Patent ID: 7231356
Filing Date: 2007-06-12
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of organizing and effecting a dynamic and comprehensive workflow management system for an entity in control of various kinds of machinery, said workflow management system using a computer network that permits computer access to a server capable of containing a centralized database pertaining to said workflow management system, said method comprising: identifying all of the individual core management functions that relate to the overall management of all of the machinery controlled by an entity, said overall management encompassing the entire life cycles of said machinery, said core management functions consisting of internal core management functions and external core management functions, each said internal core management function involving specialized management of a business aspect of said overall management, each said external core management function involving specialized management of a technical aspect of said overall management, said internal core management functions including contracts management, budget management, and facilities management, said external core management functions including life cycles management and engineering management, said engineering management involving at least one type of engineering related to said machinery including in-service said machinery, said at least one type of engineering being selected from the group consisting of data engineering, design engineering, installation engineering, and maintenance engineering; producing information pertaining to said core management functions, said information including plural individual workflow descriptions, each said individual workflow description describing a said core management function and establishing at least one linkage of said individual workflow description with at least one other said individual workflow description; establishing core management function units, said core management function units at least substantially representing said core management functions; formulating a coherent presentation essentially integrating said information, said coherent presentation encompassing a multiplicity of tasks, said coherent presentation representing an operational plan for performing all of said tasks, the performance of each said task commencing in a said core management function unit, at least some said tasks being performed in plural said core management function units based on said at least one linkage of said individual workflow description with at least one other said individual workflow description; uploading said coherent presentation to said server for storage in said centralized database, said coherent presentation being computer-accessible by said core management function units; performing at least one said task, said performance of at least one said task including use of said coherent presentation; and updating said coherent presentation at least once, each said updated coherent presentation being computer-accessible by said core management function units, each said updating including uploading at least a portion of a said individual workflow description describing a said core management function so as to render at least one change to the preceding said individual workflow description describing the same said core management function, said at least one change including modification with respect to said at least one linkage of said individual workflow description with at least one other said individual workflow description.