Determining task status based upon identifying milestone indicators in project-related files

• US 8,219,435 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Frank, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Scott L
• Application Number:
  US12/356,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.15
• US Class Current: 705/7.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for generating project milestones. A method for programmatically determining a status of a particular task is described. Project management data for a particular task is retrieved from a data store. Milestone indicators are retrieved from a key word data store. An analysis is performed of the project-related files to determine an actual status of the particular task, using the milestone indicators and project management data as part of the analysis. When the analysis reveals that the project-related files reflect a different status for the project than the project management data reflects, one or more notifications are raised.

Claims

1. A method for determining a status of a particular task, the method comprising:

retrieving, on a milestone system, project management data comprising a completion deadline for the particular task and project-related files, at least two of the project-related files comprising text describing activity associated with the particular task;

retrieving, from a key word data store, a text file comprising a plurality of milestone indicators, each of the plurality of milestone indicators comprising a particular status and a key word associated with the particular status, the key word comprising a word that, when encountered during a search of the text of the at least two of the project-related files, indicates the particular status of the particular task, wherein the text file comprises a plurality of keywords and a plurality of statuses associated with respective key words, and wherein a milestone indicator is defined by a single key word and a single status associated with the single key word;

executing, by the milestone system, a search of the text of the project-related files to determine whether a key word associated with at least one of the plurality of milestone indicators appears in the text of at least two of the project-related files;

determining, by the milestone system, that the key word associated with the at least one of the milestone indicators appears in the at least two of the project-related files; and

in response to determining that the keyword associated with the at least one of the milestone indicators appears in the text of the at least two of the project-related files,

analyzing at least a portion of the text surrounding the key word appearing in the text of each of the at least two of the project-related files,

determining the status of the particular task based upon a particular status indicated by the milestone indicator and the text surrounding the key word,

determining an expected status of the particular task based upon a completion data included in the project management data,

comparing the status to the expected status,

in response to determining that the status differs from the expected status, automatically generating a notification that the status differs from the expected status, and

in response to determining that the status does not differ from the expected status, updating the project management data to reflect the status.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the status indicates that work on the particular task has not begun, notifying at least one user that the work has not begun on the particular task.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the status of the particular task indicates that the particular task is completed, designating the status as completed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the project management data includes a task name.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving and analyzing the project management data and the plurality of milestone indicators are repeated for each of a plurality of tasks.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

retrieve, by the computer, project management data associated with a project having a plurality of tasks comprising a particular task, the project management data comprising a completion deadline for the particular task;

retrieve, by the computer, project-related files, at least two of the project-related files comprising text describing activity associated with the particular task;

retrieve, from a key word data store, a text file comprising a plurality of milestone indicators, each of the plurality of milestone indicators comprising a status and a key word that, when encountered during a search of the text of the at least two of the project-related file, indicates the status of the particular task, wherein the text file comprises a plurality of keywords and a plurality of statuses associated with respective key words, and wherein a milestone indicator is defined by a single key word and a single status associated with the single key word;

search, by the computer, the text of the at least two of the project-related files to determine whether the key word appears in the text of the at least two of the project-related files;

determine that the key word appears in the text of the at least two of the project related files;

analyze at least a portion of the text surrounding the key word appearing in the text;

determine an actual status of the particular task based upon the key word and the text surrounding the key word;

determine an expected status of the particular task based upon the completion date included in the project management data;

compare the actual status to the expected status;

in response to determining that the actual status differs from the expected status, automatically generate at least one notification indicating that the actual status of the particular task is different from the expected status; and

in response to determining that the actual status does not differ from the expected status, update the project management data to reflect the actual status.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the at least one notification is generated in a report upon request from a user.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the project management data includes details about a plurality of tasks including the particular task.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the project-related files are stored in a plurality of folders located on a single computer.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the project-related files are stored in a plurality of folders located across multiple computers that are connected together over a network.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the project management data includes a deadline for each of the plurality tasks.