Abstract: A decision support tool which takes a high-level view of supply and demand in the realm of labor resources and produces globally-optimal recommendations for assignment of practitioners to open seats. These assignments preferably optimize a utility function composed of different business metrics and can be customizable for different organizations and priorities.

Abstract: A method in a computer system for efficiently modeling a market corresponding to a set of competing products includes receiving product attribute selection data associated with the set of competing products from an interactive user interface, automatically generating a hierarchical market structure based on the received product attribute selection data, so that the hierarchical market structure is descriptive of hypothesized competitive relations within the set of competing products, and displaying a graphical representation of the hierarchical market structure on the interactive user interface.

Abstract: A system is used for the creation, maintenance, and management of an overall project schedule, of individual project member schedules, and of project task assignments over a network. The system comprises three editors accessed through a web browser to perform the various tasks by members of a project. Information is passed between a web server and web browser and a database is used to maintain all information. The project manager can use a task assignment editor to assign tasks to individual project members. The project manager can use a project schedule editor to initially create the project schedule and to show the overall project schedule. After the project schedule is created, each project member can create their own member schedule using a member schedule editor, containing tasks related to the project schedule. After project members complete a task, the project member updates the member's schedule via the member schedule editor.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a planning and execution process used to forecast contact volumes that will occur over the course of a season and determine resources necessary to handle the contact volumes are disclosed. The planning and execution process may be used to determine staffing resources necessary to service contact volumes across a plurality of support channels. The contact volume forecast may be continually updated over the course of the season, and different models may be used to generate the contact volume forecast at different times during the season.

Abstract: A method for dynamic specification of a business value by a discovered resource that includes registering or discovering a resource within a business system; specifying a business value for the resource; and then computing a business value of the entire business system, based upon the resource's business value. An apparatus and computer program product that also employs these aspects is disclosed.

Abstract: As provided, a method for capital expenditure/expense flip targeting and balancing in software pipeline management that includes providing, for each of multiple projects in a software project pipeline, a set of inputs that includes 1) resource demand, 2) budget constraint, 3) start date, and 4) a capital expenditure/expense flip date. The method also includes aggregating the inputs. The method further comprises calculating an overall capital expenditure/expense ratio, and comparing the ratio to a threshold as of a predetermined date.

Abstract: A system and method for manpower planning for operating vehicles such as, for example, airplanes, according to which, in several exemplary embodiments, the availability of adequate manpower to operate the vehicles over a period of time is ensured; in several exemplary embodiments, the operation of the vehicles over the period of time includes the flying of airplanes in accordance with an airline flight schedule.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for integrating a calendar and task scheduler to enable automatic scheduling of meetings and assignment of tasks based on priority. With the illustrative embodiments, a task in a user's calendaring system may be split into multiple time blocks, and each time block for the task may then be scheduled around meetings in a user's calendar. Tasks that are scheduled in the user's calendar may also be automatically rescheduled when meetings within the user's calendar change. Tasks may be scheduled over lower priority meetings in the user's calendar as needed in order to meet the due dates assigned to the tasks. The illustrative embodiments also allow for automatically adjusting meeting or task priorities based on policies, and identifying classes of activities that may be performed concurrently.

Abstract: A method for controlling a data center, comprising a plurality of server systems, each associated with a cooling system and a thermal constraint, comprising: a concurrent physical condition of a first server system; predicting a future physical condition based on a set of future states of the first server system; dynamically controlling the cooling system in response to at least the input and the predicted future physical condition, to selectively cool the first server system sufficient to meet the predetermined thermal constraint; and controlling an allocation of tasks between the plurality of server systems to selectively load the first server system within the predetermined thermal constraint and selectively idle a second server system, wherein the idle second server system can be recruited to accept tasks when allocated to it, and wherein the cooling system associated with the idle second server system is selectively operated in a low power consumption state.

Abstract: An event scheduling request is received, and a disruption factor is associated with each of a plurality of invitees. The disruption factor is based upon, at least in part, an event parameter and at least one invitee attribute. An event is scheduled based upon, at least in part, the disruption factors associated with each of the plurality of invitees.

Abstract: In a calendar messaging method and system, a calendar application executing on a computer receives a command to activate an out-of-office status, and receives one or more selected calendar events. The method and system further include automatically updating the calendar events, wherein the updating includes at least one of canceling the calendar events, and removing the user as an invitee of the calendar events. An out-of-office message is then automatically sent to at least one recipient indicating a type of update made to one or more of the calendar events.

Abstract: A business method for defining, controlling, and optimizing a flow of value down a workflow pipeline includes creating a phase-gate workflow pipeline for one or more projects in which completion of one or more predetermined activities of each project advances the project to a succeeding phase in the pipeline. Each of the activities for each project in the pipeline is mapped to a value metric that is a function of a risk discount factor using an option valuation technique. The projects and/or portfolio of projects are then analyzed to determine the flow of value down the pipeline and managed based on analysis of this flow of value.

Abstract: A radio station market analysis program extends Cume values for individual stations to multiple stations (for a particular geographic market, a particular demographic, and a particular daypart) according to the formula C=[1??i=1,n(1?(Ci/P))]*P, where n is the number of media stations, P is the population, and Ci is each Cume value. Cume values may be provided for a limited set of input dayparts from Arbitron and Nielson, and are translated to an arbitrary daypart. The arbitrary daypart can represent a sum of component dayparts in a proposed advertising schedule. The reach of the proposed advertising schedule can be further computed based on a hyperbolic function of spot count.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of governance dimension attributes of a service-oriented architecture governance model are calibrated and mapped to each of a plurality of governance evolution element attributes. A maturity and capability assessment is performed for the service-oriented architecture as a function of the mapping, and a maturity-based and capability-based governance model is generated for the service-oriented architecture as a function of the maturity and capability assessment.

Abstract: In a method of estimating a replacement cost associated with an existing technology performed by a processor, one or more costs associated with implementing the existing technology are obtained, in which the one or more costs include an environmental cost and a utility cost associated with implementing the existing technology. In addition, an existing net benefit of continuing implementation of the existing technology based upon the obtained one or more costs are calculated.

Abstract: A system and method of modeling and evaluating workflows that provides workflow auto generation and Hierarchical Dependence Graphs for workflows. Modeling and evaluation of workflows is accomplished by accessing a knowledge database containing service descriptions, generating valid workflows models, simulating workflow and obtaining customer requirements through a Graphical User Interface. This system and method generate and display workflows that satisfy a users requirements. In addition, Hierarchical Dependence Graphs provide abstract views that provide additional analysis and control of workflow.

Abstract: A method and tool is provided to obtain an optimistic estimate or exact optimal value of an operational parameter for a realistic system model under investigation. The model includes components and paths arranged to process continuous or discrete commodities. The system could be a model of a manufacturing system with different machines processing multiple job types, with different sequences of operations at different stages. Constraints are applied to the abstracted network flow model, and a plurality of steady state network flows are performed. and combined to captures the transformation of the commodities from a first state to a final output state. The optimistic estimate of the realistic system model under investigation is then returned through use of a general purpose or custom solver. The method can be used to perform tradeoff studies between machine allocations, job mixes, operating costs, reliability and throughput, or to speed up scheduling and machine control.

Abstract: Evaluation of a business case based on the cost of poor process opportunities. In at least some embodiments, an evaluation of a cost of poor process opportunity (COPPO) in an “as-is” process can include calculating a cost per step for each of the plurality of steps or tasks in an activity. COPPO can be determined based in part on whether each step or task in a process or activity is a non-value-add step, and also based in part on a cost of poor quality (COPQ) target percentage. In some embodiments a total cost of poor business process relative to a total cost for each of the plurality of steps can be displayed for a user. The COPPO evaluation can further be used to facilitate the evaluation of a business case for a “to-be” process.

Abstract: A customer experience is improved through data mining and text mining technologies and that derive insights about a customer by analyzing interactions between the customer and a customer service agent. One or more numerical measurements of customer satisfaction are derived and recommended actions are provided to an agent to enhance the customer experience throughout a customer service lifecycle.

Abstract: A system determines patient acuity information to identify required staff competencies to meet a workload and supports role based reporting, notification, and escalation when acuity nears or reaches a predetermined saturation threshold. A system predicts healthcare worker workload using an acquisition processor to acquire multiple data items associated with care requirements of a particular patient from multiple different sources. A data processor determines an acuity score of the particular patient by determining a single score comprising a combination of weighted individual score values derived from corresponding individual items of the multiple data items. A translation processor interprets determined acuity score to provide an estimated healthcare worker workload for meeting the care requirements of the particular patient by using predetermined translation data associating acuity score with corresponding healthcare worker workload.