Digital collaboration process enablement tool

Abstract

A collaboration system provides a combination of technical features to address complex collaboration between geographically distributed teams. The collaboration system implements follow and notify functionality, monitor and engage functionality, and capture functionality. The collaboration system may, for instance, tailor data flows and notifications of significant workflow events via a dynamically tuned subscription model. The system may also create a digital collaboration workspace supported by automation and machine learning functionality. In addition, the system may create documentation of collaboration with automatic recommendation of metadata tags to support search and cataloging of the documentation.

1 . A method comprising:
 in an event notification system comprising collaboration circuitry in communication with a database interface and a communication interface:
 retrieving, through the database interface, defined roles assigned to geographically distributed entities and communication pathway preference information for the geographically distributed entities; 
 generating, with the collaboration circuitry, an event notification for distribution concerning an event; 
 implementing, with the collaboration circuitry, an adaptable subscription model configured to determine selected entities among the geographically distributed entities to which to send the event notification, where the adaptable subscription model is configured to identify the selected entities responsive to the defined roles in comparison to the event; 
 determining, with the collaboration circuitry, communication pathways, supported by the communication interface, for sending the event notification to the selected entities, based on the communication pathway preference information for the selected entities; and 
 transmitting the event notification to the selected entities over the communication pathways. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, with the collaboration circuitry, additional event notifications for distribution responsive to communication input received, over the communication interface, from the geographically distributed entities, where the communication input received is responsive to a previously generated event notification;   using the adaptable subscription model to determine selected responsive entities among the geographically distributed entities to which to send the additional event notification;   determining, with the collaboration circuitry, responsive communication pathways, supported by the communication interface, for sending the additional event notification to the selected responsive entities, based on the communication pathway preference information for the selected responsive entities; and   transmitting the additional event notification to the selected responsive entities over the responsive communication pathways.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the event notification responsive to sensor input from a field device for which the selected entities have responsibilities according to the defined roles. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a list of supported events to a system subscriber;   filtering, responsive to input from the system subscriber, the list of supported events based on event attributes;   accepting an event selection from the system subscriber; and   subscribing the system subscriber to events corresponding to the event selection.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 filtering the list of supported events based on a defined role for the system subscriber.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , where the event selection identifies events based on an event class, an event type, an asset involved in the event, a system implicated in the event, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a specific expertise for a specific entity among the selected entities through the database interface; and   dynamically tuning the adaptable subscription model by subscribing the specific entity to additional events responsive to the specific expertise of the specific entity.   
     
     
         8 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An event notification system comprising:
 a communication interface;   a database interface; and   collaboration circuitry in communication with the database interface and the communication interface, the collaboration circuitry configured to:
 retrieve, through the database interface, defined roles assigned to geographically distributed entities and communication pathway preference information for the geographically distributed entities; 
 generate, with the collaboration circuitry, an event notification for distribution concerning an event; 
 implement, with the collaboration circuitry, an adaptable subscription model configured to determine selected entities among the geographically distributed entities to which to send the event notification, where the adaptable subscription model is configured to identify the selected entities responsive to the defined roles in comparison to the event; 
 determining, with the collaboration circuitry, communication pathways, supported by the communication interface, for sending the event notification to the selected entities, based on the communication pathway preference information for the selected entities; and 
 transmitting the event notification to the selected entities over the communication pathways. 
   
     
     
         22 . The event notification system of  claim 21 , wherein the collaboration circuitry is further configured to:
 generate additional event notifications for distribution responsive to communication input received, over the communication interface, from the geographically distributed entities, where the communication input received is responsive to a previously generated event notification;   use the adaptable subscription model to determine selected responsive entities among the geographically distributed entities to which to send the additional event notification;   determining responsive communication pathways, supported by the communication interface, for sending the additional event notification to the selected responsive entities, based on the communication pathway preference information for the selected responsive entities; and   transmitting the additional event notification to the selected responsive entities over the responsive communication pathways.   
     
     
         23 . The event notification system of  claim 21 , wherein the collaboration circuitry is further configured to generate the event notification responsive to sensor input from a field device for which the selected entities have responsibilities according to the defined roles. 
     
     
         24 . The event notification system of  claim 21 , wherein the collaboration circuitry is further configured to:
 provide a list of supported events to a system subscriber;   filter, responsive to input from the system subscriber, the list of supported events based on event attributes;   accept an event selection from the system subscriber; and   subscribe the system subscriber to events corresponding to the event selection.   
     
     
         25 . The event notification system of  claim 24 , wherein the collaboration circuitry is further configured to filter the list of supported events based on a defined role for the system subscriber. 
     
     
         26 . The event notification system of  claim 24 , where the event selection identifies events based on an event class, an event type, an asset involved in the event, a system implicated in the event, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The event notification system of  claim 21 , wherein the collaboration circuitry is further configured to:
 determine a specific expertise for a specific entity among the selected entities through the database interface; and   dynamically tune the adaptable subscription model by subscribing the specific entity to additional events responsive to the specific expertise of the specific entity.   
     
     
         28 . The event notification system of  claim 21 , where the communications responsive to the event notifications are received over different communication pathways.