Abstract: A method and apparatus for validating a survey database, preferably before any user requests are submitted to the survey database. This may be accomplished by analyzing the survey database and identifying those portions of the survey database that are potentially problematic, given the expected user request types. The present invention may then notify the user of any potential problems in the survey database, and/or warn the user to view certain results with caution.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for warning the user of potential limitations of a database request or the results provided thereby and for warning the user of potential limitations of a database request and the results provided thereby. Preferably, the identified limitations are provided in a number of caveats. The caveats may warn the user that a survey request and/or survey result may be improper, invalid or otherwise deficient in some way. This may prevent the user from basing important business decisions on misrepresentative database results.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using prior results when processing successive database requests. This is accomplished by storing selected results during the processing of selected user requests. When a subsequent user request is processed, the system determines if appropriate prior results have already been generated and stored by a previous user request. If so, the prior results are used in the processing of the subsequent user request. Because the prior results are not regenerated, the processing time for the subsequent user request may be reduced accordingly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing a survey database, wherein a user can perform a wide variety of requests to the survey database without having to independently calculate a desired result. In accordance with the present invention, this may be accomplished by using a rules-based expert system for forming and executing requests to a survey database. In a rules-based expert system, a number of rules are provided wherein the rules contain much of the “knowledge” of the experts, thereby allowing “non-expert” users to perform “expert” analysis of client satisfaction data in an accurate and repeatable fashion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting an endless loop in a rules-based expert system. This is preferably accomplished by maintaining a count for each of the rules during rule processing. The count indicates the number of times a corresponding rule is executed by the rules based expert system. If the count corresponding to any of the rules exceeds a predetermined value, it is concluded that the rules-based expert system is stuck in an endless loop, and the rules-based expert system is interrupted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently debugging and/or testing a rules based expert system. To provide guidance when updating a test sequence, the present invention contemplates identifying which rule sets and/or rules were exercised by the test sequence, and which were not exercised. The present invention also contemplates identifying the rule sets and/or rules that were exercised, and the percent of the rule sets/rules that were exercised. This and other information may be useful in identifying appropriate changes for the test sequence so that those rule sets and/or rules that were not exercised during the previous iteration are exercised in a subsequent iteration.