Method and apparatus for structuring and managing human communications

Abstract

A method for managing communications between individuals utilizing a programmed computer system. The method involves several definitional steps that are critical to achieving a practicable methodology for conversation management. The integrated concepts of 'moves in conversations' of two basic types (Conversation for Action and Conversation for Possibilities), conversational roles, types of incompletions, and logical/functional relationships between moves, incompletions, and roles, provide a set of constructs on which a powerful and practicable methodology for conversation management may be built. They provide a basis for defining a meaningful conversation record format which can be integrated into a conversation data base using standard data base building and management tools. A system for managing communications which incorporates the methodology of this invention provides a powerful framework for structuring human conversations. The method further involves creating a body of recommended declarative text for each move which the participant may include in the message as part of the data elements of the move. The method also features a variety of conversation database access facilities using different record sort or collection criteria including the individual incompletions, the domains of the conversation, the participants, and dates. The invention and the conversation record management and retrieval which it facilitates enables time and date commitments related to calendar activities, such as meeting schedules, appointments and appointments and the like, to be integrated into the database.