Computerized method and system for communicating and managing information used in task-oriented projects

• US 6,678,698 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IntraLinks Incorporated (SS&C Technologies Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: IntraLinks Incorporated (SS&C Technologies Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fredell, Thomas, Barker, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Application Number:
  US09/783,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/9, 707/10, 707/102, 707/100, 707/1, 707/104.1, 709/224, 709/225, 709/200, 709/201, 709/207, 345/751
• US Class Current: 707/608
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Secure web-based method and system for communicating and managing project information are provided. The method allows for storing project-related information including project documentation in a database. The method further provides an interface screen available through a global communications network. The interface screen is configurable to identify a plurality of project tasks. The interface screen includes a datafield for defining a respective time window over which each of the tasks is to be performed by at least one project participant. The method allows for posting over the global communications network to selected project participants the plurality of project tasks. The posted plurality of project tasks is linkable to the database to retrieve project documentation that requires review by the selected project participants. A communicating step allows for communicating over the global communications network project status data for populating a project status screen indicative of the status of respective ones of the plurality of tasks.

Claims

1. A method for communicating project information stored in a storage means among a plurality of project participants, which plurality of project participants form a full set of project participants, comprising:

identifying each of the plurality of project participants forming the full set of project participants;

identifying at least one project participant selected from the full set of project participants to form a project participant subset;

providing an interface to each of the project participants forming the full set of project participants;

configuring the interface provided to each project participant forming the full set of project participants to identify at least one non-exclusive project element, wherein each identified non-exclusive project element has associated therewith at least one item of project data;

linking each non-exclusive project element identified by the interface to each associated item of project data stored in the storage means;

downloading from the storage means, upon selection of a given non-exclusive project element identified by the interface, at least one item of project data associated with the given non-exclusive project element;

configuring the interface provided to each project participant forming the project participant subset to identify at least one exclusive project element which is not identified to a project participant not selected to form the project participant subset, wherein each identified exclusive project element has associated therewith at least one item of project data;

linking each exclusive project element identified by the interface to each associated item of project data stored in the storage means; and

downloading from the storage means, upon selection of a given exclusive project element identified by the interface, at least one item of project data associated with the given exclusive project element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each item of project data is selected from the group including:

a) a project document;

b) a project task;

c) a calendar entry;

d) a discussion thread; and

e) project issue data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each project document is in the form of a computer file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the computer file includes one of at least text data, binary data, still image data, moving image data, and audio data.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) assigning at least one of responsibility for each of the project elements and access to each of the project elements to at least one project participant, and;

(b) configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify at least one project element assigned to the given project participant.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at least one project element assigned to the given project participant, a datafield for indicating a time threshold selected from the group including:

a) a time window over which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant; and

b) a time cutoff by which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the project tasks is from a database of historic project tasks.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at least one project task associated with a given project element assigned to the given project participant, project status data associated with the project task.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the project status data includes data indicative of whether a project task associated therewith is complete.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the project status data is identified at one of at least two levels of detail.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify a calendar entry indicative of at least one scheduled event.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify at least one item of project data at one of at least two levels of detail.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify project issue data.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, in a sorted order, at least one of:

a) the project elements; and

b) the items of project data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sorted order is selected from the group including:

a) alphabetical;

b) reverse alphabetical;

c) chronological; and

d) reverse chronological.

16. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at least one project element assigned to the given participant, a datafield for indicating a time threshold selected from the group including;

a) a time window over which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant, wherein the time window has a threshold window start and a threshold window end; and

b) a time cutoff by which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant;

configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at Least one project element assigned to the given project participant, project status data associated with a given project task; and

providing a warning message to at least one of the project participants when the project status data indicates that the given project task is not complete and a current time equals a time selected from the group including;

a) a time within a predetermined warning window of the threshold window end; and

b) a time within a predetermined warning window of the time cutoff.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein each identified project element includes at least one of:

a) a link to an item of project data;

b) an indicator identifying which of the project participants have access thereto; and

c) an indicator identifying a project status of at least one of the items of project data associated therewith.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the project information relates to a transaction selected from the group including:

a) a loan syndication transaction;

b) a bond underwriting transaction;

c) an equity underwriting transaction;

d) a high yield debt placement transaction;

e) a private placement asset transaction;

f) a corporate financing transaction;

g) a mortgage financing;

h) a municipal financing;

i) an asset backed financing;

j) a primary insurance transaction;

k) a reinsurance transaction;

l) an acquisition transaction;

m) a divestiture transaction;

n) a transaction dealing with regulatory approval of a product; and

o) a transaction dealing with regulatory approval of a service.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps of providing an interface and downloading is carried out via a communications network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises one or more interface screens.

22. A system for communicating project information stored in a storage means among a plurality of project participants, which plurality of project participants form a full set of project participants, comprising:

means for identifying each of the plurality of project participants forming the full set of project participants;

means for identifying at least one project participant selected from the full set of project participants to form a project participant subset;

means for providing an interface to each of the project participants forming the full set of project participants;

means for configuring the interface provided to each project participant forming the full set of project participants to identify at least one non-exclusive project element, wherein each identified non-exclusive project element has associated therewith at least one item of project data;

means for linking each non-exclusive project element identified by the interface to each associated item of project data stored in the storage means;

means for downloading from the storage means, upon selection of a given non-exclusive project element identified by the interface, at least one item of project data associated with the given non-exclusive project element;

means for configuring the interface provided to each project participant forming the project participant subset to identify at least one exclusive project element which is not identified to a project participant not selected to form the project participant subset, wherein each identified exclusive project element has associated therewith at least one item of project data;

means for linking each exclusive project element identified by the interface to each associated item of project data stored in the storage means; and

means for downloading from the storage means, upon selection of a given exclusive project element identified by the interface, at least one item of project data associated with the given exclusive project element.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein each item of project data is selected from the group including:

a) a project document;

b) a project task;

c) a calendar entry;

d) a discussion thread; and

e) project issue data.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

(a) means for assigning at least one of responsibility for each of the project elements and access to each of the project elements to at least one project participant and;

(b) means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify at least one project element assigned to the given project participant.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at least one project element assigned to the given project participant, a datafield for indicating a time threshold selected from the group including:

a) a time window over which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant; and

b) a time cutoff by which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at least one project task associated with a project element assigned to the given project participant, project status data associated with the project task.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the project status data includes data indicative of whether a project task associated therewith is complete.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the project status data is identified at one of at least two levels of detail.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify a calendar entry indicative of at least one scheduled event.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify at least one item of project data at one of at least two levels of detail.

31. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify project issue data.

32. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, in a sorted order, at least one of:

a) the project elements; and

b) the items of project data.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the sorted order is selected from the group including:

a) alphabetical;

b) reverse alphabetical;

c) chronological; and

d) reverse chronological.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the project tasks is from a database of historic project tasks.

35. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at least one project element assigned to the given participant, a datafield for indicating a time threshold selected from the group including;

a) a time window over which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant, wherein the time window has a threshold window start and a threshold window end; and

b) a time cutoff by which a project task is to be performed by at least one project participant;

means for configuring the interface provided to a given project participant to identify, for at least one project element assigned to the given project participant, project status data associated with a given project task; and

means for providing a warning message to at least one of the project participants when the project status data indicates that the given project task is not complete and a current time equals a time selected from the group including;

a) a time within a predetermined warning window of the threshold window end; and

b) a time within a predetermined warning window of the time cutoff.

36. The system of claim 24, wherein each identified project element includes at least one of:

a) a link to an item of project data;

b) an indicator identifying which of the project participants have access thereto; and

c) an indicator identifying a project status of at least one of the items of project data associated therewith.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein each project document is in the form of a computer file.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the computer file includes one of at least text data, binary data, still image data, moving image data, and audio data.

39. The system of claim 22, wherein at least some of the project information relates to a transaction selected from the group including:

a) a loan syndication transaction;

b) a bond underwriting transaction;

c) an equity underwriting transaction;

d) a high yield debt placement transaction;

e) a private placement asset transaction;

f) a corporate financing transaction;

g) a mortgage financing;

h) a municipal financing;

i) an asset backed financing;

j) a primary insurance transaction;

k) a reinsurance transaction;

l) an acquisition transaction;

m) a divestiture transaction;

n) a transaction dealing with regulatory approval of a product; and

o) a transaction dealing with regulatory approval of a service.

40. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the means for providing an interface and the means for downloading comprises a project participant software program associated with a project participant computer in communication with a server software program associated with a server having access to the storage means.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the project participant software program comprises a web browser and the server software program comprises a web server software program.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the web browser and the web server software program communicate via a communications network.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

44. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for providing an interface further comprises means for providing one or more interface screens.