Abstract: A method and system for performing a technical solution analysis is provided. The method includes receiving requirements associated with an IT system for design, assumptions, dependency data, stakeholder data, and entry criteria readiness data. A quality level of the requirements is evaluated and a requirements quality sub-score for each requirement is calculated. The assumptions are evaluated for hidden requirements and an assumptions score is generated. The dependency data is evaluated and a dependencies score is generated. The stakeholder data is evaluated and a stakeholder approval level score is generated. The entry criteria readiness data is evaluated and an entry criteria readiness score is generated. An overall score summary summarizing the requirements quality score, the assumptions score, the dependencies score, the stakeholder score, and the criteria readiness score is generated.

Abstract: A team-oriented heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system, for use in support of operations of a vehicle. The system includes instructions that cause a processor to perform operations including communicating, to a human user, via a vehicle-user interface, a request to participate regularly, actively, and collaboratively as a member of a collaborative HVAC team, to include the system, in an ongoing team relationship of cooperation regarding operating the team-oriented HVAC system over time. The operations further include providing, to the user, a commitment communication advising the user that the system will be dedicated to participating regularly, actively, and collaboratively as a team member. The operations also include receiving, from the user, an agreement communication to participate as a member of the collaborative HVAC team. And the operations include forming, responsive to receiving the agreement communication, the collaborative HVAC team including the user and team-oriented HVAC system.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process for an endpoint for automated fulfillment, includes: in an Automatic Fulfillment (AF) server: creating an endpoint on the AF server; selecting supported commands; and for each command, defining required and optional parameters and endpoint type specific implementation details; and in a Compliance Manager (CM): running discovery to find new endpoint and create metadata for it in the CM; for each command to be automated, filling in mappings for at least all required parameters; and enabling the command; enabling the endpoint; binding the endpoint to a business source; and ensuring that the business source uses a fulfillment process that uses the AF server.

Abstract: System and method for displaying information regarding a business process. A diagram of the business process may be displayed on a display. The diagram may include a plurality of icons connected by lines, where each of the icons represents a respective step in the business process and the lines indicate flow paths between the steps. Historical data regarding the business process may be received. The historical data may be analyzed to determine information regarding steps and/or flow paths in the business process. Graphical indications associated with one or more icons and/or lines in the diagram may be displayed. The graphical indications may visually indicate characteristics of corresponding steps and/or flow paths in the business process. For example, the graphical indications may indicate lengths of time, costs, or other characteristics associated with various ones of the steps. The graphical indications may indicate path traversals of ones of the flow paths.

Abstract: A system and method according to which a workflow instance is modified during the execution thereof. In several exemplary embodiments, the workflow instance is an automated business process and the modifier of the workflow instance is a client user, such as a business user or analyst. In several exemplary embodiments, the workflow instance may be directed to assigning airline flights for crew members, routing aircraft, generating airline flight numbers, assigning airline flights for equipment, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to solve these and other problems and disadvantages of the prior art. A list of work items is received. A work item can be anything that a user may work on such as an email, an incoming call in a contact center, a trouble ticket, and the like. A user is identified to work on the list of work items. A virtual setting is created based on the list of work items and the user. The virtual setting includes a virtual list of work items that represents the list of work items and a user avatar that represents the user. The user can select a work item from the virtual list of work items. The user is then presented with the work item. For example, if the work item is an email, the email will be presented. The user can then process the work item.

Abstract: A system and method for upgrading existing credit cards with additional lines of credit is disclosed. Credit information associated with customers holding credit cards issued by a credit card issuer are analyzed to determine a level of risk associated with each customer. One or more extra line of credit may be established for selected customers based on the determined level of risk associated with each customer. Each extra credit line may be exclusively associated with a selected set of vendors that have a partnership agreement with the credit card issuer. The credit card issuer may allow customers to select vendors to be associated with the extra credit line or may automatically choose vendors for selected customers. Customers with established extra credit lines may purchase goods and/or service directly from vendor sites or at the credit card issuer's web sites. Purchases at selected vendor sites may be automatically applied to a customer's newly established extra credit line.

Abstract: A method and program product for managing work products by utilizing a data model that provides traceability between business requirements and implemented services. The data model includes functional requirement, process element, business service, service design and service component asset types, and the relationships between the asset types. The asset types and the relationships provide a tracing between the functional requirement and the implemented service. In one embodiment, the tracing includes generating a series of displays in response to hyperlink selections. The series of displays include details of related instances of the functional requirement, process element, business service, service design, and service component asset types.

Abstract: Handling problem tickets in a computing environment, in one aspect, may comprise identifying a plurality of tickets generated in the computing environment that are candidates for consolidation. The identifying may be done based on whether the tickets have the same or similar root cause, whether they are generated from virtual machines having same configuration, and/or one or more other criteria. The tickets which are candidates for consolidation may be grouped into a bundled group, and marked as bundled. Resolving a ticket from the bundled group may potentially resolves all tickets from the bundled group.

Abstract: A method and system for creating electronic business referrals with cloud computing from social media sites. Plural unique referral identifier tracking codes are generated for a same target network device from a same social media site (e.g. FACEBOOK, TWITTER, etc.) or for the same target network device from plural different social media sites. The plural unique referral tracking codes are processed by a cloud referral application on a cloud communications network. The plural unique referral codes include appointment requests or referrals of new patients or customers for professional services or reservations or coupons or electronic purchase requests for goods or services. A thank you and referral bonus is automatically generated from the cloud referral application for the target network devices that send the plural unique referral identifier tracking codes. The plural unique referral codes include analytic data that is used by vendors providing professional services or goods or services.

Abstract: A method of and system for making purchases over a computer network using an ATM card or the like is provided. In accordance with the invention, a consumer transmits his ATM card number over the network to an on-line merchant. The on-line merchant then forwards the ATM card number to a third party contractor, such as a bank, that will oversee and authorize the transaction. Simultaneously or thereafter, the consumer transmits his PIN over the network to the third party contractor, who verifies that the ATM card number and PIN are valid.

Abstract: A system evaluate the effectiveness of a given advertising source in generating sales leads and monitoring how the sales leads were handled. Providing a detailed computerized system to provide reports to customer's managers to advise them how effective a given advertising program or medium was in generating sales leads and to advise them how many responses were genuine potential customers interested in buying the product or service. Also providing a system to monitor how sales lead were handled by sales personnel including evaluation on how a sales call was handled and if a sales lead was successfully completed as a sale.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a monetary cost associated with an incident of a violation of a data loss prevention (DLP) policy. A DLP system may estimate the monetary cost using a data loss cost estimator. The data loss cost estimator estimates the monetary cost for one or more incidents of DLP policy violations, and reports the monetary costs associated with the one or more incidents.

Abstract: A method and system to monitor steps in a business process or complex tasks are described. The method may include displaying a graphical step monitor in a graphical user interface of an application, using a plurality of graphical elements indicating statuses of a plurality of steps in a sequence of steps in a process. The method may include receiving update information related to one or more steps of the plurality of steps. The method may also include updating the statuses of the steps for which the update information was received and as indicated by the plurality of graphical elements. Furthermore, the method may include displaying a description region including a further plurality of graphical elements and texts, the texts describing the steps, the statuses of which are indicated by the graphical elements.

Abstract: A seller server receives an offer which specifies a type of product (e.g. a seat on a flight), at least one condition (e.g. destination and date of departure), and an offer price specified by a buyer. The seller server also receives an associated payment identifier that specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The payment identifier essentially “guarantees” the offer in that the seller may receive payment from the financial account even if the buyer attempts to renege. The seller determines whether to accept the offer, based on various factors such as the offer price and the availability of appropriate products to satisfy the conditions of the offer. If the offer is accepted, payment is provided to the seller using the payment identifier.

Abstract: A method and system for negotiating improved terms for a product being purchased over the Internet. Once a purchaser has made a decision to buy a specific product over the Internet, the purchaser may use the services of a personal negotiating broker-agent program to beat the best available purchase transaction within a specifiable time window. The personal broker-agent program may detect an issuance of a commitment to purchase over the Internet by a purchaser. The personal broker-agent program may then make an offer to the purchaser the option of waiting a predetermined amount of time while the broker agent searches for improved items. On acceptance of the option by the purchaser, the personal broker-agent program may conduct an auction and/or search the Internet for a better deal and may evaluate the auction and/or search responses to determine the best deal. The personal broker-agent program may then execute the best deal.

Abstract: An information technology (IT) strategic management system (and corresponding methodology) that enhances efficiency and effectiveness of IT planning processes and projects is provided. In particular aspects, the systems commence with a review of current IT state and strategy influencers. The state is analyzed to establish (or alternatively, to update) a strategy summary. The strategy summary can be presented for leadership approval and subsequently communicated to stakeholders for deployment.

Abstract: A system and method for managing churn among the customers of a business is provided. The system and method provide for an analysis of the causes of customer churn and identifies customers who are most likely to churn in the future. Identifying likely churners allows appropriate steps to be taken to prevent customers who are likely to churn from actually churning. The system included a dedicated data mart, a population architecture, a data manipulation module, a data mining tool and an end user access module for accessing results and preparing preconfigured reports. The method includes adopting an appropriate definition of churn, analyzing historical customer to identify significant trends and variables, preparing data for data mining, training a prediction model, verifying the results, deploying the model, defining retention targets, and identifying the most responsive targets.

Abstract: A software and/or hardware facility to improve the management of project schedules containing prioritized tasks. The project management facility allows a user to create one or more work packages by selecting tasks from one or more existing projects. Each work package is a collection of tasks that are to be executed out of order from the project or projects from which the tasks were selected. At the same time, the facility maintains the prioritization of the tasks in the original project or projects from which the tasks were selected. When tasks are added to a work package, the facility recalculates the work package schedule and any impacted project schedules to reflect the re-prioritization of the task. In some embodiments, the facility generates a link between each task that is contained in a work package and the project from which the task was selected.

Abstract: A knowledge base and methods for use in connection with a policy compliance monitoring system operative to determine exceptions to policies expressed by computer-executable policy statements. The system allows establishment, codification, and maintenance of enterprise policies, monitors electronic transactions of the enterprise from various and possibly heterogeneous data sources, detects exceptions to established policies, reports exceptions to authorized users such as managers and auditors, and/or provides a case management system for tracking exceptions and their underlying transactions. The knowledge base comprises extractor files that are utilized for extracting information from data sources for utilization in policy compliance monitoring, a mapper for normalizing data from the data sources against a system ontology and storing normalized data in a monitoring database, and computer-executable compliance policy statements used by a transaction analysis engine.