Method and apparatus for managing virtual team collaboration meetings
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for managing virtual team collaboration meetings. Team members enter answers to scrum questions into a virtual scrum tool, subject to user-defined answer length restrictions, at the beginning of their work day. The virtual scrum tool sends reminders to team members if scrum answers are not submitted a within user-defined time frame. The virtual scrum tool sends brief notifications to registered team members when a team member updates scrum answers. The virtual scrum tool stores scrum answers and provides browsing access to the stored scrum answers and RSS feeds of team member's latest scrum answers.
1 . A method for managing virtual team collaboration meetings, comprising steps of:
receiving answers to questions;
issuing reminders when answers to questions are not submitted within a user-defined time frame;
storing answers to questions that have been submitted;
sending notifications when answers to questions have been submitted; and
providing access to stored answers to questions.
2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receiving step subjects answers to questions to user-define length limitations.
3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the issuing step comprises an electronic mail message.
4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sending step comprises an electronic mail message.
5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said providing step comprises a web feed of answers to questions.
6 . The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the web feed comprises the latest answers to questions.
7 . The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said web feed comprises a RSS feed (a web feed format used for Web syndication).
8 . A virtual scrum tool comprising:
a data entry means for entering answers to questions;
a first notification means for issuing reminders when answers to questions are not submitted within a user-defined time frame;
a second notification means for sending notifications when answers to questions have been submitted;
a storage means for storing answers to questions; and
an access means for providing access to stored answers to questions.
9 . The virtual scrum tool claimed in claim 7 , wherein answers to questions are subject to user-define length limitations.
10 . The virtual scrum tool claimed in claim 7 , wherein the reminder comprises an electronic mail message.
11 . The virtual scrum tool claimed in claim 7 , wherein the notification comprises an electronic mail message.
12 . The virtual scrum tool as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the access means includes a web feed of answers to questions.
13 . The virtual scrum tool as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the web feed comprises the latest answers to questions.
14 . The virtual scrum tool as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the web feed comprises a RSS feed (a web feed format used for Web syndication).
15 . A virtual scrum tool comprising:
an entry component;
a notification component;
a storage component; and
an access component;
wherein the entry component receives answers to questions, the notification component sends reminders when answers to questions are not submitted within a user-defined time frame, the notification component sends notifications when answers to questions have been submitted, the storage component stores answers to questions, and the access component provides access to the stored answers to questions.
16 . The virtual scrum tool claimed in claim 7 , wherein answers to questions are subject to user-define length limitations.
17 . The virtual scrum tool claimed in claim 15 , wherein the reminder comprises an electronic mail message.
18 . The virtual scrum tool claimed in claim 15 , wherein the notification comprises an electronic mail message.
19 . The virtual scrum tool as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the access means includes a web feed of answers to questions.
20 . The virtual scrum tool as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the web feed comprises the latest answers to questions.
21 . The virtual scrum tool as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the web feed comprises a RSS feed (a web feed format used for Web syndication).