Abstract: A method of graphically displaying the path of a customer traversing a web site and related business data is described. The method includes receiving a user request for a visualization. The user request may include data filters and exclusions. Responsive to the user request, traffic data is selected for analysis. The selected traffic data is analyzed and displayed to the user. The display may be in the form of a visualization including a graph and related business data. The graph may be of an overview, referral, path, page-to-page path, and animation type. A system for visualizing traffic patterns and the path of a customer at a site is described in conjunction with the above method. The system includes a logical data model, a dimensional data model, a report specification, a graphical interface, metadata database and an analysis report. The graphical interface is used for viewing visualization information.

Abstract: An automated shopping system and method in which a user places an order for at least one provider, a degree of matching between each order-provider pairing is computed as a score by an iterative scoring system, scoring correction takes place when the score is determined to be incomplete, and the score, and optionally a ranking of providers is reported to the user. The iterative scoring system includes a scoring correction system that determines whether a score is based on complete information or whether additional information and determination of a revised score is required. Additional information from outside the system may be requested including requesting information determined to be incomplete from the user or the provider and/or requesting verification of provider information from a third party, and the score may be updated to obtain a revised score based on the additional information received.

Abstract: A technique for analyzing business data includes gathering current profit data that includes at least one of category size data, market share data, and profit margin data. Profit factor data is also gather that includes at least one of category size change data, market share change data, and profit margin change data. Future profit data is calculated based on the current profit data and the profit factor data. The future profit data is displayed to a user.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a bidding strategy for on-line query answer set or contextual advertisement positions for marketing options is described herein.

Abstract: A method and system for scheduling a meeting. The method comprises the steps of receiving a request from a participant in an instant message session to schedule a meeting; and running a natural language processing tool to determine meeting participants and available times, from a record of the message session. A calendaring and scheduling application is run to accept the meeting participants and available times, consult calendars of the meeting participants, and schedule the meeting. A notification is sent to the participants in the instant message session of the meeting schedule, and the meeting schedule is added to the calendars of the meeting participants.

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: A graphical user interface is provided for using a computer to manage customer loss. The graphical user interface includes an overview window and a customer profile window. The overview window is for customer churn information that is associated with a period of time. Customer churn information may include information related to customer churn rates, lost profits, likelihood-to-churn rates, and likelihood-to-churn rates for important customers. The customer profile window is for customer information associated with each of several groups of customers for which customer churn information is displayed in the overview window. Customer information may include information related to customer demographics, such as characteristics of customers who are likely to churn, are loyal or are valuable, or the geographic distribution of customers or a subset of customers.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing customer loss. Customers are first grouped using a predetermined category definition and then customers in one group are segmented based on common customer characteristics. The techniques may be used to categorize customers based on a likelihood of being lost and segmenting customers with a high likelihood of being lost into smaller, more homogenous groups of customers based on shared customer characteristics.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing the risk associated with Outside Service Providers. A decision engine is provided to assess monitor and manage key issues around the risk management capabilities of the OSP. The system creates a core repository that manages, monitors and measures all OSP assessments across an institution (e.g., a corporation). The system and method employs automated questionnaires that require responses from the user (preferably the manager of the OSP relationship). The responses are tracked in order to evaluate the progress of the assessment and the status of the OSP with respect to compliance with the enterprise's requirements for OSPs. Once a questionnaire has been completed, the OSP can be given an overall rating of exposure to various forms of risk. Areas of risk can be acknowledged, prompting a sensitivity rating, such as severe, negligible and so forth.

Abstract: Techniques for making transformations between combined and individual workflows are described. For example, a first party, such as a first enterprise, may have a pre-determined workflow designed to implement a plurality of tasks. Similarly, a second party may have its own pre-determined workflow designed to implement a separate plurality of tasks. All of the tasks associated with the first workflow and the second workflow may be combined into a combined workflow having a task order that, when executed, provides a desired result of a business collaboration between the first party and the second party. Ordering tasks operable to implement the order of the combined workflow also may be added to achieve the desired result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a triangulated forecast comprises receiving a sales forecasts from at least three sources, and triangulating the sales forecasts to obtain a triangulated forecast. The method further comprises presenting the resulting triangulated forecast.

Abstract: Described is a process and system for tracing a company's work products to the equivalent work product element requirements for individual maturity models in order to ascertain an approximate determination of the maturity level of a particular maturity model that has been achieved by the company. The maturity models included, for example, CMM-based models, or maturity model equivalents such as, contractor operational processes and ISO (International Standards Organization) requirements.

Abstract: A user-based method and system for evaluating enterprise software costs determines a support level for the integrated provision of a plurality of enterprise software support services by identifying a plurality of usage levels associated with each of a plurality of enterprise software support applications. The method and system identify a plurality of software services support levels associated with each of the usage levels. Then, a formulaic relationship is derived from the plurality of usage levels and the plurality of software services for determining a software services support level for a given usage level that is appropriate for a subset of said plurality of enterprise software support applications. The ability to dynamically change user levels, complexity variables, database size, and software services enables dynamical and precise software services business consulting in providing such services.

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.