Abstract: A decision-assistance system provides a tool for decision makers to receive assistance in making a decision. Through a web page, a decision maker selects a group of one or more advisers and inputs information describing a decision to be made. The decision maker solicits advice from the group of advisers, and the advisers provide advice to assist the decision maker. Other entities can be granted access to streams of information corresponding to particular themes of the decisions to be made. Business entities, for example, can use the streams of information to connect with decision makers facing decisions relevant to the goods and services provided by the business entity.

Abstract: A method and system for providing product recommendations to users. Attributes associated with one or more products for recommendation are displayed. Each attribute is selectable in a simple “drag-and-drop” manner. Along with the displayed attributes, user preference areas (e.g., preference drop zones) that allow users to indicate amounts of user inclination or disinclination for displayed attributes are displayed. Upon viewing the displayed attributes, users can then select at least one attribute for any user preference type. Thereupon, product recommendations are displayed on the basis of selected preferences over the selected product attributes. Potential product purchasers can express preferences in a simple manner from which specific product recommendations can be made.

Abstract: A method of generating a display, or representation, of a simulation model within a graphical user interface (GUI) is described. The simulation model includes a number of objects, which may include state, function, link and modifier objects. The method commences with the display of node representations for at least first and second objects. Thereafter, a link representation, which represents an underlying link object, is selected from a predefined set of link representations to represent a desired relationship condition between the first and second objects. Each link representation of the set is associated with a distinct relationship condition. Each relationship condition may further be defined in terms of an underlying equation. Thereafter, the selected link representation is shown to extend between the respective node representations representing the first and second objects.

Abstract: A method of generating a display, or representation, of a simulation model within a graphical user interface (GUI) is described. The simulation model includes a number of objects, which may include state, function, link and modifier objects. The method commences with the display of node representations for at least first and second objects. Thereafter, a link representation, which represents an underlying link object, is selected from a predefined set of link representations to represent a desired relationship condition between the first and second objects. Each link representation of the set is associated with a distinct relationship condition. Each relationship condition may further be defined in terms of an underlying equation. Thereafter, the selected link representation is shown to extend between the respective node representations representing the first and second objects.