Interactive drill down tool

An interactive drill down tool having a first level of information defining the steps necessary to complete an objective. A second level of information defines interrelationships between work positions. A third level of information defines what each work position must accomplish. The first, second, and third levels are organized such that the second level is accessible from the first level and the third level is accessible from the second level.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to organizing and identifying the tasks performed by individuals within an organization and more particularly to an interactive drill down tool used to organize and to identify the tasks performed by individuals within an organization.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The free flow of information within large, complicated organizations is a recurring challenge among today's businesses and governments. Specifically, in order to complete a complicated goal or objective, whether it be building an automobile, designing a part, or performing a service, the efforts of numerous individuals typically must be defined and controlled in an auditable format. Each individual typically has a specific series of tasks to perform and each individual is located within an organized and detailed hierarchy. Moreover, these individuals do not work within a vacuum, and the output of any one individual may be relied upon by numerous others. This creates a web of interdependencies among individuals within the organization that can span departments, divisions, and beyond the organization itself.

In order to increase efficiency within the organization, it is desirable to provide employees with a full disclosure of this web of interdependencies. Specifically, it is desirable to disclose for every individual within the organization who is providing what work product, when the work product must be provided, and who the work product must be provided to. However, disseminating this web of interdependencies can be very difficult, and there remains a need to provide a method of easily and quickly providing this information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An interactive drill down tool for organizing information is provided. The drill down interactive tool has a first level of information defining the steps necessary to complete an objective. A second level of information defines interrelationships between work positions. A third level of information defines what each work position must accomplish. The first, second, and third levels are organized such that the second level is accessible from the first level and the third level is accessible from the second level.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1, there is illustrated an interactive drill down task identifier tool (tool), indicated generally by reference numeral10. The tool10is preferably used on a computer system (not shown) as an interactive online program. In this regard, the various levels of the tool10will be described as “windows”, referring to the screens displayed on a computer monitor. However, the tool10is not intended to be limited to computer applications and the “windows” of the tool10may be sheets of paper or any other method of conveying information. Moreover, the tool10is preferably used with organizations having multiple tasks performed by multiple individuals wherein these tasks interrelate with one another. However, the tool10is not limited in the scope of its application and may be used with any organization.

The purpose of the tool10is to define the job of an individual employee within a company or other organizations by providing what the employee is expected to do, when the employee is expected to do it, who the employee must interact with to do it, and how the employee is to do it, all the while providing easy access to relevant information to do it with. Also, for any specific employee using the tool10(hereinafter referred to as the “user”), the tool10provides the web of interdependencies that affect the user and those that the user in turn affects. In this regard, the tool10not only identifies all the necessary steps to complete an objective, but also allows the user to examine the job definition for all the different other employees who must do some activity or task to help complete the objective. The tool10accomplishes this by providing when those other employees must perform those tasks, how they are to accomplish those tasks, who they must interact with to accomplish those tasks, and any documents or additional information relating to accomplishing those tasks. All of this information is then stored within “levels” relating to a hierarchy of information easily accessible by the user.

The highest level of the tool10generally includes a global map window12. The global map window12is a representation of the necessary steps to meet an objective. This objective may be to perform a process, attain a goal, produce a product, or complete any other complicated task. For example, the necessary steps may be those steps necessary to build an automobile. The global map window12preferably includes a timeline, a process chart that identifies the major tasks to be performed, and any other graphical or written data necessary to communicate to the user the major steps that need to be completed to attain the objective. Furthermore, the global map window12may be specific to one job classification (e.g. specific to one user) or alternatively may be a general outline of all the steps necessary to complete the objective.

From the global map window12the user can access a lower level of the tool10having an interdependency identifier window14. The interdependency identifier window14tells the user when other employees are doing something related to the user's job. Specifically, the interdependency identifier window14identifies all those other employees that have specific tasks to perform in order to complete any given necessary step in the global map window12. In an exemplary embodiment described below, the interdependency identifier window14is displayed on the global map window12with each major task. At this level the user may select a lower level of information including a task identifier window16and a related task identifier window18.

The task identifier window16defines the user's job in relation to a specific task. The task identifier window16includes all the specific tasks the user must perform in order to accomplish a given necessary step from the global map window12. As such, the task identifier window16is specifically tailored to the current user of the tool10and depends on the user's role within the overall global map. The task identifier window16informs the user what the user must do and when the user must accomplish it by. This information may be conveyed in graphical form as a flow chart, or as a series of listed tasks, or in any other convenient format. The task identifier window16enables the user to easily determine the work product the user is responsible for under a given timeframe. At this level the user may return to the interdependency identifier window14.

The related task identifier window18is another employee's job description for any given major task. Only another employee who has a task or work product relating to (e.g. interdependent on) the user's tasks is listed in the related task identifier window. Specifically, the related task identifier window18may be accessed by the user to determine what other users (e.g. other employees) must accomplish in order to complete a necessary step in the global map window12. Just as with the task identifier window16, the related task identifier window18is specific to a given employee depending on that other employee's role within the global map. The related task identifier window18includes all the specific tasks that the other employee must perform and when it must be performed. This allows the user to determine who is doing what and how it relates to what the user is doing. At this level the user may return to the interdependency identifier window14.

From the task identifier window16the user may access a lower level of information found in a relationship window20. The relationship window20includes all the other employees, and any other entity (e.g. suppliers, government officials, customers, etc.), that the user must interact with in order to complete any specific task. The relationship window20may further disclose the relationship between the other employees and entities with the user, and describe what must be done with those other employees and entities (e.g. what work product the user must provide to them and what work product the user can expect from them). The information may be provided in list, chart, or any other suitable format. The user may return to the task identifier window16from the relationship window20.

From the related task identifier window18the user may access a lower level of information found in a related relationship window22. The related relationship window22shows the user who the other employee is dependent on for a work product. In this regard, the related relationship window22includes all the employees and entities that the other employee must interact with in order to complete any specific task. The related relationship window22lets the user know what the other employee must do to complete a specific task that relates to the user's specific task. Again, the information may be displayed in list, chart, or any other format. By disclosing what other employees are doing, the tool10promotes accountability and communication between separate users. The user may return to the related task identifier window18from the related relationship window22.

From both relationship windows20,22, the user may access a final level of information found in a data store of relevant documents24. The relevant documents24are a collection of various pieces of information in various formats relating to the specific tasks that any given user must perform. Examples include, but are not limited to, technical manuals, scientific studies, component diagrams, and product information. The user may return to either of the relationship windows20,22from the relevant documents24.

As noted above, for each specific user, the specific tasks and relationships within the task identifier window16and relationship window20will be different, depending on the user's role in achieving the overall goal. However, since all windows eventually lead to the lowest level at the relevant documents24, any changes made therein are reflected at the higher levels. Moreover, as indicated schematically by lines26, the task identifier windows16,18and the relationship charts20,22are each interrelated such that edits to one task identifier window for a given user can effect the task identifier window for another user. This creates an interdependency for different users within the tool10.

Turning now toFIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of a process roadmap constructed according to the principles set forth above is indicated generally by reference numeral100. The process roadmap100is preferably used to organize the development of an automobile, although various other projects may employ the design of the process roadmap100without deviating from the scope of the invention.

The process roadmap100includes a chart102divided into a plurality of rows104corresponding to various general areas of work that must be performed to complete the process. These general areas may include, for example, brand visions/marketing plans, program definition, business planning and approval, program planning and resource management, design and development, product preparation, sourcing and logistics, build and test, and programs and process assessment. It is to be understood, however, that the rows104are not limited to these particular areas.

Within each row104are a plurality of major tasks106represented as boxes within the chart102. The major tasks106each correspond to a general activity that must be performed prior to completion of the process. As best seen inFIG. 3, each box of the major tasks106are divided into two portions including a task portion108and a relationship portion110. The task portion108includes a brief description of the major task to be completed. The relationship portion110is a plurality of icons112that are either highlighted or unhighlighted. Each icon112corresponds to a group or division within the organization that employs the process roadmap100. If an icon112is highlighted, that indicates that at least one employee within the group has a specific task to perform relating to a given major task106. If an icon is not highlighted, that indicates that no one within that group has a specific task to perform relating to a given major task106.

Returning toFIG. 2, the chart102further includes a timeline114with a plurality of milestones116. The major tasks106are positioned on the chart102relative to the timeline114. The timeline114indicates by when each major task106must be completed. The milestones116act as interim audit points such that the process may not advance past a milestone116until such time as all the major tasks106prior to the milestone116on the timeline114have been completed or recovery plans are put in place to mitigate the risk.

The user may select a major task106from the chart102and activate one of the highlighted icons112to bring up either a second major task box118or a job classification roadmap120. Whether a second major task box118or a job classification roadmap120activates depends on whether the group corresponding to the icon112selected has further classifications therein or only a single job classification. In this regard, the icons112essentially represent the hierarchy of the organization that employs the process roadmap100. In the particular example provided, selecting the icon numbered122leads to the user's job classification roadmap120, and selecting the icon numbered124leads to the second major task box118.

The second major task box118includes the task portion108and the relationship portion110of the major task box106. However, the icons112within the relationship portion110correspond to the organization of the group and will vary accordingly. Moreover, only those icons112having activities to perform to complete the given major task106will be highlighted. For example, activating the icon numbered126leads to a second job classification roadmap128.

The job classification roadmap120is the user's job description. The second job classification roadmap128is another employee's job description that the user has chosen to examine by activating icon126. Although both roadmaps are shown together, it is to be understood that one may be selected individually, and any number of the icons112may be selected.

The job classification roadmaps120,128each include a chart130having the timeline114and the milestones116of the global chart102. Each roadmap120,128includes a plurality of specific task boxes132arranged on the chart130in relation to the timeline114. Each specific task box132corresponds to a specific task that must be performed under the job classification. These specific task boxes132are specific to the given job classification and vary accordingly.

As best seen inFIG. 4, two specific task boxes132,132′ from the job classification roadmap120and another from the second job classification roadmap128, respectively, have been expanded to further describe the detail therein. Each specific task box132,132′ includes a name portion134,134′ a sub-task portion136,136′ and an interaction portion138,138′. The name portion134,134′ includes a brief description of the specific task. The sub-task portion136,136′ includes a listing of all the sub-tasks that must be performed in order to complete the specific task listed in the name portion134,134′. The interaction portion138,138′ includes a link140,140′ that is selectable by the user to access an interdependency chart142,142′.

The interdependency chart142,142′ is specific to each specific task and each job classification and vary accordingly. The interdependency chart142,142′ includes a list of what deliverables (e.g. work products) the user or other employee must provide, to whom the user or other employee must provide them, what deliverables the user or other employee can expect, and any interdependencies between employees, other organizations, or customers. Each interdependency chart142,142′ further includes one or more links144,144′ to a plurality of documents. In the particular example provided, three documents numbered146,148, and150have been provided stored within a data store152, it being understood that any number of documents may be employed.

The documents146,148,150include any relevant information that the user of the process roadmap100may need in completing any given specific task. The documents146,148,150are stored in a common data store (not shown). Any given document, for example document148inFIG. 4, may be commonly referred to by any number of job classification roadmaps within the organization (e.g. more than one employee may find the document148relevant in the performance of their job). Accordingly, any changes made to document148are registered in both the user's job classification roadmap120but in the second job classification roadmap128. This creates an interdependency at the lowest level of the process roadmap100.

Using the process roadmap100, a user can quickly and easily determine what exactly the user must do at any given stage of the timeline114. Moreover, the user can determine who or what must perform specific tasks before the user can complete their own specific tasks. By providing the user with the information of what the user and other employees are doing, great gains in efficiency may be realized.