System and method for process automation and enforcement

• US 20060095915A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computer Aid Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Computer Aid Incorporated
• Inventors: Clater, Gene
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

In process automation, processes are entered and enforced on team members through a Web interface. Processes are selected from a process library and can be updated as needed. Governance algorithms guide team members in carrying out the processes. The Web interface comprises a dashboard indicating an expected status and an actual status of each task.

Claims

1. A method for automation of a process, the method comprising:

(a) storing a library of processes on a computer system, each of the processes in the library comprising an indication of tasks to be carried out in the process;

(b) receiving a command from a user to select one of the processes from the library stored in step (a) to launch as an event;

(c) assigning at least one person to the event launched in step (b);

(d) determining the tasks needed to be carried out by the at least one person assigned in step (c) in accordance with the tasks in the process selected in step (b); and

(e) providing an interface to said at least one person, the interface comprising an indication of the tasks determined in step (d), an expected status of each task, and an actual status of each task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of steps (b) and (e) is performed over the Internet or an intranet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (e) comprises implementing the interface as a Web page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises receiving a modification to at least one of the processes stored in the library.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, when a modification is made to the process selected in step (b), steps (d) and (e) are modified in real time in accordance with the modification to the process.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein step (a) further comprises:

(i) storing some of the processes as locked down processes; and

(ii) disallowing any modifications to the locked down processes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) receiving, through the interface, an indication that a person has completed one of the tasks;

(g) determining a next one of the tasks to be carried out by the person; and

(h) displaying the next one of the tasks to the person.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

(i) storing an amount of time in which the person has completed each of the tasks.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(j) developing and reporting metric reports; and

(k) issue/problem tracking and reporting.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

(l) revising the processes stored in step (a) in accordance with the metric reports generated in step (j).

11. A system for automation of a process, the system comprising:

an electronic storage medium; and

a processor in electronic communication with the electronic storage medium;

the storage medium storing code to control the processor for;

(a) storing a library of processes on the electronic storage medium, each of the processes in the library comprising an indication of tasks to be carried out in the process;

(b) receiving a command from a user to select one of the processes from the library stored in step (a) to launch as an event;

(c) assigning at least one person to the event launched in step (b); and

(d) determining the tasks needed to be carried out by the at least one person assigned in step (c) in accordance with the tasks in the process selected in step (b); and

(e) providing an interface to said at least one person, the interface comprising an indication of the tasks determined in step (d), an expected status of each task, and an actual status of each task.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the code comprises code for performing at least one of steps (b) and (e) over the Internet or an intranet.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the code comprises code for implementing the interface as a Web page.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the code comprises code for receiving a modification to at least one of the processes stored in the library.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the code comprises code for controlling the processor such that, when a modification is made to the process selected in step (b), steps (d) and (e) are modified in real time in accordance with the modification to the process.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the code comprises code for carrying out step (a) by:

(i) storing some of the processes as locked down processes; and

(ii) disallowing any modifications to the locked down processes.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the code comprises code for:

(f) receiving, through the interface, an indication that a person has completed one of the tasks;

(g) determining a next one of the tasks to be carried out by the person; and

(h) displaying the next one of the tasks to the person.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the code further comprises code for:

(i) storing an amount of time in which the person has completed each of the tasks.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the code further comprises code for:

(j) developing and reporting metric reports; and

(k) issue/problem tracking and reporting.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the code further comprises code for:

(j) developing and reporting metric reports; and

(k) issue/problem tracking and reporting.

20. An article of manufacture for use in automating a process, the article of manufacture comprising:

an electronic storage medium; and

code, stored in the electronic storage medium, the code being code for execution on a computer system for;

(a) storing a library of processes in the computer system, each of the processes in the library comprising an indication of tasks to be carried out in the process;

(b) receiving a command from a user to select one of the processes from the library stored in step (a) to launch as an event;

(c) assigning at least one person to the event launched in step (b);

(d) determining the tasks needed to be carried out by the at least one person assigned in step (c) in accordance with the tasks in the process selected in step (b); and

(e) providing an interface to said at least one person, the interface comprising an indication of the tasks determined in step (d), an expected status of each task, and an actual status of each task.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the code comprises code for performing at least one of steps (b) and (e) over the Internet or an intranet.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the code comprises code for implementing the interface as a Web page.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the code comprises code for receiving a modification to at least one of the processes stored in the library.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 23, wherein the code comprises code for controlling the computer system such that, when a modification is made to the process selected in step (b), steps (d) and (e) are modified in real time in accordance with the modification to the process.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23, wherein the code comprises code for carrying out step (a) by:

(i) storing some of the processes as locked down processes; and

(ii) disallowing any modifications to the locked down processes.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the code comprises code for:

(f) receiving, through the interface, an indication that a person has completed one of the tasks;

(g) determining a next one of the tasks to be carried out by the person; and

(h) displaying the next one of the tasks to the person.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the code further comprises code for:

(i) storing an amount of time in which the person has completed each of the tasks.