Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for developing a set of business process definitions sharing the common business intent as a business process family using model-driven techniques. The present invention minimizes on development time and resources thus leading to a cost effective system and method for developing business process families. The invention enables to create a business process family which can be easily configured to behave as a specific business process thus meeting the needs of a set of apriori known situations. The invention supports configuration process at different stages (i.e. design time, and run time) of the business process application and also support extension of the configuration structure at different stages (i.e. design time, and run time). The invention enables to create a business process family which can be easily extended to meet the needs of an as yet unseen situation.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a trust rating system and method provide a precise and accurate, structured (yet adaptable and flexible), quantifying way of expressing historical trustworthiness so the user or decision maker can make more informed decisions on the data or information being evaluated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting customer satisfaction are disclosed. An example method includes identifying business factors related to customer satisfaction. The method also includes translating the business factors to measurable metrics. The method also includes predicting for a user, variations in performance leading to lower customer satisfaction, based on the measurable metrics.

Abstract: A method for managing a performance-based award of a new distributorship within a network of distributorships. The method includes tracking a metric associated with an existing distributorship within the network of distributorships, comparing the metric with a corresponding metric threshold, determining whether the metric satisfies the corresponding metric threshold, and automatically allocating the new distributorship to the existing distributorship within the network of distributorships.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method and mechanism to implement a framework for defining multiple Quality Variables. Each quality variable corresponds to its own weight, measurement definitions, control range values and normalization formula.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the operation of a continuous process plant uses operational data. The operational data includes data points representing the quantity of a substance processed by the continuous process plant during a plurality of time periods. The quantity of substance processed during these time periods is compared to a goal value. A reliability score is calculated. A banked opportunity score is calculated. An equivalent lost stream days score is calculated. The average quantity processed during periods that equaled or exceeded the goal is calculated. The average quantity processed during periods that were below the goal is calculated. The components of the equipment or machinery of the continuous process plant are classified and correlated to the quantity of lost opportunity. The scores are reported. The scores are also compared to historical data.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores an evaluation support program that causes a computer to execute a process including referring to purchase history data of articles in a plurality of salesrooms stored in a storage unit, and identifying a purchase status of articles purchased in a plurality of different salesrooms other than a first salesroom by purchasers included in a group of purchasers who have purchased articles in the first salesroom; and calculating an association degree between the first salesroom and the plurality of different salesrooms, based on whether articles have been purchased in the plurality of different salesrooms as indicated by the purchase status.

Abstract: A data center system is described which includes multiple data centers powered by multiple power sources, including any combination of renewable power sources and on-grid utility power sources. The data center system also includes a management system for managing execution of computational tasks by moving data components associated with the computational tasks within the data center system, in lieu of, or in addition to, moving power itself. The movement of data components can involve performing pre-computation or delayed computation on data components within any data center, as well as moving data components between data centers. The management system also includes a price determination module for determining prices for performing the computational tasks based on different pricing models. The data center system also includes a “stripped down” architecture to complement its use in the above-summarized data-centric environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for creating a discipline map for a user and using the discipline map to assess the knowledge and experience of the user in a designer/developer context for a project. The discipline map may represent one or more attributes and an ability level the user possesses for one or more attributes. An attribute can be a set of skills associated with designer tasks and/or developer tasks of a project. A skill can be obtained through training and experience and a skill can predict whether the user can successfully complete the task. The ability levels may represent depth of a user's knowledge and experience. Discipline maps according to certain embodiments can be used to assess educational needs of one or more users, to allow a user to conduct a personal assessment of his or her strengths and weaknesses, and to plan a project such as a software project.

Abstract: A system and method for human capital management. A set or sets of records corresponding to employees are encoded on a digital storage medium. Each record contains values for human capital management metrics. A user device accesses these records and presents on a display a dashboard management window. The dashboard management window contains at least one dashboard, which has at least one automatically-generated representation of the human capital metric values stored in the records encoded on the digital storage medium. The dashboards and their representations allow a user to effectively and efficiently manage human capital by easily viewing human capital metrics in a meaningful way.

Abstract: A system and method for generating real estate brokerage metrics is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of generating real estate agent metrics includes generating a real estate record from information received from an agent, storing the real estate record in a database of real estate records, receiving a request to generate at least one real estate brokerage metric, parsing the request to identify a brokerage and to determine the at least one real estate brokerage metric, identifying at least one agent associated with the brokerage, querying the database of real estate records to obtain data associated with the at least one agent associated with the brokerage and the at least one real estate brokerage metric, calculating the at least one real estate brokerage metric using the data obtained from the database, and providing the at least one real estate brokerage metric to a client device.

Abstract: A system and method include receiving data corresponding to a proposed action in an application coupled to an application database that stores data corresponding to the application, merging data corresponding to previously stored application actions with the data corresponding to the proposed action to create a replicated image on an in memory database, and updating a key performance indicator based on the replicated image without storing the data corresponding to the proposed action in the application database.

Abstract: Integrated management environmental sustainability system and method that includes a server (4) connected to a plurality of work stations (1, 1?, 1?), at least one per company integrated in the system; each of the work stations including means for entering data (2) and its submittal to the server (4) via a WLAN (3); and where said server (4) also includes a first means for accessing (100) the application on the server; a second means for administering (200) the application on the server, configured for managing the administrative data upon which the application is based; a third means for inventorying (300), configured for defining parameters and requests, and a fourth means for companies (400), where the sources and their emissions are contained as well as the means for calculating them.

Abstract: Embodiments of agricultural performance information systems are presented and disclosed herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Arrangements relate to the publication of information regarding the quality of a virtual meeting. One or more performance indicators related to an aspect of the meeting can be collected. The performance indicators can be collected automatically or by input by a meeting attendee. The collected performance indicators can be aggregated. The aggregated performance indicators can be published to an external computing system, such as a social collaboration system.

Abstract: In some implementations, a benchmarking system may be used to provide benchmarking data or reports. The benchmarking system may include benchmarking scenario tag templates that may include tags associated with defined data structures. In some instances, the data structures may be defined in a technology- or solution-independent manner. A business data provider may request a benchmarking tag template and associate the tags with the relevant elements of business data. The tagged elements of the business data may be extracted and transformed to be loaded into the benchmarking system. In some instances, the tagged elements of the business data may be transformed by anonymization or pseudonymization. The benchmarking system may use the tagged elements of the business data and other data to generate benchmarking data. The business data provider may opt in to a scenario to include the tagged elements of the business data into a benchmarking data database.

Abstract: An information handling system comprises a processor connected to a display and a storage device. The information handling system includes a connection via a network interface to a network that is adapted to receive data representing monitored business process data. Monitored business process data is received from the execution and operation of a customized executable system integration software application. The customized executable system integration software application represents one or more end-to-end integrated business processes of an enterprise or other user. The integrated business processes may operate at the network location of the enterprise or user or may be hosted at another network or in a cloud environment. The storage device is adapted to store the data representing the monitored business process data. The monitored business process data is aggregated from records for summary display via a hierarchical dashboard user interface.

Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein address the foregoing problems, among others, by providing apparatuses, systems, and methods for correlating aggregated production and revenue data with aggregated cost and expense data. In one implementation, a dataset corresponding to a plurality of producing wells is received. The dataset includes revenue and production data and expense and cost data. The revenue and production data is aggregated. The revenue and production data is aggregated for a subset of the plurality of producing wells. The subset corresponds to one or more geographical locations. The cost and expense data is aggregated. The cost and expense data is aggregated for the subset. The aggregated revenue and production data and the aggregated cost and expense data is anonymized to remove proprietary and confidential information. The anonymized revenue and production data with the anonymized cost and expense data is correlated based on a production date range.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for scoring and ranking financial advisors based on their sales histories. The system includes a database and an advisor rating system processor in communication with the database. The database stores sales history data related to a plurality of financial advisors. The advisor rating system processor obtains data related to financial advisors from the database and calculates a score for each financial advisor based on their sales revenue and sales frequency. The advisor rating system processor then compares the advisors based on these scores and generates a report indicating to which financial advisors a company should market financial products.

Abstract: A method for improving product effectiveness of a New Product Development (NPD) process by customizing a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) of an organization is provided. The method comprises diagnosing current status of the organization with respect to one or more product effectiveness parameters. The method further comprises generating a set of initiatives for the organization based on diagnosis. The method furthermore comprises customizing the PLM using one or more solution accelerators corresponding to one or more initiatives.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are computer-implemented methods, computing systems, and related technologies that may be used for determining the optimal number of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) that should be engaged by a service provider in order to provide a service to an insurance company. Multiple service level agreements (SLAs) exists between the service provider and the insurance company, each of which indicates that the service provider must complete a given percentage of assigned tasks for the service within a given time period. A resource optimization application (ROA) determines how many FTEs the service provider should employ, in order to complete assigned tasks as required by the SLAs. The ROA determines the number of FTEs based on factors such as an average handling time (AHT) for the tasks, the capacity of the service provider, historical data that describes tasks previously assigned to the service provider, and other factors.

Abstract: A data processing system provides a set of service value maps (SVMs) each having a plurality of nodes and linkages between nodes, forms a network model based on the SVMs and analyses the network model to compute aggregate values for the nodes to enable an identification of a node that matches at least one criterion. Analyzing can include using a degree centrality process where a value for each node is defined as a number of outgoing edges from the node, or an eigenvalue centrality process where a value of a node is proportional to a value of those nodes that the node is connected to. Each SVM can be represented as a directed acyclic graph (DAG) where each edge between nodes is an edge in the DAG. The at least one criterion can include a highest valued node identifying a value aggregation point (VAP) of the set of SVMs.

Abstract: The present inventive subject matter is drawn to apparatus, systems, configurations, and methods of automatically assessing an organization using user-defined criteria. In one aspect of this invention, an organization assessment system is automatically configured to interface with one or more enterprise entities or other third party entities, track and store performance data related to the one or more enterprise entities, and present a composite score to users based on their user-defined criteria.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for the collection of business performance data and the identification of patterns or rules from such data that are key predictors of future business performance. The performance data are preferably collected using one or several questionnaires containing a plurality of questions that probe into specific performance areas of companies. The questionnaires are used to collect responses applicable to a plurality of companies and the responses applicable to each company are stored in a database as separate company profiles to define the knowledge-base from which a rule induction engine may identify the key discriminators of business performance.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing competitive opportunities is provided. Transaction records for a merchant peer group are identified, wherein the records are associated with a predetermined period of time. A competitive opportunity metric is determined for a particular merchant from the merchant peer group based on computer processing a first subset of the transaction records. A peer group competitive opportunity metric is determined based on computer processing a second subset of the transaction records. An index is generated based on the competitive opportunity metric and the peer group competitive opportunity metric to indicate performance of the particular merchant relative to the merchant peer group.

Abstract: Process studies are performed to determine improvements to processes, such as manufacturing or service related processes. One or more instances of a process may be captured (e.g., recorded) and annotated. A user is enabled to interact with a recording included in the process instance of a process being performed. The user is enabled to apply a process step tag selected from a plurality of process steps to a section of the recording. The user may be enabled to interact with the recording to apply an attribute value selected from a list of attribute values to the process instance. The user may be enabled to interact with the recording to apply discovery information to the process instance. Annotation information associated with the process instance is generated that includes the process step tag, any applied attribute values, and any applied discovery information.

Abstract: Employees of an organization are surveyed concerning their opinions about the work environment provided by the organization. A computer system that includes a survey question storage module, a survey administration component, a survey results storage module, and a survey analysis component is used to administer the survey and to analyze the survey results. The computer system generates work environment index (WEI) scores for the managers in the organization to summarize the results of the survey as to employees who are within the managers' departments. The WEI scores are made the subject of performance goals for the managers and are displayed to the managers via their personal computers.

Abstract: A high performance capability assessment model helps an automotive industry business meet the challenges of the global marketplace. As a result, the automotive industry business can achieve the clarity, consistency, and well-defined execution of core processes that reduce inefficiencies and waste that result from unnecessary process complexity and exceptions. In addition, the high performance capability assessment model helps the automotive industry business to identify specific areas in which improvements may be made and understand how to make the improvements, and establishes levels of capability along the way to reaching an ultimate capability goal.

Abstract: A methodology for standards registrars to meet requirements of governmental accrediting agencies includes a unique set of procedures and work instructions for certifying or registering an organization as conforming to one or more national or international standards. The procedures and work instructions assure adherence to the international guidance document government registrars, while providing easily used and maintained instructions for employees. The procedures and work instructions are amenable to translation into various foreign languages. In one embodiment, the methodology includes procedures and work instructions governing the quotation process and scheduling of audits, including selection of auditors, as well as audit package review and issuance of appropriate certificates of compliance are. The procedures and work instructions for all audits and certifications are preferably controlled (150) and directly auditable via a single location or office, such as the registrar's headquarters.

Abstract: A method of providing visual feedback to a driver based on data collected during vehicle operation. A processor at the vehicle analyzes vehicle data, and determines when predetermined threshold values have been reached for particular parameters. Whenever such a threshold is reached, a visual alert is presented to the driver. Certain parameters have at least two threshold values. When a first threshold value is reached, an alert is presented to the driver, but no data is recorded or reported. When a second threshold value is reached, another alert is presented to the driver, and data is recorded for reporting to a driver manager or supervisor. The tiered threshold approach provides a warning to a driver, such that if they correct the behavior triggering the warning, their supervisor is never notified of that behavior. However, if the behavior escalates, and the second threshold is breached, the behavior is recorded.

Abstract: A transformation engine for transforming a legacy IT infrastructure into an on-demand IT infrastructure in a financial services enterprise, the transformation engine comprising: a determiner component for determining a current status of the legacy IT infrastructure; a comparator component for comparing the determined current status to an idealised set of outcome parameters to determine a set of deviation parameters; and the determiner component determining at least one control point within the set of deviation parameters which require enterprise wide governance.

Abstract: A sales force automation method (30), comprises providing instructions which operatively direct a computer system (100) to employ one or more predetermined input-parameters (60), wherein each input-parameter is applicable to one or more clients. Sets of input-values are operatively sorted to the input-parameters for a corresponding, individual client, and the input-values that pertain to a selected client-set (62) are operatively gathered. The computer system sorts the input-values from the client-set according to sales-parameters (64) that pertain to the selected client-set. The sorted input-values are compiled and analyzed to generate an actual sales-performance-value (84) for each sales-parameter. Upon a comparison between the sales-performance-value for a sales-parameter and a corresponding parameter-target-value or target-range, the computer system can determine an appropriate sales performance-rating.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a computer-implemented method and system for improving processing performance for a group of computing resources, the method implemented on at least one computer having a processor and accessing at least one data storage area. The method comprises implementing the processor for calculating a benchmark for each computing resource in the group of computing resources and normalizing the benchmark across the group of computing resources to determine a number of performance units for each computing resource. The method additionally includes providing a graphical user interface for facilitating visual comparison for comparing processing performance indicators for multiple computing resources in the group of computing resources and reconfiguring at least some of the computing resources represented on the graphical user interface based on the comparison.

Abstract: A telecommunications environment management operating system and method is provided. The system and method helps organizations achieve and sustain optimal financial, operational and technical performance in the field of telecommunications.

Abstract: The overall quality of a workforce is analyzed, scored and presented using an analysis engine that performs a multi-domain analysis on enterprise data. The analysis engine presents key information about the performance of a workforce across a range of hardware devices so as to inform different users in their unique contexts and roles within a business organization as to workforce performance. The analysis engine associates a customizable performance profile with each workforce member. Each performance profile is comprised of a plurality of performance measures. Each performance measure in turn, represents a performance metric that measures some aspect of the job duties performed by the associated workforce member, e.g., an industrial vehicle operator. The scores are aggregated into an overall performance profile score. To compute the scores, data is considered across multiple domains, e.g.

Abstract: Techniques for performing a time period change analysis include identifying a performance indicator associated with a set of data, the performance indicator representing a statistical metric associated with the set of data; identifying one or more master data measures associated with the performance indicator from a plurality of master data measures, the performance indicator based on the one the master data measures; for each time period of a plurality of times periods, determining a value of the one or more master data measures; for each master data measure, determining a difference between the values of the master data measure associated with two time periods of the plurality of time period; and preparing the determined difference for display to a user through a graphical user interface.

Abstract: The system and method for quality assurance (QA) of educational institutions, programs, courses, services, and processes stores a QA framework associated with an educational QA review in a database. The QA framework comprises one or more Quality Components (QCs) such that each QC is associated with one or more Quality Indicators (QI). Each QI is defined as a statement related to an educational quality attribute. A QI evaluation template is presented to one or more QA reviewers over a network for evaluating each QI. The QI evaluation template is used by the one or more QA reviewers for entry of one or more Observation Information (OI) for a QI under evaluation and associating each OI with respective evidence information and recommendation information (RI). The RI is then prioritized based on one or more evaluative metrics.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and computer program products are provided for facilitating the exploration and evaluation of the comparative performance of agricultural inputs. Methods are provided that include receiving selection of one or more primary agricultural inputs and one or more comparison agricultural inputs. The methods further include accessing one or more primary data points comprising at least one performance measurement regarding the primary agricultural input and accessing one or more comparison data points comprising at least one performance measurement regarding the comparison agricultural input. The methods also include determining one or more comparative performance data points based on the primary and comparison data points and causing information regarding the comparative performance data points to be displayed.

Abstract: A system for objective assessment of learning outcomes comprising a data repository comprising at least a hierarchical arrangement of a plurality of learning goals, a report generator coupled to the data repository, an analysis engine coupled to the data repository, a rules engine coupled to the data repository, and an application server adapted to receive application-specific requests from a plurality of client applications and coupled to the data repository. The application server is further adapted to provide an administrative interface for viewing, editing, or deleting a plurality of learning goals and relationships between them, learning assessment tools, learning outcome reports, and learning indexes, and the rules engine performs a plurality of consistency checks to ensure alignment between and among learning goals, learning assessment tools, learning outcomes, and learning indexes.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for aligning projects with an objective of an organization is disclosed. The method may include storing in a computer system a representation of an objective of an organization. The method may further include storing in the computer system a plurality of sustainability projects of the organization. Additionally, the method may include establishing a computer-based logical link between the objective of the organization and at least some of the plurality of sustainability projects of the organization. In certain embodiments, the method may include receiving from the computer system data representing one or more respective metrics for each of the at least some of the plurality of sustainability projects of the organization. The method may further include generating one or more key performance indicators for each of the at least some of the plurality of sustainability projects of the organization.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and computer systems for acquiring talent for organizations. A referrer who has referred a candidate for a job is identified. An evaluation of the candidate for the job is tracked. A metric that represents a quality of the referred is determined based on the tracking of the evaluation of the candidate for the job, and provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating performance indicators and improving performance based on metrics is disclosed. During work on a user story (project) for completion, teams and individuals perform work. This work on the user story is tracked and based on the tracking of the work, the system generates or receives metrics that define the team and individual actions. These metrics are used to calculate performance indicators which are provided to a manager, the team, or an individual. The calculation may include use of a weighting value and comparison of the performance indicator to a threshold. Responsive to the performance indicators various actions may occur including: providing training, moving an individual from the team to a different team, changing one or more physical processes by which work on a user story occurs, and terminating employment of an individual on a team.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating review, communication and monitoring of regulatory compliance on a utility or project and in particular a computerized, web-based, environmental compliance system (ECS) which monitors, evaluates and displays environmental compliance (or non-compliance) information for any utility or construction project. This includes receiving, storing, communicating and displaying compliance data and information extending over the life of the project from (a) project development phase, through (b) the construction phase, (c) operation phase, and finally (d) project decommissioning phase.

Abstract: Business users of a sales force automation solution can be enabled to receive updates and other relevant and timely information relating to key performance indicators (KPI) and other metrics via a news feed approach. A business user who is not directly registered to receive notifications about status changes in a particular data structure or business process can nonetheless be provided, via a feed bot service, with a feed content item generated upon detection of a status change in one or more data structures underlying one or more business processes of a customer organization using the sales force automation solution. The feed content item can relate to progress toward or achievement of a key performance indicator of the customer organization.

Abstract: The systems and methods for streamlining data compilation and report generation include storing one or more academic categories having one or more performance indicators in an electronic database, each performance indicator forming part of a sentence. A metric associated with each performance indicator forms another part of the sentence. The academic categories are displayed on a screen with the performance indicators and metrics associated therewith for selection by a user. Student information is then received and processed along with the selections of the academic categories, the performance indicators and the metrics from an interactive computer medium over a communication network. The received performance indicators are combined with each of the received metrics, and based on the student information, to create at least one complete sentence presentable in a student report measuring the academic performance of a student for one or more academic categories.

Abstract: An ordering system backend includes an ordering system module, an exclusion system module, an exception system module, a summary system module, and a display device. The ordering system module is configured to receive ordering data for a plurality of orders and to receive information concerning the flowthrough status of the order. The exclusion system module is configured to generate or receive a plurality of exclusions associated with a plurality of exceptions for the plurality of orders. The exception system module is configured to generate or receive exception data associated with the plurality of orders, to receive the plurality of exclusions from the exclusion system module, and to update the exception data based on the plurality of exclusions. The summary system module is configured to calculate summary level data based on the plurality of orders and the exception data, and to create summary tables based on the summary level data.

Abstract: Computer-based systems and method are disclosed for grading active money managers. The grading system attempts to identify active money managers with the ability to outperform relevant benchmark indexes and peer active money managers. This may be accomplished by using a point system for calendar years (or other time periods) that awards points based on the degree of difficulty for active money managers to outperform their relevant benchmark index during the calendar year for their investing style. The yearly point total are used to determine a baseline point total, and the money managers are award fractions of the baseline point total based on, for example, (i) how close the money manager's investments match constituents of the money manager's benchmark, and (ii) how close the money manager's return is to the benchmark for the money manager.

Abstract: A system and method for providing reliable means of benchmarking quality for BIM models. The system and method can provide a concrete measurable means to the quality of a BIM model. The system also provides mechanism to see how a BIM model is in terms of its quality relative to other similar BIM models.

Abstract: A method and a system for analyzing infrastructure are provided. In one embodiment, a system for analyzing infrastructure is provided. The system includes a grid intelligence quotient as a service (GIQAAS) system. The GIQAAS system includes an infrastructure data gathering system having a first input form configured to collect an economic data related to an infrastructure. The GIQAAS system further includes an economic modeling system configured to import the economic data and to derive an economic analysis based on the economic data. The GIQAAS system is configured to provide the infrastructure data gathering system to a first user for collection of the economic data, and to provide the economic modeling system to a second user for derivation of the economic analysis.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for collecting information as authorized by information providers and sharing the information with information recipients according to criteria specified by the information providers. Information is collected from one or more of a variety of sources and stored in a provider profile, with the provider profile also specifying criteria for sharing the information, including payment required for sharing the information with particular categories of recipients. An exchange system is maintained allowing recipients to request or to otherwise specify needs for particular categories of information and payments to be provided by the information, and needs or requests of recipients for information are matched with criteria specified by providers, with information being transferred or used to provide results for a recipient and payment being transferred from the recipient to a provider or providers when a match between information needs and criteria for sharing information is identified.