Computer task management system and method

1 . A method comprising:

detecting an issue regarding a first computer device in a group of monitored computer devices;

determining, via one or more processors, a remedial action to address the issue, the issue and the remedial action constituting a first task item;

grouping the first task item with task items associated with other computer devices in the group of the monitored computer devices to compile a task set, wherein the task set is compiled based on both a common remedial action and a shared location of the other computer devices associated with the task set;

assigning the task set to a first user of multiple different users for managing the task set; and

generating, via the one or more processors, a notification message for presentation on a display device, the notification message including graphical content comprising a virtual button that describes a collective remedial action to address the task set, wherein the notification message is generated to prompt the first user to affirm the collective remedial action, and

wherein the one or more processors automatically perform the collective remedial action for the other computer devices associated with the task set without requiring per-device selection.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the task set to the first user comprises comparing the multiple different users with respect to multiple factors, the multiple factors comprising at least two of: (i) competency in performing the collective remedial action, (ii) accessibility to the other computer devices associated with the task set, (iii) proximity to the other computer devices associated with the task set, or (iv) availability to perform the collective remedial action within a designated time period.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining a weighted score for at least some of the multiple different users based on weight values assigned to the multiple different users with respect to the multiple factors; and

wherein assigning the task set to the first user comprises comparing the weighted score of the first user to the weighted scores of other users in the multiple different users.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a secondary user of the multiple different users;

generating a second notification message for presentation on a second display device, the second notification message including graphical content that identifies the first user and prompts the secondary user to take over managing the task set for the first user;

determining a tertiary user of the multiple different users; and

generating a third notification message for presentation on a third display device, the third notification message including graphical content that identifies the first user and the secondary user.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a new issue regarding a second computer device in the group of the monitored computer devices after generating the notification message;

determining, via the one or more processors, a new remedial action to address the new issue, the new issue and the new remedial action constituting a new task item; and

updating the notification message to incorporate information about the new task item into the task set in response to determining that at least one of: (i) the new remedial action is the common remedial action or (ii) the second computer device is located at the shared location of the other computer devices associated with the task set; and

wherein updating the notification message to incorporate the information about the new task item comprises incrementing a count in the graphical content.

6 . A computer management system comprising:

a memory configured to store program instructions; and

one or more processors operably connected to the memory, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

detect an issue regarding a first computer device in a group of monitored computer devices;

determine a remedial action to address the issue, the issue and the remedial action constituting a first task item;

group the first task item with task items associated with other computer devices in the group of the monitored computer devices to compile a task set, wherein the task set is compiled based on both a common remedial action and a shared location of the other computer devices associated with the task set;

assign the task set to a first user of multiple different users for managing the task set;

generate a notification message for presentation on a display device, the notification message including graphical content comprising a virtual button that describes a collective remedial action to address the task set, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the notification message to prompt the first user to affirm the collective remedial action; and

automatically perform the collective remedial action for the other computer devices associated with the task set without requiring per-device selection.

7 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the issue regarding the first computer device comprises one or more of an expiring warranty, software that is outdated, firmware that is outdated, or a hardware component approaching an end of a designated operating lifetime of the hardware component, and the remedial action to address the issue comprises one or more of renewing the expiring warranty of the first computer device that is expiring, updating the software that is outdated, updating the firmware that is outdated, or ordering at least one hardware component to the hardware component that is approaching the end of the designated operating lifetime.

8 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to assign the task set to the first user by comparing the multiple different users with respect to multiple factors, the multiple factors comprising at least two of: (i) competency in performing the collective remedial action, (ii) accessibility to the other computer devices associated with the task set, (iii) proximity to the other computer devices associated with the task set, or (iv) availability to perform the collective remedial action within a designated time period.

9 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein

the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to automatically perform the collective remedial action for the other computer devices associated with the task set responsive to receiving an input selection signal generated via a user input device and indicating selection of the virtual button.

10 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

determine a secondary user of the multiple different users; and

generate a second notification message for presentation on a second display device, the second notification message including graphical content that identifies the first user and prompts the secondary user to take over managing the task set for the first user.

11 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

detect a new issue regarding a second computer device in the group of the monitored computer devices after generating the notification message;

determine a new remedial action to address the new issue, the new issue and the new remedial action constituting a new task item; and

update the notification message to incorporate information about the new task item into the task set in response to determining that at least one of: (i) the new remedial action is the common remedial action or (ii) the second computer device is located at the shared location of the other computer devices associated with the task set.

12 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable code configured to be executed by one or more processors to:

detect an issue regarding a first computer device in a group of monitored computer devices;

determine a remedial action to address the issue, the issue and the remedial action constituting a first task item;

group the first task item with task items associated with other computer devices in the group of the monitored computer devices to compile a task set, wherein the task set is compiled based on both a common remedial action and a shared location of the other computer devices associated with the task set;

assign the task set to a first user of multiple different users for managing the task set;

generate a notification message for presentation on a display device, the notification message including graphical content comprising a virtual button that describes a collective remedial action to address the task set, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the notification message to prompt the first user to affirm the collective remedial action; and

automatically perform the collective remedial action for the other computer devices associated with the task set without requiring per-device selection.

13 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the computer executable code is configured to be executed by the one or more processors to:

receive an input selection signal generated via a user input device and indicating affirmance of the collective remedial action, and

perform the collective remedial action for the other computer devices associated with the task set in response to receiving the input selection signal.

14 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the memory stores a scoring rubric listing weight values assigned to a plurality of prospective users that includes the first user for factors comprising firmware update proficiency, configuration compliance, data center access, networking proficiency, storage proficiency, and hardware proficiency, and wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to select a task-relevant subset of the factors for the collective remedial action of the task set, determine weighted scores for the plurality of prospective users by aggregating the weight values of the factors that are selected, and assign the task set to the first user based on a comparison of the weighted scores.

15 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the notification message is a first notification message, the graphical content is first graphical content, and the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to generate role-differentiated notification messages comprising: the first notification message for the first user; a second notification message for a secondary user that includes second graphical content that identifies the first user and a volunteer virtual button operable to reassign managing the task set to the secondary user; and a third notification message for a tertiary user that includes third graphical content that identifies the first user, identifies the secondary user, and includes a dismiss control to close the third notification message.

16 . The computer management system of claim 15 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to present, in the second notification message to the secondary user, a chat control that, responsive to being selected, initiates communication with the first user comprising at least one of a live text conversation in a graphical user interface, a telephone call, or a video call.

17 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

present, in the notification message for the first user, a graphical device-count representing a number of the other computer devices in the task set; and

update the notification message to increment the graphical device-count responsive to an additional task item being added to the task set.

18 . The computer management system of claim 6 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to determine the shared location of the other computer devices associated with the task set as at least one of a city, a compound, a facility, a building, a floor, or a room.

19 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the computer executable code is configured to be executed by the one or more processors to run a machine learning algorithm that receives, as input, at least an identified issue, a determined action for the identified issue, information about other existing task sets, and information about a group of prospective users that includes the first user, the information including weight values for multiple factors including two or more of firmware update proficiency, configuration compliance, data center access, networking proficiency, storage proficiency, or hardware proficiency,

the machine learning algorithm outputting at least an identification of the task set into which a new task item is compiled and a ranked selection of the prospective users for managing the task set that is identified.

20 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the notification message is a first notification message, the graphical content is first graphical content, and the computer executable code is configured to be executed by the one or more processors to generate a second notification message for a secondary user and a third notification message for a tertiary user, the second notification message including second graphical content that identifies the first user and a volunteer virtual button operable to reassign managing the task set, the third notification message including third graphical content that identifies the first user, identifies the secondary user, and includes a dismiss control to close the third notification message.