Systems and methods for providing documentation having succinct communication with scalability

• US 8,396,736 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Process Assets, LLC
• Original Assignee: Process Assets, LLC
• Inventors: Olson, Timothy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Gurkanwaljit
• Application Number:
  US11/409,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,517 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• US Class Current: 705/7.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces

Abstract

Systems and methods for defining and documenting processes, procedures, standards and policies that are succinct and usable, and that are scalable to the complexity of the process and to abilities of the individual user. Steps of a particular process and a relationship of one or more of the steps are identified. Graphical representations of the steps and the relationship as a lean process are provided, wherein the lean process enhances and increases communication and minimizes documentation for providing the graphical representations, and wherein the representations comprise key process elements for the particular process, wherein the key process elements consist of one or more inputs, outputs, activities, process context, entry criteria, exit criteria, purposes, process flow, and roles, and wherein the representation is on a single page if a receiver of the non-verbal communication is an expert audience. If a receiver of the non-verbal communication is an intermediate audience, the non-verbal communication further comprises a process description table having the identified process steps that correspond to the representation of key process elements, wherein the process description table provides guidance and lessons learned relating to the particular process; and if a receiver of the non-verbal communication is a beginner audience, the non-verbal communication further comprises the process description table and training relating to the particular process.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a computer system, for generating a process model representation for each of a plurality of activity chunks in a process such that each process model representation is arranged to be displayed on a single page, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of the computer system, a Work Product/Activities/Roles (WAR) template for a process, the WAR template defining each work product that is used by the process, each activity performed by the process, and each role that performs an activity in the process, each activity being associated with one of a plurality of activity chunks defined for the process;

generating, by one or more processors of the computer system, and for each of the activity chunks, a process activity template, each process activity template defining;

any inputs used by the activity chunk;

entry criteria defining when the activity chunk is to be performed;

which role is responsible for performing each activity in the activity chunk;

any outputs produced by the activity chunk; and

exit criteria defining when the activity chunk is completed;

generating, by one or more processors of the computer system, and for each process activity template, a process model representation, each process model representation being arranged to be displayed on a single page, each process model representation comprising;

a graphical representation of the flow between the activities in the represented activity chunk; and

a graphical representation of the inputs, entry criteria, roles involved in performing the activities of the represented activity chunk, outputs, and exit criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each process model representation also includes an indication of which role performs each activity in the represented activity chunk.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication of which role performs each activity is provided by defining a column for each role and arranging the graphical representation of the flow between the activities so that the activities performed by a particular role are arranged in the particular role'"'"'s column and activities performed by multiple roles are arranged to span the columns of each of the multiple roles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each process model representation also includes a graphical representation of the location of the represented activity chunk within the process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each process model representation also includes an indication of the purpose of the represented activity chunk.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the flow between activities comprises a list of the activities.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the flow between activities comprises a diagram including a box for each activity and arrows indicating the flow from one activity to another.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each process activity template includes an indication of which activity in the activity chunk uses each input defined in the process activity template.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry criteria defined in each process activity template defines a state or condition within the process that will cause the process flow to transition to the activities in the activity chunk.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the state or condition comprises Boolean logic applied to multiple states or conditions within the process.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each process activity template includes an indication of which activity in the activity chunk generates each output defined in the process activity template.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the exit criteria defined in each process activity template define a state or condition within the process that cause the process flow to transition to another activity chunk in the process.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the state or condition comprises Boolean logic applied to multiple states or conditions within the process.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each process activity template also defines a purpose and a process context of the activity chunk.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the process context includes an identifier of any parent activity chunks, sibling activity chunks, or children activity chunks within the process.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the process context defines an owner of the process.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the process context defines where the process is performed.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the process activity template defines the role responsible for a particular activity in the activity chunk as all roles responsible for any activity in the activity chunk.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of process model representations also comprises an indication of measurements made by the activities of the represented activity chunk.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each process activity template, generating an intermediate mode process model representation, each intermediate mode process model representation comprising;

a listing of each activity in the represented activity chunk;

a listing of which role performs each activity in the represented activity chunk; and

a listing of an action that is performed for each activity in the represented activity chunk, wherein the listing of each action also includes guidance for performing each action.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the guidance for at least one action includes an indication of an input required by the action or an output generated by the action.

22. One or more non-transitory computer storage media storing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer system perform a method for generating a process model representation for each of a plurality of activity chunks in a process such that each process model representation is arranged to be displayed on a single page, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of the computer system, a Work Product/Activities/Roles (WAR) template for a process, the WAR template defining each work product that is used by the process, each activity performed by the process, and each role that performs an activity in the process, each activity being associated with one of a plurality of activity chunks defined for the process;

generating, by one or more processors of the computer system, and for each of the activity chunks, a process activity template, each process activity template defining;

any inputs used by the activity chunk;

entry criteria defining when the activity chunk is to be performed;

which role is responsible for performing each activity in the activity chunk;

any outputs produced by the activity chunk; and

exit criteria defining when the activity chunk is completed;

generating, by one or more processors of the computer system, and for each process activity template, a process model representation, each process model representation being arranged to be displayed on a single page, each process model representation comprising;

a graphical representation of the flow between the activities in the represented activity chunk; and

a graphical representation of the inputs, entry criteria, roles involved in performing the activities of the represented activity chunk, outputs, and exit criteria.

23. The one or more computer storage media of claim 22, wherein each process model representation also includes an indication of which role performs each activity in the represented activity chunk.

24. The one or more computer storage media of claim 23, wherein the indication of which role performs each activity is provided by defining a column for each role and arranging the graphical representation of the flow between the activities so that the activities performed by a particular role are arranged in the particular role'"'"'s column and activities performed by multiple roles are arranged to span the columns of each of the multiple roles.

25. The one or more computer storage media of claim 22, wherein each process model representation also includes a graphical representation of the location of the represented activity chunk within the process.

26. The one or more computer storage media of claim 22, wherein each process model representation also includes an indication of the purpose of the represented activity chunk.

27. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing computer executable instructions which when executed by one or more of the processors of the computer system perform a method for generating a process model representation for each of a plurality of activity chunks in a process such that each process model representation is arranged to be displayed on a single page, the method comprising;

receiving, by one or more processors of the computer system, a Work Product/Activities/Roles (WAR) template for a process, the WAR template defining each work product that is used by the process, each activity performed by the process, and each role that performs an activity in the process, each activity being associated with one of a plurality of activity chunks defined for the process;

generating, by one or more processors of the computer system, and for each of the activity chunks, a process activity template, each process activity template defining;

any inputs used by the activity chunk;

entry criteria defining when the activity chunk is to be performed;

which role is responsible for performing each activity in the activity chunk;

any outputs produced by the activity chunk; and

exit criteria defining when the activity chunk is completed;

generating, by one or more processors of the computer system, and for each process activity template, a process model representation, each process model representation being arranged to be displayed on a single page, each process model representation comprising;

a graphical representation of the flow between the activities in the represented activity chunk; and

a graphical representation of the inputs, entry criteria, roles involved in performing the activities of the represented activity chunk, outputs, and exit criteria.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein each process model representation also includes an indication of which role performs each activity in the represented activity chunk.

29. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the graphical representation of the flow between activities comprises a list of the activities.

30. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the graphical representation of the flow between activities comprises a diagram including a box for each activity and arrows indicating the flow from one activity to another.