Patent ID: 8499300

Claim:
A task management system for an organization that includes a plurality of business units comprising: a memory system; a processing system operatively coupled to the memory system and configured to execute one or more modules stored therein; a set of rules stored in the memory system comprising at least one rule governing operation of the organization wherein the at least one rule further comprises legal or regulatory requirements or policies established by an entity other than the organization; a task module stored in the memory system and configured to define a plurality of tasks associated with a plurality of different business units to be completed, wherein said plurality of tasks is directed to compliance with the at least one rule and is stored in the memory system after the set of rules is stored in the memory system and wherein said at least on task is linked to the at least one rule in the memory system; a task management module stored in the memory system and configured to control completion of the plurality of tasks defined by the task module, wherein the task management module: groups each of the tasks with one of a plurality of matters; assigns priorities to each of the plurality of matters such that tasks grouped with a matter having a higher priority themselves have a higher priority than tasks grouped with a matter having a lower priority; assigns a risk rating to each of the plurality of tasks including assigning a weighted average risk rating to at least one of the plurality of tasks and assigning a simplified risk rating to at least one of the plurality of tasks; and prioritizes each of the plurality of tasks grouped with each of the matters using a combination of the assigned weighted average risk ratings and the assigned simplified risk ratings such that tasks with higher risk ratings are given a higher priority than other tasks grouped with the same matter; and a common database stored in the memory system and operatively connected to the task module and the task management module, wherein the task module, the task management module, and the common database are together operative to schedule completion of tasks such that each of the plurality of tasks are prioritized and completed in a consistent manner across the plurality of business units.