Hierarchical display of project information in a collaboration environment

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 7,996,774
App. No.: 11/712,844
Granted: Aug 9, 2011
Kind: B1

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Abstract

Providing access to project information in a virtual collaboration environment is disclosed. A credential information associated with a user of the virtual collaboration environment is received. It is determined, based at least in part on the credential information, which portion or portions of a hierarchical set of project information the user is entitled to receive. A hierarchical display that includes the portion or portions of the hierarchical set of project information that it is determined the user is entitled to receive is provided to the user via the virtual collaboration environment.

Claims (76)

1. A method for providing access to project planning information in a virtual collaboration environment, comprising:

receiving a credential information associated with a user of the virtual collaboration environment via a request from a web application, wherein the request comprises a command associated with the virtual collaboration environment wrapped in a web service envelope including the credential information;

wherein the virtual collaboration environment comprises a given project;

wherein the given project comprises a stored object associated with project status information stored by a content management system;

determining, based at least in part on the credential information, a level of a user;

returning a web service response to provide the user within the virtual collaboration environment access to a hierarchical dashboard, wherein:

a project level dashboard enables a project level user to:

1. comment on the status of the given project; and

2. view other comments associated with the given project;

an executive level dashboard enables a program manager level user to:

1. comment on the status of the given project;

2. comment on the status of a second project, wherein the given project and the second project are both associated with a specific program associated with the program manager;

3. view other comments associated with the given project or the second project; and

4. view details of the project level dashboard associated with the given project or a second project level dashboard associated with the second project; and

an administrator level dashboard enables an administrator level user to:

1. comment on any project in the virtual collaboration environment;

2. view other comments associated with any project in the virtual collaboration environment;

3. select and deselect the given project to be tracked for the specific program; and

4. customize and view details of the executive level dashboard and project level dashboard; and

wherein every comment is stored with version control by the content management system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical display comprises a web page.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the credential information comprises a collaboration environment credential associated with the virtual collaboration environment.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the virtual collaboration environment comprises an eRoom™ environment.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the virtual collaboration environment comprises one or more virtual collaboration workspaces.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 , wherein each virtual collaboration workspace comprises an eRoom™.

7. A method as recited in claim 5 , wherein each virtual collaboration workspace has associated with it one or more projects.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said executive level display includes for each virtual collaboration workspace in the set a corresponding project planning information for each project associated with that virtual collaboration workspace.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-executive level display is organized by virtual collaboration workspace, such that project planning information associated with a particular project appears in a region associated with the particular virtual collaboration workspace with which that particular project is associated.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the project planning information includes one or more of the following: user comments; instructions from higher level users; project schedule information; project status information; and project task status information.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said virtual collaboration environment includes one or more virtual collaboration workspaces each of which has associated with it one or more stored objects accessible to members of the virtual collaboration workspace; and at least a portion of said project planning information is stored with said stored objects.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 , wherein said stored objects and said at least a portion of said project planning information are stored in a managed content repository.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein said virtual collaboration environment is provided by a virtual collaboration solution that is integrated with said managed content repository.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising updating the project planning information based on input received from the user.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user is entitled to update project planning information associated with the portion or portions of the hierarchical set of project planning information that it is determined the user is entitled to receive.

16. A system configured to provide a virtual collaboration environment, comprising:

a content management system;

a communication interface configured to receive a credential information associated with a user of the virtual collaboration environment via a request from a web application, wherein the request comprises a command associated with the virtual collaboration environment wrapped in a web service envelope including the credential information;

wherein the virtual collaboration environment comprises a given project;

wherein the given project comprises a stored object associated with project status information stored by a content management system; and

a hardware processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to determine, based at least in part on the credential information, a level of a user;