Abstract: A system and method that enables a plurality of lay users to collaborate on automating computer tasks is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system automatically performs these tasks, rather than just documenting how to perform them. The system allows a database of solutions to be built for every important computer task. A key characteristic of this system is that users contribute to this database by simply performing the task. The system records the graphical user interface (GUI) actions as the user performs the task. It aggregates GUI traces from multiple users into a canonical sequence of GUI actions parameterized by user-environment that will successfully accomplish the task on a variety of different configurations. A classifier is used to predict which steps are likely to be misinterpreted and requests human intervention to properly perform them. This process can be done iteratively until the translation is believed to be correct.

Abstract: A system and method that enables a plurality of lay users to collaborate on automating computer tasks is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system automatically performs these tasks, rather than just documenting how to perform them. The system allows a database of solutions to be built for every important computer task. A key characteristic of this system is that users contribute to this database by simply performing the task. The system records the graphical user interface (GUI) actions as the user performs the task. It aggregates GUI traces from multiple users into a canonical sequence of GUI actions parameterized by user-environment that will successfully accomplish the task on a variety of different configurations. A classifier is used to predict which steps are likely to be misinterpreted and requests human intervention to properly perform them. This process can be done iteratively until the translation is believed to be correct.