Abstract:
A project management and activity recording system defines project tasks, project positions, and assigns personnel to the project positions. As the assigned personnel perform project tasks from a remote location, they may periodically record their activities in the project software. The recorded activity information is used to update the project to keep records such as time, cost, expenses, and task completion current, even when offsite personnel or contractors are used. A reporting user interface may be selected based on the reporting device, and data entry may be performed by updating historical or default values.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to project management systems and methods, and more particularly to a software-based system and method for activity reporting and project management.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Good project management is an important factor to the success of a project. A project may be thought of as a collection of activities and tasks designed to achieve a specific goal of the organization, with specific performance or quality requirements while meeting any subject time and cost constraints. Project management refers to managing the activities that lead to the successful completion of a project. Project management focuses on finite deadlines and objectives. A number of tools may be used to assist with project management and assessment.  
           [0003]    Project management may be used when planning of personnel resources and check capacities is desired. The project may be linked to the objects in a professional services life cycle and may accompany the objects from the opportunity over quotation, contract, time and expense (T&amp;E) recording, billing, period-end-activities until the final reporting. Naturally the project gets even more detailed when moving through this cycle.  
           [0004]    A project may arise as an opportunity or a request for quotation (inquiry) sent by a potential customer. When the opportunity or request arrives, a decision has to take place by the manager whether the opportunity should be pursued or a quotation be submitted. Even at this early stage, it is important to check whether the company has the necessary capacity and resources with the required skills and qualifications available at the requested time.  
           [0005]    For any given project, several project tasks should be defined. Project tasks describe the activities and phases that have to be performed in the project such as writing of blueprints, customizing, testing etc. and can be arranged hierarchically.  
           [0006]    For a project to be successful, the person that carries out the project task needs to be able to interface with the project software to provide updates on their activities. For external staffing, project reporting should use the same procedure and interface as internal staffing.  
           [0007]    What is needed is a system that allows personnel to be able to record their activities (times and expenses) to allow for the reimbursement of travel expenses, controlling of costs both of sales and service execution and to support workforce planning (e. g. absence, attendance).  
         SUMMARY  
         [0008]    A project management and activity recording system defines project tasks, project positions, and assigns personnel to the project positions. As the assigned personnel perform project tasks from a remote location, they may periodically record their activities in the project software. The recorded activity information is used to update the project to keep records such as time, cost, expenses, and task completion current, even when offsite personnel or contractors are used. A reporting user interface may be selected based on the reporting device, and data entry may be performed by updating historical or default values. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 illustrates the overall structure of a project management system.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates a process for generating a project in a project management system.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 illustrates a process for establishing project positions and tasks for activity reporting in a project management system.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 illustrates a process for reporting activity in a project management system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 illustrates the overall structure of project management system  100  showing the relationship between a project  105 , project tasks  110 , project positions  115 , and resources  120 . The project  100  is a strategy to achieve a defined goal of an organization. The project  100  may be divided into a series of project tasks  110  and/or a series of project positions  115 .  
         [0015]    The project tasks  110  define activities and phases to be performed in the project  105 . For example, for a construction project examples of project tasks  110  may include preparing blue prints, obtaining the proper permits, preparing the foundation, ordering the lumber, hiring sub-contractors, etc. The project tasks  110  describe operational activities or phases in the project  105  that should be performed like analysis, business blueprint, implementation, and documentation. The project tasks  110  describe qualification requirements and time demand: To be able, e.g., to write a business blueprint document it is necessary to have attended a specific training session and to be available in the first weeks of September. Project tasks  110  have a hierarchical structure, i.e. tasks can be grouped or split up. Sometimes the refinement and split of tasks into several sub-tasks occurs at a later time in the life cycle of the project  110 .  
         [0016]    The project positions  115  define project roles by job title. For the same construction example, project positions  115  may include architect, foreman, electrician, mason, supervisor, etc. The project positions  115  may include qualifications and requirements for each project position  115 . Thus, a project position  115  may require availability (such as during the month of July) and certain certifications (such as certification for high voltage installations, professional licenses). The project positions  115  represent roles in the project  105  and describe what roles with what requirements exist in the project  105 . The project positions  115  may be described by fields like position type, category, time demand, description, qualification requirements, etc. One example for such a position is the project manager. The qualification requirements for this position might be: account expert, at least two similar projects done, available from September until November for at least 80% of the time. Project positions  115  are non-hierarchical and can be represented by a linear list assigned to a project header. It might be necessary to change the project positions  115  continually during the life cycle of the project  105 .  
         [0017]    The resources  120  describe a particular person or group that may fill a project position. For a company project  105 , the resources  120  may be all the employees of the company. The resources  120  are listed by name and may also include job title, availability, qualifications or other information. The resources  120  may also include any other personnel the company may use, including contractors and temporary workers.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 illustrates a process  200  for generating a project in a project management system. The process  200  begins at a START block  205 . Proceeding to block  210 , an opportunity of inquiry is obtained. An opportunity or inquiry asks for a simple or complex engagement, where one or more persons are required to perform dedicated tasks. This engagement is requested to be performed in a defined time frame.  
         [0019]    Proceeding to block  215 , the process  200  defines a project  105  based on the opportunity or inquiry. The project  105  may be defined to check whether it is possible and reasonable to make an offer (quotation).  
         [0020]    Proceeding to block  220 , the requirements and tasks of the project  105  may be structured as project tasks  110  and the positions (roles) have to be estimated and structured as project positions  115 . As described above, the project tasks  110  define activities and phases to be performed in the project  105  and the project positions  115  define project roles by job title.  
         [0021]    Proceeding to block  225 , the project positions  115  and the project tasks  110  are correlated. Within the project  105  a correlation between project positions  115  and project tasks  110  is performed by the project manager or a resource manager. The correlation describes what project position (role)  115  is responsible to work on a project task  110 . It is possible to correlate one project position  115  to several project tasks  110 . During the correlation of a project position  115  to a project task  110 , the project position  115  acts as a supplier or (nominal) resource that fulfills the time demand and qualification requirements of the project task  110 . Thus a matching of time and qualification data between project positions  115  and project tasks  110  should be possible.  
         [0022]    Proceeding to block  230 , an optional report may be prepared. An integrated reporting functionality is available within the project  105 . The reporting functionality may show all project tasks  110  for a project position  115  or all project positions  115  that are assigned to a project task  110 .  
         [0023]    The process  200  can be accomplished by a consulting manager or by a (potential) project manager using software on a computer. The project  105  does not have to be highly complex or lengthy. For example, in a case of a so-called spot-consulting scenario (example: a consultant is needed for two days to define a report) the consulting project consists only of one position and the single task is represented by the consulting project itself.  
         [0024]    The planning of structures, costs, revenues, resources, timelines, etc. can and will normally be refined and detailed during the life cycle of the project  105 . For example, in the opportunity phase it might be enough to plan a project  105  in a very rough way to estimate costs and timelines. If a quotation is sent to the (potential) customer and is accepted and a contract is signed, the same project  105  can be used as an operative project. In this case, more details, more exact times, costs, revenues, personnel resources etc. may be added. During the execution of the project  105 , these values could be updated permanently.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 illustrates a process  300  for establishing project positions and tasks for activity reporting in a project management system. The process  300  begins at a START block  305 . Proceeding to block  310 , the project manager determines which project positions  115  and project tasks  110  to select for activity reporting. The project positions  115  and project tasks  110  selected for activity reporting may depend on the object creating the project  105 . For example, a project position  115  staffed by a consultant or group of consultants may be selected. The selection or grouping may also be made depending on the skills or experience of the consultant.  
         [0026]    Proceeding to block  315 , the process  300  may optionally display historical data as desired to assist in completion of the project task  110 . Historical data may be used to show, for example, a summary of activity reporting by project task  110  or project tasks  110  in the same location area. This will allow a consultant to obtain information such as how many consulting hours already spent, or amount of days of training already taken or given for any given project task  110 . The historical summary for any project tasks  110  may be accessed by simply clicking on the corresponding line items.  
         [0027]    Proceeding to block  320 , the process  300  determines a schedule for the activity reporting and appropriate user interfaces. The business of a consultant is characterized by its variety and complexity. Therefore, the activity reporting should be flexible to match these requirements. The activity reporting could be done in a variety of manners such as:  
         [0028]    on a periodic base : at the end of the week, at the end of the month, a certain day in the month, etc.; or  
         [0029]    on an initial base: in the evening in a hotel, at the airport waiting for a plane  
         [0030]    Depending on the medium the user interface to be used for the activity reporting functionality may be adjusted. The user interface selected may be determined by the location of the consultant and the access to the project database. The user interface may be online, offline (PDA, WAP phone, laptops, etc.), web based, or other. Specially for smaller devices like PDA&#39;s or a WAP phone, it is important to have a limited view on the data. The user interface should distinguish between the activity reporting tool used and format and prepare the information accordingly. Both online and offline activity reporting should be as simple and intuitive as possible.  
         [0031]    Proceeding to block  325 , the information to be entered during the activity reporting is selected. The following information are examples of the types of information that may be entered, or updated from default or historical values:  
         [0032]    Type of activity: consulting, workshop, preparation, training, absence, attendance, vacation  
         [0033]    Level of activity: activity rate which is important for billing purpose.  
         [0034]    Role: Role of consultant in the engagement (manager, sponsor, project leader, team member . . . ).  
         [0035]    Task: the task the consultant is assigned to in an engagement (blueprint, configuration, prototyping . . . ).  
         [0036]    Location: address of the engagement (City, street . . . ).  
         [0037]    Text: explaining the activity recording in more detail, should be optional carried over into the billing document.  
         [0038]    Time: Hours, ½ day, day, week, month; if planned engagement available values should default in for the recording period/time. After the type of information to be entered is selected, the process  300  terminates in an END block  330 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 4 illustrates a process  400  for reporting activity in a project management system. The process  400  begins in START block  405 . Proceeding to block  410 , the process  400  selects a specific project task  110  or project position  115  to record ongoing activity for the task or position. To record the ongoing activity, the consultant clicks on the relevant item he wants to record activities for. The engagement could be a short term one (one day, one week) or could be for a longer period of time.  
         [0040]    Proceeding to block  415 , the work time is recorded for the task. In recording the work time, the consultant may take over the default value of the dates proposed or enter the actual time worked on the specific day. The consultant may work with the entry directly in the work list item without creating a separate line item. The time entry should be flexible enough to enter hours, half days, days or weeks or to confirm the whole time of the assignment in one step. Rest validations may be calculated once the entry is done and shown in a separate line. A plausibility check based on a company calendar and human resource restrictions may be performed to avoid conflicts such as working only  8  hours per day, not working on holidays or weekends, etc. These restrictions may be based on a special profile assigned to the consultant. If allowed, additional time such as overtime, travel hours, etc. should be entered. This extra time may be handled as an exception in the normal time calculation process for the day. Using this time reporting, it should be possible for the consultant to be involved in more than one engagement or assignment the same day. For example, in the morning the consultant may be working on project task A and in the afternoon on project task B, or working on a project during the day but in the evening traveling to an other engagement.  
         [0041]    Proceeding to block  420 , the process  400  may record travel and expense entries for an off-site consultant. Travel and expenses may occur when the consultant is onsite at the customer. The travel and expense entry may be linked to a project task. The process  400  allows for more than one travel and expense entry per date because it is possible for a consultant to work on more than one project tasks per day. Thus, the process  400  may allow travel and expenses to be entered for a day, a shorter period of time or for an entire project task. Different cost types (taxi, hotel, tickets, parking, etc.), currency conversion and the like may be available.  
         [0042]    Proceeding to block  425 , the process  425  updates the project  105  with the activity reports from the consultants. By updating the main project database, a project manager is able to monitor ongoing costs and expenses even when consultants and employees are working on the project off-site. After the project database is updated, the process  400  terminates in END block  430 .  
         [0043]    Numerous variations and modifications of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics.