Network collaboration method and apparatus

A computer system including a computer program for allowing a plurality of users to collaborate in decision making to produce a final document, the computer system comprising:

• a computer-readable memory including:
• code that processes a group of documents received from the plurality of users for producing the final document, each docunent in the group comprising a first set of statements;
• code that submits the group of documents to the plurality of users at remote clients;
• code that receives selections of documents from the group of documents;
• code that determines, at the central server, a narrowed group of documents in response to the selections of documents;
• code that submits the narrowed group of documents to the plurality of users at the remote clients;
• code that receives suggestions for modifying documents in the narrowed group of documents;
• code that determines, at the central server, a group of modified documents in response to the suggestions, the group of modified documents comprising a second set of statements;
• code that submits the group of modified documents to the plurality of users at remote clients;
• code that receives selections of statements from the second sets of statements of the modified narrowed group of documents;
• code that forms a document in response to the selections of statements;
• and
• code that submits the document to the plurality of users at remote clients;
• wherein the computer-readable memory further includes code that specifies a time period for each one of the plurality of users for each submitted group of documents, the time period indicating a due time for a response to the group of documents submitted to that user.

A computer system configured to allow a plurality of users to collaborate in decision making, the computer system comprising:

• a processor for processing a group of documents for producing a final document, each document in the group comprising a first set of statements;
• first submission means for submitting the group of documents to the plurality of users at remote clients;
• a first receiver for receiving, from at least one of the plurality of users, selections of documents from the group of documents;
• first determining means for determining, a narrowed group of documents in response to the selections of documents;
• second submission means for communicating the narrowed group of documents to the plurality of users at the remote clients;
• a second receiver for receiving, from at least one of the plurality of users, suggestions for modifying a document in the narrowed group of documents;
• second determining means for determining, a modified narrowed group of documents in response to the suggestions, each document in the modified narrow group comprising a second set of suggestions;
• third submission means for submitting the modifed narrowed group of documents to the plurality of users at remnote clients;
• thereafter
• a third receiver for receiving, from at least one of the plurality of users, selections of statements from the second modified set of statements of the modified narrowed group of documents;
• and
• presentation means for presenting the selections of statements as a proposed final document;
• wherein the computer system further comprises timer means for specifying a time period for each one of the plurality of users for each submitted group of documents, the time period indicating a due time for a response to the group of documents submitted to that user.