Team collaboration system with business process management and records management

• US 20060085245A1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Filenet Corporation (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Whelan, Daniel S., Greene, John, Hayes, Frank, Takatsuka, Allen Miki, Tatalovich, Nicki L.
• Application Number:
  US11/251,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085245A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

A user-friendly web-based team collaboration solution that provides diverse team members the opportunity to participate in synchronous and asynchronous activities through a teamspace. Using a single platform that integrates team collaboration with business process management, team activities may be implemented through ad-hoc tasks and business process management driven steps to accomplish specific business objectives. Using this single platform, collaboration artifacts may also be managed through a records management system, thus making team collaboration efforts available as records. Numerous method variations, as well as related systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for ad-hoc collaboration tasks and business process management driven steps, comprising:

creating a teamspace;

receiving at least one ad-hoc task related to the teamspace;

implementing at least one business process management workflow related to the teamspace, wherein the at least one business process management workflow includes business process management steps; and

wherein the teamspace or other collaboration-related artifact is automatically declared as a record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process management workflow is launched from the teamspace.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process management workflow is launched from a document associated with the teamspace.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process management workflow creates the ad-hoc task for the teamspace.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad-hoc task is a workflow-aware task that must be completed before the workflow continues.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process management workflow is configured to add documents or folders to the teamspace such that the documents or folders are accessible from the teamspace.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad-hoc task is a synchronous task.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad-hoc task is an asynchronous task.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the collaboration task and business process management steps is simulated by a process simulator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ad-hoc task and business process management steps is analyzed by a process analyzer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive ad-hoc tasks and business process management steps, and access information related to these tasks and steps.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the teamspace is configured to schedule teamspace meetings and access information related to the scheduled teamspace meetings.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the teamspace is configured to provide access to teamspace files and manage the teamspace files according to security access levels.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive discussion-related input and provide access to discussion threads.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive poll data and provide access to poll data.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad-hoc task is received in order to accomplish at least one business process management step.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process management workflow is made available to the teamspace based on a teamspace template that was used to create the teamspace.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process management workflow is made available to the teamspace based on a platform configuration of workflow subscriptions.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the teamspace is configured to permit a user to add and/or remove user-defined related objects to a teamspace, wherein each related object is associated with a teamspace object when the user selects a command present in a detailed view of the teamspace object.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the teamspace is configured to add documents or folders to the business process management workflow such that the documents or folders are accessible from the business process management workflow.

21. Computer-readable media containing programming for ad-hoc collaboration tasks and business process management driven steps that, when executed on a computer, causes a processor to perform the steps of:

creating a teamspace;

receiving at least one ad-hoc task related to the teamspace;

implementing at least one business process management workflow related to the teamspace, wherein the at least one business process management workflow includes business process management steps; and

wherein the teamspace or other collaboration-related artifact is automatically stored as a record.

22. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the business process management workflow is launched from the teamspace.

23. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the business process management workflow is launched from a document associated with the teamspace.

24. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the business process management workflow creates an ad-hoc task for the teamspace.

25. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the ad-hoc task is a workflow-aware task that must be completed before the workflow continues.

26. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the business process management workflow is configured to add documents or folders to the teamspace such that the documents or folders are accessible from the teamspace.

27. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the ad-hoc task is a synchronous task.

28. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the ad-hoc task is an asynchronous task.

29. The computer program of claim 21, wherein at least one of the collaboration task and business process management steps is simulated by a process simulator.

30. The computer program of claim 21, wherein at least one of the ad-hoc task and business process management steps is analyzed by a process analyzer.

31. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive ad-hoc tasks and business process management steps, and access information related to these tasks and steps.

32. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the teamspace is configured to schedule teamspace meetings and access information related to the scheduled teamspace meetings.

33. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the teamspace is configured to provide access to teamspace files and manage the teamspace files according to security access levels.

34. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive discussion-related input and provide access to discussion threads.

35. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive poll data and provide access to poll data.

36. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the ad-hoc task is received in order to accomplish at least one business process management step.

37. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the business process management workflow is made available to the teamspace based on a teamspace template that was used to create the teamspace.

38. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the business process management workflow is made available to the teamspace based on a platform configuration of workflow subscriptions.

39. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the teamspace is configured to permit a user to add and/or remove user-defined related objects to a teamspace, wherein each related object is associated with a teamspace object when the user selects a command present in a detailed view of the teamspace object.

40. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the teamspace is configured to add documents or folders to the business process management workflow such that the documents or folders are accessible from the business process management workflow.

41. A system for ad-hoc collaboration tasks with business process management driven steps, comprising:

a device configured to create a teamspace;

memory configured to receive at least one ad-hoc task related to the teamspace;

a process engine system configured to implement at least one business process management workflow related to the teamspace, wherein the at least one business process management workflow includes business process management steps; and

a records management system configured to store the teamspace or other collaboration-related artifact as a record.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the business process management workflow is launched from the teamspace.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the business process management workflow is launched from a document associated with the teamspace.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the business process management workflow creates an ad-hoc task for the teamspace.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the ad-hoc task is a workflow-aware task that must be completed before the workflow continues.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein the business process management workflow is configured to add documents or folders to the teamspace such that the documents or folders are accessible from the teamspace.

47. The system of claim 41, wherein the ad-hoc task is a synchronous task.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein the ad-hoc task is an asynchronous task.

49. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one of the collaboration task and business process management steps is simulated by a process simulator.

50. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one of the ad-hoc task and business process management steps is analyzed by a process analyzer.

51. The system of claim 41, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive ad-hoc tasks and business process management steps, and access information related to these tasks and steps.

52. The system of claim 41, wherein the teamspace is configured to schedule teamspace meetings and access information related to the scheduled teamspace meetings.

53. The system of claim 41, wherein the teamspace is configured to provide access to teamspace files and manage the teamspace files according to security access levels.

54. The system of claim 41, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive discussion-related input and provide access to discussion threads.

55. The system of claim 41, wherein the teamspace is configured to receive poll data and provide access to poll data.

56. The system of claim 41, wherein the ad-hoc task is received in order to accomplish at least one business process management step.

57. The system of claim 41, wherein the business process management workflow is made available to the teamspace based on a teamspace template that was used to create the teamspace.

58. The system of claim 41, wherein the business process management workflow is made available to the teamspace based on a platform configuration of workflow subscriptions.

59. The system of claim 41, wherein the teamspace is configured to permit a user to add and/or remove user-defined related objects to a teamspace, wherein each related object is associated with a teamspace object when the user selects a command present in a detailed view of the teamspace object.

60. The system of claim 41, wherein the teamspace is configured to add documents or folders to the business process management workflow such that the documents or folders are accessible from the business process management workflow.