Card-Based GUI for Software Asset Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for software asset management are complex and time-consuming, making it difficult for network administrators to efficiently manage software licenses and identify compliance issues across large networks, leading to potential over or underpayment for software licenses.
Innovation Solution
A card-based GUI is introduced that provides an overview of software applications, allowing users to drill down into detailed list-views for each publisher, displaying license allocation and usage information, and offering remediation options to address compliance discrepancies, thereby streamlining software asset management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a single-pane GUI displays all software information, then comprehensive information is provided, but the interface becomes complex and time-consuming to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the software asset management interface into multiple panes: a first pane displaying publisher cards with summary information, and a second pane displaying detailed software application information. This segmentation allows users to access comprehensive information while maintaining interface simplicity through organized spatial separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional flat interface to a multi-dimensional layout with hierarchical panes. The first pane provides high-level publisher overview, while the second pane provides deep-dive software details, creating a layered information architecture that reduces cognitive load while preserving information completeness.
2Loss of information
If detailed software information is displayed in one view, then comprehensive data is available, but the time to find specific information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-organizes software information by publisher in the first pane, displaying key metrics and status indicators before the user drills down. This preliminary organization allows users to quickly identify relevant publishers and software, reducing the time to locate specific license information while maintaining data completeness in the second pane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested view structure where selecting a publisher card in the first pane opens the corresponding software details in the second pane. This nested arrangement allows users to progress from high-level publisher overview to detailed software license information in a hierarchical manner, minimizing navigation time while preserving comprehensive data access.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple software applications are managed in a single interface, then all software is visible, but the interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the software management interface into publisher-level cards in the first pane and application-level details in the second pane. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple software applications across multiple publishers without increasing overall interface complexity, as each level manages its own set of information independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by displaying publisher information first (first pane) and allowing users to drill down to software details (second pane), rather than displaying all software information upfront. This inversion reduces interface complexity by presenting information in a hierarchical sequence, making the system capable of managing multiple applications while maintaining a clean, organized interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A computational instance of a remote network management platform may be associated with a managed network and include a database containing: (i) indications of software applications installed on computing devices of the managed network, and (ii) indications of software models that respectively define publisher, product, and licensing information related to the software applications. The computational instance may include a server device configured to (i) generate a representation of a first graphical user interface, (ii) transmit, to a client device associated with the managed network, the representation of the first graphical user interface, (iii) receive, from the client device, a selection, (iv) based on the particular set of the software applications and the particular set of the software models, generate a representation of a second graphical user interface, and (v) transmit, to the client device, the representation of the second graphical user interface.