Visually prioritizing information in an agile system

• US 8,566,779 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Sukhenko, Felix, Greene, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Application Number:
  US13/100,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20110289475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 717100-103, 717/105, 717/109, 717/113, 705/7.13, 705/7.21, 705/7.26, 718/102, 718/103
• US Class Current: 717/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations

Abstract

An apparatus and method for prioritizing tasks in a software development environment includes drag-and-drop functionality to prioritize tasks displayed in the window of a browser application executing on a user system. In one embodiment, a prioritizer screen is built at a server using information stored in a workload database object and sent to the user system over a network using interprocess communications.

Claims

1. A method for prioritizing a workload for a specific team, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a request for priority information from a user system, with the user system and the server coupled to a network, and with the request including an identity of the specific team;

accessing, using a processor of the server, a workload database object, wherein the workload database object comprises a plurality of records each corresponding to a particular task to be performed by the specific team, and wherein each of the plurality of records comprises priority information for a particular task that specifies a value that identifies a relative priority assigned to that particular task by the specific team with respect to other tasks assigned to the specific team;

obtaining from the workload database object, using the processor of the server, the plurality of records for each of the other tasks assigned to the specific team;

building, using the processor of the server, a prioritizer screen for the specific team that comprises a plurality of rows each corresponding to a particular record for a particular task, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprises a backlog rank field that includes priority information from the workload database object assigned for that particular task by the specific team, and wherein building the prioritizer screen for the specific team comprises using the priority information obtained from the workload database object, by the processor of the server, to automatically and sequentially order the plurality of rows presented in the prioritizer screen to provide a prioritized list of tasks to be completed by the specific team;

sending, from the server, the prioritizer screen to the user system, with the prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in a window of a browser application executing on the user system;

receiving, at the server, reprioritizing information from the user system, wherein the reprioritizing information comprises;

selection information indicating that a user has selected at least one row in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected at least one row at a new location in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system, and change information indicating a new value for the backlog rank field for the selected at least one row;

building, using the reprioritizing information by the processor of the server, a revised prioritizer screen having the plurality of rows reordered according to the reprioritizing information, wherein each of the plurality of rows in the revised prioritizer screen comprises a revised backlog rank field that indicates revised priority information for that row corresponding to reordering of the plurality of rows; and

sending, from the server, the revised prioritizer screen to the user system, with the revised prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the server, an indication from the user system that the revised priority information is to be saved; and

entering, using the processor of the server, the revised priority information into the workload database object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reprioritizing information comprises:

selection information indicating that a user has selected a plurality of rows in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system, and

change information indicating new values for each backlog rank field for each of the selected plurality of rows, wherein the change information is used to reorder the selected plurality of rows that are displayed in the prioritizer screen as the prioritized list of tasks.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selection information indicates that a user has selected a plurality of rows that are adjacent to each other in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows that are adjacent to each other to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the selection information indicates that a user has selected a plurality of rows at least some of which are non-adjacent to each other in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprises a plurality of fields associated with a particular task, and wherein the plurality of fields in each of the plurality of rows for a particular task comprise:

the backlog rank field; and

a priority field that identifies a global priority assigned to that particular task that indicates a level of commitment to complete that particular task.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of fields in each of the plurality of rows for a particular task further comprise:

a work id field that provides a link to a particular record in the workload database object;

a record type field that identifies a type of the particular record in the workload database object;

a subject field that identifies a subject of the particular record in the workload database object;

a story points field comprising a number of points that indicate relative size of effort for that particular task associated with that particular record compared to size of other efforts for other tasks, associated with other records, to be performed by the specific team;

a theme field that indicates a theme of which a user story is a part;

a scheduled build field that identifies which code line a feature will go into production; and

a sprint field that indicates a time period when the particular task is to be completed.

8. A system for prioritizing a workload for a specific team, the system comprising:

means for receiving a request for priority information from a user system, with the user system coupled to a network, and with the request including an identity of the specific team;

means for accessing a workload database object, wherein the workload database object comprises a plurality of records each corresponding to a particular task to be performed by the specific team, and wherein each of the plurality of records comprises priority information for a particular task that specifies a value that identifies a relative priority assigned to that particular task by the specific team with respect to other tasks assigned to the specific team;

means for obtaining from the workload database object the plurality of records for each of the other tasks assigned to the specific team;

means for building a prioritizer screen for the specific team that comprises a plurality of rows each corresponding to a particular record for a particular task, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprises a backlog rank field that includes priority information from the workload database object assigned for that particular task by the specific team, and wherein building the prioritizer screen for the specific team comprises using the priority information obtained from the workload database object to automatically and sequentially order the plurality of rows presented in the prioritizer screen to provide a prioritized list of tasks to be completed by the specific team;

means for sending the prioritizer screen to the user system, with the prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in a window of a browser application executing on the user system;

means for receiving reprioritizing information from the user system, wherein the reprioritizing information comprises;

selection information indicating that a user has selected at least one row in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected at least one row at a new location in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system, and change information indicating a new value for the backlog rank field for the selected at least one row;

means for building, using the reprioritizing information, a revised prioritizer screen having the plurality of rows reordered according to the reprioritizing information, wherein each of the plurality of rows in the revised prioritizer screen comprises a revised backlog rank field that indicates revised priority information for that row corresponding to reordering of the plurality of rows; and

means for sending the revised prioritizer screen to the user system, with the revised prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for receiving an indication from the user system that the revised priority information is to be saved; and

means for entering the revised priority information into the workload database object.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the reprioritizing information comprises:

selection information indicating that a user has selected a plurality of rows in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system, and

change information indicating new values for each backlog rank field for each of the selected plurality of rows, wherein the change information is used to reorder the selected plurality of rows that are displayed in the prioritizer screen as the prioritized list of tasks.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the selection information indicates that a user has selected a plurality of rows that are adjacent to each other in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows that are adjacent to each other to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the selection information indicates that a user has selected a plurality of rows at least some of which are non-adjacent to each other in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprises a plurality of fields associated with a particular task, and wherein the plurality of fields in each of the plurality of rows for a particular task comprise:

the backlog rank field; and

a priority field that identifies a global priority assigned to that particular task that indicates a level of commitment to complete that particular task.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of fields in each of the plurality of rows for a particular task further comprise:

a work id field that provides a link to a particular record in the workload database object;

a record type field that identifies a type of the particular record in the workload database object;

a subject field that identifies a subject of the particular record in the workload database object;

a story points field comprising a number of points that indicate relative size of effort for that particular task associated with that particular record compared to size of other efforts for other tasks, associated with other records, to be performed by the specific team;

a theme field that indicates a theme of which a user story is a part;

a scheduled build field that identifies which code line a feature will go into production; and

a sprint field that indicates a time period when the particular task is to be completed.

15. An apparatus for prioritizing a workload for a specific team, the apparatus comprising:

a server, including a processor and one or more memory modules storing a workload database object and program code, with the server configured to receive a request for priority information from a user system, with the user system and the server coupled to a network, with the request including an identity of the specific team, and with the processor coupled to the one or more memory modules and configured to execute the program code to;

access a workload database object, wherein the workload database object comprises a plurality of records each corresponding to a particular task to be performed by the specific team, and wherein each of the plurality of records comprises priority information for a particular task that specifies a value that identifies a relative priority assigned to that particular task by the specific team with respect to other tasks assigned to the specific team;

obtain from the workload database object the plurality of records for each of the other tasks assigned to the specific team;

build a prioritizer screen for the specific team that comprises a plurality of rows each corresponding to a particular record for a particular task, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprises a backlog rank field that includes priority information from the workload database object assigned for that particular task by the specific team, and wherein building the prioritizer screen for the specific team comprises using the priority information obtained from the workload database object to automatically and sequentially order the plurality of rows presented in the prioritizer screen to provide a prioritized list of tasks to be completed by the specific team;

send the prioritizer screen to the user system, with the prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in a window of a browser application executing on the user system;

receive reprioritizing information from the user system, wherein the reprioritizing information comprises;

selection information indicating that a user has selected at least one row in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected at least one row at a new location in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system, and change information indicating a new value for the backlog rank field for the selected at least one row;

build, using the reprioritizing information, a revised prioritizer screen having the plurality of rows reordered according to the reprioritizing information, wherein each of the plurality of rows in the revised prioritizer screen comprises a revised backlog rank field that indicates revised priority information for that row corresponding to reordering of the plurality of rows; and

send the revised prioritizer screen to the user system, with the revised prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the program code to:

receive an indication from the user system that the revised priority information is to be saved; and

enter the revised priority information into the workload database object.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reprioritizing information comprises:

selection information indicating that a user has selected a plurality of rows in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system, and

change information indicating new values for each backlog rank field for each of the selected plurality of rows, wherein the change information is used to reorder the selected plurality of rows that are displayed in the prioritizer screen as the prioritized list of tasks.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selection information indicates that a user has selected a plurality of rows that are adjacent to each other in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows that are adjacent to each other to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selection information indicates that a user has selected a plurality of rows at least some of which are non-adjacent to each other in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprises a plurality of fields associated with a particular task, and wherein the plurality of fields in each of the plurality of rows for a particular task comprise:

the backlog rank field; and

a priority field that identifies a global priority assigned to that particular task that indicates a level of commitment to complete that particular task.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of fields in each of the plurality of rows for a particular task further comprise:

a work id field that provides a link to a particular record in the workload database object;

a record type field that identifies a type of the particular record in the workload database object;

a subject field that identifies a subject of the particular record in the workload database object;

a story points field comprising a number of points that indicate relative size of effort for that particular task associated with that particular record compared to size of other efforts for other tasks, associated with other records, to be performed by the specific team;

a theme field that indicates a theme of which a user story is a part;

a scheduled build field that identifies which code line a feature will go into production; and

a sprint field that indicates a time period when the particular task is to be completed.

22. A method for prioritizing a workload for a specific team of a plurality of teams that are distributed across multiple business units during a software development process, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server of an on-demand database system, a request for priority information communicated from a user system, with the user system and the server coupled to a network and using inter-process communications over the network to communicate with each other, and with the request including an identity of a specific team of the plurality of teams;

accessing, using a processor of the on-demand database system, a workload database object, wherein the workload database object comprises a plurality of records each corresponding to a particular task to be performed by the specific team, and wherein each of the plurality of records comprises priority information for a particular task that specifies a value that identifies a relative priority assigned to that particular task by the specific team with respect to other tasks assigned to the specific team;

obtaining from the workload database object, using the processor of the on-demand database system, the plurality of records for each of the other tasks assigned to the specific team;

building, using the processor of the on-demand database system, a prioritizer screen for the specific team, wherein the prioritizer screen comprises a plurality of rows, wherein each of the plurality of rows corresponds to a particular record for a particular task, and wherein building the prioritizer screen for the specific team comprises;

building a row for each particular record, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprises a plurality of fields for that particular task, and wherein the plurality of fields comprise a backlog rank field that includes priority information from the workload database object assigned for that particular task by the specific team that specifies the value that identifies the relative priority assigned to that particular task by the specific team with respect to the other tasks assigned to the specific team; and

using the priority information obtained from the workload database object to automatically and sequentially order the plurality of rows presented in the prioritizer screen to provide a prioritized list of tasks to be completed by the specific team;

sending, from the server of the on-demand database system, the prioritizer screen to the user system, with the prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in a window of a browser application executing on the user system;

receiving, at the server of the on-demand database system, reprioritizing information via an interprocess communication from the user system, wherein the reprioritizing information comprises;

(1) selection information indicating that a user has selected a plurality of rows in the prioritizer screen, and dragged and dropped the selected plurality of rows to new locations in the prioritizer screen to reorder the selected plurality of rows and the prioritized list of tasks that are displayed in the prioritizer screen that is displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system, and (2) change information indicating new values for each backlog rank field for each of the selected plurality of rows, and wherein the change information is used to reorder the selected plurality of rows that are displayed in the prioritizer screen as the prioritized list of tasks;

building, using the processor of the on-demand database system, a revised prioritizer screen having the plurality of rows reordered according to the reprioritizing information and having revised priority information corresponding to reordering of the plurality of rows;

sending, from the server of the on-demand database system, the revised prioritizer screen to the user system, with the revised prioritizer screen configured to be displayed in the window of the browser application executing on the user system;

receiving, at the server of the on-demand database system, an indication from the user system that the revised priority information is to be saved; and

entering, in response to receiving the indication from the user system, using the processor of the on-demand database system, the revised priority information into the workload database object.