Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, a model is stored of a plurality of organizational levels of the institution, wherein each organizational level includes at least one respective, associated node. For any node, at least one customizable assessment project associated with that node is created and presented to a user; then, the at least one customizable assessment project is completed based, at least in part, on first input received from the user.

Abstract: A demographic attribute value of a sink online document may be determined by (a) accepting a value(s) of the demographic attribute of a source online document, (b) accepting, for each of the source online documents having an accepted demographic attribute value, a probability that a user will visit or has visited the sink online document if the user visited the source online document, and (c) determining the demographic attribute value of the sink online document using the demographic attribute value of each of the source online documents and the probabilities. A demographic attribute value of the sink online document may also be determined using the above information and using the demographic attribute value of each of the source online documents and the probabilities that a user will visit or has visited the sink online document if the user visited the other online document.

Abstract: A system is provided to allow for planning and scheduling the work flow for reconfigurable production systems having a plurality of modules, which may have alternative capabilities. The system includes a system controller, at least one planning function for planning the production of work units without utilizing off-line modules, and at least one scheduling function for scheduling the production of work units without utilizing off-line modules.

Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, instruments may deployed selectively to a variety of different recipients. The selected group of recipients may be based on, for example, demographic, course, program, institution, section, education experience, and section-related criteria.

Abstract: A system certifying a business process includes a business process associated with a user, and a process certification manager for associating a certification status with the business process and for communicating a certification request to the user. The process certification manager receives messages from the user and modifies the certification status in response. The process certification manager displays the business process and its associated certification status. The business process may include a number of subprocesses each associated with a different users. The process certification manager associates a certification status with each of the subprocesses and communicates a certification request to each of the users, and modifies the certification status of the subprocesses in response to messages from the users.

Abstract: A demographic attribute value of a sink online document (such as Websites or Web pages) may be determined given a set of users who have visited at least one of the source documents and the sink document, by (a) accepting a value(s) of the demographic attribute, each of which values is associated with a source online document (where each of the source online documents has a value for the demographic attribute and has been visited by at least one user of the given set), (b) determining an estimate of the demographic attribute value of each of the users of the given set using the accepted demographic attribute value of each of the source online documents visited by the user, and (c) determining the demographic attribute value of the sink online document using the determined estimate of the demographic attribute value of each of the users of the given set.

Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, courses and other educational experiences may include material that is aligned with various goals and objectives of different units of the institution. A curriculum mapping feature is provided that identifies a bi-directional alignment between goals and courses such that curriculum gaps may be determined as well.

Abstract: This invention is a system and method for automatically managing a multi-step process in which human providers are selected for some purpose. Typical applications include the selection process associated with employment and dating services. The invention is directed to linking and coordinating the various steps of the selection process through automated sequencing, coordinating, tracking and status reporting processes. The interviewee answers questions that are printed, displayed, or spoken by an automated mechanism or questions are printed or displayed for use by a tester or interviewer. Answers can be written, spoken, or entered directly into a system by the interviewee. The invention provides a system and method for automatically scoring and ranking human providers with respect to selection criteria, making use of expert system concepts. Human shoppers are matched up and the usefulness of each match is scored on the basis of stated selection criteria of each human shopper.

Abstract: A method and system for evaluating a public sector organization includes identifying at least one outcome measure and at least one cost-effectiveness measure for a public sector organization; obtaining measurements associated with the measure; and determining a relative public performance measure of the public sector organization based on the measurements.

Abstract: System and method for optimizing composition of a pool from which members are selected to serve on market research panels are described. In one embodiment, the system includes a database comprising a plurality of member profiles and survey data associated with the members and a datamart for periodically scanning the database to discover events and subsequently logging each of the discovered events in an event log. The system further includes an offense module for periodically evaluating the event log to determine whether one of the discovered events comprises an offense committed by one of the members and logging the offense in an offense log and an audit module for performing an audit of the one of the members and logging results of the audit in an audit log.

Abstract: A method within a system wherein a first user of the system provides information on social patterns to a second user includes: receiving a request for social pattern information from the second user, the request comprising a query; assigning authorization level to the second user for restricting the type and amount of data provided to the second user; providing information on social patterns to the second user according to the second user's authorization level; and storing information about the second user to be used in future transactions with the second user, the information including transactional fee data and subscription data for notifying the second user of additional social patterns as they develop.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for return processing, including tax returns. A return calculation mechanism may partition out return preparation jobs to a plurality of return calculation nodes. A job scheduler may receive returns and distribute the returns among the calculation nodes according to a load-balancing scheme. The job scheduler may decompose a return into two or more calculation jobs. A job may be an individual return or portion of a return. In one embodiment, the calculation jobs may be prioritized according to dependency. If one job depends on results of another job, the job may be scheduled to execute after the job on which it depends. The calculation nodes may cache calculated data from jobs, and a job that depends on another job may be assigned to a node that caches data from the job on which it depends.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for evaluating the performance of a website. An agent interacts with the website using a behavior model of an exemplary website customer. The agent interacts with the website according to the behavior model and gathers website performance data related to the interaction. The performance data is compared to a utility function for the behavior model. A rating is assigned to the website based on the comparison, and the rating is made available to potential website customers seeking information related to the website's performance.

Abstract: A system for identifying one or more social patterns in a status history of one or more change requests includes: a processor for executing instructions and memory comprising logic for: receiving as input change request data history; detecting social patterns in the change request data history; storing information about the social patterns, including status history data; and providing information on social patterns within the status history of the given change request. The logic includes the following elements: a hypertext transfer protocol server handler; a social pattern server database; a change log handler; a social pattern alert handler; a social pattern query handler; and a social pattern detection handler for: receiving new patterns wherein the patterns are user-defined operational descriptors, detecting social patterns in raw change request data from the change log handler, and storing the patterns in the database, and analyzing the patterns. The system further includes a graphical user interface.

Abstract: The object of the present invention can be achieved by the data verification supporting server for supporting verification of data which is inputted to each item of a survey form for surveying an effect of implementing a product, including a survey form managing part managing the survey form sent from an implementer terminal of an implementer, with a revised number of the survey form; a re-survey information managing part informing the implementer of a re-survey inquiry based on a re-survey inquiry request for requesting a re-survey, which is received from a verifier terminal of a verifier verifying the survey form, the re-survey inquiry request indicating the implementer who sent the survey form; and a survey form maintaining part maintaining the survey form and the version information managed by the survey form managing part when notification of a verification completion of the survey form is received from the verifier terminal.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for validating a baseline of a project. A computing application executes routines to automatically identify baseline errors associated with one or more tasks and generate exception reports to facilitate correction of the errors. The baseline errors are identified via determinations of whether (1) a task has no resources assigned, (2) resources are assigned to a summary task, (3) a task has an invalid earned value method value, (4) a task or milestone was not baselined, (5) a task's baseline start date was manually updated, (6) a task's baseline finish date was manually updated, (7) a task's baseline cost (BAC) was manually increased, (8) a task's BAC was manually decreased, and (9) a task's budgeted cost of work performed is not equal to the task's BAC.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a workflow are provided.

Abstract: A collaborative online tele-operation system allows an audience of many participants to simultaneously share control of a single remote actor, such that the actions of the actor are based on the ongoing collective preferences of the audience.

Abstract: A market research method is provided, the method including analyzing shopper path data representing a plurality of shopper paths through a store. The analysis typically include, at predetermined time intervals, for each of a plurality of shoppers traveling through the store, and for each of one or more displays positioned in the store: determining a simulated line of sight for each shopper; calculating a distance from each shopper to the display; calculating a time of exposure of the shopper to the display; calculating a peripheral angle of the display from the shoppers simulated line of sight; and calculating a rotation angle of the display relative to the shopper's simulated line of sight. Further, the method may also include, for each of the one or more displays, calculating a visibility measure based on the time of exposure, distance, peripheral angle and rotational angle measured at each of the time intervals, for each of the plurality of shoppers.

Abstract: This web enabled system is capable of facilitating the management of unlimited projects within which an unlimited number of parties may participate to complete an unlimited number of stages, substages and tasks. The system facilitates the efficient disbursal of monies while reducing the inefficiencies that result when money is not timely disbursed. It uses a quasi-escrow system to secure waivers and distribute money simultaneously. Projected timelines for completion, tracking of materials used and materials stored, and partial payments and releases are all managed by the system based on inputs by participating parties. Allowed inputs are governed by each party's function and the password security level provided therefore, in balance with checks against required approvals or releases by other affected parties and intrasystem consistency checks.