Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for measuring a time of considering an e-mail message received by an agent of an automatic contact distribution system. The method includes the steps of detecting each opening and closing of the e-mail received by the agent, measuring an elapsed time between each detected opening and closing of the e-mail and summing the measured elapsed times between the openings and closings of the e-mail to provide a cumulative total time for preparing the response to the e-mail.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for expediting subject matter evolution of an information exchange during a contact through a communication system between a client and an agent of an organization that possesses an expertise in the subject matter of the contact. The method includes the steps of providing a state map of subject matter progression of the subject matter of the contact from a starting point to subject matter resolution along a plurality of parallel subject matter paths, fitting a subject matter progression of the contact within a progression of subject matter of a most likely one of the plurality of parallel subject matter paths of the state map and prompting the agent with prospective subject matter from the most likely one of the plurality of subject matter paths.