Method and system for analyzing schedule trends

• US 7,912,746 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Hinman, Michael D., McCrea, Diane M., Rakickas, Darcie H., Kline, Warren J., Clark, Lora J., Pope, Paula D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jasmin; Lynda C
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US11/559,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method for determining a variance trend in schedule data includes retrieving schedule data comprising a task description of a task and a plurality of milestones associated with the task including a baseline milestone associated with a baseline deadline, a first updated milestone associated with a first updated deadline, and a second updated milestone associated with a second updated deadline. The method further includes calculating a first variance by comparing the first updated deadline to the baseline deadline, calculating a second variance by comparing the second updated deadline to the baseline deadline, automatically determining the variance trend in schedule data by comparing the first variance to the second variance, and automatically generating a display representing the variance trend.

Claims

1. A method for determining a variance trend in schedule data, comprising:

retrieving schedule data from a database, the schedule data comprising;

a task description of a task; and

a plurality of milestones associated with the task, the milestones comprising a baseline milestone associated with a baseline deadline, a first updated milestone associated with a first updated deadline, and a second updated milestone associated with a second updated deadline;

calculating, by a processor, a first variance by comparing the first updated deadline to the baseline deadline;

calculating, by the processor, a second variance by comparing the second updated deadline to the baseline deadline, the first variance associated with a time prior to that of the second variance;

automatically determining, by the processor, the variance trend in schedule data that indicates a change in variance by subtracting the second variance from the first variance, a positive variance trend indicating that the first and second updated deadlines are approaching the baseline deadline; and

automatically generating a display representing the variance trend.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of milestones further comprises an actual milestone associated with a completion time;

and

further comprising;

automatically determining a third variance by comparing the completion time to at least one of the first updated deadline, second updated deadline, and baseline deadline; and

automatically displaying a third indicator associated with the third variance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display includes a trend indicator representative of the variance trend.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from a user a request to determine the variance trend in schedule data.

5. A system for determining a variance trend in schedule data, comprising:

a records manager comprising a computer processor and operable to retrieve schedule data stored in a database, the schedule data comprising;

a task description of a task; and

a plurality of milestones associated with the task, the milestones comprising a baseline milestone associated with a baseline deadline, a first updated milestone associated with a first updated deadline, and a second updated milestone associated with a second updated deadline;

an analyzer comprising a computer processor and operable to;

calculate a first variance by comparing the first updated deadline to the baseline deadline;

calculate a second variance by comparing the second updated deadline to the baseline deadline, the first variance associated with a time prior to that of the second variance; and

automatically determine the variance trend in schedule data that indicates a change in variance by subtracting the second variance from the first variance, a positive variance trend indicating that the first and second updated deadlines are approaching the baseline deadline; and

a display manager operable to automatically generate a display representing the variance trend.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the plurality of milestones further comprises an actual milestone associated with a completion time;

the analyzer is further operable to automatically determine a third variance by comparing the completion time to at least one of the first updated deadline, second updated deadline, and baseline deadline; and

the display manager is further operable to automatically display a third indicator associated with the third variance.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the display includes a trend indicator representative of the variance trend.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising an interface operable to receive from a user a request to determine the variance trend in schedule data.

9. Logic for determining a variance trend in schedule data, the logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

retrieve schedule data from a database, the schedule data comprising;

a task description of a task; and

a plurality of milestones associated with the task, the milestones comprising a baseline milestone associated with a baseline deadline, a first updated milestone associated with a first updated deadline, and a second updated milestone associated with a second updated deadline; and

calculate a first variance by comparing the first updated deadline to the baseline deadline;

calculate a second variance by comparing the second updated deadline to the baseline deadline, the first variance associated with a time prior to that of the second variance;

automatically determine the variance trend in schedule data that indicates a change in variance by subtracting the second variance from the first variance, a positive variance trend indicating that the first and second updated deadlines are approaching the baseline deadline; and

automatically generate a display representing the variance trend.

10. The logic of claim 9, wherein

the plurality of milestones further comprises an actual milestone associated with a completion time;

and

the code is further operable;

automatically determine a third variance by comparing the completion time to at least one of the first updated deadline, second updated deadline, and baseline deadline; and

automatically display a third indicator associated with the third variance.

11. The logic of claim 9, wherein the display includes a trend indicator representative of the variance trend.

12. The logic of claim 9, wherein the code is further operable to receive from a user a request to determine the variance trend in schedule data.