Automatic project management application
In computer-implemented project management, defined tasks are associated with data elements. Elapsed time intervals are computed, during which data elements are checked-out by project members. A project management software application automatically determines an indication of progress of respective associated tasks, based on the elapsed time intervals. The technique supports concurrent management of multiple projects, in which data elements are shared.
1 . A computer-implemented project management method, wherein projects being managed have project members, defined tasks and stored data elements, the method comprising the steps of:
associating each of said data elements with a respective one of said tasks of a project;
determining an elapsed time interval during which one of said data elements is checked-out by one of said project members of said project; and
using a project management software application to compute an indication of progress of said respective task of said one data element based on said elapsed time.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
managing an additional project using an additional project management software application, wherein said data elements are accessible to project members of said project and to project members of said additional project, the method further comprising the step of:
informing said additional project management software application when said one data element is checked-out by said one project member.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein said data elements have attributes, further comprising the step of communicating said attributes to said project management software application and said additional project management software application upon occurrence of an event affecting at least one of said attributes.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of accumulating said elapsed time interval in a time-management report for said one project member.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of determining an elapsed time interval comprises the steps of:
executing a version control application adapted for checking in said data elements and checking out said data elements;
detecting a check-out of said one data element via said version control application; and
thereafter detecting a check-in of said one data element.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the step of following performance of said step of detecting a check-out, detecting inactivity with respect to said one data element during at least a predetermined time interval.
7 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:
determining an inactivity threshold time interval responsively to user activity statistics; and
following performance of said step of detecting a check-out, detecting inactivity with respect to said one data element during at least said inactivity threshold time interval.
8 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of adjusting said elapsed time interval responsively to said step of detecting inactivity.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of associating comprises assigning task identifiers to said data elements.
10 . A computer software product for management of a project having project members, defined tasks and stored data elements, the product comprising a computer-readable medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to associate each of said data elements with a respective one of said tasks of said project, to determine an elapsed time interval during which one of said data elements is checked-out by one of said project members, and to execute a project management software application to compute an indication of progress of said respective task of said one data element based on said elapsed time.
11 . The computer software product according to claim 10 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to manage an additional project by executing an additional project management software application, wherein said data elements are accessible to project members of said project and to project members of said additional project, and said instructions further cause said computer to inform said additional project management software application when said one data element is checked-out by said one project member.
12 . The computer software product according to claim 11 , wherein said data elements have attributes, wherein said computer is further instructed to communicate said attributes to said project management software application and said additional project management software application upon occurrence of an event affecting at least one of said attributes.
13 . The computer software product according to claim 10 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to accumulate said elapsed time interval in a time-management report for said one project member.
14 . The computer software product according to claim 10 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to detect a check-out of said one data element, and thereafter to detect a check-in of said one data element.
15 . The computer software product according to claim 14 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to detect inactivity with respect to said one data element following said check-out thereof during at least a predetermined time interval.
16 . The computer software product according to claim 14 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to detect inactivity with respect to said one data element following said check-out thereof during at least a threshold time interval and to establish said threshold time interval responsively to user activity statistics.
17 . The computer software product according to claim 15 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to adjust said elapsed time interval responsively to a detection of inactivity with respect to said one data element.
18 . A computer system for project management, wherein a project being managed has project members, defined tasks and stored data elements, comprising a server linked to a plurality of computers operated by said project members said server being operative to associate each of said data elements with one of said tasks, to detect a check-out of one of said data elements by one of said computers, to detect a check-in of said one data element, to determine an elapsed time interval between said check-out and said check-in, and to report said elapsed time interval with respect to said one task to a project management entity.
19 . The computer system according to claim 18 , wherein said project management entity is a software application executing in said server.
20 . The computer system according to claim 18 , further comprising a version control application executing in said server that is adapted to check in said data elements and to check out said data elements, and said server is operative to detect said check-out and to detect said check-in using said version control application.