Abstract: A project-comparator subsystem generates a similarity metric for input electronically-represented projects input to the project-comparator subsystem. A project search engine receives data that represents a first electronically-represented project, identifies, by pairwise comparison of the stored electronically-represented projects with the first electronically-represented project using the project-comparator subsystem, a stored electronically-represented project with greatest similarity to the first electronically-represented project, and outputs an indication of the identified stored electronically-represented project.

Abstract: Information relating to project metric data and occurrence of events in a plurality of projects is received (102). Uncertainty data is determined (106) based on the received information, where the uncertainty data represents a probability distribution of at least one metric associated with the active project. Input relating to a scenario to perform what-if analysis is received (108), and based on the input, what-if analysis is performed (110).

Abstract: A project-comparator subsystem generates a similarity metric for input electronically-represented projects input to the project-comparator subsystem. A project search engine receives data that represents a first electronically-represented project, identifies, by pairwise comparison of the stored electronically-represented projects with the first electronically-represented project using the project-comparator subsystem, a stored electronically-represented project with greatest similarity to the first electronically-represented project, and outputs an indication of the identified stored electronically-represented project.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a project search system, implemented on one or more computer systems, comprising two or more stored projects represented by electronically stored, computer-accessible data that are stored in a project-database component; a project-comparator subsystem, executed on the one or more computer systems, that generates a similarity metric for two electronically-represented projects input to the project-comparator subsystem; and a project search engine, executed on the one or more computer systems, that receives data that represents an input project, identifies, by pairwise comparison of the stored projects with the input project using the project-comparator subsystem, one or more stored projects with greatest similarity to the input project, and outputs, to a graphical interface displayed on a computer display or to an application program, indications of the one or more stored projects with greatest similarity to the input project.

Abstract: A computer can display a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a control. The GUI can receive text instructions in a natural language that describe a location of the control on the GUI. The text instructions can instruct an application to perform a user interface (UI) event on the control.

Abstract: Information relating to project metric data and occurrence of events in a plurality of projects is received (102). Uncertainty data is determined (106) based on the received information, where the uncertainty data represents a probability distribution of at least one metric associated with the active project. Input relating to a scenario to perform what-if analysis is received (108), and based on the input, what-if analysis is performed (110).

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a project search system, implemented on one or more computer systems, comprising two or more stored projects represented by electronically stored, computer-accessible data that are stored in a project-database component; a project-comparator subsystem, executed on the one or more computer systems, that generates a similarity metric for two electronically-represented projects input to the project-comparator subsystem; and a project search engine, executed on the one or more computer systems, that receives data that represents an input project, identifies, by pairwise comparison of the stored projects with the input project using the project-comparator subsystem, one or more stored projects with greatest similarity to the input project, and outputs, to a graphical interface displayed on a computer display or to an application program, indications of the one or more stored projects with greatest similarity to the input project.

Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and systems are provided for displaying project relationships. One method for displaying project relationships includes providing a plurality of nodes (104A-F, 204, 204W-Z, 304W) on an electronic display, each node (104A-F, 204, 204W-Z, 304W) representing a project. The plurality of nodes (104A-F, 204, 204W-Z, 304W) are arranged about the electronic display according to a number of forces acting on each node (104A-F, 204, 204W-Z, 304W). The number of forces includes a constant attractive force (212) between each of the plurality of nodes (104A-F, 204, 204W-Z, 304W) and an origin position (201, 301) of the electronic display, a repulsive force (110, 210) between each pair of nodes (104A-F, 204, 204W-Z, 304W) proportional to the distance therebetween, and an attractive force between connected nodes (104A-F, 204, 204W-Z, 304W) proportional to the measure of similarity. A connection (106-1, 106-2, 106-3, 206-1, . . . , 206-7, 206-10, 306-5, . . .

Abstract: Determining vectors for a set of project features and determining an indication of health of some aspect of the project using a classifier trained for the set of project features is useful in assessing project health. Classifiers can be trained for such methods by determining a set of training elements for one or more projects of a data set, and training the classifier using the set of training elements. Each training element comprises a feature vector for a particular project at a particular time interval and a health classification deemed to be correct for that particular project at that particular time interval.

Abstract: To provide a status indication for a particular project, a rule describing a condition relating to the status indication for the particular project is provided, where the condition is based on a probability of an issue occurring. It is determined that the condition is satisfied using information from selected past projects, and the status indication is selectively set to one of plural states based on the condition being satisfied.

Abstract: Information relating to a particular issue associated with a particular project is received. In response to the information, at least one candidate action to take to address the particular issue is identified.

Abstract: A computer displays a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a control and receives text instructions in a natural language that describe a location of the control on the GUI. The text instructions instruct an application to perform a user interface (UI) event on the control.

Abstract: A speech synthesiser is provided with a dialog-style selection arrangement responsive to a factor affecting intelligibility of speech output by the apparatus to select a dialog style intended to provide at least a minimum level of intelligibility of speech output by the synthesiser. The selected dialog style is used by a speech-application text provider when generating text-form utterances for a current speech application, these text-form utterances then being converted into speech form by a text-to-speech converter. The factor affecting intelligibility may be a measure of the intelligibility of the speech-form output or an environmental factor such as background noise in the user's environment.

Abstract: A local entity without its own means of voice communication is provided with the semblance of having a voice interaction capability. This is done by providing a beacon device at or near the entity, the beacon device transmitting, over a short-range communication link, contact data identifying a voice service associated with, but hosted separately from, the entity. The transmitted contact data is picked up by equipment carried by a nearby person and used to contact the voice service over a wireless network. The person then interacts with the voice service, the latter acting as a voice proxy for the local entity. The contact data can be presented to the user in other ways, for example, by being inscribed on the local entity for scanning or user input into the equipment.

Abstract: A local entity without its own means of voice communication is provided with the semblance of having a voice interaction capability. This is done by providing a beacon device at or near the entity, the beacon device transmitting, over a short-range communication link, contact data identifying a voice service associated with, but hosted separately from, the entity. The transmitted contact data is picked up by equipment carried by a nearby person and used to contact the voice service over a wireless network. The person then interacts with the voice service, the latter acting as a voice proxy for the local entity. The contact data can be presented to the user in other ways, for example, by being inscribed on the local entity for scanning or user input into the equipment.

Abstract: Items are represented to a user through a user interface with each item having a respective perceivable range value and associated label by which the item can be addressed. To address a particular item, the user speaks its label at a loudness indicative of its perceived range. A loudness-to-range function of the interface determines on the basis of the loudness of the user input, a range gate expected to encompass the range value of the addressed item. A speech recogniser is used to recognise the spoken label and thus the addressed item, the label search space of the recogniser being restricted to exclude the labels of items having a range value outside of the determined range gate. In one embodiment, the user interface is an audio interface in which the items are represented in an audio field through corresponding synthesized sound sources, the depth at which each sound source is rendered in the audio field being the range value associated with the corresponding item.

Abstract: A speech synthesiser is provided with a dialog-style selection arrangement responsive to a factor affecting intelligibility of speech output by the apparatus to select a dialog style intended to provide at least a minimum level of intelligibility of speech output by the synthesiser. The selected dialog style is used by a speech-application text provider when generating text-form utterances for a current speech application, these text-form utterances then being converted into speech form by a text-to-speech converter. The factor affecting intelligibility may be a measure of the intelligibility of the speech-form output or an environmental factor such as background noise in the user's environment.

Abstract: Items are represented to a user through a user interface with each item having a respective perceivable range value and associated label by which the item can be addressed. To address a particular item, the user speaks its label at a loudness indicative of its perceived range. A loudness-to-range function of the interface determines on the basis of the loudness of the user input, a range gate expected to encompass the range value of the addressed item. A speech recogniser is used to recognise the spoken label and thus the addressed item, the label search space of the recogniser being restricted to exclude the labels of items having a range value outside of the determined ranch gate. In one embodiment, the user interface is an audio interface in which the items are represented in an audio field through corresponding synthesized sound sources, the depth at which each sound source is rendered in the audio field being the range value associated with the corresponding item.

Abstract: The grammar of the speech input to a voice service system is normally specified by the voice service system. However, this can produce problems in respect of idioms, such as dates, which are expressed different ways by different users. To facilitate the handling of idioms, a user is permitted to specify their own idiom grammar which is then used by the voice service system to interpret idioms in speech input from that user. Typically, the normal grammar of speech input is specified by grammar tags used to mark up a voice page script interpreted by a voice page browser; in this case, it will generally be the voice browser that is responsible for employing the user-specified idiom grammar to interpret the corresponding idiom in the speech input by the user. The user-specified grammar can be pre-specified directly to the voice browser by the user or fetched by the browser from a remote location on the fly.

Abstract: A voice service system is provided with an interactive voice response unit for interactively dealing with a call from a human caller, an operator subsystem by which a human operator can verbally interact with the caller, and a routing manager for transferring handling of the call between the voice response unit and the operator subsystem. The operator's verbal interaction with the caller is done through a synthesized voice in order to mask from the caller that they are now talking to a human operator. This permits the operator to return handling of a call back to the voice response unit without offending the caller.