Phase delivery of components of a system required for implementation technology

• US 8,121,874 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Guheen, Michael F., Mitchell, James D., Barrese, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boyce, Akiba Robinson
• Application Number:
  US09/321,360
• Time in Patent Office: 4,653 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8, 705/11, 705/1, 705/500, 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 705/7.23, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A system, method, and article of manufacture are provided for displaying phases of delivery of components of a system by first displaying a pictorial representation of an existing system including a plurality of components. Next, a first set of components are presented that are to be delivered in a first phase. This is accomplished by indicia coding the first set of components in a specific manner. Further, a second set of components are presented that are to be delivered in a second phase. This is carried out by indicia coding the second set of components in a manner unique with respect to the indicia coding of the first set of components.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, through a display adapter by a processor, a pictorial representation of an existing system including a plurality of components;

identifying, from the plurality of components, a first component group containing additional components and a second component group containing optional components, the additional components being required for an implementation of a system, the optional components being optional for the implementation of the system;

compiling, by the processor, an ordered listing of the additional components for implementation into the existing system, the ordered listing providing an order that is required for installing the plurality of components;

determining, by the processor, a first set of the additional components for implementation in a first implementation phase;

determining, by the processor, a second set of the additional components for implementation in a second implementation phase, the first set being implemented before the second set can be implemented;

modifying, through the display adapter by the processor, the pictorial representation of the existing system to show a pictorial representation of the first set being indicia coded to indicate that they are to be delivered in the first implementation phase;

modifying, through the display adapter by the processor, the pictorial representation of the existing system to show a pictorial representation of the second set being indicia coded in a manner different from the indicia coding of the first set to indicate that the second set of components is to be delivered in the second implementation phase; and

indicia coding a component in the plurality of components to indicate a redundancy in the plurality of components, the redundancy indicating more than one vendor is providing said component.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a legend is presented which defines the indicia coding with respect to the phases of delivery of the components.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the components of the existing system are selected from the group of components including security services, network services, web services, client services, integration capabilities, data services, directory services, management services, operation services, and developer services.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the components of the existing system are selected from the group of components including commerce-related services, content-related services, administration-related services, customer-related services, and education-related services.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicia coding is selected from the group of indicia coding including texture coding, color coding, and shading coding.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a pictorial representation of an existing system also includes displaying additional components that may be implemented into the system.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining the first set of additional components, determining remaining components;

separating the remaining components into primary components and secondary components, wherein the primary components must be installed before the secondary components;

including the primary components in the first set; and

including the secondary components in the second set.

27. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising indicia coding selected components in the plurality of components to indicate components required for implementation of the system.

28. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising indicia coding selected components in the plurality of components to indicate a match between a component and a product offered by a vendor, to provide a visual comparison of products offered by vendors.

29. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising indicia coding selected components in the plurality of components to identify which of the components are associated with products that can be offered for sale.

7. An article of manufacture comprising computer program embodied on a computer readable medium comprising:

a code segment that displays a pictorial representation of an existing system including a plurality of components;

a code segment that identifies, from the plurality of components, a first component group containing additional components and a second component group containing optional components, the additional components being required for an implementation of a system, the optional components being optional for the implementation of the system;

a code segment that compiles an ordered listing of the additional components for implementation into the existing system, the ordered listing providing an order that is required for installing the plurality of components;

a code segment that determines a first set of the additional components for implementation in a first implementation phase;

a code segment that determines a second set of additional components for implementation in a second implementation phase, the first set being implemented before the second set can be implemented;

a code segment that modifies the pictorial representation of the existing system to show a pictorial representation of the first set being indicia coded to indicate that they are to be delivered in the first implementation phase;

a code segment that modifies the pictorial representation of the existing system to show a pictorial representation of the second set being indicia coded in a manner unique with respect to the indicia coding of the first set of components to indicate that the second set of components is to be delivered in the second implementation phase; and

a code segment that modifies the pictorial representation of the existing system to include indicia coding that associates the plurality of components with vendors that provide products and services associated with the plurality of components to provide a visual display of the products and services offered by each of the vendors, wherein the indicia coding is operable for indicating a redundancy in the plurality of components and is also operable for indicating an omission in the plurality of components, the redundancy indicating a component provided by more than one of the vendors and the omission indicating a component not provided by any of the vendors.

8. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 7, wherein a legend is presented which defines the indicia coding with respect to the phases of delivery of the components.

9. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 7, wherein the components of the existing system are selected from the group of components including security services, network services, web services, client services, integration capabilities, data services, directory services, management services, operation services, and developer services.

10. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 7, wherein the components of the existing system are selected from the group of components including commerce-related services, content related services, administration-related services, customer-related services, and education-related services.

11. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 7, wherein the indicia coding is selected from the group of indicia coding including texture coding, color coding, and shading coding.

12. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 7, wherein the step of displaying a pictorial representation of an existing system also includes displaying additional components that may be implemented into the system.

13. An apparatus comprising:

(a) logic for displaying a pictorial representation of an existing system including a plurality of components;

(b) logic for identifying, from the plurality of components, a first component group containing additional components and a second component group containing optional components, the additional components being required for an implementation of a system, the optional components being optional for the implementation of the system;

(c) logic for compiling an ordered listing of the additional components for implementation into the existing system, the ordered listing providing an order that is required for installing the plurality of components;

(d) logic for determining a first set of the additional components for implementation in a first implementation phase;

(e) logic for determining a second set of additional components for implementation in a second implementation phase, the first set being implemented before the second set can be implemented;

(f) logic for modifying the pictorial representation of the existing system to show a pictorial representation of the first set being indicia coded to indicate that they are to be delivered in the first implementation phase;

(g) logic for modifying the pictorial representation of the existing system to show a pictorial representation of the second set being indicia coded in a manner unique with respect to the indicia coding of the first set to indicate that the second set is to be delivered in a second implementation phase;

(h) logic for indicia coding a component in the plurality of components to indicate a redundancy in the plurality of components, the redundancy indicating said component is provided by more than one vendor; and

(i) a processor that causes execution of the logic in (a)-(h).

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a legend is presented which defines the indicia coding with respect to the phases of delivery of the components.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the components of the existing system are selected from the group of components including security services, network services, web services, client services, integration capabilities, data services, directory services, management services, operation services, and developer services.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the components of the existing system are selected from the group of components including commerce-related services, content related services, administration-related services, customer-related services, and education-related services.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the indicia coding is selected from the group of indicia coding including texture coding, color coding, and shading coding.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the logic for displaying a pictorial representation of an existing system also includes logic for displaying additional components that may be implemented into the system.

20. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein instructions that, in response to being executed, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising;

identifying, within an electronic system, a first component group containing a plurality of additional components and a second component group containing a plurality of optional components;

compiling an ordered listing of said additional components for implementation into an existing system;

determining a first set of the additional components for implementation in a first phase;

determining a second set of the additional components for implementation in a second phase, wherein the first set is implemented before the second set;

displaying the first set of components with a first indicia coding indicating that the first set of components is to be delivered in the first phase;

displaying the second set of components with a second indicia coding indicating that the second set of components is to be delivered in the second phase; and

displaying indicia coding that associates components with vendors that provide products and services associated with the components to provide a visual display of the products and services offered by each of the vendors, wherein the indicia coding is operable for indicating a redundancy and also is operable for indicating an omission, the redundancy indicating a component provided by more than one of the vendors and the omission indicating a component not provided by any of the vendors.

21. The computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a pictorial representation of the existing system.

22. The computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein the additional components are required for an implementation of the system.

23. The computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein proper functioning of the second set of components requires installation of the first set of components in the first phase.

24. The computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a legend which defines the indicia coding with respect to the phases of delivery of said components.

25. The computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein said indicia coding is selected from the group consisting of texture coding, color coding, and shading coding.

26. The computer system as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying third indicia coding indicating a sequential order of installing the additional components.