Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To improve the convenience of communication across multiple types of communication tools. [Solution] The information processing device 1 includes an information acquisition unit 31 that acquires a first message from a first user input into the first user interface of a first communication tool, and a display control unit 36 ​​that displays the first message and information indicating that the first message is from the first user on the second user interface of a second communication tool. This solves the above problem.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. Background Art

[0002] There are a plurality of types of contact tools that support contact between users (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Accordingly, each user can contact other users by using a contact tool of their preference. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-167706 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the type of contact tool is often determined for each organization. Therefore, in order for users belonging to different organizations to contact each other, it is necessary to realize message exchange across a plurality of types of contact tools, which is not available in conventional techniques.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to improve the convenience of communication across a plurality of types of contact tools. Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, one aspect of the present invention is an information processing device for managing the exchange of information, including messages, between multiple users using multiple types of communication tools, on a project-by-project basis, comprising: acquisition means for acquiring a first message input by a first user relating to the project; and display control means for displaying a link button on a second communication tool set up for a second user, which notifies the first message and includes information about a connection destination on a communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays a message history including the first message.

[0007] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is an information processing method performed by an information processing device that manages the exchange of information, including messages, between multiple users using multiple types of communication tools for each project, and the method includes the steps of: obtaining a first message input by a first user relating to the project; and displaying a link button on a second communication tool set up for a second user, along with a notification of the first message, including information about a connection destination on a communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays a message history including the first message.

[0008] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer that manages information exchange, including messages, between multiple users using multiple types of communication tools for each project to execute a control process that includes the steps of: obtaining a first message entered by a first user regarding the project; and causing a second communication tool set up for a second user to display a link button containing connection destination information on a communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays the message history including the first message, along with a notification of the first message. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to exchange messages across multiple types of communication tools. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows a project support system to which an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the CPU. [Figure 4] A flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow of an information processing device. [Figure 5] This diagram shows a specific example of assigning a person in charge to a designated project using this service. [Figure 6] This figure shows specific examples of similar UIs. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] <System Configuration> First, let me explain the overall system configuration. Figure 1 shows a project support system 100 to which an information processing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. Project support system 100 provides a service (hereinafter referred to as "this service") that supports projects involving multiple parties performing the target tasks (hereinafter referred to as "performers"). These performers may be individuals or organizations such as corporations. Performers utilize project support system 100 as users of this service.

[0013] The project support system 100 is implemented by an information processing device 1, a generation AI server 2, and user terminals 3-1 to 3-n (where n is an integer value of 1 or greater), all connected via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0014] While this service is not limited to specific types of projects, it is particularly well-suited for projects that provide support to individuals requiring care, such as those in the community-based integrated care system. These types of projects require collaboration across organizational boundaries among various professionals, including care managers, physicians and other healthcare providers, nurses, certified care workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and home care workers. Specifically, this involves collaboration between individuals belonging to different organizations such as medical institutions, care facilities, visiting nurse stations, and community-based integrated care centers. However, each organization and individual often uses different communication tools on a daily basis. For example, one organization might primarily use email, another might use social networking services like LINE, and yet another might use business chat tools like Slack. Therefore, in cross-organizational projects, project managers need to individually manage messages using each individual's communication tool, resulting in significant time and effort spent on information sharing and coordination. Furthermore, in the medical and care settings, individuals are often overwhelmed with their daily tasks, creating significant psychological and temporal barriers to the introduction of new systems and applications. Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows each project participant to efficiently share project information and coordinate communications while continuing to use their usual communication tools. This service allows for the setting of functions such as chat rooms, events (scheduling), and assignee management for each user involved in the project. This enables the organization and management of information for each user, and allows each project participant to efficiently access information about the users they are responsible for.

[0015] [Information Processing Device 1] The information processing apparatus 1 configuring the project support system 100 is an information processing apparatus that provides a project support platform (hereinafter referred to as "this platform") that implements project management. The information processing apparatus 1 functions as a server that provides various kinds of information related to project management to user terminals 3-1 to 3-n via this platform. This platform implements, as project management, processing for managing the transmission and reception of messages among a plurality of performers present on a communication network, managing the sharing of data among the plurality of performers via the communication network, and managing schedule adjustment of events (for example, meetings, visit schedules, etc.) for each user that is a target of the project.

[0016] The information processing apparatus 1 acquires a message (hereinafter referred to as "first message") input to a user interface of a first contact tool among a plurality of types of contact tools (hereinafter referred to as "first UI"). Examples of the contact tools include, as described above, e-mail, SNS such as LINE (registered trademark) and Slack (registered trademark), SMS (Short Message Service), and the like. Hereinafter, a user who has input the first message to the first UI is referred to as "first user". Cooperation between the information processing apparatus 1 and each contact tool is performed, for example, using an API (Application Programming Interface).

[0017] The information processing apparatus 1 enables the first message and information indicating that the first message originates from the first user (hereinafter referred to as "source information") to be displayed on a user interface of a second contact tool (hereinafter referred to as "second UI"). The second contact tool is a contact tool different from the first contact tool among the plurality of types of contact tools. The information processing apparatus 1 acquires a message input to the second UI (hereinafter referred to as "second message"). Hereinafter, a user who has input the second message to the second UI is referred to as "second user".

[0018] For example, in FIG. 1, assume that user U1 who operates user terminal 3-1 as a first user uses SNS (Social Networking Service) A as a first communication tool. Further, assume that users U2 to Un who operate user terminals 3-2 to 3-n as second users respectively use E-mail, SNS_B, and SNS_C as second communication tools respectively. In this case, assume that user U1 inputs a first message addressed to users U2 to Un by using the user interface of SNS_A as a first UI. In this case, the first message and sender information indicating that the first message is from user U1 are displayed on each of the user interfaces of E-mail, SNS_B, and SNS_C serving as a second UI.

[0019] Further, the information processing apparatus 1 enables a link button for displaying the first UI to be displayed on the second UI. For example, in the above example, assume that user U1 as the first user inputs the first message addressed to users U2 to Un on the user interface of SNS_A as the first UI. In this case, the link button for displaying the first UI is displayed on each of the user interfaces of E-mail, SNS_B, and SNS_C serving as the second UI, together with the first message and the sender information indicating that the first message is from user U1.

[0020] It should be noted that the information processing apparatus 1 generates connection destination information (URL) on a communication network to be set for the link button displayed on the second UI. This URL includes various pieces of information for specifying the accessing user and information to be displayed. Details of the URL generation method will be described later.

[0021] When a second user presses a link button displayed on the second UI, the information processing device 1 launches a browser within the application of the communication tool being used on the second user's terminal 3 and displays a message history screen including the history of the first and second messages. At this time, the information processing device 1 obtains URL access source information associated with accessing the link button and determines the type of communication tool set for the second user. Then, the information processing device 1 adjusts the display format of the message history screen according to the determined type of communication tool. Note that the browser launched when the second user presses the link button displayed on the second UI may be launched as a separate application independent of the communication tool application.

[0022] Specifically, if the communication tool is a tool that displays messages in a threaded format (for example, Slack®), the information processing device 1 can be configured to left-align all messages and display each message repeatedly in the format "Speaker Name:Message Content" with the speaker's name attached. On the other hand, if the communication tool is a tool that displays messages in a chat format (for example, LINE®), the information processing device 1 can be configured to display messages in a speech bubble format, with messages from the other party left-aligned and your own messages right-aligned.

[0023] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 places icons and buttons on the message history screen that are similar to interface elements that users use on a daily basis in each communication tool (e.g., file attachment button, reply button, etc.). This allows a second user to use the message history screen as if it were an extension of the communication tool they normally use, and to check information seamlessly without feeling like they have switched to a different application.

[0024] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 will implement a phased disclosure of information in order to protect personal information. As the first step, the information processing device 1 will not include the personal information of the users who are the target of the project in notifications sent on the communication tool set up for the second user, although it will include a URL to display the content. This prevents personal information from remaining in the message history of the communication tool (e.g., LINE® or email), and prevents personal information from being unnecessarily retained by those who have refused the offer.

[0025] In the second stage, when a second user accesses the system via a browser using a URL, the information processing device 1, during the initial inquiry stage for assignment requests, masks personally identifiable information such as part of the user's name and part of their address, and displays only the minimum necessary information such as age, gender, level of care required, and medical condition on the screen. This allows the second user to confirm the information necessary to decide whether or not to accept the assignment, while ensuring that complete personal information is not disclosed.

[0026] In the third stage, once the second user accepts the assignment request and is officially designated as the assigned person, the information processing device 1 displays the user's complete name, address, telephone number, and other detailed personal information on the screen when the URL is accessed. In this way, by dynamically generating the displayed content on the server side each time the URL is accessed, different information can be presented depending on the second user's assignment status. This staged information disclosure ensures the protection of personal information while appropriately providing necessary information to the officially assigned person. Furthermore, if a user (including the first and second users) is removed from their assignment or leaves the company, their information can be made inaccessible. In other words, the information processing device 1 can implement control to prevent the provision of user information to those who are not officially assigned.

[0027] In the phased information disclosure described above, only the minimum necessary information is provided to the second user in the second phase. Therefore, the second user may need additional information to decide whether or not to accept the responsibility. To address this, the information processing device 1 provides a messaging function that allows the second user to ask additional questions or seek confirmation from the first user, even during the initial inquiry phase.

[0028] Specifically, on the inquiry screen accessed by the second user via a URL, the second user can send a message to the first user by operating the message send button before responding to the assignment request (accepting or rejecting it). The message exchange at this stage is treated as a direct message between the first and second users and is not displayed to other second users. The second user can ask questions such as, "Under the given conditions, I can only handle visits to the target, is that possible?" or "I would like to confirm the address details," and then decide whether or not to accept the assignment after reviewing the first user's response.

[0029] The information processing device 1 notifies the first user of messages sent by the second user, and the first user can view and reply to messages from the second user on the first user interface or the screen of this platform. This messaging function at the inquiry stage allows the second user to make appropriate decisions after reviewing any additional information they may need, even if only limited information is provided at that stage, and the first user can smoothly proceed with assigning personnel by responding to questions from the second user. Even if the second user rejects the assignment request, the history of this message exchange is recorded on this platform and can be reviewed by the first user later.

[0030] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 has a function to control the level of protection of personal information when sending messages on a message-by-message basis. Specifically, when the first user creates a message, if the message contains sensitive information such as personal information, the first user can select a checkbox displayed on the message sending screen to prevent the message body from being displayed in notifications on the communication tool set up for the second user.

[0031] When this setting is enabled, the information processing device 1 will display only the information of the first user who sent the message, the minimum information necessary to identify the target user of the project (e.g., initials of the name), and information indicating that a message has been sent in notifications sent to the second user via the communication tool, but will not display the message body. The notification will include a link button that transitions to a screen on this platform where the message body can be viewed. If the second user clicks the link button and accesses the screen, they will be able to view the full message on this platform.

[0032] On the other hand, if the checkbox is not selected (default setting), the information processing device 1 displays the message body along with the notification on the communication tool set up for the second user. This allows the second user to immediately understand the message content simply by checking the notification on the communication tool. This platform emphasizes that including the message content in the notification makes it easier for the second user to notice the message and enables a quick response. On the other hand, for messages containing sensitive information such as personal information, the aforementioned checkbox can be used to display only the link and not the message body in the notification, in order to prevent sensitive information from remaining in the message history of the communication tool. In this way, the information processing device 1 can flexibly adjust the balance between the immediacy of notification and the protection of personal information, depending on the nature of the message.

[0033] Furthermore, second users who have an account for this service can utilize more features than second users who do not have an account. For example, second users with an account can access a screen that displays a list of shared data related to a project and manage multiple data centrally. Second users with an account can also use the performer search function to find other performers by phone number or email address and send new assignment requests or event participation invitations. On the other hand, second users without an account can access individual data from notifications received through the communication tool, but they cannot access the data list management screen or use functions such as performer search or new requests. In this way, this service allows users to use basic functions without an account, while providing more advanced management functions to account holders, thereby realizing flexible service provision that meets the needs of users.

[0034] Furthermore, this service allows second users to access basic functions such as viewing message history and replying to messages via a link button, even if they do not have an account on this platform. This reduces the psychological and temporal barriers to adopting new systems and applications, enabling busy healthcare and caregiving professionals, as well as users unfamiliar with IT, to participate in project information sharing and coordination while continuing to use their usual communication tools.

[0035] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 extracts reply messages to the first message from the acquired second messages and enables the display of the reply message and sender information indicating that the reply message is from the second user on the first UI. For example, in the above example, suppose user U2, as the second user, enters a reply message to the first message displayed on the email user interface, which is the second UI. In this case, the SNS_A user interface, which is the first UI, displayed on user terminal 3-1 will show the reply message from user U2 and sender information indicating that the reply message is from user U2.

[0036] This platform provides one chat room for each user targeted by a project, displaying the chronological order of message exchanges between multiple project implementers related to that user. The chat room displays a mix of messages sent to all project implementers (hereinafter referred to as "messages addressed to everyone") and direct messages (hereinafter referred to as "DMs") sent to specific project implementers. Each project implementer can only view messages that are relevant to them, i.e., messages they have sent and messages that include them as the recipient (including messages addressed to everyone, DMs addressed only to themselves, and DMs addressed to multiple people including themselves).

[0037] The information processing device 1 adds and displays information indicating the sender and recipient of each message in the chat room. For example, a direct message (DM) sent from user A to user B will be displayed as "A (myself) → B [DM]" on user A's screen and as "A → B (myself) [DM]" on user B's screen. Messages addressed to all users will be displayed as "A → Everyone," etc. Furthermore, DMs addressed to multiple users (for example, DMs sent from user A to users B and C) will be displayed as "A → B, C [DM]," etc. By clearly indicating the recipient information for each message in this way, even if there is a mix of messages addressed to all users and DMs, each user can clearly identify who is communicating with whom.

[0038] This display method allows multiple project participants to understand user information chronologically while also enabling individual communication with specific participants as needed. For example, in a medical or nursing care setting, a care manager can share the user's condition with everyone via a message, while simultaneously requesting detailed medical information only from visiting nurses via direct message.

[0039] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 can confirm the content of the response if the first message from the first user contains some kind of request to the second user, and the reply message from the second user contains an affirmative response to that request. For example, in the above example, suppose the first message from user U1 contains a message inviting U2 to participate in a project in order to assign a person in charge to a specific project. Furthermore, suppose the reply message from user U2 to the first message contains a message indicating that U2 will participate in the specific project. In this case, the information processing device 1 will manage the project in which user U1 invited user U2 to participate as a person in charge.

[0040] Several methods are possible for this confirmation process. One method involves the first user confirming the acceptance reply from the second user, and then the first user explicitly confirming the process to officially designate the second user as the person in charge. In this method, the first user can review the reply from the second user, exchange additional information and adjust conditions as needed, and then make a final confirmation decision. For example, this method is suitable when assigning a task to a new person for the first time, or when detailed adjustments to the project conditions are necessary.

[0041] A second method involves simplifying or eliminating the confirmation process by pre-configuring confirmation settings when the first user sends the inquiry. This method includes the following two patterns:

[0042] The first pattern involves confirming the second user as the person in charge immediately upon making the inquiry, without waiting for a response from the second user. This pattern is effective when the first user has already established a relationship of trust with the second user and it is certain that the second user will accept the responsibility. For example, in the medical and nursing care field, when a care manager requests support for a new user from a visiting nurse with whom they have collaborated for many years, it is known that the visiting nurse will always accept. In this case, the first user can select the "Immediate Confirmation" option on the inquiry submission screen. If this option is selected, the information processing device 1 sends a notification of the assignment request to the second user and simultaneously sets the second user as the official person in charge. As a result, the second user is already registered as the official person in charge upon receiving the notification and can immediately access the user's detailed personal information.

[0043] The second pattern is one in which the process is automatically finalized upon receiving an acceptance reply from the second user, without requiring any further confirmation from the first user. This pattern is useful when the first user wants to confirm the acceptance reply from the second user before finalizing the process, but wants to avoid the hassle of performing the final confirmation step. On the screen for sending the inquiry, the first user can select a checkbox indicating "Automatically finalize upon receiving an acceptance reply." If this checkbox is selected, upon receiving an acceptance reply from the second user, the information processing device 1 automatically sets the second user as the official contact person, sends a finalization notification to the second user, and sends a finalization completion notification to the first user, without waiting for any further confirmation from the first user.

[0044] These confirmation options provide the first user with the flexibility to choose the appropriate confirmation method depending on the nature of the project and their relationship with the second user. For example, for performers with whom the project has collaborated in the past or with whom a relationship of trust has already been established, the first or second pattern described above can be used to quickly confirm the person in charge. On the other hand, for performers being requested for the first time, or when detailed adjustments to the project conditions are necessary, the first method (explicit confirmation) can be used to make a careful confirmation decision.

[0045] To implement this second method, the information processing device 1 provides a means for the first user to select a confirmation option when sending an inquiry. For example, on the inquiry sending screen, a checkbox indicating "Automatically confirm if an acceptance reply is received" is displayed, and when the first user sends the inquiry with this checkbox selected, the confirmation option becomes active. The information processing device 1 stores this confirmation option setting along with the inquiry information and determines whether the confirmation option is active when it receives an acceptance reply from the second user. If the confirmation option is active, the information processing device 1 automatically sets the second user as the official person in charge without waiting for any additional confirmation operation from the first user, sends a confirmation notification to the second user, and also sends a confirmation completion notification to the first user.

[0046] For example, in medical and nursing care settings, when a care manager requests support for a new client from a visiting nurse with whom they have previously collaborated, it is desirable that the assignment be confirmed immediately upon receiving an acceptance reply. In this case, using the confirmation option allows the care manager to save the trouble of performing a confirmation operation, and the visiting nurse can quickly obtain detailed information about the client and begin preparing to provide services. Furthermore, after the person in charge has been confirmed, the information processing device 1 has a function to share the message exchanges that took place on this platform to a group chat of the communication tool. Details of this group chat sharing function will be described later.

[0047] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 has a function to resend the assignment request to the second user if the second user does not respond to the assignment request within a predetermined period. Specifically, if the second user does not respond after a predetermined period (e.g., 24 hours, 48 ​​hours, etc.) has elapsed since the assignment request was sent, the information processing device 1 will resend the assignment request notification to the second user on the communication tool set up for the second user, either based on the instructions of the first user or automatically. This resend notification includes a link button that leads to a screen for responding to the assignment request, just like the initial notification. This provides busy medical and care workers with an opportunity to review the notification again even if they missed the initial notification, and facilitates the smooth assignment of personnel.

[0048] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 has a function to withdraw the assignment request to the second user who is being approached. The first user can withdraw the assignment request after sending it. When the information processing device 1 receives a withdrawal instruction from the first user, it invalidates the assignment request to the second user and notifies the second user that the assignment request has been withdrawn via the communication tool set up on the second user. Situations in which an assignment request may be withdrawn include, for example, when the second user does not respond within a specified period and an acceptance response is received from another person to officially assign the task, or when a more suitable person is found and the request to the second user is no longer necessary. This allows for efficient assignment of personnel without continuing unnecessary inquiries.

[0049] In particular, the withdrawal function works effectively when combined with the confirmation option function mentioned above. For example, suppose User 1 sends assignment requests to three users, User 2, User 3, and User 4, and has enabled the confirmation option. In this case, when User 3 and User 4 accept the assignment, the information processing device 1 automatically confirms the official assignment. On the other hand, User 2 has not responded. At this point, User 1 can withdraw the assignment request to User 2, who has not responded. This ends the unnecessary inquiry to User 2 and, if necessary, allows User 2 to send the assignment request to a new person to replace User 2. In this way, by combining the confirmation option function, the resend function, and the withdrawal function, User 1 can streamline the assignment process.

[0050] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 has a function to sequentially contact multiple potential clients, prioritizing them accordingly. When the first user sends a request for assignment, they can register multiple second users as clients and set a priority for each client. In addition, the first user can set an interval time for each client (for example, one or two hours per person). When the information processing device 1 receives the prioritized list of clients and the set interval time from the first user, it sends a notification of the assignment request to the second user with the highest priority.

[0051] The information processing device 1 waits until it receives a response from the first second user. If no response is received after the set interval time has elapsed, or if the second user responds that they will not accept the assignment, it automatically sends a notification requesting the assignment to the next highest priority second user. On the other hand, if the second user responds that they will accept the assignment, it does not send notifications to subsequent second users of lower priority. This function allows the first user to determine the person in charge within a certain time, and also allows them to quickly confirm that all parties have rejected the assignment if all parties have refused. This reduces the workload of manually contacting each party sequentially and enables efficient assignment of personnel. The information processing device 1 also records the date and time of sending notifications to each second user, the date and time of receiving responses from each second user, and the content of the responses, and provides a screen that allows the first user to check the progress at any time. This screen displays a list of which second users have been notified, which second users have responded, and which second users are waiting for a response. This allows the first user to understand the progress of the automated priority solicitation process and make appropriate decisions as needed, such as manually notifying the next candidate or withdrawing the solicitation.

[0052] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 stores the history of the acquired first message and second message. The information processing device 1 makes it possible to display the history of the first message and second message on a user interface other than the first UI or the second UI. In this case, the information processing device 1 may display the history of the first message and second message on a user interface (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "similar UI") that has a similar configuration to the first UI or the second UI. For example, in the above example, it is possible to display a similar UI of the SNS_A user interface as the first UI on user terminal 3-1 and display the history of the first message and second message on that similar UI. Also, it is possible to display a similar UI of the E-mail user interface as the second UI on user terminal 3-2 and display the history of the first message and second message on that similar UI.

[0053] The similar UI acquires and stores information regarding the configuration of the first UI and the second UI, respectively (hereinafter referred to as "UI configuration information"). The UI configuration information may be acquired, for example, from data of application software of a communication tool provided on the internet, or multiple types of UI configuration information may be pre-associated and stored for each communication tool.

[0054] The information processing device 1 generates a similar UI based on the acquired UI configuration information. Alternatively, the information processing device 1 may generate a similar UI based on UI configuration information obtained by analyzing the nth UI displayed on the user terminal 3.

[0055] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 has a function to schedule events involving multiple participants for each user who is the target of the project. The first user, who is the event setter, sets multiple candidate dates and times for the event and specifies the participants to whom participation is requested. The information processing device 1 obtains event information from the event setter, including the event name, content, multiple candidate dates and times, and participant information. The information processing device 1 then sends a notification of invitation to participate in the event on the communication tool set for each participant. This notification includes a link button containing connection information on the communication network to transition to the event response screen on the project support system 100. This makes it possible to notify multiple participants belonging to different organizations and using different communication tools about the event through their respective communication tools.

[0056] Each participant (second user) accesses the event response screen by clicking a link button displayed on their communication tool and enters their response for each proposed date and time: available, unavailable, or conditionally available. When the information processing device 1 receives responses from each participant for the proposed dates and times, it stores them and notifies the event organizer and other participants of the response results on their respective communication tools. This notification also includes a link button that leads to the event response screen to check the response results. This allows the event organizer to centrally collect responses from multiple participants using different communication tools and understand which participants are available for each proposed date and time.

[0057] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 allows participants to add new candidate dates and times that are different from those presented by the event organizer. For example, if a second user, who is a participant, is unable to attend any of the presented candidate dates and times, or is conditionally able to attend, the second user can add a new candidate date and time that they are available to attend. This function allows for efficient scheduling between the event organizer and participants without repeated message exchanges regarding candidate dates and times.

[0058] Specifically, when a second user, who is a participant, adds a new candidate date and time on the event response screen, the information processing device 1 receives and stores the updated event information, including the added candidate date and time. The information processing device 1 then notifies the first user, who is the event organizer, and all other participants via their respective communication tools that a new candidate date and time has been added. This notification also includes a link button that leads to the updated event response screen. By clicking the link button, the event organizer and other participants can access the event response screen, which includes the added candidate date and time, and input responses such as "can attend," "cannot attend," or "can attend with conditions" for the added candidate date and time. In this way, the information processing device 1 enables two-way presentation, response, and addition of candidate dates and times among multiple participants using different communication tools, thereby streamlining the scheduling of cross-organizational events.

[0059] The first user, who is the event organizer, checks the responses from each participant and determines the final event date and time, taking into consideration the candidate date and time with the most available participants, or the candidate date and time that all required participants can attend. When the information processing device 1 receives confirmation of the event date and time from the first user, it notifies all participants via their respective communication tools that the event date and time have been confirmed. This series of processes allows busy practitioners in medical and nursing care settings to efficiently coordinate schedules through their respective communication tools. In particular, the function that allows participants to add candidate dates and times eliminates the need for the event organizer to reschedule candidate dates and times, reducing the number of back-and-forth adjustments. For example, when a care manager is coordinating a conference regarding a user, practitioners from various professions, such as doctors, nurses, and care workers, can add their own convenient dates and times as candidates, allowing for a quick discovery of a date and time that everyone can attend.

[0060] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 provides a search function for selecting a performer to contact when the first user requests assignments or invitations to participate in events. The first user can search for already registered performers by entering a phone number or email address. If a suitable performer is found as a result of the search, the first user selects that performer as the contact. On the other hand, if no suitable performer is found as a result of the search, the first user can register a new performer by entering the location name (organization name or department name), contact information (phone number, email address, or SNS account, etc.). In this case, the newly registered performer is treated as a performer who does not have an account for this service, and can receive notifications through their own contact tools and use basic functions. This allows the first user to make assignment requests and invitations to participate in events to both existing and new performers in a unified manner.

[0061] In large medical institutions and nursing care facilities, it is already common practice to manage business communications regarding multiple users at the facility level or on a partner level using the group chat function of communication tools. This is because creating separate group chats for each user would result in an enormous number of chats, making management difficult. In such environments, it is desirable to use this platform to assign new users to responsible personnel and share initial information, and then, once the personnel are determined, to transfer the information to the existing group chat to continue operations.

[0062] Therefore, the information processing device 1 has a function to share the message exchanges that took place on this platform with a group chat of a communication tool. With this function, after the assignment of personnel is complete, the first user can transfer the message history accumulated on this platform to a group chat of an existing communication tool, and continue subsequent business communication in that group chat.

[0063] Specifically, the first user selects the message to be shared on the platform's chat screen and operates the share button. The information processing device 1 obtains the account information of the communication tool linked to the first user's account and uses the API (Application Programming Interface) of the communication tool to obtain a list of group chats in which the first user is participating. Here, the destination obtained for sharing may not be an individual chat in the communication tool, but a group chat with multiple members. The first user can select a destination from the displayed list of group chats. The information processing device 1 sends the content of the selected message to the selected group chat.

[0064] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 records which messages have been shared to which group chat and displays an indication on the first user's chat screen that a message has been shared. This allows the first user to distinguish between messages that have already been shared and those that have not yet been shared. In addition, the information processing device 1 makes it possible to share not only messages, but also files attached to the chat and information about the users who are the target of the project, to the group chat.

[0065] This group chat sharing feature is particularly effective for large businesses that already operate numerous group chats within their organizations. For example, in the medical and nursing care fields, if hundreds of group chats are already in operation between a specific medical institution and a nursing care facility, information about multiple users is often mixed and managed within each group chat. Separating group chats for each user would result in thousands or tens of thousands of chats, making management difficult. Therefore, group chats are set up at the facility level or by partner, and communication about multiple users takes place within these chats. In such environments, this platform can be used to assign a new user to a contact person and share initial information. Once the contact person is confirmed, the information can be transferred to the relevant existing group chat, allowing work to continue. This allows the platform's advantages to be utilized without significantly changing existing workflows. Examples of communication tools that provide group chats include Chatwork®, LINE WORKS®, and Slack®, but are not limited to these.

[0066] [Generating AI Server 2] The Generative AI Server 2, which constitutes the Project Support System 100, utilizes a Large-Scale Language Model (LLM) and deep learning to provide information necessary for the Information Processing Device 1 to perform the following processing. Specifically, based on the input prompt, the Generative AI Server 2 executes the following processing using natural language processing by the Large-Scale Language Model and outputs the processing result. The prompt is input in data format such as text data, audio data, or image data.

[0067] For example, the generating AI server 2, upon receiving a prompt containing a first message and a second message, provides an AI model that extracts a reply message from the second message and outputs the extracted reply message as the processing result. Furthermore, the generating AI server 2, upon receiving a prompt containing UI configuration information, provides an AI model that generates a similar UI and outputs the generated similar UI as the processing result.

[0068] [User terminal 3] User terminals 3-1 to 3-n are information processing devices operated by project implementers who are candidates to carry out the project, acting as users of this service. Each of user terminals 3-1 to 3-n is operated by a different user. The project implementer who is a user may be, for example, a care manager whose project involves supporting individuals requiring care, a medical professional such as a doctor, a nurse, a certified care worker, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, or a home care worker who provides services. These implementers belong to different organizations such as medical institutions, care facilities, visiting nurse stations, and community comprehensive support centers, and often use different communication tools on a daily basis. The project implementer who is a user may use this service as a project manager who manages the project, or as an event participant who takes part in events related to carrying out the project.

[0069] User terminals 3-1 to 3-n consist of smartphones, tablets, personal computers, etc. User terminals 3-1 to 3-n may send and receive various types of information with the information processing device 1 using pre-installed programs, or they may send and receive various types of information through a web browser. In the following description, items common to user terminals 3-1 to 3-n may be simply referred to as "user terminal 3".

[0070] <Hardware Configuration> [Hardware configuration of information processing device 1] Next, we will describe an example of the hardware that constitutes the information processing device 1. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 1 shown in Figure 1. The information processing device 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 as a processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0071] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to the program stored in the ROM 12 or the program loaded from the storage unit 18 into the RAM 13. The RAM 13 also stores data necessary for the CPU 11 to execute various processes. The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14.

[0072] The input / output interface 15 is connected to an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20. The output unit 16 consists of a display, speakers, etc., and outputs various information as images and sounds. The input unit 17 consists of a keyboard, mouse, etc., and inputs various information. The storage unit 18 consists of a hard disk, DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various data. The communication unit 19 communicates with other devices via a network, including the Internet.

[0073] The drive 20 is appropriately equipped with removable media 21, which may consist of a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory. Programs read from the removable media 21 by the drive 20 are installed in the storage unit 18 as needed. The removable media 21 can also store various types of data stored in the storage unit 18, just like the storage unit 18.

[0074] The hardware configuration described here is merely an example. The computer described in this embodiment, including the information processing device 1, may have the same configuration as that shown in Figure 2, or it may have a different configuration. Furthermore, the computer may consist of two or more computers. The user terminal 3 in Figure 1 is, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer having a configuration similar to the hardware configuration shown in Figure 2.

[0075] [Hardware configuration of user terminal 3] User terminal 3 has a hardware configuration similar to that of information processing device 1 shown in Figure 2. That is, user terminal 3 has a CPU, ROM, RAM, bus, input / output interface, output unit, input unit, storage unit, communication unit, drive, and removable media, which correspond to the CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, bus 14, input / output interface 15, output unit 16, input unit 17, storage unit 18, communication unit 19, drive 20, and removable media 21 in Figure 2, respectively.

[0076] <Functional configuration> Next, the functional configuration of the information processing device 1 will be described. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the CPU 11 in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, when the CPU 11 of the information processing device 1 is in operation, the following functions are active: information acquisition unit 31, information management unit 32, extraction unit 33, confirmation unit 34, generation unit 35, display control unit 36, and transmission control unit 37.

[0077] Furthermore, the storage unit 18 of the information processing device 1 is equipped with various databases. For example, it is equipped with a UI configuration DB 41 that stores UI configuration information and a user DB 42 that stores user information (hereinafter referred to as "user information"). User information includes, for example, the history of messages entered by the user and the communication tools used by the user.

[0078] The information acquisition unit 31 acquires various types of information via the communication unit 19. For example, the information acquisition unit 31 acquires the first message from the first user entered into the first UI. The information acquisition unit 31 also acquires the second message from the second user entered into the second UI. The information acquisition unit 31 also acquires instructions from the first user to prevent the body of the first message from being displayed in notifications on the second communication tool. This instruction is given, for example, by the first user selecting a checkbox on the message sending screen. The information acquisition unit 31 also acquires information output from the AI ​​model provided by the generation AI server 2. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 31 acquires event information from the event setter, including the event name, content, multiple candidate dates and times, and participant information. The information acquisition unit 31 also acquires responses from each participant to the candidate dates and times (acceptable, unacceptable, or conditionally acceptable). The information acquisition unit 31 also acquires information on newly added candidate dates and times from participants. Finally, the information acquisition unit 31 acquires information from the event setter regarding the operation to confirm the date and time of the event. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 31 obtains from the first user the priority order for multiple second users and the interval time indicating the time between inquiries to each second user. The information acquisition unit 31 also obtains from the first user a telephone number or email address to search for the person to be contacted (the person to whom the request will be made). The information acquisition unit 31 also obtains the name of the base and contact information to register a new person to be contacted. The information acquisition unit 31 also obtains from the first user instructions to share a message regarding a specified project in a group chat of a communication tool, and specifies the group chat to which the message will be shared.

[0079] The information management unit 32 stores and manages various types of information in the database of the storage unit 18. For example, the information management unit 32 stores and manages UI configuration information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 in the UI configuration DB 41. The information management unit 32 also stores and manages message history acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 in the user DB 42. In this case, each message is associated with information indicating which user used which communication tool, as well as sender information and recipient information. Furthermore, the information management unit 32 stores and manages event information, candidate dates and times, response results from each participant, and confirmed dates and times for each user who is the target of the project. The information management unit 32 also adds candidate dates and times added by participants to the existing event information and manages them. In addition, the information management unit 32 stores and manages a prioritized list of contacts, the interval time for each contact, the date and time of sending notifications to each contact, and the date and time of receiving responses from each contact. The information management unit 32 also performs a process to search for the person carrying out the task using a telephone number or email address as a key. Furthermore, the Information Management Unit 32 stores and manages the location name and contact information of new assignees. In addition, the Information Management Unit 32 records the sharing history to group chats and manages which messages were shared to which group chats.

[0080] The extraction unit 33 extracts various types of information from various types of information. For example, the extraction unit 33 searches for and extracts messages that include the target user as the recipient from the second messages acquired by the information acquisition unit 31. Specifically, for example, the extraction unit 33 searches for and extracts reply messages to the first message from the second messages. The extraction unit 33 may have an AI model provided by the generation AI server 2 perform the process of extracting reply messages from the second messages. The extraction unit 33 also extracts messages sent by a specific performer and messages that include that specific performer as the recipient from messages managed for each predetermined project, and performs the process of extracting messages that should be displayed on the screen of that specific performer. The extraction unit 33 also performs the process of determining whether the participant's response indicates participation is possible, participation is not possible, or conditional participation is possible.

[0081] The confirmation unit 34 confirms the content of the reply if the first message contains a request to the second user and the reply message contains an affirmative response to that request. At this time, the confirmation unit 34 supports both a method of performing confirmation processing based on an explicit confirmation operation by the first user and a method of performing confirmation processing automatically based on a confirmation option set in advance by the first user.

[0082] Specifically, the confirmation unit 34 determines whether the first user selected the confirmation option when sending the assignment request (inquiry about taking on the assignment). If the confirmation option is not selected, the confirmation unit 34 waits for an explicit confirmation operation from the first user after receiving an acceptance reply from the second user and then executes the confirmation process. On the other hand, if the confirmation option is selected, the confirmation unit 34 automatically executes the confirmation process as soon as it receives an acceptance reply from the second user, without waiting for any additional confirmation operation from the first user. For example, suppose the first message contains an assignment request to the second user, and the reply message includes an acceptance of taking on the assignment. In this case, the confirmation unit 34 confirms the second user as the person in charge, according to the setting of the confirmation option.

[0083] Furthermore, the confirmation unit 34 performs the process of confirming the date and time of the event. Specifically, when the confirmation unit 34 receives a confirmation operation for the date and time of the event from the event setter, it sets the selected candidate date and time as the official date and time of the event.

[0084] Specifically, the confirmation unit 34 determines whether the first user selected the confirmation option when sending the request to participate in the event (scheduling the event). If the confirmation option is not selected, the confirmation unit 34 waits for an explicit confirmation operation from the first user after receiving an acceptance reply from the second user and then executes the confirmation process. On the other hand, if the confirmation option is selected, the confirmation unit 34 automatically executes the confirmation process as soon as it receives an acceptance reply from the second user, without waiting for any additional confirmation operation from the first user. For example, suppose the first message includes a request to the second user to participate in a certain event, and the reply message includes an indication that the second user wishes to participate in the event. In this case, the confirmation unit 34 confirms the second user's participation in the event according to the setting of the confirmation option.

[0085] Furthermore, the confirmation unit 34 performs the process of confirming the date and time of the event. Specifically, when the confirmation unit 34 receives a confirmation operation for the date and time of the event from the event setter, it sets the selected candidate date and time as the official date and time of the event.

[0086] Here, "the intention to participate in the event" may be identified by text data included in the reply message, or it may be entered into a pre-provided user interface (e.g., a checkbox) for responding with whether or not to participate. The confirmation process by the confirmation unit 34 may be changed according to the second user's actual status. For example, if the second user is someone who wishes to participate for the first time, the second user's participation in the event does not need to be immediately confirmed.

[0087] The generation unit 35 generates various types of information from various other types of information. For example, the generation unit 35 generates connection destination information (URL) on the communication network to be set for a link button displayed on the communication tool configured for the second user. This URL includes information to identify the user who accessed it, information to identify the users who are the target of the project, information to identify the type of screen to be displayed, etc. The generation unit 35 also analyzes the UI configuration information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 and enables the generation of similar UIs based on the analysis results. Furthermore, the information processing device 1 enables the generation of similar UIs based on UI configuration information obtained by analyzing the first UI and second UIs displayed on the user terminal 3.

[0088] For example, when the generation unit 35 generates a UI similar to LINE among the communication tools, it may generate one in which the message icons are displayed on the left and right sides depending on the sender, which is one of the features of LINE's user interface. Also, for example, when the generation unit 35 generates a UI similar to Slack among the communication tools, it may generate one in which the message icons are displayed on the left side regardless of the sender, which is one of the features of Slack's user interface.

[0089] The display modes of the similar UI generated by the generation unit 35 may be switchable by the user. Alternatively, the display control unit 36, described later, may switch the display modes of the similar UI according to the settings of the communication tool for each user terminal 3. The generation unit 35 may also have an AI model provided by the generation AI server 2 perform the process of generating the similar UI.

[0090] The display control unit 36 ​​controls the display of a link button on the second contact tool set up for the second user, which includes information about the connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen displaying the message history including the first message, along with a notification of the first message entered by the first user. Furthermore, if the display control unit 36 ​​receives an instruction from the first user to control the display of sensitive information, it controls the notification on the second contact tool to display information indicating that the first message has been sent and a link button, instead of the body of the first message. Furthermore, the display control unit 36 ​​controls the display of a link button on the first contact tool set up for the first user, which includes information about the connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen displaying the message history including the message extracted by the extraction unit 33, along with a notification of the message including the first user as the recipient. Furthermore, the display control unit 36 ​​controls the display of messages sent by the first user and messages including the first user as the recipient in chronological order on the message history display screen for the first user, and adds information indicating the recipient of each message to the display. Furthermore, the display control unit 36 ​​enables the display of the message history on a similar UI displayed on the user terminal 3. In addition, the display control unit 36 ​​controls the display of the event response screen on the user terminal 3 operated by the event setter and each participant. The event response screen displays a list of candidate dates and times, input fields for responses to each candidate date and time, an input field for adding a new candidate date and time, and the response results from each participant.

[0091] Furthermore, the display control unit 36 ​​enables the display of similar UIs for the first and second communication tools on the user terminals 3 operated by the first and second users, respectively. In this case, the display control unit 36 ​​enables the display of the message history on the similar UI displayed on the user terminal 3. The display control unit 36 ​​also enables the display control to show the first user that the item has been shared on the chat screen.

[0092] The transmission control unit 37 controls the communication unit 19 to transmit various information to the generation AI server 2, the user terminal 3, and external sources. For example, the transmission control unit 37 controls the transmission of a prompt to the generation AI server 2. The transmission control unit 37 also controls the transmission of control information from the display control unit 36 ​​to the user terminal 3. Furthermore, after displaying a notification of the assignment request on the contact tool set for the second user with the highest priority, if the second user does not respond within the interval time, or if the second user rejects the request, the transmission control unit 37 controls the transmission control unit to display a notification of the assignment request on the contact tool set for the next second user with the next priority. If the second user accepts the request, the transmission control unit 37 stops displaying the assignment request notifications to subsequent second users with the next priority. In addition, the transmission control unit 37 obtains a list of group chats in which the first user is participating based on the account information of the contact tool linked to the first user's account, and controls the transmission control unit 37 to send the content of the message selected by the first user to the group chat specified by the first user.

[0093] The information processing device 1 generates a URL on the communication network that serves as the destination for links included in various notifications displayed on the communication tool of the user terminal 3. This URL contains the information necessary to display the appropriate screen when the user terminal 3 accesses it. When the URL is accessed, the information processing device 1 identifies the user who accessed it, the target of the information to be displayed, the type of screen to be displayed, etc., based on the information contained in the URL, and sends the appropriate information to the user terminal 3.

[0094] Specifically, the information processing device 1 may include some or all of the following information in the URL: Firstly, identification information to identify the user. This allows the device to determine who the user accessing the link is. Secondly, identification information to identify the user (support recipient) who is the target of the project. In this service, functions such as chat rooms, events, and assigned personnel management are set for each user, so it is necessary to identify which user the information pertains to. Thirdly, information to identify the type of screen to be displayed. For example, distinguishing between a response screen to a task request, an event participation response screen, a chat screen, a shared data viewing screen, etc. Fourthly, identification information to identify individual information items such as events and messages. This allows the device to identify which item the notification pertains to, even if there are multiple events or messages. It is not necessary to include all of the above information in the URL simultaneously; the device can select an appropriate combination of information depending on the type of screen to be displayed and the required security level.

[0095] Furthermore, the transmission control unit 37 controls the display of various event-related notifications on the communication tools set for each participant. Specifically, when the event organizer sets up an event, the transmission control unit 37 controls the display of a notification inviting each participant to join the event, along with a link button that leads to the event response screen, on the communication tools set for each participant. Also, when the transmission control unit 37 receives a response from a participant, it controls the display of a notification of the response result, along with a link button that leads to the event response screen, on the communication tools set for the event organizer and other participants. Furthermore, when the transmission control unit 37 receives an addition of a new candidate date and time from a participant, it controls the display of a notification that a new candidate date and time has been added, along with a link button that leads to the updated event response screen, on the communication tools set for the event organizer and all participants. Finally, when the transmission control unit 37 receives confirmation of the event date and time from the event organizer, it controls the display of a notification that the event date and time have been confirmed, on the communication tools set for all participants.

[0096] <Processing flow of Information Processing Device 1> Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the information processing device 1. When the information processing device 1 receives the first message from the first user, which is entered into the first UI displayed on the first user's user terminal 3 (YES in step S1), it displays the first message and sender information on the second UI displayed on the second user's user terminal 3 (step S2). At this time, the information processing device 1 may also display a link button on the second UI to display the first UI. On the other hand, if the first message has not been received (NO in step S1), the information processing device 1 repeats the decision process in step S1.

[0097] When the information processing device 1 receives the second message from the second user entered into the second UI (YES in step S3), it searches for a reply message to the first message within the second message (step S4). If the information processing device 1 finds a reply message (YES in step S5), it extracts the reply message (step S6). Then, the information processing device 1 displays the extracted reply message and source information indicating that the reply message is from the second user on the first UI (step S7), and terminates the process (END). Conversely, if the second message does not contain a reply message (NO in step S5), the information processing device 1 terminates the process (END).

[0098] <Specific example> Figure 5 shows a specific example of assigning a person in charge to a given project using this service. The projects supported by this service are not particularly limited. For example, projects in which community comprehensive support centers or care managers assign service providers and coordinate various activities for elderly people requiring care (hereinafter referred to as "this project") may be supported. Below, with reference to Figure 5, we will explain this project in a case where the first user of this service is a community comprehensive support center or care manager, and the second user of this service is a service provider who performs services for elderly people requiring care.

[0099] In Figure 5, User U1, who operates User Terminal 3-1 as the first user, is assumed to be the event setter who has configured the events necessary to carry out this project. User U1 assigns the project personnel by using this service. Also in Figure 5, Users U2 to U4, who operate User Terminals 3-2 to 3-4 respectively as second users, are assumed to be the executors who receive an invitation to participate in the event from User U1's first message. In this case, the information processing device 1 performs a transmission process to notify various information according to the communication tool pre-configured for each User Terminal 3.

[0100] In the example in Figure 5, the communication tool set on user terminal 3-1 operated by user U1 and the communication tool set on user terminal 3-2 operated by user U2 are both assumed to be SNS_A (e.g., LINE). Furthermore, the communication tool set on user terminal 3-3 operated by user U3 is email, and the communication tool set on user terminal 3-4 operated by user U4 is assumed to be SNS_B (e.g., Slack). Note that a user may set multiple tools. For example, user U1 can receive notifications from both SNS_A and SNS_B by setting them as communication tools.

[0101] In this case, user U1 sends a request to users U2-U4 to assign a person in charge of this project by entering a first message into the user interface of SNS_A, which is the first UI. Information processing device 1 receives the first message from user U1 entered into the user interface of SNS_A, and displays the first message and sender information on user terminals 3-2 to 3-4. Specifically, the first message is displayed on the user interface of SNS_A, which is the second UI, displayed on user terminal 3-2. The first message is also displayed on the email user interface, which is the second UI, displayed on user terminal 3-3. The first message is also displayed on the user interface of SNS_B, which is the second UI, displayed on user terminal 3-4.

[0102] Furthermore, inquiries about participation in events can also be made by the project manager through the designated personnel. In other words, some or all of the designated personnel for this project have the authority to assign new personnel as project managers. This allows each assigned person to leverage their expertise and network to add necessary personnel to the project in a timely manner. For example, a physician assigned to the project can assign appropriate nurses and physical therapists based on their expertise in the medical field, and a nurse assigned to the project can assign necessary care workers based on their experience in home nursing. This expansion of expert networks through word of mouth allows for the flexible construction of an optimal care team that meets the needs of the users.

[0103] Furthermore, the assignment of personnel (request for assignment) can also be made by the project manager, who has formally designated the person in charge of the project. In other words, some or all of the personnel who have formally designated the person in charge of this project have the authority to assign new personnel as the project manager. This allows each assigned person to leverage their expertise and network to add necessary personnel to the project in a timely manner. For example, a person in charge as a doctor can assign appropriate nurses and physical therapists based on their expertise in the medical field, and a person in charge as a nurse can assign necessary care workers based on their experience in home nursing. This expansion of expert networks through word of mouth allows for the flexible construction of an optimal care team that meets the needs of the users.

[0104] For example, in the example in Figure 5, suppose user U4, who operates user terminal 3-4 as the second user, is officially designated as the person in charge by the project manager. In this case, user U4 can send a request for assignment to user U5, who operates user terminal 3-5 as the second user, as the new person in charge. Specifically, the assignment request from user U4 to user U5 is carried out in the same manner as the assignment requests from user U1 to users U2-U4 described above. That is, user U4, acting as the first user, sends an assignment request to user U5 by inputting a first message into the user interface of SNS_B, which is the first UI. The information processing device 1 receives the first message from user U4 input into the user interface of SNS_B, and displays the first message and sender information on user terminal 3-5. Specifically, the first message is displayed on the user interface of SNS_C, which is the second UI, displayed on user terminal 3-5.

[0105] Information processing device 1 retrieves the second message from each of the users U2 to U5 that have entered information into the second UI. Specifically, information processing device 1 retrieves the second message from user U2 that was entered into the user interface of SNS_A, which is the second UI displayed on user terminal 3-2. Information processing device 1 also retrieves the second message from user U3 that was entered into the email user interface, which is the second UI displayed on user terminal 3-3. Information processing device 1 also retrieves the second message from user U4 that was entered into the user interface of SNS_B, which is the second UI displayed on user terminal 3-4. Information processing device 1 also retrieves the second message from user U5 that was entered into the user interface of SNS_C, which is the second UI displayed on user terminal 3-5.

[0106] Information processing device 1 extracts reply messages to the first message from the acquired second messages. Specifically, information processing device 1 extracts reply messages to the first message from each of the second messages from second users U2 to U5. Then, information processing device 1 displays the extracted reply messages and sender information on user terminal 3-1. Specifically, the reply messages are displayed on the user interface of "SNS_A", which is the first UI, displayed on user terminal 3-1. In this case, the content of the reply messages extracted by information processing device 1 is a response to the assignment request.

[0107] Figure 6 shows a specific example of a similar UI. Figure 6 shows a concrete example of a UI similar to that of Slack, a communication tool, as displayed on user terminal 3-1 operated by user U1 in Figure 5. The similar UI shown in Figure 6 exhibits one of the characteristics of Slack's user interface: message icons are displayed on the left side regardless of who the sender is. The similar UI in Figure 6 displays the first message from user U1 (project administrator) in Figure 5, the reply message from user U2 (executor A) in Figure 5, and the reply message from user U3 (executor B) in Figure 5.

[0108] Specifically, in the similar UI shown in Figure 6, message 201a is displayed as a message from user U2 (a home care worker acting as performer A), stating, "I visited this morning. Blood pressure was within the normal range, and the patient ate normally." This message is sent to everyone, and the screen displays "(User U2's name and affiliation) → Everyone," etc.

[0109] The message 201a shown in Figure 6 is a message sent by user U2 to everyone at 16:00 on Friday, April 18, 2025. When sending message 201a, user U2 performs the following operations: enter message 201a in the message input field 402, select everyone as the recipient using the recipient selection button 403, and press the send button 404.

[0110] Message 201a sent from user terminal 3-2 of user U2 is displayed, for example, on the second UI displayed on user terminal 3-1 of user U1 (see Figure 5). Message 201a is also displayed on the second UI displayed on user terminal 3-3 of user U3 (see Figure 5).

[0111] Furthermore, the similar UI in Figure 6 displays the results of file sharing from user U2. Specifically, the file sharing shown in Figure 6 is an upload of "Visit Logbook.pdf" by user U2 on April 18, 2025 (Friday) at 16:05. When uploading the file, user U2 presses the file attachment button 401, selects "Visit Logbook.pdf", and performs the upload operation. In the example in Figure 6, user U2 selects "Everyone" as the recipient using the recipient selection button 403 and presses the send button 404 to share the file with everyone.

[0112] When user U2 uploads a file, the information processing device 1 automatically generates a message such as "Visit Log.pdf has been shared" and displays it in the chat room. This message is referred to as message 201b. Message 201b is sent to everyone, and the screen displays "(User U2's name and affiliation) → Everyone," etc. On the screen in Figure 6, along with message 201b, a file icon, the file name "Visit Log.pdf," and a download button are displayed. Unread status is also displayed, such as "Unread: U1 (Project Manager), U3 (Executor B)." Note that the unread status for a file may also be displayed as a result of operations performed on a separately prepared list screen of uploaded files or by using buttons placed near the file to display the unread status. Since the information processing device 1 records the file download status, each executeer does not need to manually enter a message such as "I have viewed the file" when they download a file on this platform. The download status is automatically shared with other executeers through the unread / read status display. However, this does not prevent the user from optionally sending comments about the file as a message.

[0113] Furthermore, in the similar UI shown in Figure 6, message 101a is displayed as a reply message from User U1 (care manager as project administrator) to User U2's visit report message and file sharing, stating, "Thank you for your report. I have also reviewed the visit log." This message was sent as a direct message, and the screen displays "(User U1's name and affiliation) → U2 (Executor A) [DM]," etc. Message 101a shown in Figure 6 was sent by User U1 to User U2 at 16:30 on Friday, April 18, 2025. When sending message 101a, User U1 performs the following operations: enter message 101a in the message input field 402, select User U2 as the recipient using the recipient selection button 403, and press the send button 404.

[0114] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 allows users to set file viewing permissions when sharing files, similar to setting message recipients. When user U2 uploads a file and sets everyone as the recipient, all participants in the project can access the file. On the other hand, if only a specific participant (for example, user U1) is set as the recipient, only that participant can access the file, and it will not be displayed to other participants. In this way, by managing file viewing permissions in a unified manner with message recipient settings, each participant can view only the files relevant to them, thus achieving both appropriate information sharing and protection of personal information.

[0115] Next, we will explain a specific example of using this service to schedule events related to the users who are the target of the project. Here, we will explain using the example of scheduling a conference regarding the condition of a care recipient who is a user. The first user, who will be setting up the event, is a care manager and uses SNS_A as a communication tool. The second user, who will be participating, is a visiting nurse and uses SNS_A as a communication tool. The third user, who will be participating, is a doctor and uses email as a communication tool. The fourth user, who will be participating, is a certified care worker and uses SNS_B as a communication tool.

[0116] The first user, who is the event organizer, designates the second, third, and fourth users as participants to invite to the conference, and sets three candidate dates and times: "April 25th (Mon) 14:00~", "April 26th (Tue) 10:00~", and "April 27th (Wed) 15:00~". When the information processing device 1 obtains the event information from the first user, it notifies each participant of the invitation to attend the event via their respective designated communication tool. Specifically, the information processing device 1 notifies the second user as a message on SNS_A, the third user as an email, and the fourth user as a message on SNS_B. These notifications include a link button to transition to the event response screen.

[0117] Each participant accesses the event response screen by clicking the link button displayed on their communication tool. The second user responds that they can participate on "Monday, April 25th, 14:00~", cannot participate on "Tuesday, April 26th, 10:00~", and can participate on "Wednesday, April 27th, 15:00~" from the three candidate dates and times. The fourth user responds that they can participate on all candidate dates and times. Upon receiving these responses, the information processing device 1 notifies the first user and the other participants of the response results via their respective communication tools.

[0118] On the other hand, the third user is a doctor and is too busy to attend any of the three suggested dates and times. In this case, the third user responds on the event response screen that they cannot attend each of the suggested dates and times, and adds "April 28th (Thu) 16:00~" as a new suggested date and time that they can attend. When the information processing device 1 receives the suggested date and time added by the third user, it stores it and notifies the first user, who is the event organizer, and all other participants, the second user and the fourth user, via their respective communication tools that a new suggested date and time has been added.

[0119] The first user receives a notification as a message on SNS_A and clicks the link button to access the event response screen. The event response screen displays the three initially set candidate dates and times, plus "April 28th (Thu) 16:00~" added by the third user. The first user responds that they can attend for this added candidate date and time. Similarly, the second and fourth users also receive notifications on their respective communication tools and enter their responses for the added candidate dates and times. In this example, we assume that the second user and the fourth user both responded that they can attend.

[0120] The first user reviews the responses from each participant and confirms that "April 28th (Thu) 16:00~", added by the third user, is available for all participants. The first user then confirms this candidate date and time as the official conference date and time. Upon receiving the confirmation from the first user, the information processing device 1 notifies all participants, the second user, the third user, and the fourth user, via their respective communication tools that the conference date and time has been confirmed as "April 28th (Thu) 16:00~".

[0121] As illustrated in the example above, the ability for participants to add new date and time options eliminates the need for event organizers to individually confirm participants' availability, reschedule, and resend notifications. This is particularly useful in healthcare and nursing settings, where doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals are often busy and unable to attend on the suggested dates and times. In such cases, participants can add their own available dates and times, reducing the need for message exchanges between event organizers and participants and facilitating efficient scheduling. Furthermore, the ability for multiple participants from different organizations using different communication tools to add and respond to date and time options facilitates smoother scheduling of cross-organizational events.

[0122] As described above, the project support system 100 of this embodiment streamlines information sharing and collaboration among multiple project implementers belonging to different organizations and using different communication tools. Specifically, firstly, each project implementer can receive assignment requests, event notifications, messages, etc., through the communication tools they normally use (email, LINE®, Slack® and other SNS, SMS, etc.), and by clicking a link button, they can launch a browser within the application and access the necessary information. Secondly, by gradually disclosing personal information, the system masks information that could identify the user at the initial inquiry stage, and then discloses complete personal information after the user has been officially assigned, thereby achieving both security and efficient information management. Thirdly, by combining functions such as confirmation option, resend function, and withdrawal function in assigning personnel, the system enables quick and flexible personnel allocation. Fourthly, in scheduling events, the system allows participants to add candidate dates and times, reducing back-and-forth communication between event organizers and participants, and enabling efficient scheduling.

[0123] In particular, the project support system 100 of this embodiment demonstrates remarkable effectiveness in medical and nursing care settings. Care managers need to collaborate with various professionals such as doctors, nurses, certified care workers, and physical therapists to provide services to those requiring care. However, these professionals belong to different organizations such as medical institutions, nursing care facilities, and home nursing stations, and each organization uses different communication tools. Traditionally, care managers had to individually respond to each organization's communication tool, send messages, communicate by phone and fax, and mail or hand-deliver documents containing personal information, which required a great deal of time and effort. With the project support system 100 of this embodiment, care managers can make assignment requests, set up events, send messages, and share data in a unified manner without having to be aware of the differences in communication tools used by each professional. Furthermore, professionals can receive notifications through their usual communication tools and use the basic functions without creating an account for this service. This reduces the barriers to system implementation and strengthens cross-organizational collaboration while alleviating the workload of busy medical and nursing care professionals.

[0124] Thus, the project support system 100 of this embodiment supports collaboration among multiple professions and organizations in the community-based integrated care system, enabling the provision of high-quality services to those requiring care. By comprehensively providing functions such as message exchange across communication tools, secure management of personal information, efficient assignment of personnel, and flexible event coordination, it solves the challenges of information sharing and collaboration in medical and nursing care settings. As a result, project managers such as care managers can secure more time to focus on direct support to users by streamlining management tasks, and project implementers can collaborate smoothly across organizational and communication tool differences. The project support system 100 of this embodiment is expected to have similar effects not only in the medical and nursing care fields, but also in various fields where multiple organizations and individuals collaborate to carry out projects.

[0125] As described above, the information processing device 1 of this embodiment is an information processing device that manages the exchange of information, including messages, between multiple users using multiple types of communication tools for each project, and comprises: acquisition means (for example, information acquisition unit 31 in Figure 3) for acquiring a first message input by a first user relating to the project; and display control means (for example, display control unit 36 ​​in Figure 3) for displaying a link button containing connection destination information on a communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays the message history including the first message, along with notification of the first message, on a second communication tool set up for a second user.

[0126] This allows a second user to view the message history, including the first message from the first user, by clicking a link button on their designated second communication tool, improving the convenience of communication across multiple types of tools.

[0127] Furthermore, the acquisition means further includes an extraction means for acquiring a second message input by the second user and extracting a message from the acquired second message that includes the first user as the recipient. The display control means can display a link button on the first contact tool set for the first user, which includes a notification of the extracted message and information about a connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays the message history including the message. This allows the first and second users to exchange messages via a link button from their respective communication tools.

[0128] Furthermore, the display control means can display the first message sent by the first user and the second message extracted by the extraction means that includes the first user as the recipient, in chronological order on the screen displaying the message history for the first user, and can also display information indicating the recipient of each message. This allows users to view messages chronologically for each designated project, regardless of the recipient, making it easier to understand the content of each project.

[0129] Furthermore, the acquisition means may obtain instructions from the first user to prevent the body of the first message from being displayed in notifications on the second communication tool, and the display control means, upon receiving such instructions, may display information indicating that the first message has been received and the link button in the notification on the second communication tool, instead of the body of the first message. This prevents message content from being recorded in each user's communication tool, thus improving security by ensuring that personal or sensitive information related to project details is not left on other tools outside of this system.

[0130] Furthermore, the acquisition means may acquire the priority level for each of the plurality of second users and the interval time indicating the interval between inquiries to each second user. The display control means may, after displaying a notification of the first message on the contact tool set for the second user with the highest priority, if the second user does not respond within the interval time, or if the second user rejects the message, display a notification of the first message on the contact tool set for the second user with the next highest priority. If the second user accepts the message, the display of notifications of the first message to subsequent second users with lower priority levels may be stopped. This allows for more efficient outreach by waiting for responses from users who are potential project targets.

[0131] Furthermore, the acquisition means may acquire event information from the first user, including information on event schedule candidates for a predetermined project and information on candidates who will participate in the event; the display control means may display a link button on the contact tool set for the second user, who is a candidate participant, that includes a notification of an invitation to participate in the event and information on a communication network connection destination for transitioning to a screen where the user can input a response to the schedule candidates; the acquisition means may acquire a new schedule candidate from the second user that is different from the schedule candidates; and the display control means may display a link button on the contact tool set for the first user and other candidates who will participate, that includes a notification that the new schedule candidate has been added and information on a communication network connection destination for transitioning to a screen where the user can input a response including the new schedule candidate. This makes it possible to streamline scheduling among multiple users.

[0132] Furthermore, the acquisition means may further include a transmission control means (for example, a transmission control unit 37 in Figure 3) that acquires from the first user an instruction to share the first message relating to a predetermined project to a group chat of a communication tool, and specifies the group chat to which the message will be shared; acquires a list of the group chats in which the first user is participating based on the account information of the communication tool linked to the first user's account; and controls the transmission of the acquired list to the specified group chat. This allows users who previously used group chats to exchange messages using this information processing device via the group chat.

[0133] Furthermore, the system includes a generation means (for example, the generation unit 35 in Figure 3) that acquires UI configuration information regarding the configuration of the user interface of the first communication tool set for the first user, and generates a similar user interface with a configuration similar to the user interface of the first communication tool based on the acquired UI configuration information, and the display control means can display the message history on the generated similar user interface for the first user. This allows the first user to send and receive messages using this information processing device with a user interface similar to their own communication tool.

[0134] Thus, the project support system 100 of this embodiment enables efficient allocation of personnel and management of service plans for individuals in nursing care and home medical care, and facilitates the centralization of diverse information sources. More specifically, it streamlines the selection, assignment, and management of medical and nursing care service providers, centralizes the management of contact, requests, negotiations, and acceptances with service providers, and enables centralized management of communication between care managers and service providers. It also supports the work of care managers, provides a user interface that shows the status of each service provider and person in charge, manages and visualizes the history of communication with each stakeholder, and allows each person in charge to easily grasp the status of the project. Furthermore, by enabling diverse information linkage methods, it makes it possible for service providers (performers) who may have hurdles to system implementation to participate. Therefore, it becomes possible to create a communication platform that enhances the level of collaboration among nursing care and medical teams.

[0135] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any modifications, improvements, etc. that can achieve the objectives of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0136] Furthermore, the series of processes described above can be executed by hardware or by software. In other words, the functional configuration described above is merely illustrative and not particularly limiting. That is, it is sufficient that the information processing device 1 is equipped with the functionality to execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this functionality is not particularly limited to the example above. Also, the location of the functional block is not particularly limited and can be arbitrary. For example, the functional block of the information processing device 1 may be transferred to another device, etc. Conversely, the functional block of another device may be transferred to a server, etc. Also, a single functional block may be composed of hardware alone, software alone, or a combination of both.

[0137] When a series of processes are executed by software, the programs that make up that software are installed on a computer or other device from a network or storage medium. The computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware. Alternatively, the computer may be a computer capable of performing various functions by installing various programs, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

[0138] Such recording media containing programs may consist not only of removable media (not shown) distributed separately from the main device to provide the programs, but also of recording media provided pre-installed in the main device. Since programs can be distributed via a network, the recording media may be installed on or accessible from a computer connected to or capable of connecting to a network.

[0139] In this specification, the step of describing a program to be recorded on a recording medium includes not only processes that are performed chronologically in that order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed chronologically, but are executed in parallel or individually. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall system composed of multiple devices, means, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0140] 1. Information Processing Device 2. Generation AI Server 3. User terminals 11 CPU 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 bus 15 Input / Output Interfaces 16 Output section 17 Input section 18 Memory section 19 Communications Department 20 drives 21 Removable Media 31 Information Acquisition Department 32 Information Management Department 33 Extraction part 34 Determined part 35 Generation part 36 Display Control Unit 37 Transmission Control Unit 41 UI configuration DB 42 User DB 100 Project Support Systems

Claims

1. An information processing device that manages the exchange of information, including messages, between multiple users using multiple types of communication tools, on a project-by-project basis, A means for obtaining a first message input by a first user regarding the aforementioned project, A display control means that, on a second communication tool configured for a second user, displays a link button containing information about a connection destination on a communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays the message history including the first message, along with a notification of the first message. An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. The acquisition means further acquires the second message input by the second user, The system further includes an extraction means for extracting messages from the acquired second messages that include the first user as the recipient, The display control means causes the first communication tool set for the first user to display a link button containing information about a connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays the extracted message along with the message history including the message. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The display control means displays, on the screen for displaying the message history for the first user, the first message sent by the first user and the second message extracted by the extraction means that includes the first user as the recipient, in chronological order, and adds information indicating the recipient of each message to the display. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The acquisition means further acquires instructions from the first user to prevent the body of the first message from being displayed in the notification on the second communication tool. When the display control means receives the instruction, it displays, in the notification on the second communication tool, information indicating that the first message has been received and the link button, instead of the body of the first message. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The acquisition means further acquires the priority level for each of the plurality of second users and the interval time indicating the interval between contacts with each second user. The display control means displays a notification of the first message on the contact tool set to the second user with the highest priority, and if the second user does not respond within the interval time, or if the second user rejects the message, it displays a notification of the first message on the contact tool set to the second user with the next highest priority. If an acceptance response is received from the second user, the notification of the first message to the second user with the next highest priority will be stopped. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The acquisition means further acquires event information from the first user, including information on candidate event schedules for a predetermined project and information on potential participants who will participate in the event. The display control means displays, on the contact tool set for the second user who is a candidate participant, a link button containing information about a connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen where the user can input a response to the schedule candidates, along with a notification of participation in the event. The acquisition means further acquires a new schedule candidate from the second user that is different from the schedule candidate, The display control means displays, on the communication tool set for the first user and other candidate participants, a notification that the new schedule candidate has been added, along with a link button containing information about the connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen where the user can input the response including the new schedule candidate. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The acquisition means further acquires from the first user an instruction to share the first message relating to a predetermined project in a group chat of a communication tool, and the designation of the group chat to which the message will be shared. Based on the account information of the communication tool linked to the first user's account, a list of the group chats in which the first user is participating is obtained. A transmission control means that performs control to send the first message to the designated group chat, It also has, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The UI configuration information regarding the configuration of the user interface is obtained from the user interface of the first communication tool set for the first user. The system further includes a generation means that generates a similar user interface whose configuration is similar to that of the first communication tool's user interface, based on the acquired UI configuration information. The display control means causes the first user to display the message history on the generated similar user interface. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.

9. An information processing method performed by an information processing device that manages the exchange of information, including messages, between multiple users using multiple types of communication tools, on a project-by-project basis, The steps include obtaining a first message entered by a first user regarding the aforementioned project, The steps include: displaying a link button on a second communication tool configured for a second user, which, along with a notification of the first message, displays a link button containing information about the connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays the message history including the first message; Information processing methods including

10. The exchange of information, including messages, between multiple users using various communication tools is managed on a project-specific computer. The steps include obtaining a first message entered by a first user regarding the aforementioned project, The steps include: displaying a link button on a second communication tool configured for a second user, which, along with a notification of the first message, displays a link button containing information about the connection destination on the communication network for transitioning to a screen that displays the message history including the first message; A program that executes control processes, including those mentioned above.

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