A computer-implemented system for facilitating automated risk- and opportunity-driven communication and decision-making within an organization
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure AU2026050087_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] A Computer-Implemented System For Facilitating Automated Risk- And Opportunity-Driven Communication And Decision-Making Within An Organization
[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] [1] The present invention relates to computer-implemented systems and methods for dynamically managing digital communication pathways and decision-making workflows within an organization. More specifically, the invention pertains to computing architectures that model, monitor, and update interdependencies between work tasks and operational events, enabling automated identification of affected personnel and decision-making structures in response to real-time changes in organizational conditions.
[0004] BACKGROUND
[0005] [2] Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge.
[0006] [3] In complex organizations, particularly those with multiple work teams and interconnected responsibilities, ensuring effective communication and timely decision-making remains a persistent challenge. When risks or opportunities arise, they often affect multiple teams or stakeholders, requiring coordinated responses. However, existing systems for managing such interactions frequently present limitations.
[0007] [4] One of the primary challenges is that organizational structures are often static and hierarchical, meaning that cross-team communication is not inherentlystructured. Many organizations rely on manual coordination through emails, meetings, and messaging tools, which can lead to delays, information loss, and inefficient decision-making.
[0008] [5] While project management and workflow systems provide mechanisms to track work progress, they often require predefined dependencies that do not account for unexpected changes. As a result, when circumstances shift, such as the emergence of risks or opportunities, there is no automated mechanism to ensure affected teams are notified and involved in decision-making at the appropriate time.
[0009] [6] Similarly, risk management methodologies exist to track and mitigate potential failures, but these are often limited to board-level oversight or structured risk assessments, rather than being integrated into daily work delegation processes. Consequently, organizations struggle to operationalize risk and opportunity recognition, particularly in a way that seamlessly connects affected personnel across multiple levels.
[0010] [7] A further challenge arises from decision authority within organizations. While work is often delegated based on hierarchical structures, the authority to make decisions is not always clearly linked to the risks or opportunities that arise. This can lead to bottlenecks, where decision-makers lack timely access to relevant information, or gaps, where important decisions are missed entirely.
[0011] [8] These shortcomings in existing systems and approaches contribute to inefficiencies, misaligned decision-making, and operational friction, particularly in environments where rapid adaptability is required.
[0012] SUMMARY OF INVENTION[9] In an aspect, the invention provides a computer-implemented system for facilitating automated risk- and opportunity-driven communication and decisionmaking within an organization, the system comprising:
[0013] a computing device including a processor and a non-transitory memory storing executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:
[0014] store a structured representation of work relationships, defining work tasks, personnel assignments, and decision authority;
[0015] store a structured representation of event dependencies, defining potential risks and opportunities affecting the work tasks;
[0016] a dynamic linkage generation engine, configured to:
[0017] automatically establish and maintain digital communication linkages between work tasks and affected personnel based on the structured representation of work relationships and the structured representation of event dependencies; and
[0018] update the linkages in response to detected changes in work conditions, risk emergence, or user input;
[0019] a monitoring engine configured to:
[0020] detect occurrences of risks or opportunities in work tasks based on user inputs, automated rule-based triggers, or external system data; and
[0021] identify affected work tasks and personnel based on the digital communication linkages;
[0022] a decision coordination engine configured to:automatically generate decision-making prompts for affected personnel upon detecting a triggering risk or opportunity event; and
[0023] present pre-identified affected work tasks and personnel; and
[0024] update the structured work representation based on received decisions; a user interface, executed on a computing device, configured to provide visual representations of active risks, opportunities, and associated digital linkages;
[0025] wherein the system iteratively adjusts communication linkages and decision structures in response to organizational changes.
[0026]
[0010] Preferably, the structured representation of work relationships comprises a hierarchical tree structure, wherein each work task is represented as a node with parent-child relationships corresponding to work delegation authority.
[0027]
[0011] Preferably, the structured representation of event dependencies propagates detected risks and opportunities through a hierarchical structure, triggering automatic adjustments to digital communication linkages.
[0028]
[0012] Preferably, decision-making authority is assigned dynamically based on preconfigured roles, and wherein a delegating authority may override automated decisions based on risk assessment thresholds.
[0029]
[0013] Preferably, the user interface is configured to provide real-time notifications to users, including push notifications, email alerts, and in-application alerts when a new risk or opportunity is detected.
[0030]
[0014] Preferably, the digital communication linkages are represented as a graph data structure, wherein nodes represent work tasks and edges represent risk / opportunity dependencies.
[0015] Preferably, the digital communication linkages are activated based on predefined priority levels, such that high-impact risks trigger immediate decisionmaking workflows while lower-impact risks defer activation until confirmation.
[0031]
[0016] Preferably, the system further comprises an escalation engine configured to automatically elevate unaddressed risks to higher-level personnel after a predefined time threshold or condition.
[0032]
[0017] Preferably, the system further comprises a logging engine configured to automatically record all decision-making interactions.
[0033]
[0018] In another aspect, the invention provides a computer-implemented method for facilitating automated communication and decision-making within an organization, the method comprising:
[0034] storing, in a non-transitory memory, a structured representation of work relationships, defining work tasks, personnel assignments, and decision authority; storing, in the non-transitory memory, a structured representation of event dependencies, defining potential risks and opportunities affecting the work tasks; automatically establishing and maintaining digital communication linkages between work tasks by:
[0035] associating work tasks with predefined risk-opportunity dependencies; dynamically adjusting linkages in response to detected events or changes in work conditions;
[0036] monitoring for the occurrence of a risk or opportunity event and, in response:
[0037] identifying affected work tasks and personnel;
[0038] retrieving decision-making authority from the stored work representation;generating and presenting a decision-making prompt to affected personnel, the prompt including:
[0039] a notification of the detected risk or opportunity;
[0040] a dynamically generated list of affected work tasks and associated personnel;
[0041] predefined decision-making roles extracted from the structured work representation;
[0042] receiving user inputs via a user interface and updating the stored representations based on decisions made in response to the event; and
[0043] iteratively adjusting the digital communication linkages in response to changes in organizational structure, personnel input, or additional detected events.
[0044]
[0019] Preferably, the structured representation of work relationships and event dependencies is stored using a hierarchical data format, wherein nodes represent work tasks and edges represent delegation and decision-making authority.
[0045]
[0020] Preferably, the digital communication linkages comprise one or more of an affect linkage and a risk-opportunity linkage.
[0046]
[0021] Preferably, categorizing detected risks and opportunities is based on predefined criteria, including impact severity, probability of occurrence, and organizational unit affected.
[0047]
[0022] Preferably, the decision coordination engine allows multiple users to collaborate on decision-making, wherein affected personnel can provide input asynchronously before a final decision is implemented.
[0048]
[0023] Preferably, the method comprises automatically logging all decision-making interactions allowing for post-decision review and compliance tracking.
[0024] Preferably, the method further comprises automatically reallocating work tasks in response to detected risks or opportunities, wherein tasks are reassigned to available personnel based on predefined skill requirements and workload balancing rules.
[0049]
[0025] Preferably, the method further comprises generating a visual representation of affected work tasks, wherein a graphical interface displays active risks, decision pathways, and linked personnel.
[0050] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0051]
[0026] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:
[0052] Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system for facilitating automated risk-and opportunity-driven communication and decision-making within an organization;
[0053] Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method for facilitating automated risk- and opportunity-driven communication and decision-making within an organization;
[0054] Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of an organisation’s data network;
[0055] Figure 4 illustrates work descriptions merge into an aligned, shared description;Figure 5 illustrates an example of the individual links within the Risk-Opportunity Linkage (ROL) and how the user interface (III) captures and organizes these links for structured risk and opportunity assessment;
[0056] Figure 6 illustrates an example of the system grouping similar Risks, Opportunities or Challenges (ROCs) within the Risk-Opportunity Linkage (ROL) and assigning probability and impact ratings to refine risk assessment and prioritization;
[0057] Figure 7 illustrates an example of an affect linkage generated from a Risk-Opportunity Linkage (ROL) and the user interface (Ul) allowing users to review and manage all potential affect linkages;
[0058] Figure 8 illustrates an example of confirmed risks and opportunities triggering a pre-established Risk-Opportunity Linkage (ROL), activating automated communication and decision workflows for affected work tasks;
[0059] Figure 9 illustrates an example of a manifested risk triggering an affect linkage, prompting the system to identify affected work tasks and drawing three separate managers into a control meeting to make a coordinated decision.; and Figure 10 illustrates a user interface showing work in green, actions in yellow and decisions generated in red.
[0060] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0061]
[0027] Figures 1 to 10 illustrate a computer-implemented system and method for facilitating automated risk- and opportunity-driven communication and decisionmaking within an organization. The system 1 is designed to establish and maintain digital connections between work teams whose activities may impact one another, ensuring that decisions are made efficiently and with appropriate stakeholderinvolvement. The system and method utilize a structured framework that integrates a Work Delegation Hierarchy (WDH), which may also be referred to as a structured representation of work relationships, with a Risk Opportunity Hierarchy (ROH), which may also be referred to as a structured representation of event dependencies. These hierarchies provide a digital framework that dynamically grows linkages between work tasks based on risk and opportunity assessments, allowing decision authority and risk propagation to be encoded directly into work structures.
[0062]
[0028] Throughout this specification, the Work Delegation Hierarchy (WDH) refers to an implementation of the structured representation of work relationships, and the Risk Opportunity Hierarchy (ROH) refers to an implementation of the structured representation of event dependencies.
[0063]
[0029] Terms such as “Governor”, “Manager” and “Consumer”, as used throughout the specification, refer to role abstractions used to model decision authority. These terms may map to job titles but are system -defined roles.
[0064]
[0030] The system 1 comprises a computing device 100 including a processor 101 and a non-transitory memory 102 storing executable instructions. When executed by the processor, these instructions enable the system to store a structured representation of work relationships (see box 205) that defines work tasks, personnel assignments, and decision authority within an organization.
[0065]
[0031] This structured representation may be implemented as a hierarchical tree structure, wherein each work task is represented as a node with parent-child relationships corresponding to work delegation authority.
[0066]
[0032] Additionally, the system 1 stores a structured representation of event dependencies (see box 210), defining potential risks and opportunities affecting work tasks. This structured representation of event dependencies propagates detectedrisks and opportunities up and down a hierarchical structure, triggering automatic adjustments to digital communication linkages.
[0067]
[0033] The system 1 also includes a dynamic linkage generation engine 103, executed by the processor 101, configured to establish and maintain digital communication linkages (including affect linkages and risk-opportunity linkages) between work tasks and affected personnel based on the structured representation of work relationships and the structured representation of event dependencies, as set out at box 215.
[0068]
[0034] WDLs, ROLs and affect linkages are types of digital communication linkages and may coexist and be generated or activated independently.
[0069]
[0035] These digital communication linkages may be represented as a graph data structure, wherein nodes represent work tasks and edges represent risk / opportunity dependencies.
[0070]
[0036] The linkages may dynamically update in response to detected changes in work conditions, risk emergence, or user input. Digital communication linkages may be activated based on predefined priority levels, such that high-impact risks trigger immediate decision-making workflows while lower-impact risks defer activation until confirmation.
[0071]
[0037] The system 1 also includes a monitoring engine 104 that receives the digital communication linkages and continuously tracks the status of risks and opportunities within an organization’s operations.
[0072]
[0038] This monitoring function may correspond to the tracking of occurrences of a risk or opportunity event as set out at box 220, where team members are prompted to identify whether a risk or opportunity has materialized.
[0039] The system 1 collects these user inputs via a structured decision workflow, logging manifested risks and opportunities into the database and triggering the appropriate digital linkages. The monitoring engine also identifies affected work tasks and personnel, which may be referred to as retrieving relevant Risk Opportunity Linkages (ROLs) and affect linkages, determining who needs to be consulted or informed. The monitoring engine 104 can detect risks and opportunities based on user inputs, automated rule-based triggers, or external system data.
[0073]
[0040] The system 1 also includes a decision coordination engine 105, which at box 225, generates decision-making prompts for affected personnel based on risks and opportunities identified by the monitoring engine 104. This process may be referred to as the decision preparation and control meeting workflow, where the system presents pre-identified affected work tasks and personnel within a decision support workflow, ensuring that decision-making authority follows predefined governance structures encoded within the Work Delegation Hierarchy (WDH) and Risk Opportunity Hierarchy (ROH).
[0074]
[0041] Decision-making authority may be assigned dynamically based on preconfigured roles, wherein a delegating authority may override automated decisions based on risk assessment thresholds. The decision coordination engine 105 allows multiple users to collaborate on decision-making, wherein affected personnel can provide input asynchronously before a final decision is implemented.
[0075]
[0042] If a risk or opportunity remains unaddressed, at box 230, the decision coordination engine 105 escalates the decision to an escalation engine 106, which automatically elevates unaddressed risks to higher-level personnel after a predefined time threshold or other condition.
[0043] The escalation engine 106 may determine when and to whom escalation occurs, and the decision coordination engine 105 manage the decision workflow once escalated.
[0076]
[0044] The escalation engine 106 manages unresolved risks and decision prompts that require higher-level intervention. When a decision prompt exceeds its designated response time or remains unaddressed due to conflicting inputs, the escalation engine 106 elevates the issue to higher-level personnel based on predefined escalation rules. This may involve notifying executives, cross-functional team leads, or risk management specialists. Additionally, the engine provides relevant context, including the original risk assessment, the personnel involved, and any prior attempts at resolution. Once escalated, the decision-making prompt is returned to the decision coordination engine 105, where higher-level personnel can reassess the situation and finalize an appropriate course of action.
[0077]
[0045] A governor may optionally retain decision-taking rights over specific affect linkages, ensuring that critical decisions remain within appropriate levels of governance.
[0078]
[0046] The governance system distinguishes between the terms “making” and “taking”, wherein “making” is the activity of preparing the decision including consulting the managers listed as consults in the affect linkage and “taking” is the final approval, either retained by the governor or delegated to the manager.
[0079]
[0047] Through a user interface 108, user inputs can be received in response to the decision-making prompts at box 235.
[0080]
[0048] Once a decision is finalized, the decision coordination engine 105 may transmit the approved action to a logging engine 107 to ensure accountability and compliance. The logging engine 107 records all decision-making interactions in atamper-proof audit trail, preserving data such as the decision made, the participants involved, the justification provided, and the timestamp of the resolution. These records allow for post-decision review, organizational learning, and compliance tracking, ensuring that all actions taken align with established risk management policies.
[0081]
[0049] In addition, at box 240, the decision coordination engine 105 receives and transmits the decisions to the dynamic linkage generation engine 103 to update the stored representations based on decisions made in response to the event. This may include one or more of establishing new linkages and deleting redundant linkages.
[0082]
[0050] Decisions, manifestations and task updates may feed back into WDH and ROH, providing for repeated re-evaluation of linkages overtime.
[0083]
[0051] Throughout this process, a user interface (III) 108 serves as the primary interaction layer between the system and its users. The III 108 provides real-time visibility into active risks, decision workflows, and organizational linkages. The III 108 displays decision-making prompts, allowing users to review pending risks and opportunities, provide inputs in response to decision making prompts (see box 230), and finalize decisions. Additionally, the III delivers notifications via push alerts, email, and in-application messages, ensuring that stakeholders are informed of critical risks and pending decisions. Users can also access historical decision logs through the Ul 108, enabling them to review past risk assessments, track decision impacts, and ensure organizational accountability.
[0084]
[0052] The Ul 108 may take the form of a kanban-style work board and risk rating table, where users interact with dynamic risk and decision workflows.
[0085]
[0053] This interconnected workflow ensures that risk detection, decision-making, escalation, and compliance tracking operate as a seamless and automated system.By dynamically linking work tasks, monitoring emerging risks, coordinating decision workflows, and maintaining a transparent audit trail, the system optimizes organizational agility, enhances responsiveness, and ensures that decisions are made at the appropriate level within the organization.
[0086]
[0054] To illustrate the invention, consider an organization using the system to manage an engineering project. A Governor delegates a fabrication task to a Manager, whereby dynamic linkage generation engine 103 establishes a digital communication linkage in the form of a Work Delegation Linkage (WDL) that encodes the delegation structure.
[0087]
[0055] At the same time, another digital communication linkage in the form of a Risk Opportunity Linkage (ROL) is created in the opposite direction, ensuring that any potential risks associated with the task can propagate upward if necessary. The production team later identifies that a supplier delay could impact the task, prompting the system to create an affect linkage between the fabrication task and related assembly work.
[0088]
[0056] When the supplier delay manifests, the monitoring engine 104 detects the risk occurrence, and the system automatically triggers a decision coordination workflow, ensuring that affected Managers and Consumers are notified and consulted.
[0089]
[0057] The decision coordination engine 105 facilitates a structured control meeting, enabling stakeholders to assess the risk and execute mitigation strategies such as selecting an alternative supplier. The system then updates the structured work representation, ensuring that all affected teams are informed of the adjustment and that decision accountability is logged.
[0090]
[0058] With reference to Figure 3, to explain the operations of the data network in the system, consider the following situation. A risk manifests in work ‘AT. If this riskmanifestation triggers the ROL to work ‘A’ the predefined ‘Affect linkage’ is activated, briefing and inviting the affected mangers of work A3, B and E1 to the next control meeting for A1. The mangers of work A3, B and E1 are effectively the consults to the decision expected from the communication along this linkage. Also shown in Figure 3, is the flow on ‘Affect linkage’ activated from the ROL triggered between E1 and E.
[0091]
[0059] In this way, the changes to plans that affect work are considered and actions are taken to adjust plans of affected work, which may continue to flow through the data network until the signal settles. The flow of this signal is visible to those users monitoring it. The impact of discretionary changes pushed down from above or stemming for a decision to pursue a captured opportunity could be quickly stopped if too much ‘noise’ is introduced into the system. Similarly, high ‘noise’ signalling stemming from a risk manifestation could be quietened by creating a special cross disciplinary ‘tiger’ team to address the risk manifestation. In this context, references to ‘signals’, ‘noise’, and ‘settling’ describe the propagation and stabilization of workflow and decision effects through the digital communication linkages, rather than electrical or signal-processing phenomena.
[0092]
[0060] Work is delegated down the Work Delegation Linkage (WDL) from the Governor to the Manger and there is always a counter-pointing Risk and Opportunity Linkage (ROL) from the Manager to the Governor. This ROL can be thought of as the prime affect linkage. This ROL is used to provide the governor confidence in delegating all but a few critical retained decision taking rights.
[0093]
[0061] With reference to Figure 4, the dynamic linkage generation engine 103 enables Governor-Manager-Consumer (GMC) leaders to define and refine structured descriptions of their assigned work, forming the foundation of the structured representation of work relationships. The system allows users to import and alignwork descriptions, resolving inconsistencies to ensure that work delegation linkages (WDLs) and risk-opportunity linkages (ROLs) are accurately defined before decisionmaking workflows commence. The system prompts GMC leaders to enter key data required to describe the work, ensuring a standardized approach to work definition across teams. Users can import and merge work descriptions, and the system facilitates collaborative alignment between leaders by prompting discussion and resolution of inconsistencies.
[0094]
[0062] Once the best alignment is reached, the consolidated data is exported to each leader’s plan of record, ensuring consistency across the organization. During this process, the decision coordination engine 105 validates the input by comparing it with the pre-existing Work Delegation Hierarchy (WDH), ensuring that the descriptions align with established work structures. The dynamic linkage generation engine 103 then resolves conflicts between descriptions, producing a unified version of the work description, which is stored in non-transitory memory. The updated work structure is then available for subsequent decision-making processes, ensuring that all risk and opportunity evaluations occur within a clearly defined and aligned work hierarchy.
[0095]
[0063] Following the structured work descriptions, individual team members are prompted with Al-suggested risks and opportunities to identify risks and opportunities associated with their assigned work. The system facilitates this process by guiding users through risk-opportunity consideration, ensuring that if an event occurs in one work task, it is evaluated for potential effects on linked tasks. The decision coordination engine 105 provides contextual parent risk-opportunity linkages (ROLs) to assist users in accurately categorizing and defining new ROLs. Users interact witha Kanban-style graphical interface (illustrated in Figure 5), simplifying risk and opportunity tracking and ensuring familiarity with the interface.
[0096]
[0064] Once risks and opportunities are defined, the dynamic linkage generation engine 103 encodes the web of linkages within the database, ensuring that risk and opportunity dependencies are properly stored within the Risk Opportunity Hierarchy (ROH). This encoding allows for dynamic updates as new risks emerge or are mitigated, ensuring that digital communication linkages remain relevant and reflective of ongoing work conditions. The stored linkages form the foundation for subsequent collaborative decision-making processes, allowing affected personnel to be automatically included in risk-driven workflows.
[0097]
[0065] Following the formation of risk-opportunity linkages, the system facilitates a collaborative risk and opportunity assessment process, refining the structure of the Risk Opportunity Hierarchy (ROH). The decision coordination engine 105 enables managers to group similar risks, opportunities or challenges (ROCs) and assign probability and impact ratings using a structured methodology. These assessments consider the likelihood of occurrence with and without mitigation actions, ensuring that risk-based decisions are well-informed.
[0098]
[0066] The system may also restate risks when multiple individual risks are grouped due to their similarity. This restating may be implemented and achieved by an artificial intelligence (Al) system or agent.
[0099]
[0067] Al systems and agents may assist with suggestion, grouping or restating, but do not replace human decision authority unless expressly configured to do so.
[0100]
[0068] The user interface (III) supports this process by providing a Kanban-style risk rating table, where teams can interactively categorize, group, and refine ROCs. The system guides users through the process, incorporating previously established worksizing estimates from the Forming Step to help teams intuitively assess effort and duration implications. This structured workflow allows for better alignment between team members in understanding the relative seventy and probability of risks.
[0101]
[0069] Once risks and opportunities are categorized, the dynamic linkage generation engine 103 updates the structured representation of event dependencies by modifying the stored Risk Opportunity Linkages (ROLs) and ensuring that risk priority ratings are reflected in subsequent decision workflows. The engine combines child risk-opportunity chests with parent registries, weighting parent-child risk relationships based on their probability-impact assessments. This process ensures that decisionmaking workflows prioritize high-impact risks, allowing the system to dynamically adjust decision pathways as organizational conditions evolve.
[0102]
[0070] Following the categorization and rating of risks and opportunities, the system facilitates a review and validation process of the affect linkages that interconnect work tasks. The decision coordination engine 105 enables Governor-Manager (GM) pairs to review automatically generated lists of proposed linkages, ensuring that the identified relationships between risks, opportunities, and work tasks accurately reflect organizational priorities. During this process, the system presents work Risks, Opportunities or Challenges (ROCs) grouped by parent ROLs, allowing decisionmakers to refine their priority-impact assessments.
[0103]
[0071] The user interface (Ul) provides an interactive review panel, where users can assess proposed linkages and determine whether adjustments are necessary. This Ul 108 may present:
[0104] • A newly calculated priority-impact number for the parent ROC, enabling decision-makers to reconsider previous ratings based on a broader organizational perspective.• Fields for describing the impact of linkages, ensuring a clear rationale for decisions made.
[0105] • Options to enter consulted and informed personnel, defining who should be notified and involved in future decisions.
[0106] • A mechanism to allow governors to retain decision-making rights over specific affect linkages, ensuring that critical decisions remain within appropriate levels of governance.
[0107]
[0072] The dynamic linkage generation engine 103 utilizes the reviewed and finalized linkages to refine the Risk Opportunity Hierarchy (ROH). The system calculates a high and low estimated probability for each parent ROC, incorporating probability ratings from child risk-opportunity registries to ensure a data-driven risk assessment. Additionally, the engine tracks and maintains affect linkages, ensuring that future risk-triggered workflows automatically engage the correct personnel and decision structures.
[0108]
[0073] This process ensures that affect linkages are both accurate and strategically aligned, enabling more responsive and informed decision-making when risks or opportunities emerge in the organization.
[0109]
[0074] Following the review and validation of affect linkages, the system enables team members to assess whether risks and opportunities have actually manifested. This process is facilitated by the monitoring engine 104, which provides an interactive user interface (III) for users to confirm or dismiss specific risks and opportunities. The decision coordination engine 105 ensures that user selections trigger the appropriate digital linkages and decision workflows.
[0110]
[0075] The III 108 presents manifestation prompts in an intuitive manner, allowing users to indicate risk or opportunity realization through a simple flick-based or toggleselection mechanism. This ensures a seamless and efficient interaction for teams while maintaining structured data collection. The system records each selection in the structured representation of event dependencies (ROH), ensuring that risk propagation and opportunity linkages reflect actual occurrences.
[0111]
[0076] At this stage, data collection is the primary focus, with no immediate decision enforcement. The system logs user responses and dynamically updates the risk monitoring database. These records are then referenced in subsequent decision workflows, ensuring that organizational responses are based on real-time risk manifestations.
[0112]
[0077] Following the manifestation of a risk or opportunity, the system automatically generates a decision preparation report, compiling the relevant data for review by the responsible managers. The decision coordination engine 105 retrieves and presents an organized table displaying the manifested risks and opportunities, their associated risk-opportunity linkages (ROLs), and any identified affect linkages that may influence decision-making.
[0113]
[0078] The III 108 presents this information in a structured format, allowing managers to review the affected work tasks and personnel involved. The III 108 provides:
[0114] • A comprehensive view of the manifested risks and opportunities, including their parent ROL structures.
[0115] • A breakdown of triggered affect linkages, identifying work tasks and personnel affected by the risk manifestation.
[0116] • A list of individuals responsible for confirming the manifestation, ensuring accountability.
[0079] Managers are required to assess and determine which linkages should be activated, initiating appropriate decision workflows. The system enables managers to approve, modify, or remove affect linkages, ensuring that only relevant decision pathways proceed. Once a decision is finalized, the system creates an action item in the work Kanban board, integrating the decision into the execution workflow.
[0117]
[0080] The decision coordination engine 105 ensures that all approved decisions and linkages are updated in the structured representation of work relationships (WDH) and event dependencies (ROH). Decisions moved to the ‘Done’ column in the Kanban board are subsequently removed from the decision list, ensuring an up-to-date decision workflow.
[0118]
[0081] By structuring the decision preparation process, the system ensures that managers have the necessary information to make informed decisions efficiently, minimizing delays and ensuring that risks and opportunities are addressed in a timely and coordinated manner.
[0119]
[0082] Once a decision has been finalized and integrated into the execution workflow, the Performing Step ensures that decisions are acted upon efficiently. The decision coordination engine 105 updates the system's Kanban work board, categorizing actions into different work streams. The system classifies tasks based on their nature, including:
[0120] • Risk mitigations (yellow) - actions taken to minimize risk occurrence.
[0121] • Opportunity initiatives (yellow) - actions implemented to capitalize on potential opportunities.
[0122] Challenge solutions (yellow) - steps taken to resolve unforeseen work-related challenges.• Decisions (red) - outcomes of the decision-making process.
[0123] • To-dos (yellow) - general tasks requiring execution.
[0124]
[0083] The reallocation may occur automatically or subject to confirmation by personnel holding delegated decision authority, depending on configuration of the decision workflow.
[0125]
[0084] In some embodiments, the system is configured to automatically reallocate work tasks in response to detected risks or opportunities that materially affect task feasibility, timing, or dependency relationships. Upon identification of such a condition, the decision coordination engine 105 evaluates predefined reallocation criteria stored in the structured representation of work relationships, including skill requirements associated with the work task, current workload levels of available personnel, and organizational constraints encoded within the Work Delegation Hierarchy (WDH). Where reallocation conditions are satisfied, the system updates the structured representation of work relationships to reassign the affected work task to alternative personnel or teams, and updates associated digital communication linkages to ensure that affected stakeholders are notified. Reallocated tasks may be reflected in the user interface 108 as updated work items within the execution workflow, ensuring continuity of decision tracking, accountability, and audit logging.
[0126]
[0085] The Ul 108 enables managers to conduct control meetings, using the Kanban board to track and monitor progress. Each decision derived from the affect linkage process is managed in the same manner as other work actions, ensuring that workflow consistency is maintained across all workstreams. Users can move tasks between workflow stages, indicating their progression from initiation to completion.
[0127]
[0086] The decision coordination engine 105 provides for decisions and tasks to remain synchronized with the structured representation of work relationships (WDH)and event dependencies (ROH). Additionally, the logging engine 107 records all decisions and their corresponding actions, ensuring that the execution phase is traceable and auditable.
[0128]
[0087] Once a decision or action item is completed, it is moved to the ‘Done’ column on the Kanban board, at which point it is removed from the active decision list. This process ensures that the system dynamically adjusts to ongoing organizational changes, maintaining an accurate representation of risk mitigation, opportunity execution, and workflow efficiency.
[0129]
[0088] By structuring the performing step in this way, the system ensures that critical decisions are not only made but also effectively executed, tracked, and reviewed, creating a seamless and well-integrated workflow management process.
[0130]
[0089] This invention improves upon conventional risk management and decision coordination approaches by introducing automated linkage growth, real-time decision propagation, and integrated delegation and decision rights encoding. Unlike traditional organizational charts that require manual coordination, this invention dynamically generates digital work linkages, ensuring that communication and decision workflows evolve in response to changing work conditions. By leveraging structured risk detection, automated decision workflows, and integrated escalation mechanisms, the system enhances organizational agility, reduces operational silos, and ensures that decision-making occurs at the appropriate level of the organization.
[0131]
[0090] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term “comprises” and its variations, such as “comprising” and “comprised of” is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features.
[0091] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.
[0132]
[0092] The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.
Claims
CLAIMS1. A computer-implemented system for facilitating automated risk- and opportunity-driven communication and decision-making within an organization, the system comprising:a computing device including a processor and a non-transitory memory storing executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:store a structured representation of work relationships, defining work tasks, personnel assignments, and decision authority;store a structured representation of event dependencies, defining potential risks and opportunities affecting the work tasks;a dynamic linkage generation engine, configured to:automatically establish and maintain digital communication linkages between work tasks and affected personnel based on the structured representation of work relationships and the structured representation of event dependencies; andupdate the linkages in response to detected changes in work conditions, risk emergence, or user input;a monitoring engine configured to:detect occurrences of risks or opportunities in work tasks based on user inputs, automated rule-based triggers, or external system data; andidentify affected work tasks and personnel based on the digital communication linkages;a decision coordination engine configured to:automatically generate decision-making prompts for affected personnel upon detecting a triggering risk or opportunity event; andpresent pre-identified affected work tasks and personnel; andupdate the structured work representation based on received decisions; a user interface, executed on a computing device, configured to provide visual representations of active risks, opportunities, and associated digital linkages;wherein the system iteratively adjusts communication linkages and decision structures in response to organizational changes.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the structured representation of work relationships comprises a hierarchical tree structure, wherein each work task is represented as a node with parent-child relationships corresponding to work delegation authority.
3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the structured representation of event dependencies propagates detected risks and opportunities through a hierarchical structure, triggering automatic adjustments to digital communication linkages.
4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein decision-making authority is assigned dynamically based on preconfigured roles, and wherein a delegating authority may override automated decisions based on risk assessment thresholds.
5. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the user interface is configured to provide real-time notifications to users, including push notifications, email alerts, and in-application alerts when a new risk or opportunity is detected.
6. The system of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the digital communication linkages are represented as a graph data structure, wherein nodes represent work tasks and edges represent risk or opportunity dependencies.
7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the digital communication linkages are activated based on predefined priority levels, such that high-impact risks trigger immediate decision-making workflows while lower-impact risks defer activation until confirmation.
8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an escalation engine configured to automatically elevate unaddressed risks to higher-level personnel after a predefined time threshold or condition.
9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a logging engine configured to automatically record all decision-making interactions.
10. A computer-implemented method for facilitating automated communication and decision-making within an organization, the method comprising: storing, in a non-transitory memory, a structured representation of work relationships, defining work tasks, personnel assignments, and decision authority; storing, in the non-transitory memory, a structured representation of event dependencies, defining potential risks and opportunities affecting the work tasks; automatically establishing and maintaining digital communication linkages between work tasks by:associating work tasks with predefined risk-opportunity dependencies; dynamically adjusting linkages in response to detected events or changes in work conditions;monitoring for the occurrence of a risk or opportunity event and, in response: identifying affected work tasks and personnel;retrieving decision-making authority from the stored work representation; generating and presenting a decision-making prompt to affected personnel, the prompt including:a notification of the detected risk or opportunity;a dynamically generated list of affected work tasks and associated personnel;predefined decision-making roles extracted from the structured work representation;receiving user inputs via a user interface and updating the stored representations based on decisions made in response to the event; and iteratively adjusting the digital communication linkages in response to changes in organizational structure, personnel input, or additional detected events.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the structured representation of work relationships and event dependencies is stored using a hierarchical data format, wherein nodes represent work tasks and edges represent delegation and decisionmaking authority.
12. The method of claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the digital communication linkages comprise one or more of an affect linkage and a risk-opportunity linkage.
13. The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein categorizing detected risks and opportunities is based on predefined criteria, including impact severity, probability of occurrence, and organizational unit affected.
14. The method of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the decision coordination engine allows multiple users to collaborate on decision-making, wherein affected personnel can provide input asynchronously before a final decision is implemented.
15. The method of any one of claims 10 to 14, further comprising automatically logging all decision-making interactions allowing for post-decision review and compliance tracking.
16. The method of any one of claims 10 to 15, further comprising automatically reallocating work tasks in response to detected risks or opportunities, wherein tasks are reassigned to available personnel based on predefined skill requirements and workload balancing rules.
17. The method of any one of claims 10 to 16, further comprising generating a visual representation of affected work tasks, wherein a graphical interface displays active risks, decision pathways, and linked personnel.