Modular Software Supplement Provisioning for Custom Business Configurations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software providers face challenges in efficiently addressing unique customer requirements for software enhancements due to the time and resource intensity of developing, testing, and deploying new product versions, which often do not align with individual customer needs and schedules.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for provisioning and shipping supplemental software content, including Business Configuration (BC) and runtime (RT) objects, allowing for customized functional enhancements without altering the main software product, using a Content Production Management System (CPMS) and Product and Production Management System (PPMS) to manage and deliver supplements based on customer-specific metadata and content types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a software product provider develops and deploys new product releases to address customer requirements, then the customer's functional needs are improved, but the time and resource consumption for development, testing, installation, and maintenance increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments software functionality into modular supplements that can be independently developed, tested, and deployed. Each supplement contains specific business configuration objects and runtime objects that can be provisioned separately from the main software product, allowing targeted enhancements without requiring complete product releases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by allowing customers to receive only the specific supplement functionality they need rather than complete product releases. This enables providers to deliver minimal viable enhancements that address specific customer requirements without the overhead of full product version upgrades.
2Ease of manufacture
If a software product provider provides standard new product releases to all customers, then the product evolution is simplified, but the ability to address individual customer requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling different customers to receive different supplements tailored to their specific business needs. Each customer's software environment can be customized with selective supplements that provide locally optimized functionality rather than uniform standard releases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by allowing the software product portfolio to evolve flexibly through individual supplements rather than rigid version releases. Customers can dynamically add, remove, or update specific supplements based on changing requirements without being locked into complete product version cycles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a software product provider implements individualized product enhancements for each customer, then customer satisfaction is improved, but the complexity of provisioning and management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality through a standardized supplement architecture that handles individualization automatically. The supplement mechanism provides a universal interface for customization, managing complexity internally while presenting a simple experience to customers. The same supplement framework serves all customers regardless of their specific configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method to install a software enhancement supplement of a main software product, the method including receiving an installation recommendation for the supplement having content including a business configuration (BC) object on a customer/service provider side of a business process platform from a product provider; displaying an indication of the receipt of the installation recommendation; processing the installation of the supplement into the business process platform of the customer; and providing a notification of the supplement's status upon completion of the supplement installation.