Application Ownership Enforcement via Pre-Compilation Validation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In organizations where applications are developed over time by multiple team members, it is challenging to determine which developer is responsible for specific portions of the application due to member changes and departures, leading to difficulties in managing ownership and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

An application ownership enforcement system that receives a request to compile an application, checks the validity of ownership identification information against stored user information, and only allows compilation if the information is valid, providing feedback through a graphical user interface if it is not.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If ownership identification information is tracked manually in organizations with multiple developers, then flexibility in team composition is maintained, but accuracy and reliability of ownership information deteriorates over time due to member changes and departures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in team compositionVSAvoidaccuracy of ownership information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation of ownership identification information before allowing application compilation. The build system checks whether the identified owner is still a current user of the organization, and prevents compilation if the ownership information is outdated or refers to departed employees, thereby maintaining data accuracy automatically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the build system queries current user information and validates ownership data during the compilation process. This closed-loop verification ensures that ownership information remains synchronized with actual organizational structure, improving both reliability and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If ownership validation is performed before every compilation, then reliability of ownership tracking is improved, but development time and processing duration increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveownership tracking accuracyVSAvoidcompilation processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The validation of ownership identification information is performed as a preliminary step before the actual compilation process begins. By checking ownership validity upfront, the system avoids wasting compilation resources on invalid ownership data, and can provide early feedback to developers to correct issues before full compilation occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses a lightweight validation mechanism that checks ownership information quickly without requiring heavy computational resources. The validation process is designed to be fast and efficient, using simple comparisons against stored user information rather than complex verification procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If compilation is blocked when ownership information is invalid, then data quality and reliability are maintained, but productivity and development velocity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata qualityVSAvoiddevelopment velocity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by preventing compilation before invalid ownership data can cause problems. The build system proactively blocks compilation when ownership information is outdated, and guides developers to update the information, thereby preventing data quality degradation rather than reacting to it afterward

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides clear feedback to developers when ownership information is invalid, indicating what needs to be updated. This feedback loop enables quick correction of ownership data, allowing developers to maintain high data quality standards while minimizing interruptions to the development workflow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11237826B2Application ownership enforcement

Publication Date: 2022.02.01 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Described herein is an application ownership enforcement system and method. Ownership identification information (e.g., name, email address, identifier) regarding portion(s) (e.g., a function, a subroutine, a module, an HTML page, a component, a form, and/or an element) of an application is received and stored in the application. In response to receipt of a request to compile the application, prior to compilation, the stored ownership identification information can be compared to stored information regarding current users (e.g., a list, a directory, a database). When it is determined that the stored ownership information is currently valid, the application can be permitted to be compiled. When it is determined that the stored ownership information is not currently valid, the application is not permitted to be compiled or a warning provided, and, information regarding the determination that the stored ownership information is not currently valid can be provided (e.g., via a graphical user interface).