Real time collaboration using embedded data visualizations

• US 9,392,026 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tien, Ian, Hulen, Corey J., Lim, Chen-I
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US13/948,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20130311904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00

Abstract

Scorecard data is received, processed, and visualizations provided by a performance metric application. Real time collaboration between users is facilitated through context based selections from the visualizations through one or more communication applications. Performance metric application may be embedded in the communication application or vice versa through local implementation or in a service based architecture.

Claims

1. A method for providing context based collaboration, the method comprising:

providing, in a first portion of a user interface, performance metric data;

receiving a selection of a portion of the performance metric data;

providing, in response to selection of the portion of the performance metric data, a menu in a second portion of the user interface, the menu comprising an indication of an owner of the selected portion of the performance metric data and a plurality of collaboration options for collaboration with other users over the selected portion of the performance metric data;

receiving a selection of a collaboration option from the plurality of collaboration options provided in the menu;

facilitating, in response to selection of the collaboration option, collaboration with at least one user, wherein facilitating the collaboration comprises;

providing, in a dedicated panel in the second portion of the user interface, a report view of the selected portion of the performance metric data, and

enabling the at least one user to collaboratively make an online edit to the selected portion of the performance metric data with the owner in a real time in the dedicated panel, wherein facilitating the collaboration comprises enabling a communication application for the collaboration based on the selected at least one collaboration option.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the communication application comprises:

providing, in the second portion of the user interface, a communication interface to facilitate at least one of the following;

audio communication between the collaborating users and video communication between the collaborating users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the portion of the performance metric data comprises receiving a selection of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein facilitating collaboration with the at least one user comprises facilitating collaboration with the owner of the KPI.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying, in response to receiving the selection of the KPI, information associated with the owner of the KPI.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing, in response to receiving the selection of the KPI, at least one of the following options in the second portion of the user interface:

call the owner of the KPI,

request a meeting with the owner of the KPI, and

video conference with the owner of the KPI.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, listing, in the second portion of the user interface, users associated with each of a plurality of KPIs represented by the scorecard.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, in the dedicated panel, a status indicator and elapsed time since the beginning of the collaboration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the online edits on the report view for subsequent incorporation into the scorecard data.

10. A computer storage device having a set of instructions which, when executed, performs a method for providing context based collaboration, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

displaying performance metric data in a first portion of the user interface;

receiving a selection of a portion of the performance metric data;

providing, in response to the selection of the portion of performance metric data, a menu comprising an indication of an owner of the selected portion of the performance data and a plurality of options for collaborating with at least one user associated with the portion of the performance metric data;

receiving a selection of an option from the plurality of options provided in the menu; and

facilitating, in response to the selection of the option, collaborative online editing of the portion of the performance metric data with the at least one user, wherein facilitating the collaborative online editing comprises;

providing, in a dedicated panel in a second portion of the user interface, a report view of the selected portion of the performance metric data, and

enabling the at least one user to collaboratively make an online edit the selected portion of the performance metric data with the owner in a real time in the dedicated panel, wherein facilitating the collaboration comprises enabling a communication application for the collaboration based on the selected at least one collaboration option.

11. The computer storage device of claim 10, wherein enabling the communication application comprises:

providing, in the second portion of the user interface, a communication interface to facilitate at least one of the following;

audio communication between the collaborating users and video communication between the collaborating users.

12. The computer storage device of claim 10, wherein receiving the selection of the portion of the performance metric data comprises receiving a selection of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI).

13. The computer storage device of claim 12, wherein indicating the at least one user associated with the portion of the performance metric data comprises indicating the owner of the KPI.

14. The computer storage device of claim 12, further comprising providing, in response to receiving the selection of the KPI, at least one of the following options in a second portion of the user interface:

call the owner of the KPI,

request a meeting with the owner of the KPI, and

video conference with the owner of the KPI.

15. The computer storage device of claim 10, further comprising indicating users associated with each of a plurality of KPIs represented by the scorecard.

16. The computer storage device of claim 10, wherein executed by the set of instructions the method further comprising providing, in the dedicated panel, a status indicator and elapsed time since the beginning of the collaboration.

17. A system for providing context based collaboration, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, the processing unit being configured to;

display a scorecard comprising a plurality of key performance indicators (KPIs),

receive a selection of at least one KPI,

display, in response to selection of the at least one KPI, a menu comprising an indication of an owner of the at least one KPI and a plurality of options to collaborate with the owner of the KPI,

receive a selection of an option from the plurality of options provided in the menu,

provide a first user interface for collaboratively editing the KPI with the owner of the KPI,

provide a second user interface for communicating with the owner of the KPI,

provide, in a dedicated panel in the second user interface, a report view of the selected portion of the performance metric data, and

enable a user to collaboratively make an online edit the at least the portion of the performance metric data with the owner in the first user interface in real time on the dedicated panel, wherein the processing unit being configured to enable the user to collaboratively edit the least one portion further comprises the processing unit being configured to enable a communication application for the collaboration based on the selected at least one collaboration option.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second user interface for communicating with the owner of the KPI comprises providing a video chat interface.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit being configured to provide the at least one option to collaborate with the owner of the KPI comprises the processing unit being configured to provide:

a first option to call the owner,

a second option to video chat with the owner,

a third option to email the owner, and

a fourth option to instant message the owner.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

list a corresponding owner for each of the plurality of KPIs, and

provide collaboration options for each of the plurality of KPIs.