SEAMLESS MORPHING FROM SCENARIO MODEL TO SYSTEM-BASED INSTANCE VISUALIZATION

• US 20130159908A1
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Mayerle, Jochen, Brosche, Marianne, Fessler, Joachim, Keil, Ulrich, Knospe, Holger, Peters, Johann Christiaan
• Granted Patent: US 9,070,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A single meta-model can include metadata defining a business scenario landscape that includes business scenarios accessible to members of an organization that are supported by a business software architecture. The metadata can include business process definitions and relationships between business processes. A user interface can present first, second, and/or third visualization layers based on the metadata. The first visualization layer can include first user interface elements forming a business scenario landscape map showing business scenarios and at least one relationship between the business scenarios. The second visualization layer can include second user interface elements displayed in a navigation pane concurrently with a work pane. The second user interface elements can represent a linear sequence of second business processes of a business scenario while the work pane can include additional user interface elements corresponding to functionality provided by the business software architecture relating to a currently selected business process.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via interaction by a user with a first visual depiction relating to a first abstraction layer of a single meta-model, a navigation command requesting transitioning of the first visual depiction to a second visual depiction relating to a second abstraction layer of the single meta-model, the single meta-model comprising metadata defining a business scenario landscape, the business scenario landscape comprising a plurality of business scenarios accessible to members of an organization and supported by a business software architecture, the metadata comprising business scenario definitions and relationships between business scenarios in the business scenario landscape;

transitioning, through visual morphing, from the first visual depiction to the second visual depiction, the first visual depiction and the second visual depiction containing different levels of detail relating to a business scenario within the business scenario landscape for the organization; and

providing, through each of the first visual depiction and the second visual depiction displayed on a display device, direct access to user interface features via which the user is enabled to perform at least one of viewing, modifying, entering, and creating transaction data relating to a specific instance of the business scenario.

2. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the first visual depiction comprises a plurality of first user interface elements forming a business scenario landscape map showing the business scenario and at least one other business scenario of the plurality of business scenarios and at least one relationship between the business scenario and the at least one other business scenario.

3. A computer program product as in claim 2, wherein the plurality of first user interface elements are arranged in the first visualization layer to form a scenario-centric view in which the business scenario is arranged approximately centrally in a scenario landscape map within the first visual depiction and with those of the plurality of first user interface elements representing business process features of the business scenario arranged substantially centrally and in a linear succession to show a linear ordering of the business process features and in which the at least one other business scenario is arranged to show the at least one relationship to the business scenario.

4. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the second visual depiction comprises a plurality of second user interface elements displayed in a navigation pane concurrently with a work pane, the plurality of second user interface elements being arranged in a linear progression to represent a linear sequence of a plurality of business process features of the business scenario, the work pane comprising a plurality of additional user interface elements corresponding to functionality provided by one or more feature modules of the business software architecture related to a currently selected one of the plurality of business process features.

5. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the single meta-model further comprises at least one of concrete data, detailed instance information, a key performance indicator, configuration information, and an organizational reference, the concrete data, the detailed instance information, the key performance indicator, the configuration information, and the organizational reference being associated with at least one of an in-progress instance of the business scenario and a completed instance of the business scenario.

6. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise providing access to the first visual depiction in response to selection by the user of a scenario browser user interface element in a welcome screen of the business software architecture.

7. A system comprising:

at least one programmable processor; and

a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, via interaction by a user with a first visual depiction relating to a first abstraction layer of a single meta-model, a navigation command requesting transitioning of the first visual depiction to a second visual depiction relating to a second abstraction layer of the single meta-model, the single meta-model comprising metadata defining a business scenario landscape, the business scenario landscape comprising a plurality of business scenarios accessible to members of an organization and supported by a business software architecture, the metadata comprising business scenario definitions and relationships between business scenarios in the business scenario landscape;

transitioning, through visual morphing, from the first visual depiction to the second visual depiction, the first visual depiction and the second visual depiction containing different levels of detail relating to a business scenario within the business scenario landscape for the organization; and

providing, through each of the first visual depiction and the second visual depiction displayed on a display device, direct access to user interface features via which the user is enabled to perform at least one of viewing, modifying, entering, and creating transaction data relating to a specific instance of the business scenario.

8. A system as in claim 7, wherein the first visual depiction comprises a plurality of first user interface elements forming a business scenario landscape map showing the business scenario and at least one other business scenario of the plurality of business scenarios and at least one relationship between the business scenario and the at least one other business scenario.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein the plurality of first user interface elements are arranged in the first visualization layer to form a scenario-centric view in which the business scenario is arranged approximately centrally in a scenario landscape map within the first visual depiction and with those of the plurality of first user interface elements representing business process features of the business scenario arranged substantially centrally and in a linear succession to show a linear ordering of the business process features and in which the at least one other business scenario is arranged to show the at least one relationship to the business scenario.

10. A system as in claim 7, wherein the second visual depiction comprises a plurality of second user interface elements displayed in a navigation pane concurrently with a work pane, the plurality of second user interface elements being arranged in a linear progression to represent a linear sequence of a plurality of business process features of the business scenario, the work pane comprising a plurality of additional user interface elements corresponding to functionality provided by one or more feature modules of the business software architecture related to a currently selected one of the plurality of business process features.

11. A system as in claim 7, wherein the single meta-model further comprises at least one of concrete data, detailed instance information, a key performance indicator, configuration information, and an organizational reference, the concrete data, detailed instance information, the key performance indicator, configuration information, and the organizational reference being associated with at least one of an in-progress instance of the business scenario and a completed instance of the business scenario.

12. A system as in claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise providing access to the first visual depiction in response to selection by the user of a scenario browser user interface element in a welcome screen of the business software architecture.

13. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, via interaction by a user with a first visual depiction relating to a first abstraction layer of a single meta-model, a navigation command requesting transitioning of the first visual depiction to a second visual depiction relating to a second abstraction layer of the single meta-model, the single meta-model comprising metadata defining a business scenario landscape, the business scenario landscape comprising a plurality of business scenarios accessible to members of an organization and supported by a business software architecture, the metadata comprising business scenario definitions and relationships between business scenarios in the business scenario landscape;

transitioning, through visual morphing, from the first visual depiction to the second visual depiction, the first visual depiction and the second visual depiction containing different levels of detail relating to a business scenario within the business scenario landscape for the organization; and

providing, through each of the first visual depiction and the second visual depiction displayed on a display device, direct access to user interface features via which the user is enabled to perform at least one of viewing, modifying, entering, and creating transaction data relating to a specific instance of the business scenario.

14. A computer-implemented method as in claim 13, wherein the first visual depiction comprises a plurality of first user interface elements forming a business scenario landscape map showing the business scenario and at least one other business scenario of the plurality of business scenarios and at least one relationship between the business scenario and the at least one other business scenario.

15. A computer-implemented method as in claim 14, wherein the plurality of first user interface elements are arranged in the first visualization layer to form a scenario-centric view in which the business scenario is arranged approximately centrally in a scenario landscape map within the first visual depiction and with those of the plurality of first user interface elements representing business process features of the business scenario arranged substantially centrally and in a linear succession to show a linear ordering of the business process features and in which the at least one other business scenario is arranged to show the at least one relationship to the business scenario.

16. A computer-implemented method as in claim 13, wherein the second visual depiction comprises a plurality of second user interface elements displayed in a navigation pane concurrently with a work pane, the plurality of second user interface elements being arranged in a linear progression to represent a linear sequence of a plurality of business process features of the business scenario, the work pane comprising a plurality of additional user interface elements corresponding to functionality provided by one or more feature modules of the business software architecture related to a currently selected one of the plurality of business process features.

17. A computer-implemented method as in claim 13, wherein the single meta-model further comprises at least one of concrete data, detailed instance information, a key performance indicator, configuration information, and an organizational reference, the concrete data, detailed instance information, the key performance indicator, configuration information, and the organizational reference being associated with at least one of an in-progress instance of the business scenario and a completed instance of the business scenario.

18. A computer-implemented method as in claim 13, further comprising providing access to the first visual depiction in response to selection by the user of a scenario browser user interface element in a welcome screen of the business software architecture.

19. A computer-implemented method as in claim 13, wherein at least one of the receiving, the transitioning, and the providing access are performed by at least one programmable processor.