Task Context IM Presence Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current instant messaging (IM) systems lack the ability to efficiently manage user presence based on task context, requiring users to manually scan lists to identify team members working on the same task and allowing interruptions from non-team members.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to manage IM presence by storing group affiliations, determining status relationships, and rerouting communications based on predefined group affiliations, allowing users to appear active only to those assigned to the same task while appearing inactive to others, using database tables to organize users by task context groups and reroute communications accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users manually scan their contact list to identify team members working on the same task, then they can find relevant contacts, but it consumes time and is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The contact list is segmented into task-specific groups, allowing users to quickly identify team members by selecting the relevant task group rather than scanning the entire contact list. This segmentation enables efficient filtering of contacts based on task context.
Solution Approach 2:
Task context information serves as an intermediary that automatically connects users with relevant team members. Instead of direct manual searching, the system uses task context as a mediator to present only the relevant contacts, eliminating the time-consuming scanning process.
2Ease of operation
If users appear active to everyone on their contact list, then they can receive all messages, but they experience interruptions from non-team members working on different tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The IM presence status is made local to each task context rather than global. Users can have different presence states for different task groups, allowing them to appear active to team members while appearing inactive or away to non-team members, thereby reducing interruptions while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The presence status becomes dynamic and context-dependent, automatically adjusting based on the current task context. The system dynamically determines which users should receive notifications based on the active task, enabling flexible presence management that reduces harmful interruptions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If users select individual people to appear inactive to, then they can control who contacts them, but they must manually select each person instead of selecting a group
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual contact selections are merged into a single task group selection. Instead of requiring users to individually select and manage multiple contacts for presence control, the system allows users to select a task group, which automatically includes all relevant team members, simplifying the interface while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The task group selection serves multiple functions simultaneously: it identifies team members, determines presence status, and controls message routing. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate individual contact selections, reducing interface complexity while preserving flexible presence control.
4Quantity of substance
If some team members are not on the user's contact list, then the contact list remains manageable, but the user cannot appear active to them or receive their messages
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds a new dimension to contact management by introducing task context as a separate organizational layer. Team members can be associated with task groups without being on the individual user's contact list, allowing presence and communication capabilities to extend beyond traditional contact list boundaries while keeping the contact list manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
Task context serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between users and team members not on the contact list. The system uses task context information to enable presence and communication with external team members, expanding adaptability without requiring them to be added to the personal contact list.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method for managing IM presence based on task context, comprising storing group affiliations for a requesting IM user and a target IM user. A request from the requesting IM user is received for the target IM user's status. The requesting IM user's group affiliation is determined. The target IM user's status relationship associated with the requesting IM user's group affiliation is determined. The status relationship for the target IM user is returned to the requesting IM user. Communication from the requesting IM user is forwarded to a predefined reroute destination if the target IM user has defined the reroute destination for communication originating from the requesting IM user's group affiliation.