Tiered Metadata Workflow Automation Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing complex IT tasks in diverse environments is challenging due to the complexity of coordinating various commands across assets and resources, making effective workflow automation difficult.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system with a tiered metadata structure and graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to activate or disable individual tasks and workflows, enabling flexible execution of workflow automation by grouping tasks and workflows into orchestration, suborchestration, workflow, task, step, and command tiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If workflow automation is implemented in diverse IT environments, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to coordinating various commands across assets and resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments workflow automation into a hierarchical structure with multiple tiers: individual tasks at the base level, workflows grouping tasks, and orchestrations grouping workflows. This segmentation allows complex coordination to be broken down into manageable, independently controllable units, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a metadata structure as an intermediary layer that sits between the diverse IT assets/resources and the automation logic. This metadata structure provides a standardized interface and common language for coordinating commands across heterogeneous assets, simplifying the coordination process without losing the ability to manage complexity.
2Productivity
If a comprehensive workflow automation system is created to manage all IT tasks, then productivity improves, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the complexity of managing and coordinating commands
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the automation system into discrete, hierarchically organized tiers (tasks, workflows, orchestrations), the patent enables operators to interact with and manage only the specific level they need, rather than dealing with the entire complex system at once. This segmentation makes the system more operable while maintaining comprehensive automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a hierarchical dimension to workflow management, organizing automation elements across multiple levels (individual tasks → workflows → orchestrations). This dimensional organization allows operators to navigate and control the system in a structured manner, improving ease of operation while preserving the full scope of automation functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If individual tasks and workflows can be selectively activated, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases due to the need for selective enablement and disablement mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic enablement and disablement capabilities at each hierarchical tier, allowing the system structure itself to change state based on operational needs. This dynamic characteristic enables flexible adaptation to different scenarios without requiring a fundamentally different system architecture, balancing adaptability with manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
By enabling selective activation at the individual task and workflow level within the hierarchical structure, the patent allows granular control over automation execution. This segmentation-based control mechanism provides high adaptability while keeping the control logic distributed and manageable across multiple independent units rather than requiring complex centralized control.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprises a processing device that is configured to obtain a metadata structure corresponding to a workflow automation. The metadata structure defines a first tier comprising individual tasks, a second tier comprising a plurality of workflows each comprising a grouping of the individual tasks and a third tier comprising an orchestration comprising a grouping of the workflows. The processing device is configured to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) based on the metadata structure that is configured to present the plurality of tiers to a user. The GUI comprises a plurality of elements each activatable to enable or disable corresponding individual tasks and workflows. The GUI is presented to a user and an activation of a given element is received from the user. The activation disables the corresponding individual task or workflow for the workflow automation. The workflow automation is executed based at least in part on the activation.