Workflow Management Icon Array for Complex Procedure Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing workflow management systems struggle to effectively display and manage complex business procedures involving multiple departments due to limited screen size and increased complexity, making it difficult to identify missing steps and rule violations.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that displays a combined workflow as an array of icons, allowing users to create and manage workflows by arranging icons corresponding to individual steps, facilitating the overview and detection of missing steps and rule violations through a structured interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all steps constituting the workflow are displayed on the operation screen, then the complete workflow structure becomes visible, but the screen size limitation makes it difficult to confirm the contents due to small scale

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow information visibilityVSAvoidcontent confirmation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the workflow display into two segments: an icon array showing the overall workflow structure at a glance, and detailed step information displayed separately when selected. This segmentation allows the complete workflow to be visible in the icon array while avoiding the need to display all detailed steps simultaneously on the limited screen space, thus resolving the contradiction between information visibility and content confirmation ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of arrayed steps increases to cover all departments, then the workflow becomes comprehensive, but it becomes difficult to find missing steps and rule-violating combinations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow comprehensivenessVSAvoidmissing step detection difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system automatically checks the workflow configuration for missing steps and rule violations, then provides feedback to the user. The setting management unit performs validation checks and displays error messages indicating specific issues, allowing users to easily identify and correct problems even in comprehensive multi-department workflows without manually reviewing each step.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If a workflow with exhaustive array of all steps in multiple departments is created, then the business procedure is completely covered, but the operation screen becomes too complex to manage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-department workflow coverageVSAvoidoperation screen complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex workflow management interface by using icons to represent individual workflows or departments. Each icon serves as a simplified entry point that aggregates multiple steps. This segmentation reduces operation screen complexity while maintaining comprehensive multi-department workflow coverage, as users interact with simplified icon representations rather than managing numerous individual steps directly on the main screen.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11209955B2Information processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium for managing workflow

Publication Date: 2021.12.28 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to display a structure of a combined workflow including multiple workflows as elements by displaying an array of icons corresponding to the workflows as elements.