Systems and methods for managing information

• US 20060173900A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Grewal, Sukhminder Singh, Agarwal, Neetu, Filiatrault, Jeremy Miles, Correia, Cary Michael, Dhayalan, Anbumani
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method for managing information is described. The method includes generating a first database in a first memory device, storing, by an administrator via a server system, a plurality of questions in the first database, where the plurality of questions relate to project information, and storing, by the administrator, a plurality of answers and a plurality of options related to the project information, where each answer corresponds to one of the plurality of questions and one of the options. The method further includes associating, by the administrator, the plurality of answers with a task by pre-defining, within the first database, the task to be performed based on the plurality of answers. The method also includes associating, by the administrator, a plurality of tools used to complete the task with the task, where the plurality of tools include at least one of templates used to manage the task, experts on the task, and frequently asked questions regarding the task. The method includes providing, via a computer, to a user, the plurality of questions and the plurality of options, receiving the plurality of answers from the second user, determining, by the computer, the task and the tools, where determining is based on the plurality of answers provided by the user, and creating at least one additional database in a second memory device.

Claims

1. A method for managing information comprising:

generating a first database in a first memory device;

storing, by an administrator via a server system, a plurality of questions in the first database, wherein the plurality of questions relate to project information;

storing, by the administrator, a plurality of answers and a plurality of options related to the project information, wherein each answer corresponds to one of the plurality of questions and one of the options;

associating, by the administrator, the plurality of answers with a task by pre-defining, within the first database, the task to be performed based on the plurality of answers;

associating, by the administrator, a plurality of tools used to complete the task with the task, wherein said plurality of tools include at least one of templates used to manage the task, experts on the task, and frequently asked questions regarding the task;

providing, via a computer, to a user, the plurality of questions and the plurality of options;

receiving the plurality of answers from the second user;

determining, by the computer, the task and the tools, wherein said determining is based on the plurality of answers provided by the user; and

creating at least one additional database in a second memory device.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said generating and said creating is performed without making a change to at least one source code.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising associating the first database with the at least one additional database, wherein at least one of said generating, creating, and associating the first database with the at least one additional database are performed without making a change to at least one source code.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

associating the first database with the at least one additional database, wherein at least one of said generating, creating, and associating the first database with the at least one additional database are performed without making a change to at least one source code;

migrating a plurality of tasks comprising the task into the first database; and

populating the at least one additional database by downloading the plurality of tasks from the first database into the at least one additional database, wherein said populating is performed without additional input from any users and when the plurality of tasks are migrated into the first database.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

associating the first database with the at least one additional database, wherein at least one of said generating, creating, and associating the first database with the at least one additional database are performed without making a change to at least one source code;

migrating a plurality of tasks comprising the task into the first database;

populating the at least one additional database by downloading the plurality of tasks from the first database into the at least one additional database, wherein said populating is performed when the plurality of tasks are migrated into the first database;

adding an additional task into the first database; and

communicating the additional task to the at least one additional database without additional input from any users and when the additional task is added to the first database.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

associating the first database with the at least one additional database, wherein at least one of said generating, creating, and associating the first database with the at least one additional database are performed without making a change to at least one source code;

migrating a plurality of tasks comprising the task into the first database;

populating the at least one additional database by downloading the plurality of tasks from the first database into the at least one additional database, wherein said populating is performed when the plurality of tasks are migrated into the first database;

adding an additional task into the first database; and

prompting the user whether to export the additional task to a project database comprising the plurality of tasks.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

associating the first database with the at least one additional database, wherein at least one of said generating, creating, and associating the first database with the at least one additional database are performed without making a change to at least one source code;

populating the at least one additional database with the task; and

prompting the user to customize the task within the at least one additional database after the at least one additional database has been populated.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein prompting the user to customize the task within the at least one additional database further comprises after said populating, customizing the task without changing a source code.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the task comprises a meeting, said method further comprises:

associating the first database with the at least one additional database, wherein at least one of said generating, creating, and associating the first database with the at least one additional database are performed without making a change to at least one source code; and

receiving details including at least one of a time period and a location of the meeting; and

receiving a request for the meeting in a meeting manager software different than a computer program executing the method.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the project information includes at least one of information regarding managing risks, building real estate, buying real estate, selling real estate, developing a web site, selling insurance, drafting a patent application, and writing a software.

11. A system for managing information, said system comprising:

a server configured to;

provide, to a first user, a plurality of questions and options requiring input;

receive a plurality of answers from the first user, wherein each answer corresponds to one of the plurality of questions and one of the options;

determine a task to be performed based on the plurality of answers provided by the first user;

generate a first database; and

create at least one additional database;

wherein said server performs at least one of generating the first database and creating the at least one additional database without making a change to at least one source code.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server further configured to receive an association, from a second user, of the answers with the task.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server further configured to associate the first database with the at least one database, wherein said server performs at least one of the generation, creation, and association without making a change to at least one source code.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server further configured to:

receive an association of the first database with the at least one database;

migrate a plurality of tasks comprising the task into the first database; and

populate the at least one additional database by downloading the plurality of tasks from the first database into the at least one additional database, wherein said server populates the at least one additional database without additional input from any users and when the plurality of tasks are migrated into the first database.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server further configured to:

associate the first database with the at least one database;

migrate a plurality of tasks comprising the task into the first database;

populate the at least one additional database by downloading the plurality of tasks from the first database into the at least one additional database, wherein said server populates the at least one additional database when the plurality of tasks are migrated into the first database;

identify an additional task into the first database; and

communicate the additional task to the at least one additional database without additional input from any users and when the additional task is added to the first database.

16. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server further configured to:

receive an association of the first database with the at least one database;

migrate a plurality of tasks comprising the task into the first database;

populate the at least one additional database by downloading the plurality of tasks from the first database into the at least one additional database, wherein said server populates the at least one additional database when the plurality of tasks are migrated into the first database;

identify an additional task into the first database; and

prompt the first user whether to export the additional task to a project database comprising the plurality of tasks.

17. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server further configured to:

receive an association of the first database with the at least one database;

populate the at least one additional database with the task; and

prompt the first user to customize the task within the at least one additional database after the at least one additional database has been populated.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said server configured receive the customization of the task without a change to a source code.

19. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the task comprises a meeting, said server further configured to:

receive an association of the first database with the at least one database; and

receiving details including at least one of a time period and a location of the meeting.

20. A method for managing information, said method comprising:

creating a form comprising data fields;

capturing data from a plurality of users by displaying the form on a plurality of computers used by the users; and

sorting the data, wherein at least one of said creating and said sorting is performed without changing at least one source code.