Abstract: A heuristically developable Internet based taxonomy of data objects presented in multimedia format on web pages replaces inefficient and awkward text boxes traditionally used to submit queries to search engines. The taxonomy is supported by a selection-oriented knowledge base (SOKB) that provides on a server a navigatable network structure configured to selectively construct queries, wherein users communicate with a server via a web browser. The construction of a query is based upon knowledge captured by the SOKB as a result of a sequence of selection steps executed by the user in connection with the navigation of the network structure, whereby at each selection step a choice of classes of data objects is presented to the user. The web pages display a “THAT'S IT” button for the user to recognize the data object the user has in mind and an emergency “HELP” button for immediate assistance from a live agent.

Abstract: A report generation method and system. The system comprises a computing system comprising data. The computing system presents a first list comprising process categories for a plurality of processes. The computing system receives first selection of a process category from the first list. The computing system presents a second list comprising peer group options associated with the process categories. The computing system receives a second selection of at least one peer group option from the second list. The computing system retrieves a portion of from the data. The portion is associated with the first selection and the second selection. The computing system calculates a plurality of values for attributes associated with the first selection and the second selection. The computing system generates a report comprising the plurality of values.

Abstract: A target setting, forecasting, and budgeting method and tools are provided in which targets are selected at a high level of management through a process of strategic planning to select targets based on a combination of value expected to be added and manageability of the candidate targets, including computer simulations of increased cash flow expected to be generated by the target strategies. The strategically planned targets are then flowed down to the various levels of management, budgets are constructed around those target strategies, and the budgets are then consolidated and flowed upward. By defining organizational targets and then aligning those targets with strategic goals from the beginning, the number and scope of iterations of budget adjustments can be reduced.

Abstract: A method, system and computer product for analyzing and monitoring business volume is provided. A database is linked with a database management utility. Business data is loaded on the database. The business data include data related to accounts, hierarchical account/product relationships, and hierarchical account/customer relationships. The database support relational data queries to the business data. A plurality of threshold changes is defined regarding the business data, and is associated with the database A plurality of threshold tests for detecting changes throughout a selected set of the business data is performed in accordance with the threshold change values. The results of the tests are combined to obtain a classification of data that produces business volume data. The business volume data permits the analysis and monitoring of flows of business into, out of and among account, customer and products groups of a business. The business volume data also provide customer behaviour data.

Abstract: The invention includes a system for providing an online entertainment network for user-contributed entertainment content. The system quickly and accurately identifies quality content from a vast pool of user-contributed content. User-contributed content is rated by those who contribute and those who view content. Fraud detection devices automatically detect and remove fraudulent ratings. Contests and prizes associated with specific categories of content provide incentives for contributors to provide quality content and rate many pairs of items. Contests may be localized by geography, organization, social network, and other relationships. Identified top-rated content is made available individually, or as a continuous stream of user-contributed entertainment content.

Abstract: A method to determine corrective actions of a nuclear steam generator, having the steps of modeling of steam generator tube and deposit heat transfer characteristics by analytically deriving specific deposit characteristics and descriptive model parameters, wherein the modeling uses historical thermodynamic data for an operating plant under evaluation, identifying a set of one of preventive and corrective maintenance alternatives to accomplish steam generator deposit objectives, determining through the modeling a power production impact of each of the set of one of preventative and corrective maintenance alternatives to determine an economic cost for each of the set of preventative and corrective maintenance alternatives, and initiating a maintenance alternative with a lowest economic cost as compared to the maintenance evaluation alternatives with higher economic costs.

Abstract: The present invention provides a purchase planning system for making optimal procurement recommendations for purchasing direct materials. The system provides methods for modeling supply channels and supply contracts, for producing a lowest cost purchase plan, for evaluating the supply agreements and for maintaining contractual compliance with vendors. The process considers contractual details and generates intelligent procurement recommendations to minimize the total procurement cost by taking advantage of discounts, variations in price, freight, tariffs, taxes, duties, etc., by minimizing penalties and by considering substitution of parts with their alternates, while at the same time complying with the corporate business rules such as budgets by item groups, supplier spend limits, minority owned business development, supplier preferences and strategic split percentages, spend minimization/maximization with a specific supplier, etc.

Abstract: The invention disclosed here is a method for achieving simultaneous consideration of multiple customer demand dates within an advanced planning system. The invention provides a method of production planning that considers multiple due dates. The invention solves a production planning model based upon the second (commit) date to produce a first solution, sorts the demand records in order of importance, and then re-solves the production planning model based upon the first (request) date to produce a second solution. The re-solving process is performed on each demand item in the sorted order of importance. The invention optimizes between the first solution and the second solution. Before re-solving the production planning model, the invention changes the lower bound constraints on backorder variables. The re-solving process changes the required date for a single demand item, and this re-solving process is repeated for all demand items that have a first (request) date that is before a corresponding required date.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed that provides: (a) a theoretical framework for designing psychological research that uncovers individual decision-making networks, both in terms of sampling requirements and questioning methods, (b) an implementation interface to schedule and administer the appropriate question sequences between an interviewer and a given individual, in real-time, via a web-based system, and (c) a coding and analysis system to summarize and quantify the potential of alternative decision structures to be used to optimize the development of marketing and communication strategies.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a consulting assessment environment. Consultants may use the environment to define templates that encode questionnaires and domain knowledge regarding business practices, as well as reporting criteria to specify the content and format of the assessment results. Consultants or their clients may use the environment to automate the process of performing assessments and generating reports from those assessments. These assessments may analyze the current state of the business, compare the business's current state with desired states or with best practices, and perform risk/benefit and/or cost/benefit analyses, according to the specifications made in the templates on a real-time basis for producing immediate assessment results and actions. An information hiding feature is provided to allow sensitive domain knowledge encoded within the templates, such as trade secrets, to be made inaccessible to clients.

Abstract: An improved survey method is disclosed for evaluating the satisfaction of a client with the services and support provided by a service provider. The survey method includes first surveying at least one representative of a service provider providing a service to a client. A plan is then developed for the client based on survey data from the service provider representative survey to address at least one aspect of the provided service requires changing. The developed plan is then presented to the client. A second survey is then taken of at least representative of the client based on performance of the service provider and the developed plan. The survey method advantageously exploits the knowledge of those service provider representatives that provide a service to the client for identifying advantageous modifications of the service or support areas before presenting the client with a survey.

Abstract: A system and method for computer aided technician dispatch and communication are disclosed. The system comprises a communications system linking a plurality of subscribers, a team of technicians, a service representative, and a user; an input terminal (100) for receiving information, the information comprising service request information from the plurality of subscribers (116), and work order information from the team of technicians (110), a server (116) coupled to the input terminals for processing the information and generating a graphical representation of the information, and , a display (104) for receiving the graphical representation and presenting the graphical representation to a user (112). A method for computer aided technician dispatch and communication comprises five steps.

Abstract: A method to manage achieving an objective may include collecting data related to the objective and determining a set of drivers related to the objective. The method may also include calculating a gap for each driver between a baseline and a goal for the objective. The method may further include analyzing the gap to associate a quantity of gap points with each driver to achieve the goal.

Abstract: The present invention describes the scheduling requirements if a business to an automatic scheduling system in a way which allows efficient automatic scheduling of appointments for resources of the business. In one embodiment, the scheduling system schedules the resources based not only on total capacity, but based on how many appointments can be initiated at a given time.

Abstract: Electrical data processing techniques are described for performing business analysis based on datasets that are incomplete (e.g., contain censored data) and/or based on datasets that are derived from a stage-based business operation. A first technique offsets the effects of error caused by the incomplete dataset by performing a trending operation followed by a de-trending operation. A second technique provides a model containing multiple sub-models, where the output of one sub-model serves as the input to another sub-model in recursive fashion. A third technique determines when a specified event is likely to occur with respect to a given asset by first discriminating whether the event is very unlikely to occur; if the asset does not meet this initial test, it is further processed by a second sub-model, which determines the probability that the specified event will occur for each of a specified series of time intervals.

Abstract: A workflow model is described. In one example of the workflow model, a first workflow is associated with a first party, and a first workflow view is used to represent an abstraction of the first workflow. Similarly, a second workflow is associated with a second party, and a second workflow view is used to represent an abstraction of the second workflow. Then, a coalition workflow view referencing the first workflow view and the second workflow view provides a collaborative workflow that specifies tasks that the first party and the second party are required to perform. In this way, multiple parties may easily partner with one another to accomplish a business objective, while maintaining a level of confidentiality of their workflow processes.

Abstract: A method to determine corrective actions of a nuclear steam generator, having the steps of modeling of steam generator tube and deposit heat transfer characteristics by analytically deriving specific deposit characteristics and descriptive model parameters, wherein the modeling uses historical thermodynamic data for an operating plant under evaluation, identifying a set of one of preventive and corrective maintenance alternatives to accomplish steam generator deposit objectives, determining through the modeling a power production impact of each of the set of one of preventative and corrective maintenance alternatives to determine an economic cost for each of the set of preventative and corrective maintenance alternatives, and initiating a maintenance alternative with a lowest economic cost as compared to the maintenance evaluation alternatives with higher economic costs.

Abstract: A method for providing decision support through visualization of participant past performance is performed using a computer system associated with an electronic marketplace. The method includes retrieving stored past performance information for participants reflecting the performance of the participants in connection with prior transactions conducted using the marketplace. Substantially linear viewable objects are generated for display to a user, each object corresponding to a participant and including one or more subdivisions, each defined by first and second subdivision boundaries. Each subdivision corresponds to a past performance measure and has a length that is proportional to a value of the measure determined according to the past performance information for the participant corresponding to the object.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for assessing the overall risk in at least part of an information technology system includes inputting into a risk assessment database a plurality of identified risks in a system; associating the risks to at least one severity band in a risk echelon; assigning a value to each risk; multiplying each risk value by a coefficient factor; and summing the factored risk values to determine the overall risk. The method preferably includes modifying the security implementation of the information technology system and determining the modified overall risk. The system preferably includes an automated vulnerability detection scanner to gather risk information, which is stored on a database and used in calculating the overall risk.

Abstract: A process for managing the showing and usage of real estate up for sale. The process allows buyers to schedule a showing or in person viewing of real estate directly through an Internet web site. The buyer will be able to view the schedule of multiple properties in their area giving them the ability to plan their house hunting expeditions. Sellers of real estate may block out times when they do not want their property shown directly from their own computers. Agents will have complete visibility of the seller's availability time thereby increasing availability to schedule. Sellers will also be able to view when agents have scheduled a showing for their property and gain access to historical records of their property showings. Agents will be able to list properties for showings and make appointments for their clients to view other agents' properties with a click of a mouse. The central scheduling focus will be around the property.