Activity Scheme Designer for Knowledge-Intensive Tasks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional process models struggle to effectively incorporate knowledge-intensive tasks, leading to inefficiencies and repeated work due to their automated nature, which hinders productivity and efficiency in organizations.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes an activity scheme designer to associate knowledge actions with tasks in a directed graph, a workflow engine to instantiate process models, and an activity scheme transformer to personalize these schemes based on user context and profile, allowing for optimized execution of knowledge-intensive tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional process models are used to automate task execution, then automation and efficiency are improved, but knowledge-intensive tasks cannot be effectively captured and executed
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments tasks into two distinct types: automated tasks (represented as nodes in a directed graph) and knowledge-intensive tasks (represented as activity schemes). This segmentation allows each task type to be handled by appropriate mechanisms - automated tasks follow rigid process models while knowledge-intensive tasks use flexible activity schemes that can adapt to human expertise and creativity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces activity schemes as intermediary structures between process models and knowledge-intensive tasks. Activity schemes serve as mediators that bridge the gap between automated process control and human knowledge work, enabling the system to capture, store, and reuse knowledge-intensive task patterns without compromising automation capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If knowledge-intensive tasks are performed in isolation by individual users, then human creativity and expertise are utilized, but work is unnecessarily repeated and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes activity schemes universal by allowing them to be shared across multiple users and organizations. Activity schemes can be instantiated, modified, and reused by different users for similar knowledge-intensive tasks, transforming isolated human work into a shared organizational resource that improves productivity while preserving human expertise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where executed activity schemes provide data that can be used to improve and refine activity schemes. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from actual human performance and continuously improve the quality and efficiency of knowledge-intensive task execution across the organization.
3Productivity
If standardized process models are used, then efficiency and productivity increase over time, but knowledge-intensive tasks cannot be standardized
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces dynamics to activity schemes, allowing them to adapt to different contexts, users, and situations while maintaining standardization benefits. Activity schemes can be dynamically configured, modified, and instantiated based on specific needs, combining the efficiency of standardized processes with the flexibility required for knowledge-intensive work.
Data Source
AI summary
An activity scheme designer may associate an activity scheme with a task of a process model that includes a plurality of tasks, the activity scheme including a directed graph of nodes in which the nodes represent knowledge actions to be performed at least partially by human users, and in which edges of the directed graph connecting the nodes are probabilistically weighted. A workflow engine may instantiate the process model for execution, including associating an instance of the task with a user of the human users, the task instance including instance-specific data associated with completing the execution. An activity scheme transformer may transform the activity scheme for the user, based on the instance-specific data, a context of the user including applications and information resources available to the user, and a personal profile of the user.