Method and system for generating a timeline associated with a project schedule

• US 7,921,026 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Power, Kyle D., O'Cull, Heather J., Boyes, Lawrence D., Magdalin, Daniil, Motwani, Rahul N., Sourov, Alexander A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boswell; Beth V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson; Folashade
• Application Number:
  US11/070,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,226 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8
• US Class Current: 705/7.23
• 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 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment

Abstract

A timeline is generated from and fully integrated with a project schedule. The project schedule may be any graphical representation for displaying detailed information associated with a project. The timeline visually represents certain tasks, dates and other information associated with the project schedule such that an overview of the project schedule may be determined.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executing on a processor of a computing device for simultaneously displaying a first Gantt bar chart window pane and a second Gantt bar chart window pane of a project management application, the computer-implemented method comprising:

generating a project schedule on the project management application, wherein the project schedule includes a first hierarchical level of project phases and a second hierarchical level of tasks subordinate to each of the project phases;

causing a computer processor to populate and display, on a computer display, a first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window pane includes a displayed timeframe, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window pane is populated and displayed with task timeline bars that depict each of the tasks subordinate to each of the project phases, wherein the task timeline bars display spans from a start date to an end date for each task;

receiving a filter request for the first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the filter request is a request for a high level abstraction of the first Gantt bar chart window pane;

in response to the filter request, causing the computer processor to display a second Gantt bar chart window pane simultaneously and independently of the display of the first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the second Gantt bar chart window pane includes the same displayed timeframe as the first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the second Gantt bar chart window pane is displayed with phase timeline bars that depict each of the project phases without depicting the tasks subordinate to the project phases, wherein the phase timeline bars display a span from a display of a start date to a display of an end date for each phase, wherein the display of the start date for the phase timeline bars in the second Gantt bar chart window pane is graphically aligned in the displayed timeframe with a display of an earliest start date for any of the tasks subordinate to the project phase in the first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the display of the end date for the phase timeline bars is graphically aligned in the displayed timeframe with a display of a latest end date of any of the tasks subordinate to the project phase in the first Gantt bar chart window pane; and

providing a synchronous relationship between the task timeline bars depicted in the first Gantt bar chart window pane and the phase timeline bars depicted in the second Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein a modification to the task timeline bars depicted in the first Gantt bar chart window pane is graphically synchronized to the phase timeline bars depicted in the second Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein a modification to the phase timeline bars depicted in the second Gantt bar chart window pane is graphically synchronized to the task timeline bars depicted in the first Gantt bar chart window pane.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the project schedule includes a least one milestone date, wherein the at least one milestone date is indicated within the first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein upon receiving a selection of a milestone option within a user interface of the second Gantt bar chart window pane, indicating the milestone date within the second Gantt bar chart window pane.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second Gantt bar chart window pane includes a user interface menu, wherein the user interface menu includes a comments option for inputting text into the second Gantt bar chart window pane independent of any phase timeline bar, wherein upon receiving a comment in the user interface, text of the comment is displayed in the second Gantt bar chart window pane independent of any phase timeline bar.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the display of the text of the comment is associated with a timeframe indicator, independent of any phase timeline bar, that indicates a span of time associated with the text of the comment within the second Gantt bar chart window pane.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the display of the text of the comment is associated with a specific time indicator independent of any phase timeline bar, that indicates a point in time associated with the text of the comment within the second Gantt bar chart window pane.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window pane is located above the second Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window pane and the second Gantt bar chart window pane have corresponding timeframe indicators.

7. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program having instructions thereon for instructing a computer to simultaneously display a first Gantt bar chart window pane and a second Gantt bar chart window pane of a project management application, the computer being instructed to perform the steps comprising:

generating a project schedule on the project management application, wherein the project schedule includes a first hierarchical level of project phases and second hierarchical level of tasks subordinate to each of the project phases;

populating and displaying a first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window includes a timeframe, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window is populated and displayed with task timeline bars that depict each of the tasks subordinate to each of the project phases, wherein the task timeline bars display spans from a start date to an end date for each task;

in response to a filter request, simultaneously displaying an independent second Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the second Gantt bar chart window pane includes the same timeframe as the first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the second Gantt bar chart window pane is displayed with phase timeline bars that display each of the project phases without depicting the tasks subordinate to the project phases, wherein the phase timeline bars display a span from a start date to an end date for each phase.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the project schedule includes a least one milestone date, wherein the at least one milestone date is indicated within the first Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein upon receiving a selection of a milestone option within a user interface of the second Gantt bar chart window pane, indicating the milestone date within the second Gantt bar chart window pane.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the second Gantt bar chart window pane includes a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a comments option for inputting text into the second Gantt bar chart window pane independent of any phase timeline bar, wherein upon receiving a comment in the user interface, text of the comment is displayed in the second Gantt bar chart window pane independent of any phase timeline bar.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the display of the text of the comment is associated with a timeframe indicator, independent of any phase timeline bar, that indicates a span of time associated with the text of the comment within the second Gantt bar chart window pane.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the display of the text of the comment is associated with a specific time indicator, independent of any phase timeline bar, that indicates a point in time associated with the text of the comment within the second Gantt bar chart window pane.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the indicator of the start date for a project phase is graphically aligned in the displayed timeframe with a display of an earliest start date for any of the tasks subordinate to the project phase, wherein the indicator of the end date for the project phase is graphically aligned in the displayed timeframe with a display of a latest end date of any of the tasks subordinate to the project phase.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window pane is located above the second Gantt bar chart window pane, wherein the first Gantt bar chart window pane and the second Gantt bar chart window pane have corresponding timeframe indicators.

14. A system for simultaneously displaying a first bar chart window pane and a second bar chart window pane of a project management application, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having computer-executable instruction stored thereon, wherein the computer -executable instructions are configured for;

generating a project schedule on the project management application, wherein the project schedule includes a first hierarchical level of project phases and second hierarchical level of tasks subordinate to each of the project phases;

populating and displaying a first bar chart window pane, wherein the first bar chart window includes a timeframe, wherein the first bar chart window is populated and displayed with task timeline bars that depict each of the tasks subordinate to each of the project phases, wherein the task timeline bars indicate spans from a start date to an end date for each task;

in response to a filter request, simultaneously displaying a second bar chart window pane independent of the first bar chart window pane, wherein the second bar chart window pane includes the same timeframe as the first bar chart window pane, wherein the second bar chart window pane is displayed with phase timeline bars that depict each of the project phases without depicting the tasks subordinate to the project phases, wherein the phase timeline bars display a span from a display of a start date to a display of an end date for each phase, wherein the display of the start date for the phase timeline bars in the second bar chart window pane is graphically aligned in the displayed timeframe with a display of an earliest start date for any of the tasks subordinate to the project phase in the first bar chart window pane, wherein the display of the end date for the phase timeline bars is graphically aligned in the displayed timeframe with a display of a latest end date of any of the tasks subordinate to the project phase in the first bar chart window pane.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the project schedule includes a least one milestone date, wherein the at least one milestone date is indicated within the first bar chart window pane, wherein upon receiving a selection of a milestone option within a user interface of the second bar chart window pane, indicating the milestone date within the second bar chart window pane.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second bar chart window pane includes a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a comments option for inputting text into the second bar chart window pane independent of any phase timeline bar, wherein upon receiving a comment in the user interface, text of the comment is displayed in the second bar chart window pane independent of any phase timeline bar.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the display of the text of the comment is associated with a timeframe indicator, independent of any phase timeline bar, that indicates a span of time associated with the text of the comment within the second bar chart window pane.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the display of the text of the comment is associated with a specific time indicator, independent of any phase timeline bar, that indicates a point in time associated with the text of the comment within the second bar chart window pane.