Computer implemented methods and apparatus for managing objectives in an organization in a social network environment

• US 9,774,555 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Gosling, Marcus, Ovsyannikov, Maksim, Tam, Austin, Debow, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, James
• Application Number:
  US14/026,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for managing objectives in an organization in a social network environment. A server may receive objective data and task data associated with the objective. A message associated with the objective may be published on a social network feed.

Claims

1. A system for managing objectives of an organization, the system comprising:

a database system implemented using a server system, the database system configurable to cause;

processing objective data indicating a first objective of a first user affiliated with the organization;

processing task data indicating a plurality of first tasks to be performed to accomplish the first objective;

sharing, on a social network feed of an enterprise social networking system provided for use by a plurality of users affiliated with the organization, a feed item comprising a graphical representation of the first objective, the feed item being displayable on display devices of the users for each user to submit social network commentary on the feed item and for each user to selectively join the first objective and selectively contribute to performing one or more of the first tasks, the graphical representation of the first objective comprising a progress indicator indicating a measure of a state of completion of the first tasks;

identifying one or more second users affiliated with the organization to invite to contribute to performing the one or more first tasks, the identifying of the one or more second users being based on one or more second tasks being at least partially performed by the one or more second users in relation to one or more second objectives; and

sharing one or more electronic invitations with the one or more second users, the one or more electronic invitations comprising or referencing information requesting a second user to contribute to performance of the one or more first tasks.

2. The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause:

processing a visibility indicator associated with the first objective, the visibility indicator indicating a degree of visibility of the first objective in social network feeds of users affiliated with the organization.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the degree of visibility indicates that the first objective is private.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the degree of visibility indicates that the first objective is visible to users within a level of hierarchy in the organization.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the degree of visibility indicates that the first objective is visible to all users in the organization.

6. The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause:

determining that the one or more second users has accepted the one or more electronic invitations; and

causing a message comprising an indication that the one or more second users has accepted the one or more electronic invitations to be shared on the social network feed.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the message identifies the first objective.

8. The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause:

determining that at least one task associated with the first objective is indicated as completed; and

sharing a message identifying the at least one task and the first objective on the social network feed.

9. The system of claim 8, the database system further configurable to cause:

determining that at least one task of the one or more first tasks is completed by one or more of the second users; and

transmitting a feedback request to the first user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises:

identifying that the one or more second users are at a first level of hierarchy in the organization, the first user at a second level of hierarchy in the organization, the first level being at a lower level of the hierarchy than the second level.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises:

identifying that the one or more second users are at a first level of hierarchy in the organization, the first user at a second level of hierarchy in the organization, the first level being at a higher level of the hierarchy than the second level.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

sharing a first message identifying the first objective on the social network feed on a start date associated with the first objective.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first objective is associated with an avatar associated with the sharing of the first message.

14. The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause:

determining that a progress of accomplishing the first objective has reached a threshold level of accomplishment; and

causing a message indicating that the first objective has reached the threshold level of accomplishment to be shared on the social network feed.

15. The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause:

determining that the first objective has reached a threshold number of contributors; and

causing a message indicating that the first objective has reached the threshold number of contributors to be shared on the social network feed.

16. A method for managing objectives of an organization using a database system, the method comprising:

processing, using the database system, objective data indicating a first objective of a first user affiliated with the organization;

processing, using the database system, task data indicating a plurality of first tasks to be performed to accomplish the first objective;

causing sharing, on a social network feed of an enterprise social networking system provided for use by a plurality of users affiliated with the organization, of a feed item comprising a graphical representation of the first objective, the feed item being displayable on display devices of the users for each user to submit social network commentary on the feed item and for each user to selectively join the first objective and selectively contribute to performing one or more of the first tasks, the graphical representation of the first objective comprising a progress indicator indicating a measure of a state of completion of the first tasks;

identifying, using the database system, one or more second users affiliated with the organization to invite to contribute to performing the one or more first tasks, the identifying of the one or more second users being based on one or more second tasks being at least partially performed by the one or more second users in relation to one or more second objectives; and

causing one or more electronic invitations to be shared with the one or more second users, the one or more electronic invitations comprising or referencing information requesting a second user to contribute to performance of the one or more first tasks.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for managing objectives of an organization using a database system implementing an enterprise social networking system, the instructions executable by a processor and configured to cause:

processing objective data indicating a first objective of a first user affiliated with the organization;

processing task data indicating a plurality of first tasks to be performed to accomplish the first objective;

sharing, on a social network feed of an enterprise social networking system provided for use by a plurality of users affiliated with the organization, a feed item comprising a graphical representation of the first objective, the feed item being displayable on display devices of the users for each user to submit social network commentary on the feed item and for each user to selectively join the first objective and selectively contribute to performing one or more of the first tasks, the graphical representation of the first objective comprising a progress indicator indicating a measure of a state of completion of the first tasks;

identifying one or more second users affiliated with the organization to invite to contribute to performing the one or more first tasks, the identifying of the one or more second users being based on one or more second tasks being at least partially performed by the one or more second users in relation to one or more second objectives; and

sharing one or more electronic invitations with the one or more second users, the one or more electronic invitations comprising or referencing information requesting a second user to contribute to performance of the one or more first tasks.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

processing a visibility indicator associated with the first objective, the visibility indicator indicating a degree of visibility of the first objective in social network feeds of users affiliated with the organization.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

determining that the one or more second users has accepted the one or more electronic invitations; and

causing a message comprising an indication that the one or more second users has accepted the one or more electronic invitations to be shared on the social network feed.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

determining that at least one task associated with the first objective is indicated as completed; and

sharing a message identifying the at least one task and the first objective on the social network feed.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

determining that at least one task of the one or more first tasks is completed by one or more of the second users; and

transmitting a feedback request to the first user.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the identifying comprises:

identifying that the one or more second users are at a first level of hierarchy in the organization, the first user at a second level of hierarchy in the organization, the first level being at a lower level of the hierarchy than the second level.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the identifying comprises:

identifying that the one or more second users are at a first level of hierarchy in the organization, the first user at a second level of hierarchy in the organization, the first level being at a higher level of the hierarchy than the second level.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

sharing a first message identifying the first objective on the social network feed on a start date associated with the first objective.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

determining that a progress of accomplishing the first objective has reached a threshold level of accomplishment; and

causing a message indicating that the first objective has reached the threshold level of accomplishment to be shared on the social network feed.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

determining that the first objective has reached a threshold number of contributors; and

causing a message indicating that the first objective has reached the threshold number of contributors to be shared on the social network feed.