System and method of commitment management

The present invention discloses a system for and method of managing a project that includes one or more tasks. In one embodiment the task comprises a first task dependent on a completion of a second task. The system and method allow a user to display the relationship between the tasks and scheduled completion dates. Those in charge of a task can thus be held accountable. The system comprises a server with a memory for storing a data structure corresponding to a commitment relationship for a task between a requester and a performer, the data structure containing task data corresponding to a commitment date for completing the task; a first host for use by the requester, the first host configured to exchange negotiation messages through the server with a second host for use by the performer, the negotiation messages containing data related to a proposed commitment date for completing the task; and a second host for use by the performer, the second host configured to exchange the negotiation messages through the server with the first host.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of project management. More specifically, the present invention is related to managing and coordinating the completion of a project containing one or more tasks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a work project is small and staff members located near one another, those in charge of the project can easily meet with the staff members to manage work schedules and predict when individual tasks of the project, and thus the project as a whole, is to be completed. Problems arise when projects are larger. These larger projects generally have more staff members assigned to the individual tasks, staff members who are often located at geographically remote locations or who otherwise find it difficult to meet. These individual tasks are often related, with one task depending on the completion of another. A delay in completing one task often has a cascading effect, delaying the completion of other tasks. Moreover, because it is more difficult to meet with these staff members, those in charge have a harder time managing and keeping track of which tasks are behind schedule, negotiating to get the schedule back on track, and therefore determining how long the project is delayed.

Prior art methods of tracking completion dates for tasks in a project include getting verbal commitments from a task leader. These individual commitments were often recorded in meeting minutes or e-mails. Coordinating these individual commitments to determine the completion date for an entire project was thus time consuming and inexact. When the completion date of one task slipped, the commitment dates for all the tasks dependent on it had to be revised. To this end, task leaders for the dependent tasks were notified and meetings were scheduled. During the meetings, managers asked for new completion dates and task leaders asked for more resources, such as money or manpower, to complete the task. After this negotiation process, individual completion dates for all the tasks in a chain of tasks were revised. This entire process was repeated whenever another completion date slipped.

To avoid this lengthy process, task leaders often pushed out their completion dates, to account for any delays that may arise. The resulting artificially extended completion dates generated inaccurate predictions for the completion of the entire project, with the resultant disadvantages in parts procurement, inventory management, marketing analyses, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method in accordance with the present invention manage one or more tasks that must be performed to complete a project. In accordance with the system and method, a requester of a task and a performer of the task negotiate resources and a corresponding commitment date to complete the task. The requester, performer, and selected third parties are able to review the status of each task, the relationship of the tasks, and scheduled completion dates for each task. The requester, performer, and selected third parties are also able to query data relating to the tasks and generate reports from that data. The system and method further allow the project to be coordinated so that changes in completion dates for various tasks trigger notification messages to those responsible for other project tasks, allowing those involved to renegotiate scheduled commitment dates. In accordance with the present invention, a requester, a performer, or a third party is a person, an organization, a department, or any other entity capable of requesting, performing, or viewing a task.

In a first aspect of the present invention, a system for managing a task comprises a server, a first host, and a second host. The server has a memory for storing a data structure corresponding to a commitment relationship for a task between a requester and a performer. The data structure contains task data corresponding to a commitment date for completing the task. The first host is for use by the requester and is configured to exchange negotiation messages through the server with a second host for use by the performer. The negotiation messages contain data related to a proposed commitment date for completing the task. The second host is for use by the performer and is configured to exchange the negotiation messages through the server with the first host. Preferably, the server couples the first host to the second host, thereby allowing the data structure and the task data to be accessed from both the first host and the second host. This structure further allows negotiation messages to be exchanged between the first host and the second host.

In one embodiment, the negotiation messages contain data corresponding to resources for completing the task. The resources comprise any one or more of a budget for completing the task and a number of workers for completing the task.

In another embodiment, the server further comprises a commitment management service for exchanging negotiation messages between the first host and the second host; a communications component for sending real-time notifications and instant user messages between the first host and the second host; and a database for storing the task data. The server further comprises a first server process operatively coupled to the first host, the first server process for exchanging information related to the task with the first host; and a second server process operatively coupled to the second host, the second server process for exchanging information related to the task with the second host. The first server process and the second server process are related by the data structure.

In another embodiment, the first host comprises an executing first agent process configured to communicate with the first server process, and the second host comprises an executing second agent process configured to communicate with the second server process. Preferably, the first host and the second host are configured to communicate with the commitment management service according to HTTP and with the communications component according to TCP/IP.

In another embodiment, the data structure comprises a first record corresponding to the requester of the task; a second record corresponding to the performer of the task; and a commitment record corresponding to the task.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a method of managing a task corresponding to a commitment relationship between a requester and a performer of the task comprises communicating between a first host corresponding to the requester and a second host corresponding to the performer to negotiate a commitment for the task through a commitment management service on a server; transmitting negotiation messages between the first host and the second host to determine at least one of a completion date, required resources, an acceptance of a negotiation message, and a declination of a commitment relationship; storing in a database on the server a new version of task data comprising a completion date and required resources; and repeating transmitting and storing until receiving a message indicating either an acceptance or a declination of the commitment relationship.

In a third aspect of the present invention, a system for managing a project divisible into a plurality of tasks is defined by an architecture. The architecture comprises a plurality of objects related by a tree structure. Each object and its corresponding zero or more child objects correspond respectively to a task and its corresponding zero or more component tasks. Furthermore, each object and its corresponding child objects are configured for negotiating resources and committing to a completion date of a corresponding component task.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer network for managing a project comprising a task divisible into a plurality of tasks comprises a server executing a first process and a second process. The first process corresponds to a requester of a task from the plurality of tasks and the second process corresponds to a performer of the task. The server stores an object used to display a commitment relationship between the requester and the performer. The server further runs a commitment management service to enable the two processes to negotiate on a completion date for completing the task. The two processes don't have to be running at the same time.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, a method of managing a project comprising one or more tasks divisible into one or more final tasks comprises dividing each task into one or more sub-tasks and negotiating with a plurality of entities each corresponding to one or more of the sub-tasks and receiving a commitment from each of the entities for completing a corresponding sub-task.

In a sixth aspect of the present invention, a method of managing a task comprises dividing a first task into one or more component tasks; assigning the management of the one or more component tasks to a corresponding one or more entities; negotiating with each of the one or more entities a completion date for each of the corresponding tasks; and automatically generating for display on a host system data illustrating the relationship between the first task and each of the component tasks.

In a seventh aspect of the present invention, a method of managing tasks relating to persons from different organizations comprises storing on a server database commitment data corresponding to a structure of an organization, data corresponding to employees of the organization, and commitments between the employees; and sharing the commitment data, thereby enabling a user on a first server to negotiate a commitment with a user on a second server.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A system and method in accordance with the present invention allows a project requiring the completion of one or more tasks to be efficiently managed and tracked. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, parties negotiate the completion of a task, including the resources needed to complete the task and a commitment date for completing the task. Once a commitment date has been agreed to, the parties can view data showing the relationship between the high-level tasks and any related component tasks and the completion dates of each task.

In accordance with another embodiment, the parties can also use search terms to generate reports used to track and otherwise manage the one or more tasks. The system is also capable of notifying parties when a commitment date has slipped, allowing the parties to renegotiate any affected commitment dates. The system and method of the present invention are capable of managing projects having tasks related in complex ways such as by a tree structure. Those in charge of the project can also select a structure or organization of the task, defined by any one of a number of templates. Managers can thus oversee the status of an entire project and allocate resources to bring about the most efficient and timely completion of a project.

FIG. 1shows a diagram100of the steps of a negotiation process for managing a task requested by a first entity101(the requester) to be performed by a second entity102(the performer). In one embodiment, the requester101receives a first task that is divisible into multiple tasks, each assigned to a performer. In one example, the requester101is a manager of a department and the performer102is a member of that department. In another example, the requester is an entire department or other organization.

Referring toFIG. 1, in a step103, the requester101generates a first version V0.1 and a second version V0.2 of a work (e.g., task) order, saving copies of both for future reference. In this example, each task order V0.1 and V0.2 contains proposed terms of the task: a description of the task (e.g., write a chapter of a document), a budget for completing the task (e.g., $5,000), the number of workers to be assigned to the task (e.g., 2), and a date for completing the task (e.g., Jan. 1, 2005). The requester101then transmits the version V0.1 to the performer102, labeled on the performer102as V1.0. The performer receives the task order V1.0 in the step104.

The performer102is the able to accept the terms of version V1.0 of the task order or create his own task order containing terms that he finds acceptable. For example, in the step106, the performer102generates versions V1.1, V1.2, and V1.3 of the task order. Version V1.1 contains one combination of his proposed terms: the same task (write a chapter of a document), but with a budget of $6,000, more workers assigned to complete this task (3), and a later completion date (Feb. 1, 2005). In versions V1.2 and V1.3, the performer102proposes several different task orders with varying terms. The performer102then submits to the requester101a version of his proposed task order (one of V1.1, V1.2, and V1.3). The requester receives this submitted task order, labeled on the requester side as V2.0, in the step105.

As shown inFIG. 1, submissions between the requester101and the performer102continue with the requester101generating drafts V2.1. V2.2, and V3.3 in the step107and submitting a selected one of them to the performer102. The performer102receives the selected task order, labeled as V3.0 on the performer side, in the step108. Next, in the step110, the performer102generates versions V3.1, V3.2, and V3.3 in the step110, and submits a selected one of them to the requester101, which the requester101ultimately uses to generate versions V4.1 and V4.2 in the step109. This negotiation process continues until both the requester101and the performer102agree on acceptable task terms, including a commitment date by which the performer102agrees to perform the task.

At the end of the negotiation process, both the requester101and the performer102are bound by (committed to) the negotiated terms: the requester101to supply the negotiated resources and the performer102to perform the task by the committed completion date. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention, the requester101does not have to commit to supply resources; instead it is only the performer102who commits to supply (e.g., complete) the task by a commitment date.

In accordance with the present invention, the requester101generates a task order, generates new versions, submits task orders, and receives a task order, all on a requester host (not shown), such as a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, or any other device that supports a negotiation process such as described here. The performer102also negotiates using a performer host (not shown) similar to the requester host. Preferably, the requester host and the performer host are different hosts, though they may be the same host. Once the performer101and the requester102agree on the terms of the task order, data corresponding to the negotiation process is stored in a data structure that is accessible to both the performer host and the requester host. Thus, users on both the performer host and the requester host can thus access the data structure and related data and use them to generate reports showing the relationship between the negotiated task and other tasks that together are required to complete the project. In a preferred embodiment, such as described below, the data structure is stored at a central location accessible to both the requester host and the performer host. In this way, the requester host and the performer host both have the ability to display the relationship between tasks, the completion date for each task, and the terms of each task. Additionally, both the requester host and the performer host both have the ability to display reports relating to the terms. Using these displays, managers are better able to track and otherwise manage the completion of projects.

FIG. 2shows a memory200storing a structure205having components that mirror relationship between a requester201of a task and a performer202of the task. The relationship between the components is a simple parent-child relationship. It will be appreciated that many relationships between a requester of a task and the performer of the task, including one or more performers of the task's components tasks, in accordance with the present invention are possible. For example, in one embodiment, illustrated inFIG. 9, the structure is a tree structure, such as when one task comprises two or more component tasks. Thus, within the tree structure, at least one task is both a child of another task and a parent to one or more other tasks. In this and all the embodiments, each task corresponds to a user assigned to manage or perform the task.

FIG. 3shows a database300for storing data related to the performance of a task having three component tasks. The data, the structure between its elements (illustrated in more detail inFIG. 4), and the database are all able to be used, either alone or in combination, to present to users a display depicting the relationship between tasks and completion dates. The database300comprises a first row301, a second row302, a third row303, and a fourth row304. Each row contains information related to a particular task. The database300also has a row301whose headings each describes task data: a first column311has the heading Task ID and stores task identifiers; a second column312has the heading “Task Name”; a third column313has the heading “Requester”; a fourth column314has the heading “Performer”; a fifth column315has the heading “Start” and contains start dates for tasks; and a sixth column316has the heading “Finish” and contains finish dates for tasks. The intersection of a particular row and column contains the task data for the Task ID for that particular row. The second row302contains the Task ID “Task1”, the Task Name“Write Chapter1”, the Requester “Mary”, the Performer “Bob”, the Start date “Dec. 31, 2004”, and the Finish date “Feb. 1, 2005”. The third row303contains the Task ID “Task2”, the Task Name “Write Chapter2”, the Requester “Mary”, the Performer “Tim”, the Start date “Dec. 30, 2004”, and the Finish date “Feb. 1, 2005”. The fourth row304contains the Task ID “Task3”, the Task Name “Write Outline for Chapter2”, the Requester “Tim”, the Performer “Teresa”, the Start date “Dec. 30, 2004”, and the Finish date “Dec. 31, 2004”. It will be appreciated that the row301is included merely to describe the data contained in each column of the database300and need not be stored in the database300. The row301is optionally stored if, for example, the database300is a relational database.

In accordance with the present invention, if the Requestor Mary has a task (the parent task) that depends on the completion of Task1and Task2(the component tasks of the parent task), and Task2depends on the completion of Task3(the component task of its parent task, Task2), the system and method of the present invention assure that the Finish dates of the component tasks are not later than the completion date of a corresponding parent task.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a performer, a requester, or even a third party is able to view the relationship between tasks and completion dates for each task.FIG. 4, for example, is a screen shot of a display330corresponding to the rows301-304of the database300and the relationship between them. The display330has rows331-334showing data corresponding to Task1, Task2, Task3, and Task4. The display of the data contained in the rows331-334is similar to that shown in the database300and will not be described here. The row331has a “+” sign next to the entry “Mary”, indicating to a viewer that “Mary” is a requester. The row332has a “−” sign next to the entry “Bob”, and the row333has a “−” sign next to the entry “Tim”. The rows332and333are both slightly right indented from the row331, indicating that the Bob and Tim are both performers for the requestor Mary. The row334has a “−” sign next to the entry “Teresa” and is slightly right indented from the row333, indicating that Teresa is a performer for the task requested by Tim.

It will be appreciated that the display330is able to be shown to any performer of a task or component task, any requester of a task or a component task, or any third party that is granted permission to view the display330. In one embodiment, the system described here contains a user file containing a list of users and associated permissions. For example, a first user in the user list is granted permission to view tasks and completion dates relating to the user “Tim” but not those relating to the user “Bob”. A second user in the user list may not have permission to view the names or status of any tasks.

FIG. 5illustrates a general structure350between requesters and performers and their associated tasks, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The element351corresponds to a commitment C0between a requester R0and a performer P0for completing a task. For the example illustrated in the structure350, the performer P0determines that to complete the task, he must get a commitment C1from a performer P1, a commitment C2from a performer P2, and a commitment C3from a performer P3. The performer P0thus has two roles and two sets of negotiations: to R0, P0is a performer; and to P1, P2, and P3, P0is a requester.

When negotiating completion dates, R0requests that P0finish C0before a date D0. P0requests that P1, P2, and P3finish their tasks based on the commitments C1, C2, and C3. Thus, the completion date D1for C1, the completion date D2for C2, and the completion date D3for C3, must all come before D0.

WhileFIG. 5depicts a commitment tree with four elements351-354, it will be appreciated that smaller and larger commitment trees are able to be coordinated in accordance with the present invention. Moreover, every participant in a commitment tree is able to use a top-down or down-up style of completion date negotiation to ensure that a task having a commitment is completed before an associated parent task.

As will be described in more detail below, each task is managed by a process executing on one of a requester host, a performer host, or another host. Processes as described herein perform, at the least, any one or more of the following functions: accepts data to generate messages for negotiating commitments, exchanges messages with other processes, and stores data in and retrieves data from a database. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, when a requester host and a performer host communicate, they do so through their respective processes. Because the requester host and the performer host also correspond to tasks, the processes related to the requester host and the performer host are also related by the relationship of the tasks. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, if a first task corresponds to a parent of a second task, the corresponding first process is a parent process of the second task.

FIG. 6shows the steps500for making a commitment date for the completion of a task. First, in the step501, the task is generated. This is done in any number of ways. For example, a manager is presented with a graphical user interface (requester GUI) for assigning tasks to an employee (e.g., a performer). In one embodiment, this requester GUI is generated by a process executing on the manager's host computer (the parent process). When the manager assigns the task, the parent process automatically creates a process corresponding to the employee (a child process). In one embodiment, the parent process generates an e-mail message notifying the employee that he has been assigned the task. The parent process and the child process are then used to exchange negotiation messages between the manager and the employee. Other processes are used to store data related to the negotiation process and commitment dates in a memory and database, such as described above in relation toFIGS. 2 and 3.

Again referring toFIG. 6, the manager and the employee then negotiate the task terms in the step502and agree on the task terms including a commitment date, binding both the manager and the employee in the step520. From the step520, either the step510is returned to, with the parties renegotiating the task terms, or the task is started and then, in the step530, executed. From the step530, either the step510is returned to (again, with the parties renegotiating), or the task is delivered to the manager in the step540, where it is considered completed. From the step540, either the parties return to the step510(again, with the parties renegotiating), or the finish step545is entered.

FIGS. 7 and 8show two of the individual processes ofFIG. 6in more detail. Like-numbered elements inFIGS. 6-8refer to the same process step.FIG. 7shows the start step501and details of the negotiation process510ofFIG. 6. First, in the step511, the task order is edited by the requester. In the step512, the task order is submitted to the performer. If the performer agrees to the task order, the process continues to the step520. Otherwise, the process continues to the step513, where the performer either alters the task order and submits a new version of the task order to the requester in the step514, or the performer resets the task order by returning to the step512, alters it, thereby generating another version of the task order, and returns to the step513. This sequence of resetting the task order and altering it to create additional versions of the task order can occur any number of times. In the step514, the process either continues to the step520, in which the task order is committed, or the task order is altered and the process continues to the step511, from which the altered version can be reset (e.g., the editing process is aborted and the version of the task order submitted by the requester is accepted), or the process continues to the step512.

FIG. 8is a diagram showing the committed step520ofFIGS. 6 and 7, the executing step530ofFIG. 6, a more detailed illustration of the completed step540ofFIG. 6, and the end step545, also ofFIG. 6. As shown inFIG. 8, when the completed step540is entered, the process enters a delivered step541. In the delivered step541, the task order is either accepted, and the process continues to the step542, or the task order is rejected, and the process returns to the executing step530. From the accepted step542, the process continues to the end step545.

As explained above, embodiments of the present invention are well suited for managing complex projects having a plurality of tasks. In the example illustrated inFIG. 9, the project has several tasks that comprise component tasks.FIG. 9shows a diagram600depicting the relationship between tasks for selling a book, the uppermost task605corresponding to the task of actually selling the book. The task605is divided into its first component task610of binding the book and its second component task630of marketing the book. In other words, when the two tasks of binding the book610and marketing the book630are both complete, the book is sold, completing the task605. What is more, the two tasks610and630can be performed independently of one another. The task610is divided into its first component task615and its second component task620. The task615is the task of collecting materials to bind the book, such as collecting a dust jacket and covers; the task620is the task of editing the book. The task620has its first component task622of writing the chapters of the book. The task622has its first component task624and its second component task626. The task624is the task of collecting materials to draft the chapters, such as paper and a computer running a word processing program. The task626is the task of researching material for the individual chapters.

The structure of the diagram600is of a tree, with the uppermost task605corresponding to the root node of the tree. To simplify the present discussion, each of the elements605,610,615,620,622,624,626, and630refers to a task, a node representing completion of the task, and an entity responsible for completing that task.

Referring toFIG. 9, it will be appreciated that a node can be both a child of one node and a parent of another. Thus, for example, the node610is a child of the node605and is also a parent of the node615and of the node620. It is also clear that the task610cannot be completed until its child tasks615and620are completed: a book cannot be bound until it is written and the binding materials obtained. Thus, a completion date for the task610depends on (the later of) the completion dates of the tasks615and620. When scheduling the completion date of a project, the completion date of a task is first determined and used to determine the completion date of the task's parent task. A change in the completion date of any task (e.g., task620) will ultimately change the completion date of the task's parent (e.g., task610) and thus ultimately any descendant of the task (e.g., root task605). The completion date of the entire project is the completion date of the root task605.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the completion date of the project600is determined in a top-down manner. In this embodiment, users corresponding to tasks in an upper branch of the tree600agree to a completion date for a task. This completion date is thus imposed on users responsible for tasks corresponding to lower branches in the tree600. Thus, for example, the user responsible for the task610and the user responsible for the task620agree on a completion date for editing the book. The user responsible for the task620then negotiates with the user responsible for the task622on a completion date for writing the chapters in the book. This process continues until completion dates for each task in the project are committed to. As described in more detail below, as part of the negotiation between two users, a parent user responsible for a parent task proposes a completion date to its child user responsible for the child task. The child user can agree (e.g., commit) to the proposed completion date or he can propose another completion date. The parent user and the child user continue to negotiate until they agree on a completion date that the child user commits to. Preferably, the completion date is bounded by a completion date negotiated between the parent user and the parent of the parent user.

In a second embodiment, the completion date of the project600is determined in a bottom-up manner. In this embodiment, users corresponding to tasks in a lower branch of the tree600agree to a completion date for a task. This completion date is thus imposed on users responsible for tasks corresponding to upper branches in the tree600. Thus, for example, the user responsible for the task620and the user responsible for the task622agree on a completion date for writing chapters in the book. The user responsible for the task620then negotiates with the user responsible for the task610on a completion date for binding the book. The process continues from lower nodes in the tree600to the upper nodes until completion dates for each task in the project are committed to.

Once completion dates for the component tasks and thus the final project are committed to, a user may later need to revise his commitment date (e.g., to make it earlier or later). The negotiation process is reopened, and all the completion dates depending on the revised commitment date are also renegotiated to determine a new completion date for the project. These renegotiations are initiated automatically. Preferably, users assigned to a parent task of the delayed task are notified of the delay. These users are preferably notified by e-mail, an icon displayed on a GUI generated on their host system, an audible alert, or by some other means.

Alternatively, or additionally, resources available to a requester may change, either increasing or decreasing. In this case, the system is configured to send a notification message to the performer, and the requester and the performer are again able to negotiate a new completion date that the performer will commit to.

As described below, this process of negotiation and commitment is performed using processes that allow the division of a project into component tasks, the exchange of messages containing proposals and commitments, the archiving of these messages to keep a record of the negotiations, and the automatic updating of the completion schedules based on revised completion dates.

In a preferred embodiment, the system of the present invention comprises a plurality of hosts for use, for example, by performers, requesters, and third parties. A performer and a requester use their hosts to exchange messages containing negotiating data. The performer, the requester, and third parties use their hosts to, among other things, view commitment trees and generate reports related to the project. In a preferred embodiment, the system also comprises a server coupled to the performer, requester, and third party hosts. The server stores a copy of the commitment tree and contains programs used to search data related to tasks and generate reports. Using a server has several advantages. First, a central server provides a central location from which third parties are able to access the commitment tree and other data. Second, only the central server, and not the other hosts, needs the processing power and memory for updating a commitment tree and generating reports. Third, the central server is better able to update (e.g., coordinate) the commitment tree and related data. Without the central server, the individual hosts would have to distribute updates to the commitment tree to the other hosts, difficult to coordinate, especially when the number of hosts is large. Fourth, a central server allows processes to exchange messages using shared memory, such as a message mailbox.

FIG. 10is a screen shot of a GUI650presented to a user of a system of the present invention, such as a requester, a performer, or a third party, for managing and otherwise coordinating tasks used to complete the project600shown inFIG. 9. The GUI650comprises a first area670, a second area674, and a third area675. The first area670depicts the commitment tree related to the project600. Each row of the first area670contains information related to a specific task, with indentations showing the hierarchical relationship between tasks, as described, for example, with reference toFIG. 4. Each row of the first area670has entries described by the titles in each column. For example, the first row of data in the first area670has a first entry titled “Name” indicating that the name of this task is “Sell 100,000 copies of book A”, a second entry titled “Requester” indicates that the person requesting this task is “Jason”, a third entry titled “Performer” indicates that “Bill” will perform this task, a fourth entry titled “Due Start” indicates that this task has a committed start date of “2005-Jan.-01”, and a fifth entry titled “Due Finish” indicates that this task has a committed completion date of “2005-Dec.-30”.

The first area670also contains tab buttons labeled “Task”, “Documents”, “Resources”, and Log”. When the “Task” button is selected by a user, the task tree (such as illustrated) is displayed. When the “Documents” button is selected, a list of documents related to the tasks is displayed. Examples of these documents include, but are not limited to, parts lists for a task, instruction manuals generated for a task, sales and marketing documents for a task. When a particular document name included in the list is selected, the document is displayed.

A toolbar676also contains a button labeled “Commitments”, which when selected displays all the commitments stored in the system; a button labeled “Templates”, which when selected allows a user to select the structure of (relationship between) tasks; and a button labeled “Insert Root Commitment”, which when selected allows a user to insert a root commitment, that is, select an overall manager of a project. The overall manager creates the first task or set of tasks for completing a project.

The second area674shows all the projects that are managed by the system, one of which is “Sell 100,000 copies of book A.” Each task shown in the second area674has a “+” sign next to it, indicating that it is a parent task in a task chain. Selecting a task (by, for example, moving a mouse pointer over it and then clicking the mouse pointer) will expand the entry, thereby showing the child tasks associated with the parent task.

The third area675shows data fields and control buttons for entering and displaying information related to the task. For example, the third area675shows the parent of the current task (e.g., a task highlighted in the second area674), the state of the task (whether the parties are in the process of or have completed negotiating its terms), who is in control of the task (e.g., the requester), the version of the task order, the latest version number of the task order, the version history (showing the versions stored or submitted during the negotiation process), general data, delivery data, and quotations, among other things. A user can also provide comments related to the task.

FIG. 11is a block diagram showing the components of a system800in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system comprises a server850coupled to a first host805(used, for example, by a manager or other requester) and a second host825(used, for example, by an employee or other performer). The server comprises a first client agent855, a message service component885, and a workflow service component890. The message service component885receives messages from a host (e.g.,805and825) and routes it to its corresponding agent thread (e.g.,860and870, respectively). The workflow service component890receives update commitments to configure the commitment tree, thereby updating the server's850view of the relationships among tasks.

The first client agent855comprises (1) a connector855A for connecting to the first host805and the second host825, (2) an active user list855B containing names and login information of users granted access to a commitment tree and related data stored on the server850, (3) a control message transmitter855C for transmitting control messages to hosts within the same domain as the server850, (4) a control message distributor for distributing control messages to hosts outside the domain of the server850, (5) a messenger service component885for queuing and otherwise controlling messages, (6) the workflow service component890for controlling the tasks for a project, (7) a first agent thread860corresponding to the process relating to the first host805, (8) a second agent thread870corresponding to the process relating to the second host825, and (9) a third agent thread880corresponding to the process related to a third host (not shown). The first agent thread860is exemplary of the second agent thread870and the third agent thread880. The first agent thread860comprises a sender component860A for sending messages to the first host805and a receiving component for receiving messages from the first host805.

The first host805is exemplary of the second host825. The first host comprises a client agent810, a messenger client811, and a workflow client812. The client agent810comprises a connector810A for connecting to the agent thread860, a collaborator list810B containing the names of any employees assigned to the same task as the user on host810, a sender810C, a receiver810D, and a control message distributor810E. The control message distributor810E is configured to send messages to both the messenger client811and the workflow client812. The messenger client811and the workflow client812are both configured to send messages to the sender810C.

In operation, the agent threads860,870, and880each correspond to a task to be managed by the host computers805,825, and a third host (not shown), respectively. The agent threads860,870, and880(e.g., lightweight processes) are configured in a structure that mirrors the relationships of the tasks. For example, referring to bothFIGS. 9 and 11, if the agent thread860corresponds to the process622(managed by a user on the host605), the agent thread870corresponds to the process624(managed by a user on the host825), and the agent thread880corresponds to the process626(managed by a user on a host not shown), then the agent thread860will be a parent thread to the agent threads870and880. Preferably, when the user on the host805generates the tasks624and625(by, for example, completing data fields in a graphical user interface to assign the tasks to employees in his department), the agent thread860spawns the agent threads870and880.

The components of the system800are able to be implemented in many ways. For example, in one embodiment, the hosts805and825are implemented using Web services such as the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). In other embodiments, the server850is implemented using the Microsoft®.NET framework, a database on the server850is implemented to support ASP.NET. In still other embodiments, the hosts805and825and the server850are all configured to communicate using a hyper-text transfer protocol (HTTP).

In a preferred embodiment, tasks are managed using processes or lightweight processes (e.g., threads). Processes are configured so that their relationship mirrors that between their corresponding tasks. As one example, a requester process on the server850couples the requester host system805to the server850. The process then exchanges negotiation and other messages with a process corresponding to the performer host system. In this way, the requester host system and the performer host system communicate.

In a preferred embodiment, when a requester accesses the server using a graphical user interface and enters a field to assign a task to a performer, a process relating to the requester task is automatically spawned. The relationship between the requester process (and hence task) and the performer process (and hence) task is accordingly defined. A notification is then transmitted from the requester process to the performer process and thus on to the performer host system, notifying him that he has been assigned the task. The performer process then creates a mirror process on the performer host system. The mirror process allows the user to generate negotiation messages and the like on the performer host system.

Keeping a copy of the negotiation messages on the performer host has several advantages. For example, a performer host system can be disconnected from the server host for a variety of reasons, such as a broken Internet connection. The performer host system can process negotiation commands and task order versions itself. When the connection with the server host is reestablished, the negotiation commands and task order versions are transmitted to the server. The performer host system is thus configured to work off line.

It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the server850contains other components, such as a document module containing documents or links (such as Web addresses) to documents stored at remote locations. Preferably, all of the hosts and attached servers in accordance with the present invention contain Web browsers and other modules that allow them to communicate over the Internet and access documents such as those formatted using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and using protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

FIG. 12shows an architecture900for a commitment application in accordance with the present invention. The architecture900comprises server systems901-904and client systems905-913. The server system901is coupled to the server system903and the client systems905-907; the server system902is coupled to the server systems903and904and to the client systems908and909; the server system903is coupled to the server systems901and902and to the client systems910-912; and the server system904is coupled to the server system902and to the client system913. It will be appreciated that server systems and client systems can be coupled to one another in many configurations.

Each server system901-904stores at least three types of information: (1) information of an organizational structure and many persons (users) inside it; (2) information of commitments between the users, including the identities of requesters and performers, completion dates, budgets, resources required to perform tasks, specifications relating to the scopes of each task, and the relationship (e.g., parent-child) between commitments; and (3) documents owned by the users and related to the commitments.

In operation, each server system901-904starts the client systems coupled to it. Thus, for example, the server system901starts the clients905-907by starting a user session between the server system901and the clients905-907. During a user session, a user on a client system is able to view and manage one or more commitments between the user and other users identified on a GUI displayed on the client system. Each user session is able to support a user session, potentially related to multiple commitments, not just a single one. Preferably, these commitments are organized in a tree-like structure.

In the architecture900, each server system901-904comprises a server-side collaboration component, and each client system905-913comprises a client-side collaboration component. Each server-side collaboration component and each client-side collaboration component supports real-time communication between the server systems901-904and any client system905-913that each is coupled to. These real-time communications include notifications and instant user messages.

Each server system901-904is configured for server-to-server (peer-to-peer) communications. Thus, each server system901-904is able to share person and organization information with another server system, and also allows users to exchange and negotiate commitments across server systems.

It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that other various modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.