Systems and Methods for Project Planning and Management
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for project planning and management, the method comprising:
- defining, via one or more processors executing a processor-implemented instruction module, a deliverable associated with a project, the deliverable specifying an amount of work that needs to be performed to complete the project;
assigning, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a budget, a planned start date, and a planned end date for the deliverable;
allocating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, one or more workers to perform the amount of work on the deliverable including setting a maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable;
determining, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an available capacity for the one or more workers, wherein the available capacity is determined by;
(i) a reserved capacity based on a first number of hours per day that the one or more workers are scheduled to work on the deliverable, the first number of hours being equal to or less than the maximum number of hours; and
(ii) a free capacity if the first number of hours is less than the maximum number of hours, the free capacity being based on a second number of hours per day that the one or more workers may be able to work on the deliverable such that the sum of the first and second number of hours does not exceed the maximum number of hours;
receiving, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an indication of an actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers;
receiving, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an indication of an estimate to completion (ETC) for the deliverable, the ETC being associated with the one or more workers'"'"' estimation on how much more work that the one or more workers must perform in order to complete the deliverable;
calculating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an estimate at completion (EAC) for the deliverable based on summing the indication of the actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable;
calculating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a projected end date for the deliverable based on comparing the available capacity for the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable;
calculating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a status for the deliverable based on one or more of;
(i) a comparison between the budget and the EAC;
(ii) a comparison between the projected end date and the planned end date;
or (iii) a comparison between the allocation of an actual number of hours and the set maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable between the planned start date and the planned end date; and
displaying, via the processor-implemented instruction module, the status for the deliverable to a user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A project management system manages a project by continuously monitoring each phase of the project to greatly increase the probability that all required deliverables are produced while adhering to project constraints. The project management system tracks and displays the progress being made and the current status of each deliverable in the project to enable users to easily view and understand the overall project progress along with risks and issues associated with the project in one centralized system The project management system also performs project portfolio management by evaluating individual projects based on various business valuation criteria to correlate the impact of the individual projects to the strategic goals of the business. Accordingly, the project management system provides a system enabled centralized governance framework that enables the users to efficiently plan and manage any type of project.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for project planning and management, the method comprising:
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defining, via one or more processors executing a processor-implemented instruction module, a deliverable associated with a project, the deliverable specifying an amount of work that needs to be performed to complete the project; assigning, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a budget, a planned start date, and a planned end date for the deliverable; allocating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, one or more workers to perform the amount of work on the deliverable including setting a maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable; determining, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an available capacity for the one or more workers, wherein the available capacity is determined by;
(i) a reserved capacity based on a first number of hours per day that the one or more workers are scheduled to work on the deliverable, the first number of hours being equal to or less than the maximum number of hours; and
(ii) a free capacity if the first number of hours is less than the maximum number of hours, the free capacity being based on a second number of hours per day that the one or more workers may be able to work on the deliverable such that the sum of the first and second number of hours does not exceed the maximum number of hours;receiving, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an indication of an actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers; receiving, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an indication of an estimate to completion (ETC) for the deliverable, the ETC being associated with the one or more workers'"'"' estimation on how much more work that the one or more workers must perform in order to complete the deliverable; calculating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an estimate at completion (EAC) for the deliverable based on summing the indication of the actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable; calculating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a projected end date for the deliverable based on comparing the available capacity for the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable; calculating, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a status for the deliverable based on one or more of;
(i) a comparison between the budget and the EAC;
(ii) a comparison between the projected end date and the planned end date;
or (iii) a comparison between the allocation of an actual number of hours and the set maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable between the planned start date and the planned end date; anddisplaying, via the processor-implemented instruction module, the status for the deliverable to a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 31)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable instructions to be executed on one or more processors of a system for project planning and management, the instructions when executed causing the one or more processors to:
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define, via a processor-implemented instruction module, a deliverable associated with a project, the deliverable specifying an amount of work that needs to be performed to complete the project; assign, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a budget, a planned start date, and a planned end date for the deliverable; allocate, via the processor-implemented instruction module, one or more workers to perform the amount of work on the deliverable including setting a maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable; determine, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an available capacity for the one or more workers, wherein the available capacity is determined by;
(i) a reserved capacity based on a first number of hours per day that the one or more workers are scheduled to work on the deliverable, the first number of hours being equal to or less than the maximum number of hours; and
(ii) a free capacity if the first number of hours is less than the maximum number of hours, the free capacity being based on a second number of hours per day that the one or more workers may be able to work on the deliverable such that the sum of the first and second number of hours does not exceed the maximum number of hours;receive, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an indication of an actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers; receive, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an indication of an estimate to completion (ETC) for the deliverable, the ETC being associated with the one or more workers'"'"' estimation on how much more work that the one or more workers must perform in order to complete the deliverable; calculate, via the processor-implemented instruction module, an estimate at completion (EAC) for the deliverable based on summing the indication of the actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable; calculate, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a projected end date for the deliverable based on comparing the available capacity for the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable; calculate, via the processor-implemented instruction module, a status for the deliverable based on one or more of;
(i) a comparison between the budget and the EAC;
(ii) a comparison between the projected end date and the planned end date;
or (iii) a comparison between the allocation of an actual number of hours and the set maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable between the planned start date and the planned end date; anddisplay, via the processor-implemented instruction module, the status for the deliverable to a user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. (canceled)
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28. A project management system for project planning and management managing a project, the system comprising:
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a project management database; and a project management server, including a memory having instructions for execution on one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the project management server to; define, via the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a deliverable associated with a project, the deliverable specifying an amount of work that needs to be performed to complete the project; assign, via the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a budget, a planned start date, and a planned end date for the deliverable; allocate, via the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, one or more workers to perform the amount of work on the deliverable including setting a maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable; determine, via the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, an available capacity for the one or more workers, wherein the available capacity is determined by;
(i) a reserved capacity based on a first number of hours per day that the one or more workers are scheduled to work on the deliverable, the first number of hours being equal to or less than the maximum number of hours; and
(ii) a free capacity if the first number of hours is less than the maximum number of hours, the free capacity being based on a second number of hours per day that the one or more workers may be able to work on the deliverable such that the sum of the first and second number of hours does not exceed the maximum number of hours;receive, via a network connection, an indication of an actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers; receive, via a network connection, an indication of an estimate to completion (ETC) for the deliverable, the ETC being associated with the one or more workers'"'"' estimation on how much more work that the one or more workers must perform in order to complete the deliverable; store the received indication of the actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC in the project management database; calculate, via the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, an estimate at completion (EAC) for the deliverable based on summing the indication of the actual amount of work performed on the deliverable by the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable; calculate, via the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a projected end date for the deliverable based on comparing the available capacity for the one or more workers and the indication of the ETC for the deliverable; calculate, via the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a status for the deliverable based on one or more of;
(i) a comparison between the budget and the EAC;
(ii) a comparison between the projected end date and the planned end date;
or (iii) a comparison between the allocation of an actual number of hours and the set maximum number of hours per day for the one or more workers to work on the deliverable between the planned start date and the planned end date;store the calculated status for the deliverable in the project management database; and display, via a network connection, the status for the deliverable to a user. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification