Task Similarity Service for Information Object Association
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Knowledge workers face challenges in managing fragmented tasks due to the use of diverse applications and interruptions, making it difficult to associate information objects with the appropriate tasks, leading to inefficiencies in productivity.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that stores tasks with knowledge actions, determines task similarity, identifies relevant information objects, and recommends opening additional objects based on task matching algorithms to enhance task management and productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual methods (post-its, paper to-do lists) are used to track information objects, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity is worsened due to time spent on manual tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically tracks and associates information objects with tasks without requiring manual intervention from the user. The service monitors application usage and task context, automatically determining which information objects should be associated with which tasks, thereby eliminating manual tracking effort while maintaining awareness of all relevant objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking methods (post-its, paper lists) with an automated electronic service that uses software agents to monitor and track information objects. This substitution eliminates the need for physical tracking tools and manual recording, freeing users to focus on productive work while the system handles tracking automatically.
2Productivity
If automated electronic techniques are used to keep track of information, then productivity is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The service leverages existing multi-functional components within the operating system and applications to perform tracking duties. By utilizing existing system resources and components that serve multiple purposes, the solution avoids adding dedicated complex tracking infrastructure, thereby maintaining productivity benefits while limiting complexity growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a service layer that acts as an intermediary between users and the complex underlying system. This service abstracts and simplifies the interaction with complex tracking mechanisms, presenting a clean interface to users while handling the complexity of automated tracking, association determination, and information object management in the background.
3Productivity
If users work in parallel tasks with rapid succession, then productivity is improved, but loss of information is worsened as associations between information objects and tasks are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The service continuously monitors and tracks information objects across task transitions, maintaining unbroken association data even as users rapidly switch between parallel tasks. This continuous tracking ensures that no associations are lost during rapid task succession, allowing users to maintain high productivity while the system preserves complete information about which objects belong to which tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to users about the associations between information objects and tasks, ensuring that no information is lost. By continuously updating and communicating the current state of associations, the service helps users maintain awareness of their work context across parallel tasks, preventing information loss even during rapid task switching.
Data Source
AI summary
The present description is directed to a technique to store one or more tasks, each task including one or more knowledge actions (KAs) that includes an action of one of a plurality of KA types being performed, determine a degree of similarity between each of one or more of the stored tasks and a current task, identify one of the stored tasks that most closely matches the current task based on the degree of similarity for each of the one or more stored tasks, identify one or more information objects that were open for the identified stored task, identify one or more information objects that are currently open for the current task, determine an additional information object that was open for the identified stored task but is not currently open for the current task, and provide a recommendation to a user to open the additional information object.