Abstract: Each work item from a group of work items is categorized as either complex or intense, and a unique work requirement statement is derived for each work item based on whether it is complex or intense. A unique resource value statement is assigned to different human resources. Past performances of the human resources are analyzed against completed work items in order to adjust the unique resource value statement, thus creating updated human resource value statements. An optimized work requirement statement is created by recalculating the unique work requirement statement for each work item based on the updated human resource value statements. A schedule for automated allocation of human resources to functional areas of an enterprise activity environment and scheduling of work items to the functional areas is formulated based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items.

Abstract: A metadata management system and method enables complex query searches by users, e.g., different users having different query needs, using the same infrastructure. For querying metadata, the metadata management system provides functionality for aggregating all the concepts (metadata items) and relationships of the metadata across one or more users in a common format; extracting concepts and storing them in a metadata store (e.g., a relational database); extracting relationships and modeling them in a standard semantic representation. The system and method further records users' different needs on relationships into user-specific configuration files. The system is configured for retrieving, in response to a user query, relevant data items by using the meta-data selectively.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are disclosed to support the dynamic (just-in-time) task distribution in the context of globally collaborative software development. Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for distributing tasks in a collaborative software development project, where said project has a multitude of work packets. An embodiment of the invention includes generating bidding request forms, and broadcasting the bidding request forms to a multitude of distributed teams; collecting completed bidding request forms having real-time information about attributes of the distributed teams; and matching eligible teams to the work packets. This embodiment further comprise optimizing a distribution plan of the work packets; ranking results of the distribution plan to give a final distribution plan; and notifying each of the distributed teams of any work packets assigned to them.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product is disclosed for supporting role-based access control in a collaborative environment, wherein pluralities of users work together in a collaborative process using a software system. The method comprises componentizing the software system into a multitude of software components, and limiting access to specific software components to certain users based on roles assigned to the users as defined by a run-time state of the collaborative process. The set of components that a user can access is dynamic, that set can change based on the “context” or the step where the user is in a collaborative workflow/process.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for self-healing a software factory are presented. Factory metrics that describe resources and operations within the software factory are collected and analyzed. If the analysis reveals a significant problem within the software factory, then corrective measures are taken and stored, thus enabling the software factory to evolve and improve over time.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for utilizing the design centers, assembly line and job shops of a global delivery network across multiple software factories are presented. A work packet is examined to determine if it is authorized to be sub-contracted out to a different design center, assembly line or job shop than the design center/assembly line/job shop that have primary responsibility for the work packet. If the work packet is authorized to be sub-contracted out, then the work packet is reassigned to a different pre-qualified design center/assembly line/job shop.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for enabling a transition of a business process portfolio of a client to fit with a standardized delivery platform are presented. A tool inputs, analyzes and optimizes a current job artifact set used by an IT organization. This tool identifies; and maps a set of artifacts used by the IT organization to a central meta-model/ontology representation. By dint of mapping the factory artifacts and processes to this meta-model, a user is able to identify equivalent classes among the artifacts and do a one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-one mapping between the set of client artifacts and the standard artifacts already included in a Software Factory.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for identifying root causes of problems in a software factory. Each work packet being executed within the software factory is assigned meta-data, which describes a relationship between that work packet and other work packets, as well as a relationship between that work packet and resources within the software factory. These metrics provides means for identifying any problems within the software factory.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium that support an open marketplace for distributed service arbitrage with an integrated risk management is presented. Orders for work packets, which are processed within a software factory, are allowed to be bid upon only by software factories that have been previously ranked by a centralized marketplace portal, thus ensuring that only qualified software factories are allowed to service such orders.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for utilizing the design centers, assembly line and job shops of a global delivery network across multiple software factories are presented. Pre-qualified factory organizational units in a software factory are identified. Identified qualified factory organizational units, including design centers, assembly lines and job shops, are matched to customer requirements. If the identified qualified factory organizational units are available, then they are load balanced and deployed to create software deliverables to the customer.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for maintaining a project schedule of projects being executed within a software factory are presented. A project management tool receives alerts from the software factory as completion statuses, of software packets being used within the software factory, change. These alerts enable a consolidated and coordinated updating of the project schedule.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for determining competence levels of factory teams are presented. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the steps of: creating a template for an initial work packet, wherein the initial work packet is a self-contained work unit that is assembled within the software factory; creating a partially instantiated work packet by populating the template with details that describe pre-conditions and post-conditions necessary to execute the work packet; provisionally selecting a human team to complete coding of the partially instantiated work packet to create a final work packet; determining whether the human team is competent to create the final work packet; and in response to determining that the human team is competent to create the final work packet, ordering the human team to create the final work packet within the software factory.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for staged validation of work packets within a software factory are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes creating a preliminary work packet. A validation constraint is appended to the preliminary work packet to create a constrained work packet. The constrained work packet is submitted to the software factory, within which the validation constraint is validated at different stages to confirm that the validation constraint is proper for the constrained work packet. If a validation result fails to meet all requirements of the validation constraint at each stage, the validation constraint is resolved, and the constrained work packet is re-submitted at that stage.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a computer system adapted for composing sound. Sound is composed via a combination of blocks and modifiers, where a block is an abstraction of a collection of data that, when processed by appropriate algorithms and hardware, produces sound. Further, the current invention also comprises one or more modifiers, each of which, when applied to a block, alters the sound produced by that block.

Abstract: Data is graphically displayed using a set of successive outer sectors of a geometrical shape, such as nested concentric circles, in order to provide easy navigation through related data items. Successive outer portions may be partitioned into sectors and are related to the adjacent inner more sector of the graphical representation. The outer sectors may be dynamic or static in nature. When a user selects an outer sector, that outer sector appropriately regenerates to become the new focus (or center) of the graphical representation and successive outer sectors related to the new focus are generated in order to easily navigate through the nodes of the present invention. If the outer sectors were already displayed, those outer sectors become redisplayed to inner more sectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for combining undo and redo contexts in a distributed access environment is described. A first user gains access to data items residing on a database and modifies the data items. The modifications are incorporated into a user activity log. A subsequent user also accesses and modifies the same data items, which modifications are merged into the activity log. The merged activity log forms one sequential well ordered set of actions, including the modification made by the first user and the subsequent user. The user activity logs may be created for individual data items, individual users or for all modifications made to separate data items. A system for combining undo and redo contexts in a distributed access environment is also described.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for altering the harmonic referent of segments of a music composition while maintaining the register of the musical segments and their conformity to a harmonic rule-base. By combining the three novel notions of a "role-preserving" transformation "shape-preserving" transformation, and a "register" preserving transformation, a novel operation enabled by the present invention can be described. Essentially, the invention allows a pitch to be moved from one harmonic context to another. The pitches are then constrained to take on values that have the same harmonic function as their corresponding original pitches, while remaining, as much as possible, within the same register as their corresponding original pitches. Secondly, when a group of pitches are moved together as a melody, the operation can preserve not only the function and register of the pitches but the shape of the melody.

Abstract: A computer system having an object oriented operating system utilizes a user interface that includes a display and user command input apparatus. Objects data structures are stored in the computer system's memory, each object having an associated image that can be displayed, and an assigned object type. Furthermore, each object can access a corresponding communication interface for the purpose of exchanging messages with other objects. The computer system's user enables a user to select a first object to be used as a transformer object and to select a second object as a transformee object. Once the transformer and transformee objects have been selected, the communication interfaces of the transformer and transformee objects exchange messages so as to determine, based on the object types of the transformer and transformee objects, a transformation action to be performed on the transformee object, and then the transformation action is performed so as to produce a transformed object.