatus for creating customized workflow documentation, the apparatus comprising:

a collection module configured to receive configuration information from one or more clients;

a content module configured to retrieve one or more pre-defined content sections based on the configuration information; and

an assembly module configured to assemble the pre-defined content sections into a customized workflow document.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a single comprehensive document that provides instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the customized workflow document comprises an ordered set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a contiguous set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the assembly module generates the customized workflow document in a format selected from the group consisting of markup language format, word processing format, multi-media format, and electronic publishing format.

14. A system to provide customized workflow documentation, the system comprising:

one or more storage devices each containing one or more pre-defined content sections;

a document creation module comprising

an interface module configured to collect configuration information from a user;

a content module configured to retrieve one or more pre-defined content sections based on the configuration information; and

an assembly module configured to assemble the pre-defined content sections into a customized workflow document.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a single comprehensive document that provides instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the customized workflow document comprises an ordered set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a contiguous set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

18. The system of claim 14 further comprising a print module configured to print a hard copy version of the customized workflow document.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein retrieving the pre-defined content sections comprises reading pre-defined content sections from an off-line content repository.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the customized workflow document is in a format selected from the group consisting of markup language format, word processing format, multi-media format, and electronic publishing format.

21. A method for creating customized workflow documentation, the method comprising:

collecting configuration information from a user;

retrieving one or more pre-defined content sections based on the configuration information; and

assembling the pre-defined content sections into a customized workflow document.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a single comprehensive document that provides instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the customized workflow document comprises an ordered set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the customized workflow document comprises a contiguous set of instructions required to perform a desired workflow.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising printing a hard copy version of the customized workflow document.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein retrieving the pre-defined content sections comprises reading pre-defined content sections from a stand-alone content repository.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the customized workflow document is in a format selected from the group consisting of markup language format, word processing format, multi-media format, and electronic publishing format.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the configuration information is collected using a web browser.

29. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to create customized workflow documentation, the operations comprising:

an operation to collect configuration information from a user;

an operation to retrieve one or more pre-defined content sections based on the configuration information; and

an operation to assemble the pre-defined content sections into a customized workflow document.

30. An apparatus for creating customized workflow documentation, the apparatus comprising:

a means for collecting configuration information from a user;

a means for retrieving one or more pre-defined content sections based on the configuration information; and

a means for assembling the pre-defined content sections into a customized workflow document.