# US 9,858,069 B2 · Transitioning between iterations in agile software development

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- Number: US 9,858,069 B2
- Document ID: US9858069B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/848,271
- Filed: 2015-09-08
- Published: 2016-08-11
- Granted: 2018-01-02
- Earliest claimed: 2008-10-08
- Assignees: Versionone, Inc.
- Applicants: Versionone, Inc.
- Inventors: Robert Holler; Ian Culling; Rajiv Delwadia; Pavel Mamut; Mark Crowe; Donald Hanson; Patrick Boudreaux; Dan Gilkerson; Julie Brooks; Eric Farr; Jerry Odenwelder
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9858069B2

## CPC

- G06F 8/70: Software maintenance or management
- G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence)
- G06F 8/30: Creation or generation of source code
- G06F 9/44: Arrangements for executing specific programs
- G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A computer-implemented method of managing work items associated with agile software development includes displaying a first group of incomplete work items associated with a current iteration of an agile software development project. In response to a first user input, a first incomplete work item of the first group is transferred from the current iteration to a subsequent iteration of the agile software development project. A determination is made that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration. The current iteration is closed and the subsequent iteration is activated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method of transitioning between iterations of agile software development, wherein agile development management software executed on one or more computers associates work items with iterations, the method comprising:
displaying on a display of the one or more computers a first group of incomplete work items associated with a current iteration of agile software development;
receiving, by the one or more computers, a first user input; and
in response to receiving the first user input:
automatically transferring, by the one or more computers, a first incomplete work item of the first group from the current iteration to a subsequent iteration of agile software development;
determining, by the one or more computers, that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration;
closing, by the one or more computers, the current iteration; and
activating, by the one or more computers, the subsequent iteration.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: prior to determining, by the one or more computers, that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration,
receiving, by the one or more computers, a second user input; and
in response to receiving the second user input:
dividing, by the one or more computers, a second incomplete work item into a new work item and an original work item, the new work item comprising one or more incomplete constituent work items, wherein the second incomplete work item comprises a plurality of constituent work items, including the one or more incomplete constituent work items and one or more complete constituent work items, the second incomplete work item is a feature or defect associated with the current iteration, and the plurality of constituent work items comprises a task or a test associated with the feature or defect; and
associating, by the one or more computers, the new work item with the subsequent iteration, wherein the original work item is associated with the current iteration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the original work item comprises the one or more complete constituent work items.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein a status of the original work item indicates that no work remains to be done for the original work item.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein:
closing, by the one or more computers, the current iteration includes automatically closing, by the one or more computers, the current iteration without further user input; and
activating, by the one or more computers, the subsequent iteration includes:
automatically updating, by the one or more computers, the current iteration to be the subsequent iteration; and
displaying, by the one or more computers, the one or more incomplete constituent work items associated with the current iteration.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein:
closing, by the one or more computers, the current iteration includes automatically updating, by the one or more computers, one or more attributes of the one or more complete constituent work items to indicate that no work remains to be done.

### Claim 7

A system for managing work items associated with agile software development, comprising:
memory;
a display;
one or more processors; and
one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions to:
display a first group of incomplete work items associated with a current iteration of agile software development;
transfer, in response to a first user input, a first incomplete work item of the first group from the current iteration to a subsequent iteration of agile software development;
determine that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration;
close the current iteration; and
activate the subsequent iteration.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the first group of incomplete work items includes features and defects associated with the current iteration.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:
display an indicator corresponding to the subsequent iteration;
wherein the first user input comprises dragging and dropping the first incomplete work item from the first group onto the indicator corresponding to the subsequent iteration.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:
in response to the first user input, cease display of the first incomplete work item in the first group.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:
in response to determining that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration, display a close iteration icon; and
detect user selection of the close iteration icon;
wherein the current iteration is closed and the subsequent iteration is activated in response to user selection of the close iteration icon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:
in response to user selection of the close iteration icon:
cease display of work items associated with the current iteration; and
display work items associated with the subsequent iteration.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to: prior to determining that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration,
in response to a second user input:
divide a second incomplete work item into a new work item and an original work item, the new work item comprising one or more incomplete constituent work items, wherein the second incomplete work item comprises a plurality of constituent work items, including the one or more incomplete constituent work items and one or more complete constituent work items, the second incomplete work item is a feature or defect associated with the current iteration, and the plurality of constituent work items comprises a task or a test associated with the feature or defect; and
associate the new work item with the subsequent iteration, wherein the original work item is associated with the current iteration.

### Claim 14

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by a computer system to manage work items associated with agile software development, the one or more programs comprising instructions to:
display a first group of incomplete work items associated with a current iteration of an agile software development project;
transfer, in response to a first user input, a first incomplete work item of the first group from the current iteration to a subsequent iteration of agile software development;
determine that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration;
close the current iteration; and
activate the subsequent iteration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to, prior to determining that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration:
in response to a second user input, close a second incomplete work item of the first group and removing the second work item from the first group.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:
in response to the second user input, cease display of the second incomplete work item in the first group.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:
the second incomplete work item is a defect associated with the second iteration; and
closing the second incomplete work item comprises updating a status of the defect to indicate that the defect has been resolved.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:
the second incomplete work item is a feature associated with the second iteration; and
closing the second incomplete work item comprises updating a status of the feature to indicate that the feature has been implemented.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:
while displaying the first group, simultaneously display a second group of complete work items associated with the current iteration; and
in response to the second user input, cease display of the second work item in the first group and displaying the second work item in the second group.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to: prior to determining that no incomplete work items remain associated with the current iteration,
in response to a second user input:
divide a second incomplete work item into a new work item and an original work item, the new work item comprising one or more incomplete constituent work items, wherein the second incomplete work item comprises a plurality of constituent work items, including the one or more incomplete constituent work items and one or more complete constituent work items, the second incomplete work item is a feature or defect associated with the current iteration, and the plurality of constituent work items comprises a task or a test associated with the feature or defect; and
associate the new work item with the subsequent iteration, wherein the original work item is associated with the current iteration.