System, method and program product for managing communications pursuant to an information technology (IT) migration

• US 8,037,140 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hicks, Scott D., Mummey, Donald P., DelGaudio, Carol I., Prince, Jeffrey E., Henderson, Anne M., Locke, Victoria A., Rauch, Diane C., Murray, Douglas G., Martin, James A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taha; Shaq
• Application Number:
  US11/096,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,385 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Under the present invention, a distribution list of message recipients within an organization undergoing the IT migration is generated by analyzing the infrastructure of the organization. Once the message recipients are known, they can be grouped into a set of mailing groups. Thereafter, specific message templates can be assigned to each group, and a schedule for sending messages to the message recipients can be set. Messages will then be generated and sent to the message recipients using the message templates assigned to their respective mailing group(s) and the schedule. Responses to the messages will be tracked and processed, and records associated with the message recipients will be updated based thereon. Follow-up messages containing additional questions and/or instructions can be generated and sent using any data that is contained in the responses. Also, “non-responses” can be tracked so that reminder messages can be sent.

Claims

1. A system comprising a set of computing devices for managing communications by performing a method comprising:

analyzing an infrastructure of an enterprise to generate a distribution list of message recipients, the message recipients including individuals in a hierarchical organization;

grouping the message recipients into a set of mailing groups based on the hierarchical organization;

assigning message templates to the set of mailing groups;

configuring a schedule for sending messages to the message recipients, wherein the schedule includes a date and a time for sending each of the messages to each of the mailing groups;

generating and sending the messages to the message recipients based on their assigned message templates and the schedule, wherein each of the messages includes an executable file, which when executed, prompts the recipient of the message to input a first set of data;

tracking and processing responses to the messages;

storing a status of the responses in a database, and storing data received in the responses in the database; and

updating records associated with the message recipients based on the responses;

wherein the generating and sending of the messages further includes;

generating and sending a follow-up message to at least one of the message recipients based on the schedule and data received in a response from the recipient, the follow-up message including a second executable file, which when executed, prompts the recipient of the message to input a second set of data, the second set of data being a subset of the first set of data; and

generating and sending a reminder message to a manager of the recipient in the case that a response to the message has not been received by the component for tracking and processing responses, the reminder message indicating the response from the recipient has not been received, wherein the manager is distinct from the message recipient and is an individual on a level above the recipient in the hierarchical organization, and wherein the manager is within a same mailing group as the recipient;

wherein the communications are managed pursuant to an Information Technology (IT) migration.

2. The system of claim 1, the method further comprising:

tracking a status of the responses; and

sending reminder messages to the message recipients if the responses are not received in a predetermined amount of time after the messages are sent.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the infrastructure analyzed is selected from the group consisting of an electronic mail directory, a telephone switch and an electronic company directory.

4. A method for managing communications, comprising:

analyzing an infrastructure of an enterprise to generate a distribution list of message recipients, the message recipients including individuals in a hierarchical organization;

grouping the message recipients into a set of mailing groups, based on the hierarchical organization;

assigning message templates to the set of mailing groups;

configuring a schedule for sending messages to the message recipients, wherein the schedule includes a date and a time for sending each of the messages to each of the mailing groups;

generating and sending the messages to the message recipients using the templates assigned to their respective mailing groups and the schedule, wherein each of the messages includes an executable file, which when executed, prompts the recipient of the message to input a first set of data;

tracking and processing responses to the messages;

storing a status of the responses in a database, and storing data received in the responses in the database; and

updating records associated with the message recipients based on the responses;

wherein the generating and sending of the messages further includes;

generating and sending a follow-up message to at least one of the message recipients based on the schedule and data received in a response from the recipient, the follow-up message including a second executable file, which when executed, prompts the recipient of the message to input a second set of data, the second set of data being a subset of the first set of data; and

generating and sending a reminder message to a manager of the recipient in the case that a response to the message has not been received, the reminder message indicating the response from the recipient has not been received, wherein the manager is distinct from the message recipients recipient and is an individual on a level above the recipient in the hierarchical organization, and wherein the manager is within a same mailing group as the recipient;

wherein the communications are managed pursuant to an Information Technology (IT) migration.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

tracking a status of the responses; and

sending reminder messages to the message recipients if the responses are not received in a predetermined amount of time after the messages are sent.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the infrastructure is selected from the group consisting of an electronic mail directory, a telephone switch and an electronic company directory.

7. A program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for managing communications, the computer readable storage medium comprising program code for performing the following:

analyzing an infrastructure of an enterprise to generate a distribution list of message recipients, the message recipients including individuals in a hierarchical organization;

grouping the message recipients into a set of mailing groups, based on the hierarchical organization;

assigning message templates to the set of mailing groups;

configuring a schedule for sending messages to the message recipients, wherein the schedule includes a date and a time for sending each of the messages to each of the mailing groups;

generating and sending the messages to the message recipients based on their assigned message templates and the schedule, wherein each of the messages includes an executable file, which when executed, prompts the recipient of the message to input a first set of data;

tracking and processing responses to the messages;

storing a status of the responses in a database, and storing data received in the responses in the database; and

and updating records associated with the message recipients based on the responses;

wherein the program code for generating and sending of the messages further includes program code for;

generating and sending a follow-up message to at least one of the message recipients based on the schedule and data received in a response from the recipient, the follow-up message including a second executable file, which when executed, prompts the recipient of the message to input a second set of data, the second set of data being a subset of the first set of data; and

generating and sending a reminder message to a manager of the recipient in the case that a response to the message has not been received, the reminder message indicating the response from the recipient has not been received, wherein the manager is distinct from the message recipient and is an individual on a level above the recipient in the hierarchical organization, and wherein the manager is within a same mailing group as the recipient;

wherein the communications are managed pursuant to an Information Technology (IT) migration.

8. The program product of claim 7, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises program code for performing the following steps:

providing the message templates;

tracking a status of the responses; and

sending reminder messages to the message recipients if the responses are not received in a predetermined amount of time after the messages are sent.