ADAPTIVE COMPUTER SEQUENCING OF ACTIONS

• US 20090172671A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: BOBAK, Mythili K., SWANSON, Michael D., WOOD, Brian O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A recommended sequence of tasks to complete a complex task is programmatically defined. The recommended sequence is adaptive in that the sequence can be altered based on the completion status of one or more of the tasks.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling processing flow of complex tasks of a computing environment, said computer-implemented method comprising:

programmatically providing a recommended sequence of actions to be executed to perform a complex task, said recommended sequence of actions comprising one or more programmatic actions and one or more user actions; and

coordinating execution of the recommended sequence of actions based on completion status of one or more actions of the sequence of actions, wherein a next action to be performed is dependent on completion status of at least one other action, and wherein the coordination comprises dynamically altering the recommended sequence based on the completion status of at least one action of the sequence actions.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one action of the sequence of actions is a transaction.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the complex task is related to management of a business resilience environment.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the complex task comprises a recovery process.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the recommended sequence is navigable via a user interface.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing an event from an executed action of the complex task indicating completion of the executed action.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining if the event is to be handled currently;

handling the event, in response to the determining indicating the event is to be handled currently; and

postponing handling the event, in response to the determining indicating the event is not to be handled currently.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the coordinating execution comprises controlling via a user interaction initiation of one or more actions of the complex task.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the user interaction comprises an inquiry requesting information to continue processing.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein a result of the user interaction alters the recommended sequence.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the coordinating execution comprises programmatically controlling execution absent user intervention.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the recommended sequence to a user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising displaying a completion indicator for a completed action of the complex task.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a list of complex tasks;

selecting from the list the complex task for which the recommended sequence is to be provided; and

providing an indication of one or more actions that are to be completed for the complex task.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

executing one or more of the actions that are to be completed; and

rolling back at least one executed action of the one or more executed actions.

16. A system of controlling processing flow of complex tasks of a computing environment, said system comprising:

a memory to store a programmatically provided recommended sequence of actions to be executed to perform a complex task, said recommended sequence of actions comprising one or more programmatic actions and one or more user actions; and

at least one processor to coordinate execution of the recommended sequence of actions based on completion status of one or more actions of the sequence of actions, wherein a next action to be performed is dependent on completion status of at least one other action, and wherein the coordination comprises dynamically altering the recommended sequence based on the completion status of at least one action of the sequence actions.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the complex task is related to management of a business resilience environment, and wherein the complex task comprises a recovery process.

18. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code logic to control processing flow of complex tasks of a computing environment, said computer readable program code logic when executing performing the following;

programmatically providing a recommended sequence of actions to be executed to perform a complex task, said recommended sequence of actions comprising one or more programmatic actions and one or more user actions; and

coordinating execution of the recommended sequence of actions based on completion status of one or more actions of the sequence of actions, wherein a next action to be performed is dependent on completion status of at least one other action, and wherein the coordination comprises dynamically altering the recommended sequence based on the completion status of at least one action of the sequence actions.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the recommended sequence is navigable via a user interface.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 18, further comprising:

providing a list of complex tasks;

selecting from the list the complex task for which the recommended sequence is to be provided; and

providing an indication of one or more actions that are to be completed for the complex task.