Systems, methods and tools for facilitating group collaborations

Abstract

There are disclosed systems, method and tools for facilitating group collaborations. In an embodiment, collaborative ideas are represented in a modified tree data structure in which ideas are stored in nodes of the tree (an “idea tree”). Each node may be associated with data storage means, such as a table of records, in which different kinds of data can be stored. Data stored in the idea tree, or a part thereof, may be created, modified, deleted or organized by using various types of collaboration tools. A participant's interaction with the idea tree, or a part thereof, using a particular collaboration tool may be mapped as a transformation of the idea tree from one state to another. Other participants may simultaneously or successively interact with the idea tree, or a part thereof, using the same or a different collaboration tool. A coherent representation of collaborative ideas can be developed and organized without excessive manual effort.

1 . A data processing system implemented method of facilitating group collaborations on a project by a plurality of participants, comprising: 
 providing an extendable hierarchical data structure, the hierarchical data structure including data storage means for storing a plurality of data items submitted by the participants;    providing a collaboration tool for use by the participants to work with the hierarchical data structure, the collaboration tool being configured to logically link to a defined workspace on the hierarchical data structure in which the tool is to be used, the collaboration tool being further configured to work with data items in the workspace associated with the collaboration tool.    
   
   
       2 . The data processing system implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing a tree data structure as the hierarchical data structure, the tree data structure having a root node and one or more sub-nodes branching from the root node, each node being associated with a data storage means configured to store a plurality of heterogeneous data items;    logically linking a collaboration tool to a link node in the tree data structure, the link node and any sub-nodes defining the workspace on the tree data structure for the collaboration tool.    
   
   
       3 . The data processing system implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 logically linking multiple collaboration tools to different link nodes of the tree data structure to define multiple workspaces, whereby participants may work on different parts of the tree data structure simultaneously.    
   
   
       4 . The data processing system implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 successively logically linking different collaboration tools to link nodes of the tree data structure, whereby the resulting workflow simulates a group collaboration process involving a sequential progression.    
   
   
       5 . The data processing system implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 saving the state of the tree data structure after each transformation of the tree data structure applied by a collaboration tool, whereby a previous state of the tree data structure may be recovered.    
   
   
       6 . The data processing system implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 configuring a collaboration tool to utilize the output of another collaboration tool, the output of each collaboration tool being reflected as a transformation of the tree data structure.    
   
   
       7 . The data processing system implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising, providing a collaboration tool for linking to a link node of the tree data structure, and collecting a plurality of homogeneous data items from the defined workspace.  
   
   
       8 . A data processing system for facilitating group collaborations on a project by a plurality of participants, comprising: 
 means for providing an extendable hierarchical data structure, the hierarchical data structure including data storage means for storing a plurality of data items submitted by the participants;    means for providing a collaboration tool for use by the participants to work with the hierarchical data structure, the collaboration tool being configured to logically link to a defined workspace on the hierarchical data structure in which the tool is to be used, the collaboration tool being further configured to work with data items in the workspace associated with the collaboration tool.    
   
   
       9 . The data processing system of  claim 8 , wherein the hierarchical data structure is a tree data structure, the tree data structure having a root node and one or more sub-nodes branching from the root node, each node being associated with a data storage means configured to store a plurality of heterogeneous data items; and the data processing system further includes means for logically linking a collaboration tool to a link node in the tree data structure, the link node and any sub-nodes defining the workspace on the tree data structure for the collaboration tool.  
   
   
       10 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , further comprising means for logically linking multiple collaboration tools to different link nodes of the tree data structure to define multiple workspaces, whereby participants may work on different parts of the tree data structure simultaneously.  
   
   
       11 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , further comprising means for successively logically linking different collaboration tools to link nodes of the tree data structure, whereby the resulting workflow simulates a group collaboration process involving a sequential progression.  
   
   
       12 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , further comprising means for saving the state of the tree data structure after each transformation of the tree data structure applied by a collaboration tool, whereby a previous state of the tree data structure may be recovered.  
   
   
       13 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , further comprising means for providing a collaboration tool for linking to a link node of the tree data structure, and collecting a plurality of homogeneous data items from the defined workspace.  
   
   
       14 . A data processor readable medium storing data processor code that, when loaded into a data processing device, adapts the device to facilitate group collaborations on a project, the data processor readable medium including: 
 code for providing an extendable hierarchical data structure, the hierarchical data structure including data storage means for storing a plurality of data items submitted by the participants;    code for providing a collaboration tool for use by the participants to work with the hierarchical data structure, the collaboration tool being configured to logically link to a defined workspace on the hierarchical data structure in which the tool is to be used, the collaboration tool being further configured to work with data items in the workspace associated with the collaboration tool.    
   
   
       15 . The data processor readable medium of  claim 14 , further including: 
 code for defining the hierarchical data structure as a tree data structure, the tree data structure having a root node and one or more sub-nodes branching from the root node, each node being associated with a data storage means configured to store a plurality of heterogeneous data items; and    code for logically linking a collaboration tool to a link node in the tree data structure, the link node and any sub-nodes defining the workspace on the tree data structure for the collaboration tool.    
   
   
       16 . The data processor readable medium of  claim 15 , further including code for logically linking multiple collaboration tools to different link nodes of the tree data structure to define multiple workspaces, whereby participants may work on different parts of the tree data structure simultaneously.  
   
   
       17 . The data processor readable medium of  claim 15 , further including code for successively logically linking different collaboration tools to link nodes of the tree data structure, whereby the resulting workflow simulates a group collaboration process involving a sequential progression.  
   
   
       18 . The data processor readable medium of  claim 17 , further including code for saving the state of the tree data structure after each transformation of the tree data structure applied by a collaboration tool, whereby a previous state of the tree data structure may be recovered.  
   
   
       19 . The data processor readable medium of  claim 17 , further including code for configuring a collaboration tool to utilize the output of another collaboration tool, the output of each collaboration tool being reflected as a transformation of the tree data structure.  
   
   
       20 . The data processor readable medium of  claim 15 , further including code for providing a collaboration tool for linking to a link node of the tree data structure, and collecting a plurality of homogeneous data items from the defined workspace.