Visualizers For Change Management System

• US 20140019192A1
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Keane, Thomas, Ontaneda, Marisol, Martino, Thomas N., Cain, Nigel Graham
• Granted Patent: US 10,002,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

A change management system may use a phased status indicator that may illustrate several phases of a change request and a current status for each phase of a change management lifecycle. Additionally, a group of change requests may be displayed in a linked manner showing various relationships between change requests. The status indicator and linked display may be used together or separately to illustrate the status of various change requests and within interactive displays of change request data.

Claims

1. At a computer device, the computer device including a display device, a method for visually conveying status for a multi-stage change management item, the method comprising:

for a stage associated with the multi-stage change management item;

assigning a stage identifier icon for the stage; and

defining one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage, each of the one or more additional icons for visually indicating a corresponding additional status for the stage when the stage is the current state in the multi-stage process;

the computer device analyzing change management data corresponding to the multi-stage change management item to;

identify the stage as the current stage associated with the multi-stage change management item; and

identify a current status for the stage;

the computer device forming a set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations representing the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage, including;

a status icon to assign the identified current status for the stage to the stage identifier icon;

a completed icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage is completed; and

a not yet started icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage has yet to be started; and

displaying the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations at the display device to visually convey the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising grouping the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations into a single graphical element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying at least one activity for the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations; and

providing a mechanism by which a user may perform the activity by interacting with the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations.

4. The method of claim 3, the mechanism comprising interacting with at least a portion of the status icons.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein defining one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage comprises defining:

an in process status icon, an on-hold status icon, and a rejected icon.

6. The system of claim 1, the multi-state change management item comprising a change request.

7. The system of claim 1, the multi-state change management item comprising a relationship.

8. The system of claim 7, the relationship comprising at least one from a group composed of:

a sequential dependency;

a parallel dependency;

a parent/child dependency; and

a hierarchical dependency.

9. A system comprising:

a change management database storing change management items;

a display device; and

a rendering system, the rendering system configured to;

for a stage associated with a multi-stage change management item stored in the change management database;

assign a stage identifier icon for the stage; and

define one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage, each of the one or more additional icons for visually indicating a corresponding additional status for the stage when the stage is the current state in the multi-stage process;

analyze change management data corresponding to the multi-stage change management item to;

identify the stage as the current stage associated with the multi-stage change management item; and

identify a current status for the stage;

form a set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations representing the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage, including;

a status icon to assign the identified current status for the stage to the stage identifier icon;

a completed icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage is completed; and

a not yet started icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage has yet to be started; and

display the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations at the display device to visually convey the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

an interactive display adapted to;

display the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations;

identify an action relating to the multi-stage change management item; and

provide an interactive mechanism by which a user may perform the action by interacting with a portion of the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations.

11. The system of claim 9, the multi-state change management item comprising a change request.

12. The system of claim 9, the multi-state change management item comprising a relationship.

13. The system of claim 12, the relationship comprising at least one from a group composed of:

a sequential dependency;

a parallel dependency;

a parent/child dependency; and

a hierarchical dependency.

14. A computer program product for use at a computer device, the computer device including a display device, the computer program product for implementing a method for visually conveying status for a multi-stage change management item, the computer program product comprising one or more compute storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computer device to perform the method including the following:

for a stage associated with the multi-stage change management item;

assign a stage identifier icon for the stage; and

define one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage, each of the one or more additional icons for visually indicating a corresponding additional status for the stage when the stage is the current state in the multi-stage process;

analyze change management data corresponding to the multi-stage change management item to;

identify the stage as the current stage associated with the multi-stage change management item; and

identify a current status for the stage;

form a set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations representing the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage, including;

a status icon to assign the identified current status for the stage to the stage identifier icon;

a completed icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage is completed; and

a not yet started icon to assign to the stage identifier icon when the stage has yet to be started; and

display the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations at the display device to visually convey the state of the multi-stage change management item for the stage.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer device to group the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations into a single graphical element.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer device to:

identify at least one activity for the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations; and

provide a mechanism by which a user may perform the activity by interacting with the set of stage identifier icon and status icon combinations using a pointing device.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer device to define one or more additional status icons displayable along with the stage identifier icon for the stage comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer device to define:

an in process status icon, an on-hold status icon, and a rejected icon.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, the multi-state change management item comprising a change request.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, the multi-state change management item comprising a relationship.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, the relationship comprising at least one from a group composed of:

a sequential dependency;

a parallel dependency;

a parent/child dependency; and

a hierarchical dependency.