MANAGING BUSINESS PROCESS CALENDARS

• US 20090043632A1
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: RICKETTS, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

A system and method of managing business process calendars. A method of managing a process includes defining at least one process to be performed by a first entity for at least one second entity, and associating a first subset of a plurality of tasks of the at least one process with the first entity. The method further includes associating a second subset of the plurality of tasks with the at least one second entity, and creating a process calendar based upon the at least one process and the plurality of tasks. The method additionally includes displaying the process calendar.

Claims

1. A method of managing a process, comprising:

defining at least one process to be performed by a first entity for at least one second entity;

associating a first subset of a plurality of tasks of the at least one process with the first entity;

associating a second subset of the plurality of tasks with the at least one second entity;

creating a process calendar based upon the at least one process and the plurality of tasks; and

displaying the process calendar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the process calendar comprises a comparison between the first subset of tasks and the second subset of tasks.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subset of tasks and the second subset of tasks include at least one corresponding task.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying comprises displaying a deviation associated with the at least one corresponding task.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying comprises providing a graphical user interface that allows a user to change at least one parameter of the displaying.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one parameter includes at least one of:

cycle, view, and block resolution.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first entity comprises a service provider,

the at least one second entity comprises a client,

the first subset of tasks corresponds to a method of performing the at least one process by the service provider, and

the second subset of tasks corresponds to a method of performing the at least one process by the client.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subset of the plurality of tasks is mutually exclusive of the second subset of the plurality of tasks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first entity operates in a first time zone,

the at least one second entity operates in a second time zone different from the first time zone, and

the displaying comprises displaying the first subset of tasks and the second subset of tasks relative to the first time zone and the second time zone.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising utilizing the process calendar to make a business decision based upon the displaying, wherein the business decision comprises at least one of:

re-defining a start period of a particular task;

re-defining an end period of a particular task;

allocating extra resources to a particular task;

re-assigning a particular task, or a portion thereof, from the first entity to the second entity, or vice versa;

re-assigning a particular task to a third entity;

eliminating or creating a particular task;

changing an automation portion of a particular task; and

scheduling overtime or time-off associated with a particular task.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the process calendar to make a business decision.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one process comprises a plurality of processes performed by the first entity for the at least one second entity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first entity comprises a service provider and the at least one second entity comprises a plurality of clients.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying includes displaying at least one of a service center and a cycle for each of the plurality of processes.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying comprises:

displaying the first subset of tasks relative to a plurality of time periods; and

displaying for each time period at least one of;

a sum of instances of tasks, hours associated with tasks, and people assigned with tasks.

16. A method for managing a process, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

define at least one process to be performed by a first entity for at least one second entity;

associate a first subset of a plurality of tasks of the at least one process with the first entity;

associate a second subset of the plurality of tasks with the at least one second entity;

create a process calendar based upon the at least one process and the plurality of tasks; and

display the process calendar.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the process calendar comprises one of:

a comparison of a first method of performing the at least one process and a second method of performing the at least one process;

a depiction of the first subset of tasks and the second subset of tasks relative to a first time zone and a second time zone; and

a multi-process calendar.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the computer infrastructure is at least one of created, maintained, deployed, and supported by a service provider on at least one of a subscription, advertising, and fee basis.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program embodied in the medium, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computing device is operable to cause the computing device to:

define at least one process to be performed by a first entity for at least one second entity;

associate a first subset of a plurality of tasks of the at least one process with the first entity;

associate a second subset of the plurality of tasks with the at least one second entity;

create a process calendar based upon the at least one process and the plurality of tasks; and

display the process calendar.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the displayed process calendar includes a graphical user interface that allows a user to change at least one parameter of the process calendar.