Collaborative network-based graphical progress management tool

A method comprising:

• transmitting, over a network, information for providing a graphical user interface to each of a plurality of users, each of whom uses a separate one of a plurality of processing devices;
• receiving, at a server via the network, user inputs provided by use of the graphical user interface, the user inputs specifying a plurality of steps that form a process flow in the form of a plurality of displayable objects, each said displayable object representing a separate one of the plurality of steps;
• in response to the user inputs, generating a graphical representation of the process flow at the server, the graphical representation including the plurality of displayable objects, wherein the plurality of displayable objects are linked to each other visually in a manner indicative of an intended sequence of the plurality of steps;
• enabling the plurality of users to view and edit the graphical representation of the process collaboratively via the network;
• receiving, from at least one of the plurality of users, user input indicating progress made in performance of the process;
• in response to the user input, modifying the graphical representation to indicate the progress visually;
• and
• enabling a user to assign roles and access privileges to other users in relation to the graphical representation of the process flow, by:
• enabling the user to designate another user as a collaborator for the process flow, wherein a collaborator is an individual authorized to comment on and edit the graphical representation of the process flow;
• and
• enabling the user to designate another user as an observer of the process flow, wherein an observer has more restricted access than a collaborator to the graphical representation of the process flow, wherein an observer is an individual authorized to comment on, but not edit, the graphical representation of the process flow.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a process that comprises:

• generating, in a processing system, information for providing a graphical user interface to a plurality of users using a plurality of processing devices on a network, to enable a first user of the plurality of users to create a graphical representation of a process, and to enable the plurality of users to view and edit the graphical representation of the process collaboratively via the network;
• receiving, from at least one of the plurality of users, user input specifying progress made in performance of the process;
• updating the graphical representation to indicate the progress visually, in response to the user input;
• and
• enabling a user to assign roles and access privileges to other users in relation to the graphical representation of the process flow, by:
• enabling the user to designate another user as a collaborator for the process flow, wherein a collaborator is an individual authorized to comment on and edit the graphical representation of the process flow;
• and
• enabling the user to designate another user as an observer of the process flow, wherein an observer has more restricted access than a collaborator to the graphical representation of the process flow, wherein an observer is an individual authorized to comment on, but not edit, the graphical representation of the process flow.

A processing system comprising:

• a communications interface through which to communicate with a plurality of remote processing devices, each associated with a separate one of a plurality of users;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the communications interface and the memory and configured to execute operations that include
• transmitting information for providing a graphical user interface to each of the plurality of remote processing devices;
• receiving user inputs provided by use of the graphical interface, the user inputs specifying a plurality of steps that form a process flow in the form of a plurality of displayable objects, each said displayable object representing a separate one of the plurality of steps;
• in response to the user inputs, generating a graphical representation of the process flow at the server, the graphical representation including the plurality of displayable objects, wherein the plurality of displayable objects are linked to each other visually in a manner indicative of an intended sequence of the plurality of steps;
• enabling the plurality of users to view and edit the graphical representation of the process collaboratively;
• receiving, from at least one of the plurality of users, user input indicating progress made in performance of the process;
• in response to the user input, modifying the graphical representation to indicate the progress visually;
• and
• enabling a user to assign roles and access privileges to other users in relation to the graphical representation of the process flow, by:
• enabling the user to designate another user as a collaborator for the process flow, wherein a collaborator is an individual authorized to comment on and edit the graphical representation of the process flow;
• and
• enabling the user to designate another user as an observer of the process flow, wherein an observer has more restricted access than a collaborator to the graphical representation of the process flow, wherein an observer is an individual authorized to comment on, but not edit, the graphical representation of the process flow.