Patent ID: 8225230

Claim:
A computer-executable method for supporting a visualization of an object model, the method comprising: limiting one or more object instances in the object model, where multiple dependencies exist between each of the plurality of objects and filtering one or more attributes associated with one or more of the object instances, wherein the limiting and filtering is performed by: utilizing each of a plurality of respective windows, panels, or sub-windows to display a corresponding list of one or more objects for a dimension of a plurality of dimensions, along with one or more attributes associated with each of the one or more objects; updating at least a second window, panel, or sub-window of the plurality of respective windows, panels, or sub-windows in response to receiving a selection of an item from a first window, panel, or sub-window of the plurality of respective window, panels, or sub-windows according to a first relationship defined in the object model, wherein the updating is performed in a hierarchical manner such that at least a third window, panel, or sub-window of the plurality of respective windows, panels, or sub-windows is updated in response to receiving a selection of an item from the second window, panel, or sub-window according to a second relationship defined in the object model; performing a filtering procedure across the plurality of dimensions to restrict one or more instances of the one or more objects to be displayed in the plurality of respective windows, panels, or sub-windows to thereby control and manage the visualization of the object model wherein the object model provides a high cardinality of objects; displaying the first, second, and third windows, panels, or sub-windows on a hierarchical dashboard display; and generating the hierarchical dashboard display using a multi-dimensional dependency model operatively coupled to an application program interface (API), a hierarchical dashboard sub-window management system operatively coupled to the API, and a dashboard sub-window configuration database in communication with the hierarchical dashboard sub-window management system, wherein the hierarchical dashboard sub-window management system is operatively coupled to the hierarchical dashboard display.