Method and system for providing a bi-directional feedback loop between project management and personal calendar systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9230228-B2
Application number	US-76166307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2007
Priority date	Jun 12, 2007
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A system providing a bi-directional feedback loop that assists project management to make timely decisions and alterations based on personal calendar data retrieved from team members' calendars. The system provides a project manager user with perceptible alerts in a project manager user interface in response to detecting a conflict between proposed or actual personal calendar events of a team member user and deliverables assigned to that team member user. The project manager user interface enables the project manager to take an action in the event such a conflict is detected. Project manager actions in this regard may include permitting a conflicting personal calendar event, forbidding the conflicting personal calendar event, delegating the conflicting deliverable to another team member, adjusting the deliverable requirements, and/or escalating the conflict to a higher level of management.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for providing a bi-directional feedback loop between a project management client-server application and a separate personal electronic calendar client-server application, comprising:
wherein said project management client-server application includes i) project management application server logic executing on one or more application server systems, and ii) project management client application logic executing on a project manager client system;
wherein said personal electronic calendar client-server application includes i) calendaring application server logic executing on said application server systems, and ii) calendaring application client logic executing on a team member client system;
wherein said application server systems, said project manager client system, and said team member client system each include at least one processor and a memory;
communicating, from said calendaring application server logic to said project management application server logic, personal schedule information for a team member;
determining, by said project management application server logic, that said personal schedule information for said team member user conflicts with delivery by said team member user of a deliverable associated with a project task, wherein said determining that said personal schedule information for said team member user conflicts with delivery of said project task includes determining that a meeting defined within said personal schedule information for said team member user conflicts with delivery of said deliverable associated with said project task;
providing, by said project management client application logic, within a project management user interface contained in a graphical user interface of said project manager client system, a perceptible alert to a project manager user of said conflict;
providing, by said project management client application logic, within said project management user interface contained in said graphical user interface of said project manager client system, user interface options to said project manager enabling said project management user to select from a set of options to handle said conflict; and
responsive to said project manager user selecting one of said set of options, said project management application server logic performing an action corresponding to said selected one of said set of options to handle said conflict, the action causing said calendaring application client logic to alter a graphical user interface of said team member client system, thereby providing a bi-directional feedback loop between the project management client-server application and the separate personal electronic calendar client-server application.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein said set of options includes a forbid option enabling said project manager user to forbid said team member user from participating in said meeting defined within said personal schedule information; and
modifying, in the event that said project manager user selects said forbid option, said personal schedule information to remove said meeting from said personal schedule information.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
responsive to said project manager user selecting said forbid option, providing, by said calendaring application client logic, within an electronic calendar user interface contained in said graphical user interface of said team member client system, a visual indication to said team member user that said project manager user has forbidden said team member user from participating in said meeting.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
enabling, by said project management client application logic, said project manager user to enter a reason associated with said selection of said forbid option into said project management user interface contained in said graphical user interface of said project manager client system; and
including, by said calendaring application client logic, said reason in said visual indication to said team member user.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
wherein said set of options includes a permit option enabling said project manager user to permit said team member user to participate in said meeting defined within said personal schedule information; and
modifying, by said project management application server logic, in the event that said project manager user selects said permit option, said personal schedule information to include an indication that said project manager was alerted of said conflict and permitted said team member user to participate in said meeting defined within said personal schedule information.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
responsive to said project manager user selecting said permit option, providing, by said calendaring application client logic, within said electronic calendar user interface contained in said graphical user interface of said team member client system, a visual indication to said team member user that said project manager user has permitted said team member user to participate in said meeting.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
enabling, by said project management client application logic, said project manager user to enter a reason associated with said selection of said permit option into said project management user interface contained in said graphical user interface of said project manager client system; and
including, by said calendaring application client logic, said reason in said visual indication to said team member user.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
wherein said set of options includes an escalate option enabling said project manager user to automatically notify a higher level manager user regarding said conflict; and
modifying, by said project management application server logic, in the event that said project manager user selects said escalate option, said personal schedule information to include an indication that said project manager user was alerted of said conflict and has escalated said conflict by notifying said higher level manager user.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
responsive to said project manager user selecting said escalate option, providing, by said calendaring application client logic, within said electronic calendar user interface contained in said graphical user interface of said team member client system, a visual indication to said team member user that said project manager user has escalated said conflict by notifying said higher level manager user.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
enabling, by said project management client application logic, said project manager user to enter a reason associated with said selection of said escalate option into said project management user interface contained in said graphical user interface of said project manager client system; and
including, by said calendaring application client logic, said reason in said visual indication to said team member user.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
wherein said set of options includes a permit and reassign option enabling said project manager user to permit said team member user to participate in said meeting defined within said personal schedule information and also reassign at least one deliverable previously assigned to said team member user; and
modifying, in the event that said project manager user selects said permit and reassign option, said personal schedule information to include an indication that said project manager user was alerted of said conflict and permitted said team member user to participate in said meeting defined within

Assignees

• Ryan Corinne M
• Schaeck Thomas
• IBM

Inventors

• Ryan Corinne M
• Schaeck Thomas

Classifications

• G06Q10/109

  Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting · CPC title

• G06Q10/06

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title

• G06Q10/063118

  Staff planning in a project environment · CPC title

• G06Q10/1093

  Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups · CPC title

• G06Q10/063116 Primary

  Schedule adjustment for a person or group · CPC title