Email-to-Workflow Conversion for Task Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current collaboration technologies, such as workflow systems, face challenges in tracking and structuring feedback and task execution, particularly in distributed teams, leading to inefficiencies and loss of important information within unorganized messaging systems like email.
Innovation Solution
An interaction system that transforms messages, including email threads, into structured workflow items, allowing users to convert messages into workflow objects with additional user input for task-related information, and integrates these into a workflow system for controlled task handling and tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If messages are handled in unorganized messaging systems like email, then communication flexibility is maintained, but task tracking and structuring become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments messages into distinct workflow items with separate task representations. Each message can be converted into structured workflow items that are tracked independently, allowing both flexible communication handling and systematic task tracking through the segmentation of communication content into manageable task units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary conversion mechanism that transforms unstructured messages into structured workflow items. This intermediary process acts as a bridge between flexible messaging and structured task management, converting email messages into workflow items that can be tracked while preserving the original communication flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If manual tracking of tasks through email is used, then communication simplicity is maintained, but accountability and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service transformation where users can automatically convert messages into workflow items through predefined rules or manual selection. This self-service approach maintains communication simplicity while automatically establishing accountability structures, eliminating the need for complex manual tracking procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring workflow templates and conversion rules that automatically structure messages into trackable tasks. This preliminary setup maintains communication simplicity during actual use while ensuring accountability and efficiency are built-in from the start through automated task structuring.
3Reliability
If structured workflow systems are implemented, then task tracking and accountability improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by creating a multi-functional platform that handles both message management and workflow execution within a single integrated system. This universal approach improves task tracking reliability while reducing overall system complexity by eliminating the need for separate messaging and workflow systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges message handling and workflow management into a unified system where messages can be directly converted into workflow items. This merging improves task tracking reliability by creating direct links between communication and task execution, while reducing system complexity by consolidating previously separate functions into one integrated platform.
4Reliability
If messages are converted to workflow items, then task structuring and tracking improve, but information loss may occur during transformation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that allow users to review and validate the transformation from message to workflow item. This feedback loop ensures that critical information is preserved during conversion by allowing users to verify that essential message content is accurately represented in the structured workflow item before finalizing the transformation.
Data Source
AI summary
In a computer system wherein messages are transferred between participants, at least some of which are human users of the computer system using the computer system in furtherance of work projects, and wherein a workflow system handles task-based operations in a structured environment, tasks embodied in messages are handled as tasks in the structure environment by transforming messages into workflow items. One embodiment provides for sending a message from a sender to a user computer system; upon review of the message at the user computer system by a user, accepting input from the user representative of a trigger for transforming the message content to a workflow object, wherein the workflow object is a structured representation of one or more tasks to be performed by one or more assignees including linkages between tasks; following a trigger for transforming, accepting user input as needed to obtain task-related information other than information present in the message; once the user input is obtained, generating one or more workflow objects for tasks representing by the message; and providing the one or more workflow objects to a workflow system for workflow handling.