Computer-implemented electronic product development

• US 5,864,480 A
• Filed: 08/17/1995
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Ladd, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): GARLAND, STEVEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/516,264
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 364/188, 364/468.15, 364/468.02-468.04, 364/468.09, 364/552, 395/209, 705/10
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A computer-implemented "Product Control Center" (PCC) assists a user through the process of developing a product or documentation. The PCC typically operates on a computer having a monitor and a memory for storing electronic records related to the organization of products. Each product is associated with a process which is defined in terms of a life-cycle, which is divided into one or more phases, each phase is divided into one or more deliverables, and each deliverable can be a milestone. The records for the product, process, phases, deliverables, and milestones. Linkages are provided to word processing and code editing and compiling. The PCC includes a graphical user interface that controls the interactions between the computer-implemented PCC and the user, so that users can configure products by adding, modifying, and deleting the product, phase, deliverables, and milestones records. The PCC permits for the single control of a product development from specifying the process conception, design, implementation, release and support.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented electronic product development system, comprising:

(a) a computer with a monitor coupled thereto;

(b) a memory, coupled to the computer, for storing an electronic representation of a product and process steps representing different phases in the process for the development of the product, wherein the electronic representation of the process comprises a process life-cycle tree that is divided into one or more phase realization subtrees for each of the different phases;

each phase realization subtree comprises one or more elements selected from a group comprising a document, a deliverable, a milestone, a decision point, and a schedule, and the decision point comprises a top of the phase realization subtree; and

(c) one or more programs, executed by the computer and displayed on the monitor, for managing interactions between a user and the process life-cycle tree and phase realization subtrees, thereby allowing the user to control product development.

2. The system of claim 1 above, wherein each deliverable comprises a set of one or more activities that are required to accomplish the deliverable.

3. The system of claim 2 above, wherein the phase realization subtree includes a plurality of concurrent activities.

4. The system of claim 1 above, wherein the memory stores one or more metrics for monitoring different aspects of the development of the product.

5. A computer-implemented method for electronic product development, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing an electronic representation of a product and process steps representing different phases in the process for the development of the product in a memory coupled to a computer, wherein the electronic representation of the process comprises a process life-cycle tree that is divided into one or more phase realization subtrees for each of the different phases, each phase realization subtree comprises one or more elements selected from a group comprising a document, a deliverable, a milestone, a decision point, and a schedule, and the decision point comprises a top of the phase realization subtree; and

(b) managing interactions between a user and the process life-cycle tree and phase realization subtrees using one or more programs executed by the computer and displayed on a monitor attached to the computer, thereby allowing the user to control product development.

6. The method of claim 5 above, wherein each deliverable comprises a set of one or more activities that are required to accomplish the deliverable.

7. The method of claim 6 above, wherein the phase realization subtree includes a plurality of concurrent activities.

8. The method of claim 5 above, further comprising the step of storing one or more metrics in the memory to monitor different aspects of the development of the product.

9. An article of manufacture embodying one or more programs that when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform method steps for electronic product development, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing an electronic representation of a product and process steps representing different phases in the process for the development of the product in a memory coupled to the computer, wherein the electronic representation of the process comprises a process life-cycle tree that is divided into one or more phase realization subtrees for each of the different phases, each phase realization subtree comprises one or more elements selected from a group comprising a document, a deliverable, a milestone, a decision point, and a schedule, and the decision point comprises a top of the phase realization subtree; and

(b) managing interactions between a user and the process life-cycle tree and phase realization subtrees using a product control center program executed by the computer and displayed on a monitor attached thereto, thereby allowing the user to control product development.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9 above, wherein each deliverable comprises a set of one or more activities that are required to accomplish the deliverable.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10 above, wherein the phase realization subtree includes a plurality of concurrent activities.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 9 above, further comprising the step of storing one or more metrics in the memory to monitoring different aspects of the development of the product.