The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 17, 2012
Filed:
May. 19, 2009
Bonny P. Lau, Bellevue, WA (US);
Mohammad Yakoob Shahdad, Bellevue, WA (US);
Peter DE Vries, Seattle, WA (US);
Alice Pritikin Steinglass, Redmond, WA (US);
Bonny P. Lau, Bellevue, WA (US);
Mohammad Yakoob Shahdad, Bellevue, WA (US);
Peter De Vries, Seattle, WA (US);
Alice Pritikin Steinglass, Redmond, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward providing a method utilizing project management software for creating a project plan utilizing a top-down strategy allowing a user to describe high-level objectives before filling in details for the underlying tasks of which the high-level objectives are comprised. As an alternative to basing summary task dates and durations solely on subtask data, the present invention allows a user to enter dates and duration values into summary tasks regardless of when the corresponding subtasks occur. By utilizing a top-down project management approach, embodiments of the present invention promote utilizing summary tasks as a starting point of project planning. Users are able to input high-level objectives of a project when more specific details of subtasks are unknown. Because summary task data is not rolled-up from the subtask data, a user may specify details such as dates and durations of subtasks at a later time.