Visualization of relationships among order components

Provided are systems and methods which generate and display a relationship diagram that visually depicts relationships between items in an order including both non-service components (e.g., products, materials, software applications, drivers, etc.) and service components for servicing one or more of the non-service components. In one example, the method may include receiving a request from a user interface, querying a data store for dependency data of a plurality of components included an order based on an order identifier included in the received request, generating a visualization based on the dependency data of the plurality of components, wherein the visualization comprises a plurality of graphical elements representing the plurality of components, and directional edges between the plurality of graphical elements representing dependencies among the plurality of components, and rendering the diagram via the user interface.

BACKGROUND

An entity such as a manufacturer, supplier, etc., may offer both products (e.g., physical goods, parts, software applications, etc.) as well as services (e.g., installation, repair, warranty, subscriptions, projects, etc.) for such products. As an example, a manufacturer may sell an elevator to a consumer while also providing an installation service for installing the elevator. Furthermore, the manufacturer may also provide a one-year service warranty for the elevator that begins once the elevator is installed. In this case, the service components of the order have dependencies on the non-service components of the order (i.e., the products being sold such as physical goods and software). Specifically, the installation cannot be performed until the elevator and its accessories (cables, hydraulics, etc.) are delivered.

To ensure that the elevator installation occurs at the correct time (i.e., the installer is not sent to the site before the elevator and all the accessories arrive), the manufacturer must manually keep track of the status of the products to ensure that the service components are not missed or performed out of order. For example, if a service technician arrives to install the elevator but the hydraulics parts have not been delivered or installed, the service technician will be unable to perform the installation of the elevator. Also, the warranty should not start until the elevator is fully installed. Therefore, the manufacturer must keep track of when the elevator is installed before starting the service contract.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The example embodiments are directed to a new type of visualization that provides a compact and easy understanding of the dependencies among items (also referred to herein as components, objects, parts, etc.) of an order such as a sales order. For example, an order may include product components (e.g., products such as physical goods, software products, etc.) and service components (i.e., for servicing the product components in some way). Here, the service components may be “depend” from the product components. As an example, a service component for a printer may only be performed when the printer, the cables, the paper, the software drivers, and the necessary sensors have been properly installed. This also requires the ancillary physical parts (cables, sensors, paper, etc.) to be installed, the software drivers to be installed, and the printer to be delivered and ready for installation.

According to various embodiments, components within an order may be analyzed to identify dependencies among them. For example, machine learning, predefined rules, user input, and the like, may be used to establish dependencies among components in an order. The product components may include physical products and materials as well as software-based products such as applications, etc. Other types of components include service components. The dependencies may be identified when the order is submitted and stored within a database that also includes the order data. When the order data is subsequently queried from the database, the system may also receive the dependency data identified between the components of the order and use the dependency information when creating the visualization. The visualization may provide a viewer with a visual understanding of the dependencies between the components of the order with simple graphics and directional arrows between the graphics. The visualization may be generated on the same screen as an order (i.e., and output simultaneously on a display screen with the order).

For example, each of the components in the order (including both product and service components) may be represented by a uniformly shaped and sized graphical element. For example, the graphical element may be an icon, a shape (e.g., circle, square, rectangle, triangle, dot, etc.), multiple shapes, an image, or the like. As a non-limiting example, a plurality of components from an order may be represented by a plurality of commonly-shaped graphically elements regardless of whether the components are service components or non-service components such as items including physical goods, software, etc.

Furthermore, edges may be disposed in between the graphical elements to provide dependency information. For example, an edge may include an arrow disposed somewhere along the edge between a first graphical element and a second graphical element corresponding to a first component and a second component from an order. The arrow may point in a direction away from the second graphical element and towards the first graphical element to indicate that the second component is dependent from the first component. As an example, a directional arrow may be used to represent that a service component depends on a non-service component being delivered and installed before the service component can be performed and/or started. As another example, a directional arrow may be used to represent that the service component must be performed before the non-service component (e.g., the product) can be delivered and installed. For example, a plant floor may need to be cleared before a new piece of machinery can be installed. In this case, the service (e.g., cleaning the plant floor, etc.) would need to be performed before the delivery and installation of the product.

The visualization may be rendered via a user interface such as a user interface provided to a seller of the components in the order. The user interface may display the order itself in a first module and display the dependency visualization in a second module in parallel with and at the same time (simultaneously with) the order itself. In addition to the dependencies within the order, the visualization may also be used to identify a status of each component. For example, colors, shading, highlighting, markings, tags, etc., may be added to the graphical elements to distinguish components that have been completed from components that are not yet completed. Also, distinguishing marks may be used to differentiate between components that are waiting and can be completed, from components that are waiting and that cannot be completed due to errors such as another component has not been delivered or installed. By combining both the dependency information and the status information within the visualization, a user can quickly and easily understand what needs to be performed next to complete the order.

Sequences of graphical elements within the visualization may be used to represent a set of components in the order that sequentially depend from each other (e.g., a first component must be delivered and/or installed before a second component can be installed/performed, etc.) Also, two or more graphical elements may depend from the same graphical element. For example, a printer may need both cables and an RFID sensor installed. In this case, the two graphical elements may be displayed in parallel to one another to indicate that they can be performed at the same time (i.e., they are not dependent on one another). For example, a root graphical element may represent a part (e.g., the printer), and multiple paths of sequences of graphical elements may branch off of the root graphical element indicating multiple groups of components that are to be delivered/installed/performed for the part (e.g., separate paths for the cables and the RFID). Furthermore, individual status of each component may be provided within the visualization. By viewing the visualization, a user can quickly identify/understand which component/path is delayed and why.

FIG.1Aillustrates a computing environment100for visualization of dependencies among components in an order in accordance with an example embodiment. Referring toFIG.1A, a user is interacting with order data via a user device110. Here, the user device110is connected to a host platform120(e.g., a cloud platform, a web server, a database, an on-premises server, etc.) via a network such as the Internet. The host platform120outputs/provides a user interface122as part of a software application, program, service, process, etc., that is hosted by the host platform120. The user may input commands into the user interface122, for example, using a mouse, pointer, keyboard, finger, etc.

The input commands may trigger the host platform120to generate a visualization for an order. Here, the host platform120may query a data store124that stores order data, including dependency data identifying dependencies, interdependencies, etc. among components within the order. The host platform120may query the data store124via an application programming interface (API) of the host platform120, the data store124, a combination thereof, and the like. In response, the host platform120may receive order data including a list of components in the order, dependency information, and status information. The host platform120may generate a visualization of the status of the components in the order based on the dependency information and the status information, and render the visualization within a module, window, box, etc. of the user interface122. A non-limiting example of a visualization230is shown inFIG.2B, and is further described below with respect toFIG.2B.

The user interface122may also include additional dependency information. For example, an order or a list of components within the order may be displayed within dependency icons/data. When a user interacts with a dependency icon for a component in the order, the user interface122may display additional dependency information for the component including identifiers of all other components that depend from the component and all other components from which the component depends. A non-limiting example of such dependency information is shown inFIG.3, and is further described below with respect toFIG.3.

FIG.1Billustrates a process130of querying order data and visualizing dependencies among the order data in accordance with an example embodiment. Referring toFIG.1B, the user interface122communicates with an application programming interface (API) service126that is hosted by the host platform120. In this example, it is assumed that the host platform120also has access to the order data shown in the data store124ofFIG.1A. Here, the user interface122generates and sends an API call131to the API service126in response to a user press of a button within the user interface122or some other command/input. For example, a button inside the user interface with the label “Relationships” may be pressed by the user using an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a finger (touch), etc. In response, an event handler in ObjectPageExtController.js may be called and a request sent to the API call131as a result. Here, the user interface122may identify an order that is currently displayed on the screen and also an identifier of such an order (e.g., an order number, etc.) This information may be retrieved from a data object of the order, etc.

The API call131may include the identifier of the order that the user is viewing within the user interface122. In response to the API call, the API service126may query the host platform120(e.g., the data store124storing order data, etc.) for additional data for the order, in132. Here, the querying may be performed based on the order identifier included in the API call131. The querying may include a structured query language (SQL) query, a NoSQL query, or the like.

In133, the host platform120may return the items (components) that are included in the order along with dependency data between the components in the order. In some embodiments, the dependency data may be previously generated and stored. As another example, the host platform120may determine the dependency data on the fly (i.e., in response to the request in132). In134, the API service126identifies a flow (i.e., dependencies) between the components in the order and provides the flow to the host platform120. In135, the host platform120sets the flow between the components in the order. In136, the API service126requests a visualization to be generated/built based on the identified flow. In137, the host platform120generates the visualization and provides the visualization to the API service126. In138, the API service126renders the visualization within the user interface122.

FIG.2Aillustrates a view200of an order210including a list of components and a progress window220in accordance with an example embodiment. Referring toFIG.2A, the order210includes a plurality of components which have each been retrieved by the querying described inFIG.1B, and visualized as shown inFIG.2A. In particular, each component within the order is displayed via an entry212. Each entry212includes an item number value214, a description value216, and a status value218. For example, the printer component101is assigned item number “101”. Other components such as cable component102, paper component104, and an RFID sensor component105are assigned item numbers “102”, “104”, and “105”, respectively. The item number values214, the description values216, and the status values218may be obtained from the data store124shown inFIG.1Aand/or the host platform120shown inFIG.1B.

The progress window220shows the overall progress of the components in the order. In this example, the overall progress indicates that there is a problem with the delivery of the hardware for the order210, a problem with the installation of the printer, and a delay for starting the service contract. However, the causes of these issues are not visible. In other words, a user may be frustrated with the incomplete status of the order shown in the progress window220, but it is not readily ascertainable why the status is incomplete.

According to various embodiments, the system described herein may create a visualization that allows a user to easily understand why an order (or parts of an order) are delayed based on a combination of dependency information of the components in the order and status information of the components in the order. Furthermore, the visualization can also identify aspects of the order that have been and/or that can be completed without delay.

FIG.2Billustrates a visualization230of the components in the order ofFIG.2A, in accordance with an example embodiment. In this example, the visualization230represents dependencies and statuses of the components of the order210for the printer. Referring toFIG.2B, the visualization includes a plurality of graphical elements240a-240gthat each have a uniform size (e.g., a same width, height, boundary, etc.), and a uniform shape (e.g., a circle). Thus, each graphical element240a-240gis the same size, the same shape, and is identical to the other graphical elements. Each graphical element240a-240gin this example includes an inner circle241that is the same color/shading across all graphical elements240a-240g, and an outer ring (e.g., outer ring242a) that has a dynamic color/shading that may differ among the graphical elements240a-240g. In particular, the outer ring can be colored, shaded, highlighted, etc., differently to distinguish components that have been successfully delivered and/or installed from components that are not delivered and/or installed.

To better assist the viewer with the understanding of the components, a descriptive label243may be added to each graphical element that describes the component (e.g., that identifies the component). The descriptive label243may be provided underneath the graphical element, above the graphical element, to the side of the graphical element, inside of the graphical element, and the like.

In this example, the graphical element240arepresents the printer component101and includes an outer ring242athat is translucent or without color indicating that the components has been successfully completed. Meanwhile, the cables component102, which must be attached to the printer component101for proper installation, has not been completed because it has not yet been delivered. Accordingly, an outer ring242baround a graphical element240brepresenting the cables component102can be colored or shaded differently to indicate that the cables component102has not been completed. Furthermore, the printer installation component103cannot be completed because the printer installation component103is dependent on both the printer component101being completed and the cables component102being completed. In this case, only the printer component101has been completed since it has been delivered while the cables component102has not been completed because it still has not been delivered. Therefore, the printer installation component103cannot be performed because the cables component102is not completed.

In this example, a potential error is detected because a service (e.g., printer installation component103) cannot be completed as a result of a physical component (e.g., cables component102) not being completed. The error can be visualized via an outer ring242cof a graphical element240crepresenting the printer installation component103. For example, the outer ring242cmay be colored or shaded differently than the outer ring242aof the printer component101to indicate that the printer installation has not yet been completed. In addition, the outer ring242cmay be colored or shaded differently than the outer ring242bof the cables102to indicate that the printer installation component103is a service that requires a hardware component (i.e., cables102) to be completed. Meanwhile, a paper component104is represented by graphical element240d. Here, the paper component104cannot be completed until the printer installation component103is completed. Accordingly, the host system may display an outer ring242dthat is colored the same as the outer ring242bof the graphical element240bto indicate that the paper component104has not been completed.

In the example ofFIG.2B, three parallel paths of graphical elements are shown. In one instance, a sequence of graphical elements240a,240b,240c, and240d, corresponds to the printer component101, the cables component102, the printer installation component103, and the paper component104, in an order210that must be completed in sequence. Other components may also be present and may be part of different sequences or not part of any sequences. In this example, an RFID component105and an RFID installation component107may be part of a parallel sequence of components that can be completed in parallel with the printer install sequence. Because the RFID component105delivery is complete, a graphical element240ethat represents the RFID component105may include an outer ring that is translucent indicating completion. However, an RFID installation component107has not been completed (e.g., the technician may be waiting to install the RFID component105at the same time as the printer installation component103). Here, a graphical element240fcorresponding to the RFID installation component107may be shaded or otherwise colored by the host system to indicate that the RFID installation component107is not completed.

By using the parallel paths, a user can quickly ascertain how the status of certain components in an order affects the other components. In some cases, the status of a component may have a direct effect on another component (i.e., the printer installation component103cannot be installed because the cables component102has not been completed). As another example, the status of a component may not affect another component. For example, cables component102does not affect the RFID installation component107. Therefore, if the technician wanted to, the technician could install the RFID component105and complete the RFID installation component107.

It should be appreciated though that the example embodiments are not limited to the visualization content that is shown inFIG.2B. For example, the graphical elements inFIG.2Bare circles with outer rings around the circles. However, the visualization is not limited to circular-shaped graphical elements and may include other shapes (e.g., squares, rectangles, triangles, ovals, a combination of shapes, etc.), icons, images, etc.

FIG.3illustrates a user interface300that includes a view of order data integrated with dependency information in accordance with an example embodiment. Referring toFIG.3, an order310includes a list of components with item numbers301,302,303,304,305, and306. Here, each of the components in the order includes dependency data that is stored within a dependency column312. For example, item number302has a dependency value314which is being selected by a user with a cursor. The dependency data values (e.g., such as dependency value314) may be interactive such as hyperlinks. In particular, the hyperlink associated with a dependency value314includes a numerical value “2” representing a number of dependencies, and parenthesis around the numerical value indicating that the dependency value is interactive.

When a user selects the dependency value314, the system displays a user interface320with dependency information described therein. Here, the dependency information identifies other components in the sales order310that have a dependency associated with the component (item number302). In this example, the item number302has a dependency on item number301being delivered. Furthermore, another item (i.e., item number303) is dependent on the item number302being delivered. Therefore, two different pieces of dependency information may be stored in the user interface320including a first dependency description322specifying what the component depends on, and a second dependency description324specifying what components depend on the component. If the component does not have one or more of these dependencies, the dependency information can be omitted.

In addition to the dependency column312, the order310may also include a description of the item, a category that defines the type of the item (e.g., service component or parts component, etc.), and a current status of the item (e.g., delivered, waiting, in transit, delayed, etc.). For example, the categories may include software products, physical products or parts, services for the products, and the like. The order data within the user interface300shown inFIG.3may be included in a window that can accessed from the visualization230shown inFIG.2B. As another example, the user interface300shown inFIG.3, may be displayed simultaneously with the visualization230shown inFIG.2B. For example, the user interface300may be included in a first display module that is positioned adjacent to, above, below, etc., the visualization230shown inFIG.2Bthereby allowing a user to simultaneously view the sales order and visualize the dependencies among the components of the sales order.

FIG.4illustrates a process400of a host platform420identifying dependency data for components in an order in accordance with an example embodiment. For example, the process400may be performed by the host platform420as new orders are submitted to the host platform420by a user device410. In other words, the sales order data may be received and dependency information extracted prior to the user requesting to view the visualization of the dependencies among the items in an order. This information may be stored ahead of time in a data store430. Here, the data store430may correspond to the data store124described with respect toFIG.1B.

In this example, the host platform420may use any of multiple options for extracting dependency data from an order. For example, a dependency service422may be hosted by the host platform420and may communicate with one or more other services such as a machine learning service424, a user input screen426, a rules engine428, and the like. For example, machine learning models executed by the machine learning service424may predict component dependencies among components in an order. The machine learning models may be trained from historical sales orders where dependency mappings have already been identified. As another example, a user may specify dependencies among items based on user input via a user input screen426. Here, the user input screen426may provide the user with menus, buttons, selectable options, drop-downs, etc. which allow the user to specify which components are dependent on other components. As another example, the rules engine428may be pre-coded rules that specify which components depend from other components in an order. The dependency service422may use any of these other services to identify dependency data in an order, and store the data in the data store430with the order data. For example, both the order data and the dependency data may be assigned the same order identifier to ensure that the two pieces of data are mapped.

FIG.5illustrates an example of a database system500according to some embodiments. For example, the database system500may be used to store order data and may be queried via the API service126shown inFIG.1B. It should also be appreciated that the present application is not limited to the architecture shown inFIG.5, or a database at all. Referring toFIG.5, the database system500may include a node510(e.g., a database node, a server node, a virtual machine, etc.) which may be part of a larger group of nodes. Generally, the node510may receive a query (e.g., SQL query, OQL query, XQuery, etc.) from any of client applications540and550and return results thereto based on data stored within a data store530of the node510. In this example, the node510may execute program code to provide an application server512and query processor520. The application server512provides services for executing server applications. For example, Web applications executing on an application server may receive Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests from client applications550as shown inFIG.5.

Query processor520may include the stored data and engines for processing the data. In this example, query processor520is responsible for processing Structured Query Language (SQL) and Multi-Dimensional eXpression (MDX) statements and may receive such statements directly from client applications540.

Query processor520includes a query optimizer522for use in determining query execution plans and a statistics server524for determining statistics used to estimate query execution plan costs. The statistics server524may generate such statistics based on other stored statistics as described herein including histograms with distinct value sketches integrated therein. For example, in response to reception of a query consisting of a conjunct of several predicates on a stored table (or view) of the node510, the statistics server524may estimate selectivity of the query based on known selectivities of various conjuncts of the query predicates.

In some embodiments, underlying database data capable of being queried may be stored in a data store530that includes tables534such as row-based data, column-based data, and object-based data. Here, the tables534may store order content and dependency data that is accessible to the client applications540and550Furthermore, the data within the tables534may be indexed and/or selectively replicated in an index (not shown) to allow fast searching and retrieval thereof. The node510may support multi-tenancy to separately support multiple unrelated clients by providing multiple logical database systems which are programmatically isolated from one another.

In some embodiments, the node510may implement an “in-memory” database, in which a full database is stored in volatile (e.g., non-disk-based) memory (e.g., Random Access Memory). The full database may be persisted in and/or backed up to fixed disks (not shown). Embodiments are not limited to an in-memory implementation. For example, data may be stored in Random Access Memory (e.g., cache memory for storing recently-used data) and one or more fixed disks (e.g., persistent memory for storing their respective portions of the full database).

According to various embodiments, when the query processor520receives a database query from one of the client applications540and550, the query processor520may trigger the query optimizer522to generate a query execution plan for the database query. The query optimizer522may use the statistics532to calculate costs of each query. The generated query execution plan can then be executed to carry out the database query on the tables534and return the results to the client applications540and550.

The client applications540and550may include user interfaces that may display the dependency visualization that is described herein. For example, order data that is queried from the tables534may be viewed in tabular format, a digital sales order, a spreadsheet format, or the like, via a user interface of any of the client applications540and550. The dependency visualization may be used to improve the understanding of the dependencies of items in an order of the client applications540and550. In some embodiments, the software code for generating the dependency visualization may be implemented within a library, code module, etc., that is made available to developers of the client applications540and550.

FIG.6illustrates a method600of visualizing dependencies among components in an order in accordance with an example embodiment. As an example, the method600may be performed by a web server, a cloud platform, an on-premises server, a database node included within a distributed database system, a user device, and the like. Referring toFIG.6, in610, the method may include receiving a request from a user interface. For example, the request may include a press of a GUI element such as a button, a link, or the like, which triggers the system to retrieve order data associated with an order being displayed on the screen.

In620, the method may include querying a data store for dependency data of a plurality of components included an order based on an order identifier included in the received request. As an example, the querying may be performed via an application programming interface (API) of a data store, and may be used to retrieve dependencies between a plurality of components included in an order. In630, the method may include generating a dependency visualization based on the dependency data of the plurality of components, wherein the dependency visualization comprises a plurality of graphical elements representing the plurality of components, and directional edges between the plurality of graphical elements representing dependencies among the plurality of components. In640, the method may include rendering the dependency visualization via the user interface.

In some embodiments, the generating may include generating each graphical element, from among the plurality of graphical elements, with a same shape and a same size. In some embodiments, the generating may include displaying a first graphical element representing a physical component and a second graphical element representing a service component to be performed for the physical component, and a directional edge between the first and second graphical elements indicating the service component depends on the physical component being installed.

In some embodiments, the generating the dependency visualization may include visually differentiating a first set of graphical elements that correspond to components in the order that have been completed from a second set of graphical elements that correspond to components in the order that have not yet been completed. In some embodiments, the visually differentiating may include displaying a first color around the first set of graphical elements and a different color around the second set of graphical elements.

In some embodiments, the generating the dependency visualization may include arranging a first row of graphical elements corresponding to a first group of components in the order that are dependent on each other and arranging a second row of graphical elements corresponding to a second group of components in the order that are dependent on each other. In some embodiments, the method may further include arranging the first row of graphical elements in parallel with and above the second row of graphical elements when the first group of components are independent from the second group of components, and both depend from a same component in the order. In some embodiments, the generating the relationship diagram may include generating identical graphical elements for a physical component in the order and a service component in the order for servicing the physical component.

FIG.7is a diagram of a server node700according to some embodiments. The server node700may include a general-purpose computing apparatus and may execute program code to perform any of the functions described herein. For example, the server node700may generate and display the dependency visualization described according to various embodiments. Furthermore, the server node700may implement an API and query order data and dependency data for items in the order, as described herein. The server node700may comprise an implementation of the node510shown inFIG.5, in some embodiments. It should also be appreciated that the server node700may include other unshown elements according to some embodiments and may not include all of the elements shown inFIG.7.

Server node700includes processing unit(s)710(i.e., processors) operatively coupled to communication device720, data storage device730, input device(s)740, output device(s)750, and memory760. Communication device720may facilitate communication with external devices, such as an external network or a data storage device. Input device(s)740may comprise, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse or other pointing device, a microphone, knob or a switch, an infra-red (IR) port, a docking station, and/or a touch screen. Input device(s)740may be used, for example, to enter information into the server node700. Output device(s)750may comprise, for example, a display (e.g., a display screen) a speaker, and/or a printer.

Data storage device730may comprise any appropriate persistent storage device, including combinations of magnetic storage devices (e.g., magnetic tape, hard disk drives and flash memory), optical storage devices, Read Only Memory (ROM) devices, etc., while memory760may comprise Random Access Memory (RAM). In some embodiments, the data storage device730may store user interface elements in tabular form. For example, one or more columns and one or more rows of user interface elements may be displayed in a two-dimensional spreadsheet, table, document, digital structure, or the like.

Application server731and query processor732may each comprise program code executed by processing unit(s)710to cause server node700to perform any one or more of the processes described herein. Such processes may include estimating selectivities of queries on tables734based on statistics733. Embodiments are not limited to execution of these processes by a single computing device. Data storage device730may also store data and other program code for providing additional functionality and/or which are necessary for operation of server node700, such as device drivers, operating system files, etc