Technology management system using knowledge management disciplines, web-based technologies, and web infrastructures

• US 7,461,087 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Woods, Steven D., Ginn, James W., Wagner, Charles F., Brandes, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai; Hanh B
• Application Number:
  US09/746,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,903 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 8, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method and system for managing technologies supports both local and enterprise level requirements. The management system has a controlled lexicon containing technology-specific terminology data, and a web-based collaboration tool. The collaboration tool populates a card catalog based on the technology-specific terminology data and based on collaboration input provided by one or more stewards. The management system further includes a web portal for maintaining a bookshelf of links to entries in the card catalog. A bookshelf of links is maintained over a networking connection based on entries of the card catalog. A bookshelf is accessed based on a search input from a user. The steward and user may be remotely located or may be employees of different organizations.

Claims

1. A technology management system comprising:

a controlled lexicon containing technology-specific terminology data;

a web-based collaboration tool for enabling individual stewards to populate a card catalog based on the technology-specific terminology data and based on collaboration input;

the individual stewards being from either a single collaboration group or from more than one collaboration group;

a web portal for maintaining a bookshelf of links to entries in the card catalog, the web portal further accessing the bookshelf based on search input and based on the technology-specific terminology data to enable individual users to access information stored in the card catalog, wherein the users are from at least one of a common collaboration group of different collaboration groups; and

a notification device that provides at least one of said single collaboration group and said more than one collaboration group with notification data based on said entries.

2. The management system of claim 1 wherein the collaboration tool retrieves the collaboration input directly from at least one of the stewards.

3. The management system of claim 1 wherein the collaboration tool retrieves the collaboration input from an electronic file, at least one of the stewards placing the collaboration input in the electronic file.

4. The management system of claim 1 wherein the collaboration tool converts the collaboration input into metadata, the collaboration input having a corresponding content.

5. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes keyword attribute information, the keyword attribute information defining keywords relating to the content.

6. The management system of claim 5 wherein the collaboration tool further converts the technology-specific terminology data into metadata based on the collaboration input.

7. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes readiness attribute information, the readiness attribute information defining a readiness for linking of the content to the bookshelf.

8. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes steward attribute information, the steward attribute information defining a responsible party for the content.

9. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes author attribute information, the author attribute information defining an author of the content.

10. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes location attribute information, the location attribute information defining a file location of the content.

11. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes notification attribute information, the notification attribute information defining individuals to be notified of the conversion of the collaboration input into metadata.

12. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes security attribute information, the security attribute information defining security requirements for accessing the content.

13. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes date attribute information, the date attribute information defining a conversion date for the collaboration input.

14. The management system of claim 4 wherein the metadata includes title attribute information, the title attribute information defining a title for the content.

15. The management system of claim 1 wherein the collaboration tool interacts with the card catalog over a networking connection.

16. The management system of claim 15 wherein the networking connection is one of an Internet connection and an Intranet connection.

17. The management system of claim 1 wherein the web portal interacts with the card catalog over a networking connection.

18. The management system of claim 17 wherein the networking connection comprises one of an Internet connection and an Intranet connection.

19. The management system of claim 1 wherein the web portal includes a user interface, the user interface being customizable based on interface input from a user.

20. The management system of claim 19 wherein the user interface includes links contained in the bookshelf.

21. The management system of claim 1 wherein the terminology data relates to aircraft technologies.

22. The management system of claim 1 wherein said notification data includes an expiration date of the entries.

23. The management system of claim 1 wherein said notification data includes employment information of the individual stewards.

24. A method for managing technologies among a plurality of individuals operating within a common collaboration group or within different collaboration groups, the method comprising the steps of:

populating a card catalog over a networking connection based on collaboration input from a plurality of independent stewards;

populating the card catalog using a controlled lexicon containing technology-specific terminology data;

maintaining a bookshelf of links over the networking connection based on entries in the card catalog;

enabling a plurality of different users within at least one of a common collaboration group and a plurality of different collaboration groups, to access the bookshelf based on search input provided by at least one user; and

generating notices to said plurality of different users based on said entries.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

storing technology-specific terminology data to a controlled lexicon;

maintaining the card catalog based on the technology-specific terminology data; and

assessing the bookshelf based on the technology-specific terminology data.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the stewards and the users are part of an overall enterprise group.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising converting at least one of the collaboration input and the technology-specific terminology data into metadata, the collaboration input having a corresponding content.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the notices include an expiration data of the entries.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the notices include employment data of the plurality of different users.

30. A technology management system comprising:

a controlled lexicon containing technology-specific terminology data;

a web-based collaboration tool for enabling individual stewards to populate a card catalog based on the uncatalogued technology-specific terminology data and based on collaboration input;

the individual stewards being from either a single collaboration group or from more than one collaboration group; and

a web portal for maintaining a bookshelf of links to entries in the card catalog, the web portal further accessing the bookshelf based on search input and based on the technology-specific terminology data to enable individual users to access information stored in the card catalog, wherein the users are from at least one of a common collaboration group of different collaboration groups.