Abstract:
The present invention provides for sharing information among a plurality of dashboards. Employment of at least one metric of a first dashboard is monitored. An indicia of the monitored metric is transmitted. The indicia of the monitored metric is received. An indicia associated with the monitored metric is displayed on a second dashboard, thereby enabling a user of the second dashboard to know what metrics a user of the first dashboard are employing.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The invention relates generally to business dashboards and, more particularly, to the sharing of information among business dashboards.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     There are a variety of metrics that can be used to measure productivity in the workplace. One of these measurements is known as a dashboard. Specifically, a dashboard can be generally defined as a high level visual representation of data, that uses bars and graphs to show various factors of merit, such as in a business context. The dashboard is designed to provide executives or other interested parties with a compressed, high level view of a business performance through providing the representation of key performance indicators distilled from large collections of data. In more general terms, a dashboard can be generally regarded as a “window” into the business status.  
         [0003]     However, there are problems associated with conventional dashboards. One problem is that the end user is unaware of what other people in the business hierarchy are using as metrics. These can be people above the end user, below the end user, or at the same hierarchical level as the end-user.  
         [0004]     In conventional dashboards, the templates for the metrics to be used by an individual user are set statically. In other words, employees are given a set of metrics from which to choose and construct their display. These metrics can be updated by the end user, but changes to the display are limited to those changes explicitly made by the user. If a new metric is added to the system, the system administrator has to alert individuals that a change has been made.  
         [0005]     There are other problems with the traditional dashboard. These users have to be told that new updates are available. Furthermore, users may not realize that a particular metric is crucial to their job. As IT infrastructures evolve, and the business requirements of those infrastructures evolve, so will the window into the business. Workers within IT will typically be responsible for creating new content for the window, and making it available to the public or within the business entity. However, dissemination of that new function can be difficult.  
         [0006]     Therefore, there is a need for a dashboard that addresses at least some of the concerns associated with conventional dashboards.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention provides for sharing information among a plurality of dashboards. Employment of at least one metric of a first dashboard is monitored. An indicia of the monitored metric is transmitted. The indicia of the monitored metric is received. An indicia associated with the monitored metric is displayed on a second dashboard. In one aspect, the displays are configured to show the relative frequency of usage of the metrics. In a further aspect, the data associated with the metric is shown. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  disclosed a system in which measurements employed within a plurality of dashboards can be shared. schematically depicts;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates exemplary hierarchies of information that can be used in conjunction with  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates illustrated is one example of use of the system for sharing dashboard information through the employment four separate metric windows. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning network communications, electro-magnetic signaling techniques, and the like, have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.  
         [0013]     In the remainder of this description, a processing unit (PU) may be a sole processor of computations in a device. In such a situation, the PU is typically referred to as an MPU (main processing unit). The processing unit may also be one of many processing units that share the computational load according to some methodology or algorithm developed for a given computational device. For the remainder of this description, all references to processors shall use the term MPU whether the MPU is the sole computational element in the device or whether the MPU is sharing the computational element with other MPUs, unless otherwise indicated.  
         [0014]     It is further noted that, unless indicated otherwise, all functions described herein may be performed in either hardware or software, or some combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, however, the functions are performed by a processor, such as a computer or an electronic data processor, in accordance with code, such as computer program code, software, and/or integrated circuits that are coded to perform such functions, unless indicated otherwise.  
         [0015]     Turning to  FIG. 1 , disclosed is a system  100  in which measurements employed within a plurality of dashboards can be shared. A first computer  100  is coupled through to a network. A second computer  120 , a third computer  130 , a fourth computer  140 , a fifth computer  150 , and a sixth computer  160  are also coupled to the network.  
         [0016]     Generally, the system  100  is directed to the presentation of metrics or other measurements of interest of those in levels higher lower and the same level of a business hierarchy, thereby allowing for the propagation of a metric throughout a hierarchical system. The system  100  shows one end user what metrics other end users above him in the hierarchy are using, below him in the hierarchy are using, and on the same level of the hierarchy are using, along with the frequency of use of each metric. Furthermore, if the metric itself is visible to the computer, then the data upon which the metric is based will also be visible to the computer. However, in some embodiments, members of the hierarchy will be restricted from accessing some metrics of other members of the hierarchy, and this restriction can also include frequency of accessing the metrics and the underlying data upon which the metric is based itself. For instance, those lower in a hierarchy can be forbidden from accessing data that is accessible at a higher level in the hierarchy, such as data regarding employee performance.  
         [0017]     In the system  100 , each computer  110  to  160  has a metric monitor  103 . The metric monitor  103  reports to the network  101  the metrics that are being viewed by its corresponding computer. These metrics reports are then processed and transferred by the network  101  to the other computers, as appropriate to the higher, lower, or same levels of the hierarchy.  
         [0018]     The system  100  can use a hierarchical organizational chart, such as the Blue Pages of IBM®, to determine who is where in a hierarchy. The system  100  can then determine who is relevant to a particular individual in the hierarchy. Relevancy can be defined as those who are in specified places above, below, and lateral to an individual in a hierarchy. An algorithm for use with the outputs of the various metric monitors  103 , can then be used to display to a given user what metrics typical members of a given layer of hierarchy are using. Alternatively, all the metrics the members of a hierarchy are using is given to the end user.  
         [0019]     For instance, in the system  100 , the first computer corresponds to the highest level of a business hierarchy, for instance, the President&#39;s computer or the head of a department. In  FIG. 1 , the President has two metrics that he or she monitors. These are the gross sales of the company for a given time period, and the average time to shipping of a given business unit. Furthermore, the metrics can include frequency of use metrics by those lower in the hierarchy, as well as the information itself.  
         [0020]     In the system  100 , the fact that the first hierarchy (that is, the President of the company) is tracking this information is visible to the second computer  120  and the  130  of the second level of the hierarchy. This information can be used by the user of each computer  120 ,  130  to determine what information and metrics he or she wishes to display on his or her own computer  120 ,  130 . For instance, the second computer  120  is displaying the average time to shipping metric, which the second computer  120  displays as also displayed on the first computer  110  of the first hierarchy. However, the second computer  120  also displays an “employee productivity” metric. The user of the second computer  120  can also see what the third computer  130  is viewing for metrics, and what the fourth, fifth, and sixth computers  140 ,  150  and  160 , are viewing. The computers  140 ,  150  and  160  are lower in the hierarchy than the computer  120 , but are visible to the computer  120 .  
         [0021]     The user of the third computer  130 , however, after viewing the metrics used by the first computer  110 , and the second computer  120  selects “gross sales” and “sales per salesperson”. However, the third computer  130  can read the type of metrics generated by the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth computers  110 ,  120 ,  140 ,  150 , and  160 . In a similar manner, the fourth computers  140  through  160  can view the metrics viewed by other members of the appropriate levels of the business hierarchy.  
         [0022]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , illustrated are exemplary hierarchies of information that can be used in conjunction with the system  100 .  
         [0023]     A first exemplary hierarchy  210  concerns the sharing of dashboard information for those of differing job titles. A manager  211  can view information of a supervisor  212 , and the supervisor  212  can view dashboard information of the manager. Likewise, production workers  213 ,  214 , can view dashboard information of the supervisor  212 .  
         [0024]     A second exemplary hierarchy  220  concerns the sharing of dashboard information for those of differing departments. A production department  221  can view information of a distribution department  222 , and the distribution department  222  can view dashboard information of the production department  221 . Likewise, retail sales departments  223 ,  224 , can view dashboard information of the distribution department  222 .  
         [0025]     A third exemplary hierarchy  230  concerns the sharing of dashboard information for those of differing site locations. A New York site  231  can view information of a Delaware site  232 , and the Delaware site  232  can view dashboard information of the New York site  231 . Likewise, the Ohio Sites  233 ,  234 , can view dashboard information of the Delaware site  222 .  
         [0026]     A fourth exemplary hierarchy  240  concerns the sharing of dashboard information for those of differing interests. A systems integration engineer  241  can view information of a VLSI engineer  242 , and the VLSI  242  can view dashboard information of the systems engineer  241 . Likewise, the power supply engineers  243 ,  244 , can view dashboard information of the VLSI engineer  242 .  
         [0027]     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , illustrated is one example of use of the system for sharing dashboard information through the employment four separate metric windows  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340 . Each of these windows  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  show the metrics that the other relevant members of the business hierarchy are viewing, such as, for example, hierarchy  310 ,  320 ,  330 , and  340 . For ease of illustration, a system  300  is illustrated as could be seen by a user of the second computer  120 . However, those of skill in the art understand that the illustrations of the system  300  could also be applied to other computers. When viewing the metrics that have been used by other viewers, the underlying data itself can be viewed by the various computers. Also, the frequency of use can be shown in regards to each metric. The frequency of use could be illustrated as color coded, such as red for the most frequently accessed, yellow for somewhat frequently accessed, and green for the least frequently accessed. Alternatively, indicia indicating percentage of access by the other computers as a metric could also be used, such as a percentage sign with the appropriate number.  
         [0028]     The first window is a master window  310 . The master window  310  displays all of the possible metrics available to a user as a function of his role in the organization. In other words, the master window  310  shows all the metrics that could be accessed by the second computer  120 .  
         [0029]     The second window, the focal window  320 , displays the metrics that are presently deemed “important” to the user, as these are the metrics being actively being used by the viewer. When the individual first joins the organization, the metrics on display within this window can display the maximum array of metrics used by other individuals at the same level of the hierarchy are using, the lowest common denominator of the metrics that individuals at the same level of the organization are being used, or any combination of the two. However, these metrics can be adjusted. These metrics are adjusted either by that individual individually discovering a new metric in the main window  310 , or being informed of the use of a new metric by those in either the same or other members of the hierarchy through the use of the dashboard  300 , as will be explained below. In the illustrated embodiment of the dashboard  300 , the metrics of import are shown to be “Average Time to Shipping” and “Employee Productivity”. These adjustments can be made by “dragging and dropping” icons from the horizontal  240 , vertical  230  or master  210  scrolling window.  
         [0030]     Window  330  is the vertical scrolling window. The vertical scrolling window  330  discloses what those above that individual, both higher and lower in the hierarchy, are viewing as metrics. This can show the greatest range of metrics used by others both higher and lower in the hierarchy, the most commonly used metrics by others higher and lower in the hierarchy, the most commonly accessed metrics used by others, and so on.  
         [0031]     Finally, in the horizontal scrolling window, the metrics that are used by other end users at a similar level of the hierarchy are displayed to the end user.  
         [0032]     The end result of all of this disclosure is that changes in metrics and new popular metrics can populate through the system quickly, without changes being mandated by administration. For example, suppose that someone at a given level of the hierarchy (level “2”), discovers that a certain metric is very appropriate for the attributes of the business with which he is concerned. He will then copy that metric from the main window  310  to the focal window  320 .  
         [0033]     However, this change will be noticed by others within the hierarchy. At level “1” (assuming that level  1  is the apex of this system), the chief supervisor will notice on her vertical scrolling window  330  that a subordinate in layer “2” is using this particular metric. The end user at level “1” may or may not decide to use that metric, but in any event, it is useful to know what measurements that one&#39;s subordinates regard as a good measure of progress of the business. Co-workers at the same level (level “2”) will again know what the one co-worker is using, and can decide to incorporate this metric into their own personalized focal window  320 . Finally, subordinates will know what their immediate supervisor (or, for that matter, what the group aggregate of supervisors) regard as important, and if so, can add some of these measurements to the metrics that they view in each individual focal window  320 . However, in a further embodiment, those supervised will be denied access to specified metrics of those above them in the hierarchy. In other words, both the fact of the use of the metric, and the underlying data itself, will be denied the level supervised.  
         [0034]     In a further embodiment, the various non-forbidden metrics used by the other computers of the hierarchy scroll across the bottom of the window  240 . This could be used, for instance, in circumstances in which the various metrics of use change frequently by the various members of the hierarchy. These metrics can be periodically updated.  
         [0035]     It is understood that the present invention can take many forms and embodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. The capabilities outlined herein allow for the possibility of a variety of programming models. This disclosure should not be read as preferring any particular programming model, but is instead directed to the underlying mechanisms on which these programming models can be built.  
         [0036]     Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.