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Network based, interactive project management apparatus and methodRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Financial, Business Practice, Management, Or Cost/price Determination, Automated Electrical Financial Or Business Practice Or Management Arrangement, Operations Research, Allocating Resources Or Scheduling For An Administrative FunctionNetwork based, interactive project management apparatus and method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070192156, Network based, interactive project management apparatus and method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/039,999, filed Oct. 24, 2001, Inventor Derek Gauger, entitled NETWORK BASED, INTERACTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD which claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional application of Ser. No. 60/242,853 filed Oct. 24, 2000 in the name of Derek K. Gauger and entitled "PROJECTMOVER", the entire contents of both applications being incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] Historically, product development involves the design of a product, engineering of the product and then manufacturing of the product, typically in large volumes. In small companies, each of these tasks is typically performed by only one or a small number of individuals who have easy access to individuals performing the other product development tasks thereby allowing each individual, regardless of his responsibilities to know or be able to obtain details of the entire design, engineering and manufacturing process. [0003] However, such accessibility is not possible in large size corporations, particularly where individuals for a particular project or product development may be separated by hundreds or thousands of miles. [0004] In order to address scheduling issues for project or product development involving many individuals, the project or product development steps are defined as a series of sequential and parallel tasks where each task describes the work to be done and the people assigned to the task. This type of system routes tasks to assigned individuals and allows for an indication of when each task is completed so that the next individual is notified that it is time to start the next task. [0005] Current trends in manufacturing involving IS-9000 and QS-9000 standards require all phases of a project or product development to be documented. This provides an opportunity to generate a database for project or product development which can be archived for access in the future when a similar project or product arises. [0006] However, what is needed is a project monitoring apparatus and method which enables easy, interaction between authorized individuals in all phases of the project sequence, which minimizes notifications to individual about project issues, tasks, changes, etc., where such notifications are not necessary, and provides project documentation which can be archived for future reference. SUMMARY [0007] The present invention is a network based, interactive project management apparatus and method which facilitates the management of a project, the various manager tools of which are implemented via a computer network having electronic mail capability. [0008] In one aspect of the invention, a software system resident in the computer network, contains a plurality of information modules, such as a document manager, task manager, finance center, project plan, issue manager, meeting center, collaboration center, request for information manager, review manager and report center which are accessible to authorized users to facilitate the interchange of information, documents, tasks, notifications so as to monitor and advance the project on a timely basis. [0009] In one aspect, the inventive method comprises the steps of: [0010] defining authorized individuals who have access to an interactive computer system providing data interchange; [0011] opening a collaboration center for authorized individuals; [0012] allowing access to the collaboration center by the authorized individual; [0013] defining one of a collaboration purpose and deadline; and [0014] accepting input information from authorized individuals relating to the collaboration. [0015] In this method, all authorized individuals are allowed to perform any one of review, submit, author and change data and to interact with other authorized individuals in the collaboration center. [0016] Further, all authorized individuals are immediately notified of a change in at least one or more elements of the collaboration center, such as the collaboration purpose, deadline, plan and input information. [0017] The collaboration center also allows voting by authorized individuals on a collaboration element such as the collaboration purpose and/or collaboration plan. [0018] The inventive method, in another aspect, establishes a plurality of software based information modules to allow at least one of planning a project, establishing and tracking project tasks, establishing a collaboration center for an active interchange between individuals, reviewing project progress, tracking project finances, archiving project data, and establishing and tracking documents. [0019] Yet another aspect, the method allows each authorized individual to establish a personal preference defining the manner and which notifications from any module in the system are received by the authorized individual. This simplifies the task of the each individual in responding to notifications which can be numerous when the individuals are working on many different projects at the same time. [0020] The present method also utilizes a smart electronic mail notification system which allows team members to respond quickly to a requestor in any notification requiring a response without going through the system log-in. process through the project portal. This smart electronic mail notification methodology, when combined with the user's ability to make document attachments to notifications, allows team members to work offline and the send responses back to the system in bulk as well as to involve other individuals not registered as team members. [0021] The method also defines a document manager which tracks the state of documents and provides for pin pointing information that any team member may require at any point in the project. [0022] The present invention also is an interactive computer system for monitoring the progress of a project. The computer network has operating software providing the above-defined methodology. A plurality of users or team members are interconnected to the network via various communication means, including Internet communication. Continue reading about Network based, interactive project management apparatus and method... Full patent description for Network based, interactive project management apparatus and method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Network based, interactive project management apparatus and method patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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