Abstract: A method and system is used to predict a behavioral value for a forecast period based on historical pattern identification and modeling. A set of training periods is compiled, and for each of the training periods, a generalized percentage function of the behavioral values is defined and computed. The training periods and their corresponding generalized percentage functions are further normalized and generalized, respectively, so that all training periods have the same length as the forecast period. A prediction time series is computed from the generalized percentage functions. The prediction time series is used to forecast a set of values in the forecast period based on a current behavior value. In one example, the behavior values are revenue and calculated over monthly training and forecast periods.

Abstract: A business method that improves brand identity by effectively allocating product development resources and prioritizing projects based on a systematic approach of defining assumptions that drive brand development and assessing a product development portfolio thereon.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for computer-aided assessment of organizational process or system. Method and apparatus are adapted to display questions on a computer to an assessor, who then inputs numerical and/or textual inputs relative to the assessor's perception of the process or system. Filtering techniques inhibit entry of unsupported numerical and/or textual inputs which may be untrue and/or exaggerated. Questions used in combination with additional questions provide more accurate assessment of the system or process, where the question combinations already exist in a database. Questions asked may be directed to one or more recognized standards, and duplicative questions from different standards may be omitted. Evaluations of collected information are performed and additional corrective action questions are asked to identify degrees of risk and areas of weakness of the process or system.

Abstract: A system and method for maintenance management in which data relating to maintenance usage and maintenance-related policies and practices is collected in an automated data processing device. The data is analyzed to arrive at a diagnosis of maintenance management effectiveness from which recommendations for improving the maintenance management effectiveness are generated.

Abstract: A user interface includes a plurality of selectable graphical elements, each of the graphical elements representing a respective attribute level of a product attribute, a first area for presenting at least one of the plurality of selectable graphical elements that has been designated by a respondent as representing an unacceptable attribute level, a second area for presenting one of the plurality of selectable graphical elements that has been designated by the respondent as representing a least-preferred attribute level, and a third area for presenting one of the plurality of selectable graphical elements that has been designated by the respondent as representing a most-preferred attribute level.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a health clinic, and in particular to managing/scheduling employees to work in the clinic. The system and method relates to a computer program for computing the needs of patients, determining adequate staffing requirements and displays these needs and requirements in connection with actual scheduling values. Thus, the system provides a tool for quickly determining whether the clinic is overstaffed or understaffed, for the entire day based on patient needs, both direct and indirect patient care needs. The system and method may further use facility limitation information to provide overall efficiency information.

Abstract: A system and method schedules splittable work orders to provide customers with requested service and efficiently utilize service resources. The method includes forming a list of appointment windows for days on which service may be performed. A request for service from a customer is identified as being a splittable work order. The splittable work order is assigned a job duration required to complete the order and a split time less than the job duration. An appointment window on a first day during which a portion of the service may be scheduled is determined. The appointment window is for the split time in duration. At least one appointment window on a subsequent day or days during which the remainder of the service may be scheduled is then determined. The splittable work order is scheduled by assigning the work order to the determined appointment windows on the determined first and subsequent days.

Abstract: A system for integrating project events with personal calendar and scheduling clients, includes a first server including a place database having a member profiles database and an events database; a place server, and an email transport facility including an email application; a client including a calendar and scheduling program; the member profiles database being responsive to member input for storing member subscriptions to the calendar and scheduling program; the place server responsive to said email transport facility receiving a create, update, or delete event from a member of the place database for creating in the events database a project event; the place server responsive to a create, update, or delete event for determining from the member profiles database those members subscribing to each of a plurality of calendar and scheduling programs; said place server further for sending to each member subscribing to a calendar and scheduling program an email notification of the project event personalized to the

Abstract: A method of estimating daily sales volume includes calculating a day of the week specific projection factor based on reference sales history data in conjunction with an overlapping sample of current day of interest sales data. A sampling of sales data for a current day of interest is acquired and at least a portion of this data are scaled by the day of the week specific projection factor to determine an estimate of daily sales volume for the current day of interest. The portion of data which is used can be from the intersection of sources providing both reference sales history data and current day of interest data. The method provides for an accurate estimation of current daily sales based on a relatively small sampling of current day sales data. The method can be performed in a computer system coupled to a computer network for acquiring the sales data from a large number of retail points of sale.

Abstract: The present invention captures information associated with a manufacturer, the manufacturer's competitors and consumers in order to improve new product and packaging design match consumer needs with the manufacturer's capabilities and competitor strengths. Raw data are translated into actionable information that is used for strategic direction of product and packaging design and development.

Abstract: A method involves identifying work elements of a work process which may be enhanced to provide a biggest impact on enhancing an overall value of the work process. The method involves identifying a plurality of work elements comprising a work process, interviewing one or more knowledgeable interviewees and determining existing states and enhanced proposed states of the plurality of work elements, visually displaying the existing and enhanced proposed states of the work elements, and estimating and visually displaying a change in value of the work process due to an enhancement of the work elements from the existing states to the enhanced proposed states.

Abstract: Systems and methods of improving business processes are described. These systems and methods enable service providers to improve the quality of services delivered to customers and employees by improving service execution through the optimal selection of resources (e.g., internal resources or external resources, or both) that are invoked to execute the delivered services. In one aspect, process execution data is accessed. Business process instances are classified in accordance with a quality taxonomy. A predictive model including a set of rules for scoring business process outcomes at different stages of the business process is built based upon the classified business process instances. In another aspect, process entities to be invoked at stages of an active business process instance are selected based upon the predictive model. In another aspect, a user is prompted to define a quality taxonomy for classifying outcomes of instances of a business process.

Abstract: A scheduling system and method for moving plural objects through a multipath system described as a freight railway scheduling system. The scheduling system utilizes a cost reactive resource scheduler to minimize resource exception while at the same time minimizing the global costs associated with the solution. The achievable movement plan can be used to assist in the control of, or to automatically control, the movement of trains through the system.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for predicting visitor traffic to a network of web site pages. The systems and methods are used, as an example, to predict the inventory of total available online advertisements available within the network for a forthcoming period. The visitor traffic includes page viewing, listening or transacting on web pages within a web site, wherein the web pages are categorized by subject, interest areas or specific user queries such as word or phrase searches. For each page whose traffic is being predicted, the system takes into account annual seasonality, day-of-week, holidays, special events, short histories, user demographics, user web behavior (viewing, listening and transacting) and parent and child web page characteristics.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a system and method of encouraging customers to review purchased items. Customers are provided with review requests a predetermined amount of time after the customer has purchased an item or had the item delivered. The predetermined amount of time is related to an estimated time it will take the customer to evaluate the item. The reviews may include textual reviews that are presented to other customers and/or item ratings that are used to generate personal recommendations.

Abstract: A scheduling system and method for moving plural objects through a multipath system described as a freight railway scheduling system. The scheduling system utilizes a cost reactive resource scheduler to minimize resource exception while at the same time minimizing the global costs associated with the solution. The achievable movement plan can be used to assist in the control of, or to automatically control, the movement of trains through the system.

Abstract: A system and method for procurement of engineered-to-order products that facilitates the workflow management for buyers is disclosed. The present invention comprises a buyer's workbench (BWB) that operates in conjunction with a web-based marketplace application for suppliers and an enterprise resource planning system (ERP) that links together a company's operations. The BWB facilitates the workflow management for buyers by allowing them to review purchasing requirements and to obtain an optimal procurement strategy. Supplier performance data is tracked through the ERP system and is a factor in determining the total cost of buying products from a particular supplier. The web-based marketplace application for suppliers comprises an interface that allows suppliers to review and collect information about opportunities to fulfill orders for engineered-to-order products.

Abstract: A customer record is generated to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product. A job record including a status field is added to a job status table and set to a first status. A first worker is invoked if the selected job has the first status to generate output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job. The status for the selected job in the job status table is set to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker. A second worker is invoked if the selected job has the second status to determine whether a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job and transmits the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method for managing mobile workers in an object oriented programming environment is disclosed. A plurality of target objects that correspond to facilities assets to be worked on by a mobile worker are classified within a database of the computer. The attributes of each target object are defined, including a task to be performed on each target object. Mobile workers are scheduled for the tasks to be performed on target objects by running a rule engine to determine the algorithms and heuristics to be used to schedule mobile workers for the tasks to be performed. The scheduled jobs are then output to the mobile workers.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a health clinic, and in particular to managing/scheduling employees to work in the clinic. The system and method relates to a computer program for computing the needs of patients, determining adequate staffing requirements and displays these needs and requirements in connection with actual scheduling values. Thus, the system provides a tool for quickly determining whether the clinic is overstaffed or understaffed, for the entire day based on patient needs, both direct and indirect patient care needs. The system and method may further use facility limitation information to provide overall efficiency information.