System and method for directory decentralization

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable media including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive a first signal, over a first data communication channel, wherein the first signal includes a first request from a first user for inclusion in an organization directory stored in a memory associated with the processor and configured to facilitate access to a collaboration application, the first request including at least a first user profile item for the first user;

generate a first user account in the organization directory for the first user based on the first request, the first user account being assigned a first set of permissions and including a first user profile listing the first user profile item;

provide, to the first user, a first level of access to the organization directory based on the first set of permissions being assigned to the first user account;

receive a second signal, over a second data communication channel, wherein the second signal includes a second request from a second user for transitioning the first user account from the first set of permissions to a second, broader set of permissions, the second user being associated with a third set of permissions that is at least as broad as the second set of permissions;

verify a first user identity for the first user based on the second request;

assign, in response to verifying the first user identity, the first user account the second set of permissions;

automatically update the organization directory to reflect a change in permissions for the first user account;

provide a second level of access to the organization directory to the first user that is greater than the first level of access based on the second set of permissions being assigned to the first user account;

automatically approve, subsequent to receiving the second request from the second user, in response to an access attempt by the first user, membership of the first user in a limited group, limited to only users having at least the second level of access, the membership enabling a greater number of communication services between the first user and other members of the limited group via the collaboration application than communication services available to a first group comprising members with only the first level of access to the organization directory; and

automatically update the organization directory to reflect a change in membership of the limited group.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

automatically approve, in response to a first access attempt by the first user, membership of the first user in the first group, the membership enabling a first number of communication services between the first user and other members of the first group via the collaboration application, the first group comprising members with the first level of access to the organization directory; and

automatically deny, prior to receiving the second request from the second user, in response to a second access attempt by the first user, membership in the limited group, the limited group comprising only members with the second level of access to the organization directory.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

automatically approve, subsequent to receiving the second request from the second user, in response to a third access attempt by the first user, membership of the first user in the limited group; and

automatically update the organization directory to reflect a change in membership of the limited group.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive from the first user, prior to receiving the second request from the second user, a third request to modify the first user profile;

automatically update, in response to the third request, the first user profile;

receive from the second user, subsequent to verification of the first user identity, a fourth request to modify the first user profile; and

automatically update, in response to the fourth request, the first user profile.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second user is a member of the first group.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second user is an administrator for the first group.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive, from the second user, a third request for transitioning the first user account from the second set of permissions to a fourth, broader set of permissions;

determine that the third set of permissions associated with the second user is insufficient for approving assignment of the fourth set of permissions to the first user; and

deny the third request.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the communication services offered to the first user automatically increase from the first number to a second, larger number, subsequent to verification of the first user identity.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive, from the first user, a third request to invite a third user to join the first group;

provide an invitation to the third user to join the first group;

receive, from the third user, acceptance of the invitation; and

add the third user to the first group and automatically updating the organization directory to reflect a change in membership of the first group.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive, from a third user, a third request for inclusion in the organization directory;

generate a second user account in the organization directory for the third user based on the third request, the second user account being assigned the first set of permissions and including a second user profile corresponding to the third user;

provide the first level of access to the organization directory to the third user based on the first set of permissions being assigned to the second user account;

receive, from the first user, a fourth request for transitioning the second user account from the first set of permissions to the second set of permissions;

verify a second user identity for the third user based on the fourth request;

assign the second user account the second set of permissions;

automatically update the organization directory to reflect the change in permissions for the second user account; and

provide the second level of access to the organization directory to the third user.

11. A method performed by a data processing system comprising:

receiving a first signal, over a data communication channel, wherein the first signal includes a first request from a first user for inclusion in an organization directory configured to facilitate access to a collaboration application, the first request including at least a first user profile item for the first user;

generating a first user account in the organization directory for the first user based on the first request, the first user account being assigned a first set of permissions and including a first user profile listing the first user profile item;

providing, to the first user, a first level of access to the organization directory based on the first set of permissions being assigned to the first user account;

receiving a second signal, over a second data communication channel, wherein the second signal includes a second request from a second user for transitioning the first user account from the first set of permissions to a second, broader set of permissions, the second user being associated with a third set of permissions that is at least as broad as the second set of permissions;

verifying a first user identity for the first user based on the second request;

assigning, in response to verifying the first user identity, the first user account the second set of permissions;

automatically updating the organization directory to reflect the change in permissions for the first user account;

providing a second level of access to the organization directory to the first user that is greater than the first level of access based on the second set of permissions being assigned to the first user account;

automatically approving, subsequent to receiving the second request from the second user, in response to an access attempt by the first user, membership of the first user in a limited group, limited to only users having at least the second level of access, the membership enabling a greater number of communication services between the first user and other members of the limited group via the collaboration application than communication services available to a first group comprising members with only the first level of access to the organization directory; and

automatically updating the organization directory to reflect a change in membership of the limited group.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

automatically approving, in response to a first access attempt by the first user, membership of the first user in the first group, the membership enabling a first number of communication services between the first user and other members of the first group via the collaboration application, the first group comprising members with the first level of access to the organization directory; and

automatically denying, prior to receiving the second request from the second user, in response to a second access attempt by the first user, membership in the limited group, the limited group comprising only members with the second level of access to the organization directory.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

automatically approving, subsequent to receiving the second request from the second user, in response to a third access attempt by the first user, membership of the first user in the limited group; and

automatically updating the organization directory to reflect a change in membership of the limited group.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving from the first user, prior to receiving the second request from the second user, a third request to modify the first user profile;

automatically updating, in response to the third request, the first user profile;

receiving from the second user, subsequent to verification of the first user identity, a fourth request to modify the first user profile; and

automatically updating, in response to the fourth request, the first user profile.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second user is a member of the first group.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second user is an administrator for the first group.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, from the second user, a third request for transitioning the first user account from the second set of permissions to a fourth, broader set of permissions;

determining that the third set of permissions associated with the second user is insufficient for approving assignment of the fourth set of permissions to the first user; and

denying the third request.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the communication services offered to the first user automatically increase from the first number to a second, larger number, subsequent to verification of the first user identity.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving, from the first user, a third request to invite a third user to join the first group;

providing an invitation to the third user to join the first group;

receiving, from the third user, acceptance of the invitation; and

adding the third user to the first group and automatically updating the organization directory to reflect a change in membership of the first group.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, from a third user, a third request for inclusion in the organization directory;

generating a second user account in the organization directory for the third user based on the third request, the second user account being assigned the first set of permissions and including a second user profile corresponding to the third user;

providing the first level of access to the organization directory to the third user based on the first set of permissions being assigned to the second user account;

receiving, from the first user, a fourth request for transitioning the second user account from the first set of permissions to the second set of permissions;

verifying a second user identity for the third user based on the fourth request;

assigning the second user account the second set of permissions;

automatically updating the organization directory to reflect the change in permissions for the second user account; and

providing the second level of access to the organization directory to the third user.