Task list generation method, task list generation system, and program

Abstract

This task list generation method is for an environment in which a plurality of communication services are available and includes generating a task using information included in a message posted to a group set in any communication service among the plurality of communication services, acquiring address information designated in the communication service on which the message is posted, specifying a communication service and a group corresponding to the task on the basis of the address information, and generating and displaying a list that includes the task and allows identification of at least one of the communication service and the group corresponding to the task.

Description

Task list generation method, task list generation system, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to a task list generation method, a task list generation system, and a program.

[0002] In recent years, various communication services have become popular for facilitating communication, regardless of whether they are used for business or personal purposes. In communication services, communication is carried out by sending and receiving text messages, voice messages, images, etc. between multiple users. Examples of communication services include email, as well as Slack (registered trademark), Microsoft Teams (registered trademark), Linked In (registered trademark), X, LINE (registered trademark), and many others.

[0003] Users may generate tasks based on messages posted on such communication services. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for generating tasks by performing natural language processing on posted messages. Patent Literature 2 also describes generating tasks from input messages.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-547883 Japanese Patent No. 7100790

[0005] A single user may switch between multiple communication services, such as those mentioned above, depending on the organization or client. This switching is time-consuming, and checking messages from each service, as well as tasks generated from those messages, is a burden for the user. Therefore, there is a need to improve the convenience and visibility of task management for users, even in an environment where multiple communication services are used.

[0006] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to improve the convenience of task management related to multiple communication services.

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention has the following configuration: That is, a task list generation method in an environment in which a plurality of communication services are available includes: generating a task based on a message posted to a group set in one of the plurality of communication services; acquiring address information specified in the communication service to which the message was posted; identifying the communication service and group corresponding to the task based on the address information; and generating and displaying a list including the tasks, in which at least one of the communication service and the group corresponding to the task can be identified.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention has the following configuration: A task list generation system in an environment where a plurality of communication services are available includes: a generation unit that generates a task based on a message posted to a group set in one of the plurality of communication services, an acquisition unit that acquires address information specified in the communication service to which the message is posted, an identification unit that identifies the communication service and group corresponding to the task based on the address information, and a display control unit that generates and displays a list including the tasks, in which at least one of the communication service and the group corresponding to the task can be identified.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention has the following configuration: a program that causes a computer to execute the following: generate a task based on a message posted to a group set in one of a plurality of communication services, obtain address information specified in the communication service to which the message was posted, identify a communication service and a group corresponding to the task based on the address information, and generate and display a list including the tasks, in which at least one of the communication service and the group corresponding to the task can be identified.

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the convenience of task management relating to a plurality of communication services.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a task management server according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a user terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an example of the configuration of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is an example of the configuration of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is an example of the configuration of a task list screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is an example of another configuration of a task list screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in each embodiment are necessarily essential configurations for solving the problems of the present invention. Furthermore, in each drawing, the same components are assigned the same reference numerals to indicate their correspondence. Note that in order to avoid unnecessary redundancy and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, some of the description may be omitted or simplified. For example, detailed descriptions of already well-known matters or redundant descriptions of substantially identical configurations may be omitted.

[0013] First Embodiment [System Configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing system including a task management server according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the information processing system, multiple users can communicate with each other using multiple communication services. This communication may be for business or personal use. Examples of communication services include email, Slack (registered trademark), Microsoft Teams (registered trademark), Linked In (registered trademark), X, and LINE (registered trademark), but are not limited thereto. The present invention is applicable to any communication service that can acquire various information, including address information, as described below.

[0014] In this specification, the above-described communication services may be simply referred to as "services." Applications that enable the use of communication services may also be referred to as "communication tools" or simply as "tools." Such applications may be used as a function of a web browser or the like provided on a user terminal, or may be installed on a user terminal and used.

[0015] Furthermore, in this embodiment, one user can register one or more service accounts (hereinafter simply referred to as "accounts") for use of each communication service. For example, for a certain communication service, one user can use an account for personal use and an account for business use. By registering and associating multiple accounts held by a user, it becomes possible for the user to coordinate the use of multiple communication services.

[0016] The information processing system 1 also functions as a task list generation system that provides functions based on a task list generation method described below. The information processing system 1 includes a task management server 100, a first tool server 200, a second tool server 300, a third tool server 400, and multiple user terminals 500. Each device that constitutes the information processing system 1 is configured to be able to communicate via a network NW.

[0017] The task management server 100 is a device that executes the task generation process and task list generation process according to this embodiment and provides these functions to the user terminal 500. The task management server 100 collects information from each tool server and the user terminal 500 and provides task-related services. The first tool server 200, the second tool server 300, and the third tool server 400 are servers that provide the communication services described above. Note that, although three tool servers are shown here as an example, this is not limiting. More tool servers may be provided depending on the types of communication services available on the user terminal 500.

[0018] Note that the configuration may be such that some or all of the functions of each server, which will be described later, are provided by the user terminal 500. In this case, for example, the functions may be implemented as an application that is installed and executed on each user terminal 500. Each server may be configured on-premise using a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or personal computer, or may be logically realized by cloud computing. In this embodiment, for the sake of convenience, one server is illustrated for each server, but this is not limiting and multiple servers may be used, and servers with different roles, such as an authentication server or a database server, may also be included.

[0019] The user terminal 500 is an operating terminal used by a user of each communication service. The user terminal 500 may be configured, for example, as an information processing device such as a personal computer, tablet terminal, smartphone, or wearable terminal. The user terminal 500 provides users with web services (including multiple types of communication services) provided by each server and the functions of applications installed and running on the user terminal 500. In the example of FIG. 1, four user terminals 500a, 500b, 500c, and 500d are shown, but more user terminals may be used. The configurations of the multiple user terminals 500 may be different or the same. Furthermore, the available functions may differ depending on the role and authority of the user using the user terminal 500. For convenience, the user terminals will be collectively described as the user terminal 500. Note that when it is necessary to separately describe each individual user terminal, subscripts (a, b, ...) will be added.

[0020] The network NW is configured by the Internet, an intranet, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), etc. Note that the communication standards and wired / wireless communication standards related to the network NW are not particularly limited, and the network NW may be configured by combining multiple communication standards.

[0021] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the task management server 100 according to this embodiment. The task management server 100 includes a control unit 110, a communication unit 120, and a storage unit 130. These units are configured to be able to communicate with each other via an internal bus or the like.

[0022] The control unit 110 controls the operation of the task management server 100. The control unit 110 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and provides various functions by reading and executing various programs and data stored in the storage unit 130. The control unit 110 functions as a data management unit 111, a task generation unit 112, a display control unit 113, and a communication control unit 114.

[0023] The data management unit 111 manages various data in cooperation with the storage unit 130, and provides, registers, updates, etc. data in response to requests. The task generation unit 112 generates tasks based on user operations performed via the user terminal 500. The display control unit 113 controls the display of a UI (User Interface) screen displayed on the user terminal 500 based on user operations performed via the user terminal 500. An example of the configuration of the UI screen will be described later using drawings. The communication control unit 114 controls communication with external devices (e.g., the user terminal 500 and each tool server) and transmits and receives data.

[0024] The communication unit 120 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices via the network NW. The communication unit 120 may be configured to be compatible with a plurality of communication standards depending on the configuration of the network NW.

[0025] The storage unit 130 is a storage device for storing programs, data, etc. for executing various control processes and functions within the control unit 110. The storage unit 130 is composed of volatile / non-volatile storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), flash memory, etc. The storage unit 130 includes a database (hereinafter referred to as DB) for managing data corresponding to the functions described below.

[0026] The address DB 131 manages information on addresses defined for each communication service. The task DB 132 manages information on generated tasks. The message DB 133 manages information on messages used when generating tasks. Specific examples of information managed in each DB will be described later using Figures 8A to 8D.

[0027] The first tool server 200, second tool server 300, and third tool server 400 are each configured to be able to provide a separate communication service, and provide various functions in response to requests from the user terminal 500. The task management server 100 may be configured to acquire information for various processes described below from each tool server, or may acquire the information via the user terminal 500. This acquisition may be performed, for example, using a Web API corresponding to each communication service.

[0028] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a user terminal 500 according to this embodiment. The user terminal 500 includes a control unit 510, a storage unit 520, a communication unit 530, an operation unit 540, a display unit 550, and an external IF (Interface) 560.

[0029] The control unit 510 controls the operation of the user terminal 500. The control unit 510 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and provides various functions by reading and executing various programs and data stored in the storage unit 520.

[0030] The storage unit 520 is a storage device for storing programs, data, etc. for executing various control processes and functions of the control unit 510. The storage unit 520 is configured from volatile / non-volatile storage devices such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and a flash memory.

[0031] The communication unit 530 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices via the network NW. The communication unit 530 may be configured to be compatible with a plurality of communication standards depending on the configuration of the network NW.

[0032] The operation unit 540 is an interface for accepting operations from the user of the user terminal 500. The operation unit 540 may be composed of a mouse, a keyboard, etc. The display unit 550 is an interface for displaying various screens and is composed of a display, etc. A touch panel display integrating the operation unit 540 and the display unit 550 may be used. The external IF 560 is an interface for connecting to various devices and may be, for example, a connection interface with an imaging unit (not shown) for capturing images or sensors for acquiring predetermined information.

[0033] [UI Screen Configuration Example] An example of the configuration of a UI (User Interface) screen according to this embodiment will be described using Figures 4 to 7B. In this embodiment, each user of the user terminal 500 can use at least one of the communication services provided by the first tool server 200, the second tool server 300, and the third tool server 400, but the following description will assume that all communication services are used. For convenience, the communication tools provided by the first tool server 200, the second tool server 300, and the third tool server 400 will also be referred to as "Tool A," "Tool B," and "Tool C."

[0034] The UI screen 600 is displayed on, for example, the display unit 550 of the user terminal 500 and operated by the user. In this embodiment, the UI screen 600 is displayed by the user terminal 500 working in cooperation with each server. Note that the user may be able to switch between displaying and hiding some or all of the areas constituting the UI screen 600, or may be able to change the layout.

[0035] 4 to 6 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a UI screen 600 according to this embodiment. Area 601 displays a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which is the address information of the screen. The URL indicates the location where the information resources constituting the screen are stored, and is specified by each server that provides a communication service. While this embodiment uses a URL as an example of address information, this is not limiting. Any information that can be used to identify various pieces of information according to this embodiment, such as communication services and groups, may be used. The URL configuration described below is merely an example and may be specified for each communication service. Area 602 is an area for entering search keywords. A search within a predetermined range is performed using the keywords entered in area 602. The search range here may also be specified by the user, etc.

[0036] Area 610 displays the communication tools being used, classification information, etc. in list format. Home button 611 is a button for transitioning to a top screen (not shown). The top screen may be configured to allow, for example, selection of a communication tool to be used and login operations. User name 612 is an area that displays name information of the user using the service. In this example, the user's name "A.BBBB" and the corresponding icon (abbreviation "AB") are displayed. The display format of the icon may be set by the user as desired.

[0037] In this example, the user uses communication tools in the individual "Personal" for personal use, and in the organizations "Organization AA" and "Organization XX" for business use. In "Personal," the user uses communication tools "Tool A," "Tool B," and "Tool C." In "Organization AA," the user uses communication tools "Tool A" and "Tool C." In "Organization XX," the user uses communication tool "Tool C." Area 610 displays the tools used in a list format for each classification corresponding to the above-mentioned purpose of use. In other words, a user can use one or more communication tools in one classification to which they belong. Each list displays the name of the communication tool in association with an icon. Furthermore, each list may be shrunk (collapsed) based on a user operation.

[0038] List 613 corresponds to "Personal" and displays the communication tools being used in list form. List 614 corresponds to "Organization AA" and displays the communication tools being used in list form. Furthermore, "Tool A" is selected as the currently used communication tool in list 614 and is indicated by highlighting 615. For the currently selected communication tool "Tool A," groups to which user "A.BBBB" belongs are displayed in a list. In this example, groups "Team A," "Team B," and "Team C" are displayed, and of these, group "Team A" is selected as indicated by bold 616. Message posts corresponding to group "Team A" set in the selected communication tool "Tool A" are displayed in area 620. List 617 corresponds to "Organization XX" and displays the communication tools being used in list form. That is, in one communication service, a user can belong to one or more groups. A "group" is a group in which multiple users belonging to the group exchange messages. Examples of groups correspond to "Team A," "Team B," and "Team C" set in the communication tool "Tool A" shown in FIG. 4. Multiple groups like this are provided for each communication tool. The users who belong to each group may be able to set them arbitrarily on the user's side.

[0039] As described above, one user can have multiple accounts for each communication service and manage them in association with each other. The list displayed in area 610 may be configured based on this managed information.

[0040] Area 620 displays the communication history corresponding to the selected communication tool and group. Area 621 displays the currently specified combination of organization (classification) and group. In this example, the group "Team A" and organization "Organization AA" are displayed. The selected communication tool may also be displayed.

[0041] The icon 622 identifies users other than the user who posted the message. The icon 622 may be an image or text. Each user can arbitrarily set the icon 622. The message 623 indicates text information posted by the user. The information displayed in the message 623 is not particularly limited and may include image information, time information, and the like in addition to text information. The icon 622 and the message 623 are displayed in chronological order in association with each other. The message 624 indicates text information posted by the user. To improve visibility, messages posted by the user may be aligned to the right, while messages posted by others may be aligned to the left, as shown in FIG. 4 . Note that the layout and display mode (e.g., color, shape, etc.) of each message are not limited to this and may be arbitrarily set depending on, for example, the communication tool. When a user enters text or the like in the area 625 and presses the post button 626, a new message is posted and displayed in the same manner as the message 624. For example, when the text "Got it?" is entered in the area 625 and the post button 626 is pressed, the message 624 is displayed.

[0042] Area 630 is an area for creating a new task. A new task is created by copying text from the message displayed in area 620, pasting it into area 631, and then pressing a create button 632. The newly created task is displayed and managed in area 640, which will be described later. Area 631 may also allow for manual input of text information. Note that this example illustrates a screen configuration in which a task creation instruction is received after a copy-and-paste operation is performed on the message displayed in area 620. However, this is not a limitation, and task creation may be performed in other ways. For example, when a user specifies a range of text within the message displayed in area 620 and right-clicks the text, options (e.g., a list) for instructing task creation may be displayed. A button for setting a priority (e.g., a "high" priority) may also be provided. Then, when a task creation instruction is received via this option, task creation may be performed. The task creation flow will be described later using a flowchart.

[0043] Area 640 displays a list of multiple generated tasks. This example shows an example of displaying tasks corresponding to the organization and communication tool selected in area 610. Specifically, tasks corresponding to the communication tool "Tool A" and organization "Organization AA" are listed and displayed by group. Classification 641 indicates information about the organization and communication tool corresponding to the displayed list. List 642 displays a list of tasks corresponding to group "Team A." Each task is displayed with a check box, task summary, and deadline, as shown in task 643. Selecting a check box indicates that the task has been completed. Note that the task information displayed in the list is not limited to the above and may include other information. Specifying task display may also display more detailed task information.

[0044] List 644 displays a list of tasks corresponding to group "Team B." In this example, group "Team C," for which no tasks have been created, is not displayed in area 640. However, this is not a limitation, and "Team C" may be displayed, with the fact that no tasks have been created clearly indicated. Furthermore, in each list, tasks may be displayed in order of creation or in order of deadline. The user may be able to arbitrarily set these display orders.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen when a new task is generated. Descriptions of parts common to FIG. 4 are omitted. For example, the character string "Confirm documents by tomorrow" is copied from message 623 displayed in area 620 and pasted into area 631, and then a Create button 632 is pressed. Accordingly, a new task is generated and displayed in the list shown in area 640. In this example, new tasks corresponding to a communication tool "Tool A" and an organization "Organization AA" are generated, and therefore, "Task 4" is displayed as a new task 645 in list 642 corresponding to these. The correspondence between the character string used to generate the new task and the message from which the character string originated may be determined based on the operation history (e.g., screen coordinates) when the character string was copied.

[0046] Furthermore, an icon 627 indicating that a task has been created is displayed for a message 623, which is the source information of the character string information used when generating the task. The icon 627 includes an overview of the generated task and task status information (in this example, "generated," indicating that the task has been generated). Note that the configuration of the icon 627 is not limited to this, and it may include other information or may be composed of only an image.

[0047] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen when a task is completed. Descriptions of parts common to FIG. 4 are omitted. For example, when task 645 generated in FIG. 5 is completed, the user indicates completion by selecting the check box for task 645. In response to this, an icon 628 indicating that the task has been completed is displayed for the corresponding message 623 among the messages displayed in area 620. Icon 628 includes an overview of the completed task and task status information (in this example, "completed," indicating that the task has been completed). The configuration of icon 628 is not limited to this, and it may include other information or may be composed of an image only.

[0048] In addition, in area 640, completed tasks may be deleted from the list or may be left displayed as is. Alternatively, the user may be able to arbitrarily specify whether to display or hide completed tasks and the display mode (color, etc.).

[0049] 7A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a generated task list screen 700. The task list screen 700 may be configured as part of the UI screen 600 as described above, or may be configured as part of a top screen (not shown) when using a communication tool. For example, it may be displayed in place of the area 640 shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the task list screen 700 may be configured as an independent screen. Here, the task list screen 700 will be described as an independent screen.

[0050] The home button 701 is a button for transitioning to a top screen (not shown). The deadline filter 702 is a filter setting for specifying the deadline of the registered tasks to be displayed. In this example, "Today" indicating the deadline for today is specified, so a list of tasks due today is displayed. Note that the information that can be specified by the filter is not limited to deadlines, and other information such as classification (organization, individual, etc.), group, communication tool, etc. may also be specified.

[0051] Each task is displayed in a list according to its corresponding classification. As described above, in this example, the user is using communication tools for personal use ("Personal"), and for business use ("Organization AA") and business use ("Organization XX"), respectively. Each task is displayed with a check box indicating the completed / incomplete status, a task summary, a deadline, and a communication tool icon. Each list may be displayed in a reduced size (folded) based on a user operation.

[0052] List 703 corresponds to "Personal," and the tasks associated with it are displayed in list form. For example, task 705 indicates that the task summary is "Task 10" and the deadline is "9:00" today. Furthermore, task 705 was created based on a message from communication tool "Tool B," as indicated by icon 707. Task 705 also specifies completion of the task using a checkbox. Note that if a task is registered manually, regardless of the communication tool, the icon indicating the communication tool may be hidden, as in task 706.

[0053] List 708 corresponds to "Organization AA" and displays the tasks associated with it in list form. List 709 corresponds to "Organization XX" and displays the tasks associated with it in list form. In this example, since there are no tasks associated with "Organization XX," "None" is displayed. Note that if there are no corresponding tasks, the list itself may be hidden.

[0054] The list 710 displays in list form the tasks whose deadlines have been extended from their original deadlines. Note that the tasks displayed in the list 710 are not limited to those whose deadlines have been extended, and may also include tasks whose deadlines are approaching or high-priority tasks. The complete button 711 can be pressed after selecting the checkboxes for each task to instruct the completion of all the tasks at once.

[0055] 7B is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of a generated task list screen 750. Like the task list screen 700 shown in FIG. 7A, the task list screen 750 may be configured as part of the UI screen 600 described above, or may be configured as part of a top screen (not shown) when using a communication tool. For example, it may be displayed in place of the area 640 shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the task list screen 750 may be configured as an independent screen. Here, an example will be described in which it is an independent screen.

[0056] The sort filter 751 is a filter setting for specifying the order of registered tasks to be displayed. In this example, "Date" is specified, indicating the order by date, so the tasks are displayed in date order based on the deadline of each task. Note that the order that can be specified using the sort filter 751 is not limited to date; other information such as classification (organization, individual, etc.), group, communication tool, importance (with bookmark), etc. may also be specified.

[0057] Each task is displayed in a list according to its corresponding classification. As described above, in this example, three lists 752, 753, and 754 are shown as examples of the order of dates specified by the sort filter 751. Each list may be able to be reduced (folded) based on a user operation. Each list shows an area corresponding to one or more tasks.

[0058] List 752 shows a list including tasks with a deadline of today, "Today." List 753 shows a list including tasks with a deadline of tomorrow, "Tomorrow." List 754 shows a list including tasks with a deadline of "YYYY / MM / DD." As shown in area 755, each area includes task-related content 761, an icon 762 indicating a communication tool corresponding to the task, deadline time information 763, and the like.

[0059] If the task is registered manually, regardless of the communication tool, the icon indicating the communication tool may be hidden. Also, if the deadline time information 763 is not set to a granularity finer than the date (such as time or AM / PM), the display may be omitted, as in area 760.

[0060] For example, if the task is past its deadline, it may be displayed in the list of tasks due today with "Deadline Passed" indicated in the deadline time information 764 in area 757. Additionally, as shown in area 757, the display format, such as the outer frame, may be changed, or the color of the text indicating the task content may be changed. This may improve the user's ability to identify and recognize past-deadline tasks. A separate list consisting of only past-deadline tasks may also be provided.

[0061] Furthermore, as shown by cursor 765, when an operation such as hovering the mouse over an area is performed, a menu 766 for that area is displayed. The menu 766 may include a Complete button 767, a Switch Person in Charge button 768, a Bookmark button 769, and an Other button 770. The Complete button 767 is a button for issuing an instruction to complete the task corresponding to the area.

[0062] The task switch button 768 is a button for instructing switching of the task worker for the corresponding area. For example, a task may involve collaboration between the user and another user. There are situations in which the user wants to know whether the task is currently being performed by the user or another user. The task switch button 768 is provided to accommodate such tasks. When the task switch button 768 is pressed, an icon 771 is displayed, as shown in area 758. This icon allows the user to easily identify whether the current task worker is the user or another user. When the task switch button 768 is pressed while the icon 771 is displayed, the icon 771 is hidden. This indicates that the user is currently the task worker. The icon 771 may also display information about the other user in charge of the task (e.g., name), classification, group, and other information. This information may be identified from a table (described later) based on the address information of this embodiment. Alternatively, the user may individually set the information.

[0063] The bookmark button 769 is a button for indicating that a task is important. When the bookmark button 769 is pressed, a bookmark icon 772 is displayed, as shown in area 759, indicating high importance. When the bookmark button 769 is pressed while the bookmark icon 772 is displayed, the bookmark icon 772 is hidden. When the other button 770 is pressed, buttons related to all functions are displayed. The functions corresponding to the buttons displayed here are not particularly limited, and may include, for example, a button for editing the task, a button for deleting the task, a display setting button, and a button for adding tags. Tag addition is intended, for example, for cases in which a user wants to arbitrarily group tasks in addition to bookmarking. For example, for business use, a configuration may be made in which new tags (not shown) corresponding to groupings such as by specific customer or purpose can be added and assigned to tasks. Tags may be displayed in association with tasks, such as the bookmark icon 772. Examples of tags for each customer will be described later using FIG. 8D.

[0064] [Data Configuration Example] Figures 8A to 8D are table diagrams showing configuration examples of DBs that manage various data according to this embodiment. Note that the table configurations shown individually are just examples; for example, one table may be divided into multiple tables, or multiple tables may be combined into one. Furthermore, other information items may be included.

[0065] FIG. 8A shows an example of the configuration of a management table 800 for managing address information according to this embodiment. The management table 800 is managed, for example, in the address DB 131 of the task management server 100. The management table 800 manages items such as a group ID, which is identification information that uniquely identifies a group, the corresponding communication tool, the group name, and address information, in association with each other. The address information corresponds to a URL defined by the tool server that provides each communication tool, and this information can be used to identify the communication tool being used. Note that the URL includes information for identifying the communication tool as well as information for uniquely identifying the group and message. In this embodiment, tasks are managed using this information.

[0066] For example, when a communication tool is used to communicate among multiple users, address information is specified in the communication tool, and a display such as that shown in area 620 in Fig. 4 is produced. When a user uses multiple tool servers, the task management server 100 can obtain address information from each tool server.

[0067] More specifically, suppose that when using a certain communication tool, the address information specified by the corresponding tool server is "aaa.ap / aaaaa / MSG001." In this address information, the character string "aaa.ap" uniquely indicates the communication tool "Tool A," the character string "aaaaa" uniquely indicates the group "Team A," and the character string "MSG001" uniquely indicates the group. In this manner, in order to analyze the address information, various data are defined as shown in the management table 800 of FIG. 8A. Note that the address information may change depending on the specifications of each tool server, and the configuration of the management table 800 may be redefined accordingly. For example, instead of identifying a group from the address information as described above, an individual user may be identified.

[0068] 8B shows an example of the configuration of a management table 810 for managing task information according to this embodiment. The management table 810 is managed, for example, in the task DB 132 of the task management server 100. The management table 810 manages the following items in association with each other: a task ID, which is identification information that uniquely identifies a task, a group ID that indicates the corresponding group, a message ID that indicates the corresponding message, a task string, original string information, a deadline, a status, a classification, and a priority.

[0069] The group ID corresponds to an item in the management table 800 in FIG. 8A. The message ID is identification information indicating a message including a character string that was the source of the task generation. The task string is a character string indicating the content of the task and is used when displaying the task. The original string information is the original character string used when generating the task, and at least a portion of it is included in the message indicated by the message ID. The deadline is the execution deadline of the task. The classification is the classification to which the task belongs, and in this embodiment, corresponds to "Personal" or the organization "Organization AA" shown in FIG. 4. The priority indicates the priority in the execution of the task and may be set by the user when generating the task, for example.

[0070] 8C shows an example of the configuration of a management table 820 that manages message information according to this embodiment. The management table 820 is managed, for example, in the message DB 133 of the task management server 100. The management table 820 includes a message ID for uniquely identifying a message, a corresponding tool ID indicating the corresponding communication tool, a corresponding group ID indicating the corresponding group, and message information. This information is obtained by analyzing the information (address information, identification information, etc.) of each message that is appropriately acquired from a tool server that provides a communication service.

[0071] 8D shows an example of the configuration of a management table 830 for managing information corresponding to classifications according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the management table 830 is maintained for the purpose of managing customer information in association with classifications intended for business use (e.g., "Organization AA"). The management table 830 may be managed, for example, by being further included in the address DB 131.

[0072] Management table 830 includes the following fields: classification, customer ID, customer tag, customer status, communication tool, address information, main tool settings, responsible group, and responsible person. The classification is the same as management table 810 in FIG. 8B, and in this embodiment, classification for business use is assumed. Customer ID is identification information that uniquely identifies a customer. Customer name indicates the name of the customer. Customer tag is string information set for the customer. Customer status indicates status information related to the customer, and may include any information, such as whether a specific service is being introduced or is in the sales phase. Communication tool indicates the communication tool used by the customer. Address information indicates the address information (URL) of the corresponding communication tool.

[0073] The primary tool setting indicates whether the corresponding communication tool is the main tool. This information is used to identify which communication tool is mainly used when a customer uses multiple communication tools. The responsible group indicates the group responsible for the business with respect to the customer. This information may correspond to the group name (or group ID) in the management table 800 of Figure 8A, or may be treated as a separate item. The responsible person indicates the person responsible for the business with respect to the customer. This information may specify an individual belonging to the group in the management table 800 of Figure 8A, or may specify a separate individual.

[0074] By referencing the management table 830, it is possible to identify a customer and the communication tools and various information related to that customer from the address information (URL). Using such information, for example, tasks may be displayed by customer on the task list screen 750 shown in FIG. 7B. Alternatively, customer information identified from the URL may be displayed as an icon 771 within the task. Alternatively, when a task is created, a tag may be automatically assigned to the task according to the customer identified from the URL, and the tag may be clearly displayed when the task is displayed. Furthermore, by referencing the management table 830, the communication tools used by a certain customer may be explicitly displayed in a list format. A configuration may be provided in which a user can select a communication tool from the list to use to exchange messages with that customer. In this case, the primary communication tool may be explicitly indicated.

[0075] Furthermore, when a task is generated based on a message posted in a certain communication tool, the customer may be identified based on the URL of the communication tool, and information about the group or person in charge of the customer may be associated with the task. In this case, when a task is selected on the task list screen, information about the related group or person in charge may be displayed.

[0076] Although four tables have been shown as an example above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a table that manages information for each user in association with each of the above tables may be provided. Information contained in these tables may be referenced to set the information to be displayed on the task list screens shown in Figures 7A and 7B. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7B, if a user sets an arbitrary tag for a task, the tag may be included in the management table 830 shown in Figure 8D, or a separate table may be provided for managing user-set tag information.

[0077] [Processing Flow] (Task Generation Processing) FIG. 9 is a flowchart of task generation processing on the UI screen 600 according to this embodiment. This processing flow is realized, for example, by the control unit 110 of the task management server 100 reading and executing programs and various data stored in the storage unit 130. The UI screen 600 is displayed on the display unit 550 of the user terminal 500, and user operations are accepted via the UI screen 600, which in turn sends instructions to the task management server 100. For simplicity's sake, the processing is described here as being performed by the task management server 100. As described above, depending on the system configuration, some or all of the operations may be performed on the user terminal 500 side. In this case, the entity responsible for each processing step in this flowchart may change. Furthermore, in response to user operations, the task management server 100 interacts with a tool server that provides communication services to send and receive various data.

[0078] Before this processing flow begins, the information in management table 800 shown in Fig. 8A is predefined and configured to be referenceable. When a new group is created in a communication service, management table 800 is also updated. Furthermore, management tables 810, 820, and 830 shown in Fig. 8B to 8D are also updated as appropriate in response to the use of each communication service and the creation of tasks.

[0079] Although the exchange of messages between users in the communication service will be omitted here, as described above, the display on the UI screen 600 is updated as messages are posted. This operation is realized by the corresponding tool server providing various functions.

[0080] In step S901, the task management server 100 determines whether a task creation instruction has been received via the UI screen 400. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , it may be determined that a task creation instruction has been received when a character string based on one of the messages displayed in area 620 is entered into area 631 and the Create button 632 is pressed. If a task creation instruction has been received (step S901: YES), the task management server 100 proceeds to step S902. On the other hand, if a task creation instruction has not been received (step S901: NO), the task management server 100 proceeds to step S907.

[0081] In step S902, the task management server 100 generates a new task by analyzing the input character string. The task generation method here is not particularly limited, but for example, the task may be generated by performing syntactic analysis on the character string information using natural language processing and extracting information about the action to be performed and date and time information. Alternatively, the task may be generated using a trained model derived in advance through a learning process. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a deadline for the task may be set when the task is generated. In this case, if information about the deadline cannot be obtained from the input character string, the user may be prompted to input the deadline, or a default value may be set based on predetermined conditions.

[0082] In step S903, the task management server 100 identifies the group of the task based on the address information to which the message that caused the task to be created was posted. The group of the task can be identified by referring to the management table 800 shown in FIG. 8A.

[0083] In step S904, the task management server 100 associates the task generated in step S902 with the group identified in step S903, and records the association in the management table 810.

[0084] In step S905, the task management server 100 displays a task list including the newly created task on the UI screen 600. For example, as shown in area 640 of FIG. 5 , the new tasks are displayed arranged according to group, classification, communication tool, deadline, etc.

[0085] In step S906, the task management server 100 displays an icon indicating that a task has been created in the message corresponding to the newly created task. For example, as shown in area 620 in FIG. 5, an icon 627 is added to the message corresponding to the task. Then, this processing flow ends. Note that this processing flow may be repeated until use of the communication tool is terminated.

[0086] In step S907, the task management server 100 determines whether an instruction to complete the task has been received. The instruction to complete the task may be given, for example, by receiving a check box in the task list, as shown in FIG. 6 . If an instruction to complete the task has been received (step S907: YES), the task management server 100 proceeds to step S908. On the other hand, if an instruction to complete the task has not been received (step S907: NO), this processing flow is terminated. Note that this processing flow may be repeated until use of the communication tool is completed.

[0087] In step S908, the task management server 100 displays an icon indicating that the task has been completed in the message corresponding to the completed task. For example, the task management server 100 adds an icon and 628 to the message corresponding to the task, as shown in area 620 of FIG. 6 . Furthermore, the task management server 100 updates the status of the task in the management table 810. This process flow then ends. Note that this process flow may be repeated until the use of the communication tool is completed.

[0088] (Task List Display Processing) FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the task list display processing according to this embodiment. This processing flow is realized, for example, by the control unit 110 of the task management server 100 reading and executing programs and various data stored in the storage unit 130. Here, the configuration shown in FIG. 7A is used as an example of a task list display screen. The task list screen 700 shown in FIG. 7A is displayed on the display unit 550 of the user terminal 500, accepts user operations via the operation unit 540, and issues instructions to the task management server 100. For simplicity, the processing is described as being performed by the task management server 100. As described above, depending on the system configuration, some or all of the operations may be performed on the user terminal 500 side. In this case, the processing steps in this flowchart may also be performed by different parties. Furthermore, in response to user operations, the task management server 100 interacts with a tool server that provides communication services to send and receive various data.

[0089] Before this processing flow starts, it is assumed that the management tables shown in FIGS. 8A to 8D are configured to be referable.

[0090] In step S1001, the task management server 100 receives an instruction to display the task list screen 700. The display instruction may be received by pressing a predetermined button (not shown), or may be displayed as part of a predetermined screen when it is displayed.

[0091] In step S1002, the task management server 100 determines whether or not there is a task whose deadline has passed. If there is a task whose deadline has passed (step S1002: YES), the process of the task management server 100 proceeds to step S1003. On the other hand, if there is no task whose deadline has passed (step S1002: NO), the process of the task management server 100 proceeds to step S1006.

[0092] In step S1003, the task management server 100 determines whether a deadline extension is possible for a task whose deadline has passed. This determination may be made based on attribute information set for the task, such as the task's priority, classification, type, and user settings. For example, the task type may be used as a determination criterion when participating in an event. For such a task, the deadline may be treated as not being extendable because the event itself cannot be rescheduled. The task type may be assigned by a trained model when the task is generated, or may be determined using a table corresponding to a predefined character string. Whether or not a deadline extension is possible may be determined based on a predefined rule. If a deadline extension is possible (step S1003: YES), the task management server 100 proceeds to step S1004. On the other hand, if a deadline extension is not possible (step S1003: NO), the task management server 100 proceeds to step S1005.

[0093] In step S1004, the task management server 100 extends the deadlines of tasks that can be extended. The extension period here may be within a predetermined range. At this time, the task management server 100 may attach information to the task indicating that the deadline has been extended. For tasks whose deadlines cannot be extended, the task management server 100 changes the status to "completed." At this time, the task management server 100 may attach information to the task indicating that the task has been completed due to the expiration of the deadline. After that, the processing of the task management server 100 proceeds to step S1006.

[0094] In step S1005, the task management server 100 changes the status of the task whose deadline has passed to "completed." At this time, the task management server 100 may add information to the task indicating that it has been completed due to the expiration of its deadline. The task management server 100 then proceeds to step S1006.

[0095] In step S1006, the task management server 100 extracts tasks within the specified range. This specification may be performed using, for example, the deadline filter 702 on the task list screen 700 shown in FIG.

[0096] In step S1007, the task management server 100 extracts tasks that satisfy predetermined conditions. For example, these may be tasks whose deadlines were extended in step S1004 or tasks that were forcibly completed in step S1005. Additionally, these may be high-priority tasks or tasks whose deadlines are within a predetermined range.

[0097] In step S1008, the task management server 100 lists the tasks extracted in steps S1006 and S1007 by group.

[0098] In step S1009, the task management server 100 configures the task list screen 700 including the list configured in step S1008. For example, the tasks extracted in step S1007 may be included in a "Suggested" list such as list 710 on the task list screen 700 in FIG. 7A.

[0099] In step S1010, the task management server 100 displays the task list screen 700 configured in step S1009 on the display unit 550 of the user terminal 500.

[0100] In step S1011, the task management server 100 determines whether a task completion instruction has been received via the task list screen 700. The task completion instruction may be received by selecting a check box corresponding to the task and pressing the Complete button 711, as shown in FIG. 7A. If a task completion instruction has been received (step S1011: YES), the task management server 100 proceeds to step S1012. On the other hand, if a task completion instruction has not been received (step S1011: NO), this processing flow is terminated. Note that this processing flow may be repeated until use of the task list screen 700 is terminated.

[0101] In step S1012, the task management server 100 changes the status of the specified task to "completed." Then, this process flow ends. Note that this process flow may be repeated until the use of the task list screen 700 is finished.

[0102] As described above, this embodiment makes it possible to improve the convenience of task management related to multiple communication services. In particular, it makes it possible to display multiple tasks generated based on messages from multiple communication services side by side, improving the visibility of tasks and making them easier to understand and manage.

[0103] Other Embodiments In the above embodiment, an example was described in which tasks based on multiple messages posted via multiple communication services are displayed on a single screen as a list. Because a deadline is set for each task, a link may be established, such as by registering the task in a calendar function based on the deadline. In this case, information such as communication services, classifications, and groups related to the task may also be registered in the calendar function.

[0104] Furthermore, for each of a plurality of communication services used by a user, the information displayed in the list may be switched depending on the information that can be acquired by the task management server 100. For example, when information about another user who posted a message is acquired, the information about the other user may be included in a task generated based on the message.

[0105] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which tasks are filtered based on predetermined conditions and displayed as a list, as shown in the deadline filter 702 in Fig. 7A and the sort filter 751 in Fig. 7B. In addition, a configuration may be adopted in which multiple registered tasks can be searched based on a character string or the like.

[0106] Furthermore, in the present invention, a program or application for realizing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiments can be supplied to a system or device using a network or a storage medium, etc., and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device can read and execute the program.

[0107] Alternatively, the functions may be realized by a circuit that realizes one or more functions (for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array)).

[0108] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents may be made within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the various embodiments described above may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0109] As such, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention also contemplates the mutual combination of the various components of the embodiments, as well as modifications and applications by those skilled in the art based on the description in the specification and well-known techniques, and these modifications and applications are included in the scope of protection sought.

[0110] As described above, the present specification discloses the following:

[0111] (Technology 1) A task list generation method in an environment where multiple communication services are available includes: generating a task (e.g., 645) using information included in a message (e.g., 623) posted to a group (e.g., "Team A") set in one of the multiple communication services (e.g., step S902); acquiring address information (e.g., a URL) specified in the communication service to which the message was posted (e.g., step S903); identifying a communication service and a group corresponding to the task based on the address information (e.g., step S903); and generating and displaying a list (e.g., 640, 700) including the task, in which at least one of the communication service and the group corresponding to the task can be identified (e.g., step S905). This configuration, for example, can improve the convenience of task management related to multiple communication services. In particular, it is possible to display multiple tasks generated based on messages from multiple communication services side by side, improving task visibility and facilitating task understanding and management.

[0112] (Technology 2) The task list generating method according to Technology 1, wherein the list displays a plurality of tasks generated based on messages posted in each of the plurality of communication services, listed by corresponding group, on a single screen. With this configuration, for example, it becomes possible to check a plurality of tasks generated based on messages posted in each of the plurality of communication services on a single screen.

[0113] (Technology 3) A task list generation method according to Technology 1 or Technology 2, in which a plurality of communication services are available for one classification (e.g., "Personal" or "Organization AA") to which a user belongs, and the list displays a plurality of tasks generated based on messages posted in each of the plurality of communication services, listed for each corresponding classification, on a single screen. With this configuration, for example, even if a user uses a plurality of communication tools for a classification such as an organization, it is possible to list tasks for each classification and display them on a single screen, thereby improving the ease of task management.

[0114] (Technology 4) The task list generation method according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 3, wherein the group is set differently for each user, each account, and each communication service. With this configuration, it becomes possible to configure task management and a task list corresponding to groups set for each user, account, and communication service, for example.

[0115] (Technology 5) The task list generating method according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 4, further comprising the step of: when a task is generated using information contained in a message (e.g., 623) posted to a group set in a communication service, displaying the message with information (e.g., 627) indicating that a task has been generated (e.g., step S906). This configuration makes it possible, for example, to easily grasp the correspondence between the generated tasks and messages.

[0116] (Technology 6) The task list generating method according to Technology 5 further includes the steps of: (1) configuring the list to be able to accept a completion instruction for a task (e.g., 643); and (2) when a completion instruction for a displayed task is accepted (e.g., 645), displaying a message (e.g., 623) corresponding to the task with information (e.g., 628) indicating that the task has been completed (e.g., step S908). This configuration makes it possible to easily grasp, for example, the correspondence between completed tasks and messages.

[0117] (Technology 7) The task list generating method according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 6, further comprising: the list being configured to be able to receive a completion instruction for a task (e.g., 643); and when a completion instruction for a displayed task is received (e.g., 645), the task is hidden or the list is displayed so that it is identifiable as completed (e.g., 705). With this configuration, for example, it becomes possible to easily grasp the completion / incompletion status of a task in the list display.

[0118] (Technology 8) The task list generation method according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 7, wherein one screen (e.g., 600) is configured to include a first area (e.g., 620) in which messages posted to a group set in one of the plurality of communication services are displayed, and a second area (e.g., 640) containing a list of tasks generated based on each message posted in the plurality of communication services. With this configuration, for example, when referring to or using a certain group in one of the plurality of communication services, it becomes possible to check tasks related to other groups and communication services all at once.

[0119] (Technology 9) A task list generation method according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 8, wherein a deadline and a priority are set for each task (e.g., 810), and the list is configured based on the deadline or priority of the tasks. With this configuration, it is possible to switch the list display of each task based on, for example, the deadline or priority of the task.

[0120] (Technology 10) The task list generating method according to Technology 9, further comprising: when a task deadline approaches, issuing a notification based on attribute information of the task (e.g., step S1010), wherein the attribute information includes at least one of a task priority, a classification associated with a communication service corresponding to the task, a task type, and a user setting. With this configuration, for example, by presenting tasks to the user according to the task attribute information, it is possible to prevent tasks from being missed and suppress unnecessary notifications.

[0121] (Technology 11) The task list generation method according to Technology 10 further includes extending the deadline or completing the task based on attribute information of the task if the deadline has passed without the task being completed (e.g., step S1004, step S1005). This configuration makes it possible to adjust the deadline of a task according to the attribute information of the task, thereby preventing tasks from being overlooked or unnecessary tasks from remaining.

[0122] (Technology 12) The task list generating method according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 11, wherein the list is configured to be switchable (e.g., 768) with an icon (e.g., 771) indicating whether the person in charge of a task is the user or another person, and the icon is configured to include information about the other person. With this configuration, when multiple people need to handle a task, it becomes easy to understand who is in charge of the task at a given time. Also, when a situation requires another person to handle it, it becomes easy to understand information about the other person.

[0123] (Technology 13) The task list generating method according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 12, wherein the list is configured to accept tag settings for grouping tasks arbitrarily (e.g., 770), and the tags can be assigned to tasks displayed in the list. With this configuration, the user can arbitrarily group tasks. Then, the user can easily recognize tasks based on the tags set by the user.

[0124] (Technology 14) A task list generation system (e.g., 1) for use in an environment where multiple communication services are available includes: a generation unit (e.g., 100, 110, 112) that generates a task (e.g., 645) using information contained in a message posted to a group (e.g., "Team A") established in one of the multiple communication services; an acquisition unit (e.g., 100, 110, 114) that acquires address information specified in the communication service where the message was posted; an identification unit (e.g., 100, 110, 113) that identifies the communication service and group corresponding to the task based on the address information; and a display control unit (e.g., 100, 110, 114) that generates and displays a list including the tasks, where at least one of the communication service and group corresponding to the task can be identified. This configuration, for example, can improve the convenience of task management related to multiple communication services. In particular, it is possible to display multiple tasks generated based on messages from each of the multiple communication services side by side, improving task visibility and facilitating task understanding and management.

[0125] (Technology 15) A program for causing a computer (e.g., 100, 500) to execute the following steps: generate a task (e.g., 645) using information included in a message (e.g., 623) posted to a group (e.g., "Team A") set in one of a plurality of communication services (e.g., step S902); acquire address information (e.g., a URL) specified in the communication service to which the message was posted (e.g., step S903); identify a communication service and a group corresponding to the task based on the address information (e.g., step S903); and generate and display a list (e.g., 640, 700) including the task, in which at least one of the communication service and the group corresponding to the task can be identified (e.g., step S905). This configuration, for example, can improve the convenience of task management related to a plurality of communication services. In particular, it is possible to display multiple tasks generated based on messages from each of a plurality of communication services side by side, improving task visibility and facilitating task understanding and management.

[0126] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0127] The present invention is useful, for example, as a method, system, and program for managing a list of a plurality of tasks generated in each communication service in an environment where a plurality of communication services are available.

[0128] 1... Information processing system 100... Task management server 110... Control unit 111... Data management unit 112... Task generation unit 113... Display control unit 114... Communication control unit 120... Communication unit 130... Storage unit 131... Address DB 132... Task DB 133... Message DB 200... First tool server 300... Second tool server 400... Third tool server 500... User terminal 510... Control unit 520... Storage unit 530... Communication unit 540... Operation unit 550... Display unit 560... External IF NW... Network

Claims

1. A method for generating a task list in an environment where multiple communication services are available, the method comprising: generating a task using information contained in a message posted to a group set in one of the multiple communication services; obtaining address information specified in the communication service to which the message was posted; identifying the communication service and group corresponding to the task based on the address information; and generating and displaying a list including the tasks, the list being able to identify at least one of the communication service and group corresponding to the task.

2. The task list generation method described in claim 1, wherein the list displays on a single screen a list of multiple tasks generated based on messages posted in each of the multiple communication services, sorted by corresponding group.

3. A task list generation method as described in claim 1, wherein multiple communication services are available for one category to which a user belongs, and the list displays multiple tasks generated based on messages posted in each of the multiple communication services, listed by corresponding category, on one screen.

4. The task list generating method according to claim 1, wherein the group is set to be different for each user, each account, and each communication service.

5. A task list generation method as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of: when a task is generated using information contained in a message posted to a group set up in a communication service, displaying the message with information indicating that a task has been generated.

6. The task list generating method according to claim 5, further comprising: the list being configured to be able to accept completion instructions for tasks; and when a completion instruction is accepted for a displayed task, a message corresponding to the task is displayed with information indicating that the task has been completed.

7. The task list generating method according to claim 1, further comprising: the list being configured to be able to accept a completion instruction for a task; and when a completion instruction is accepted for a displayed task, the task is hidden or the list is displayed in a manner that makes it clear that the task has been completed.

8. A task list generation method as described in claim 1, wherein one screen is configured to include a first area in which messages posted to a group set up in one of the plurality of communication services are displayed, and a second area containing a list of tasks generated based on each message posted in the plurality of communication services.

9. The task list generating method according to claim 1, wherein a deadline and a priority are set for each task, and the list is organized based on the deadline or priority of the tasks.

10. The task list generating method of claim 9, further comprising: when a task deadline approaches, a notification is sent based on attribute information of the task, wherein the attribute information includes at least one of the priority of the task, a classification associated with a communication service corresponding to the task, the type of task, and user settings.

11. The task list generating method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of extending the deadline or completing the task based on attribute information of the task if the deadline has passed without the task being completed.

12. A task list generating method as described in claim 1, wherein the list is configured to allow switching of icons indicating whether the person in charge of a task is the user or another person, and the icons are configured to include information about the other person.

13. A task list generation method as described in claim 1, wherein the list is configured to be able to accept tag settings for arbitrarily grouping tasks, and wherein the tags can be assigned to tasks displayed in the list.

14. A task list generation system in an environment where multiple communication services are available, comprising: a generation unit that generates a task using information contained in a message posted to a group set in one of the multiple communication services; an acquisition unit that acquires address information specified in the communication service to which the message was posted; an identification unit that identifies the communication service and group corresponding to the task based on the address information; and a display control unit that generates and displays a list including the tasks, wherein at least one of the communication service and group corresponding to the task can be identified.

15. A program for causing a computer to perform the following steps: generate a task using information contained in a message posted to a group set up in one of a plurality of communication services; obtain address information specified in the communication service to which the message was posted; identify the communication service and group corresponding to the task based on the address information; and generate and display a list including the task, which is capable of identifying at least one of the communication service and group corresponding to the task.

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