The application consists of several modules. When combined, they create a better
communication network and will provide a company-spanning project management and controlling system.
Database System:
The basic level of the system is represented by the SQL database, which ensures
good performance and stability together with the management of large quantities of data.
Roles and User Management:
Suitable roles must be defined before the users are associated to the system.
The roles summarize in each case certain rights within the system and are available
for defined work groups. Accordingly, the "administrator" role would be provided with
all the rights in the system. In contrast, the "animator" role would be provided with
defined reading and writing rights into areas designated for the animators. The provided
templates save a lot of work to the system administrator
Object Module:
As objects we define all data which are fed as attachments into the system – they
are managed in the web server. These can be Word documents, images, movies, sound
files, or other data. While uploading the data into the system they are, at the
same time, versioned through an automatic version check. This is particularly
important, if e.g. an amended image passes through an acceptance process again
and again. The resulting process of the picture is continuously documented in the
system by means of the versioning and one can return at any time to an older version.
The object module can also be used as an archive for approved 3D models or animation files.
Communication Module:
The Communication Module works like an internet forum. In the forum the users can
create new discussion topics and answer to the topics of the other users.
Additionally, attachments or FTP paths can be attached to the messages.
The system stores all data and offers the users comfortable search possibilities
with look-up and filter functions.
Workflow Module:
Complex working processes are subdivided in milestones. In turn, these milestones
can consist of several subprocesses, which must depend on other functions or be run
by acceptance procedures, before the next step may be taken. The Workflow Module is
a graphical editing of the working processes and supplies thereby important information
to each individual project participant, which he requires for its work, like e.g.
function lists, resources needed for further processing are made available to the
team, comments for modifications will be displayed, and many others.
Reporting Module:
The Reporting Module permits for any information from the system in a previously defined
form to be output as printed report or as E-Mail. Expressive and current reports are the
most important instrument for a project manager, in order to be able to control the project.
Since the system is maintained by each individual project participant, to determine the
current project status is possible at any time. This is performed by pushing a button and
without long waiting periods.
The System Architecture:
Production Kit is licensed and controlled via a Client / Server architecture.
The server manages all the accumulated data in a database. The server platform
is based on a Microsoft environments. The clients represent the users of a
project working with the system and being merged into the same one.e.
