Method and apparatus for defining performance milestone track for planned process

• US 10,296,993 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Timothy W., Rolleston, Robert John
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Jerry-Daryl
• Application Number:
  US14/537,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20160133145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 434322, 434323, 434350, 434362
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education

Abstract

A method of defining a performance milestone track for a planned process includes: selecting a time range relating to a repeatable process to define a set of average assessment trajectories, retrieving historical data representative of assessment data for actors in conjunction with selective assessments of the actors during performances of the repeatable process. The historical data includes an assessment parameter identifying a value for the selective assessment. The method includes processing a select time portion of the historical data using a binning algorithm to assign historical data for the select time portion across quantile range bins based on select ranges of assessment parameter values for the historical data and separately processing a select actor portion of the historical data for each quantile range bin using a smoothing algorithm to form the set of average assessment trajectories for the repeatable process. A computational device for performing the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of defining a performance milestone track for a planned process, comprising:

selecting a desired time range in relation to a duration for a repeatable process in conjunction with using a computational device to define a set of average assessment trajectories for the repeatable process;

retrieving historical data from a data storage device accessible to the computational device, wherein the historical data is representative of assessment data for a plurality of actors in conjunction with selective assessments of the plurality of actors during performances of the repeatable process, wherein the historical data includes an assessment parameter identifying a value for the corresponding selective assessment;

processing a select time portion of the retrieved historical data at the computational device using a binning algorithm, wherein the binning algorithm assigns historical data for the select time portion across a plurality of quantile range bins based on select ranges of assessment parameter values for the corresponding historical data; and

separately processing a select actor portion of the retrieved historical data for each quantile range bin at the computational device using a smoothing algorithm to form the set of average assessment trajectories for the repeatable process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving new assessment data for a new actor performing a current iteration of the repeatable process, wherein the new assessment data is received at the computational device, wherein the new assessment data is received at the computational device, wherein the new assessment data is associated with the desired time range, wherein selection of the desired time range is based at least in part on receipt of the new assessment data;

comparing a new assessment value from the new assessment data to the average assessment trajectories; and

selecting an average assessment trajectory that most closely matches the new assessment value as a performance milestone track for the new actor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the performance milestone track is representative of average assessment parameter values over time in relation to the duration of the repeatable process and new assessment data for the new actor in relation to the desired time range, the method further comprising:

formatting the performance milestone track in at least one of a graph format and a table format;

sending the formatted performance milestone track to at least one of a display device, a printing device, and a performance milestone storage device; and

using the formatted performance milestone track to assess performance of the corresponding new actor for the current iteration of the repeatable process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of average assessment trajectories are representative of average assessment parameter values over time in relation to the duration of the repeatable process, the method further comprising:

formatting the set of average assessment trajectories in at least one of a graph format and a table format; and

sending the formatted set of average assessment trajectories to at least one of a display device, a printing device, and a performance milestone storage device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the repeatable process is a specific grade level at a specific educational institution, wherein the plurality of actors are a plurality of students having completed the specific grade level at the specific education institution during one or more academic years, wherein the duration is defined by first and last days of an academic year.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the duration is defined by a first time range, at least one intermediate time range, and a last time range;

wherein the desired time range is representative of the first time range, one of the at least one intermediate time range, or the last time range;

wherein the first time range is representative of an initial assessment of the plurality of actors in conjunction with starting performance of the repeatable process;

wherein each intermediate time range is representative of completion of a first or intermediate assessment period during performance of the repeatable process;

wherein the last time range is representative of completion of a last assessment period during performance of the repeatable process.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the repeatable process includes daily assessment periods, weekly assessment periods, monthly assessment periods, quarterly assessment periods, semester assessment periods, or trimester assessment periods.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the historical data includes a time parameter identifying a specific time range in relation to the duration;

wherein the select time portion includes retrieved historical data with time parameters corresponding to the desired time range.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the historical data includes an actor parameter identifying a specific actor associated with performance of the repeatable process;

wherein each select actor portion includes retrieved historical data with actor parameters corresponding to the assessment parameters associated with the corresponding quantile range bin from the desired time range through at least a next time range of the repeatable process;

wherein a minimum assessment level for the repeatable process is identified prior to forming the set of average assessment trajectories, the method further comprising;

identifying the actor parameters for historical data in a last time range of the repeatable process that is less than the minimum acceptable level; and

eliminating historical data associated with the identified actor parameters from the select actor portion of the retrieved historical data for each quantile range unless doing so would eliminate all historical data from the select actor portion.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the historical data includes an iteration parameter identifying a specific iteration of the repeatable process, the method further comprising:

selecting one or more desired iterations of the repeatable process at the computational device, wherein the retrieved historical data is limited to historical data associated with the one or more desired iterations.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of quantile range bins include four quartile range bins.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the select ranges defining the plurality of quantile range bins overlap by a predetermined margin such that one or more assessment parameter values at the borders of adjacent range bins are members of both adjacent range bins.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each average assessment trajectory includes at least one of a mean value over time, values ranging one standard deviation from the mean, values ranging two standard deviations from the mean, and values ranging three standard deviations from the mean.

14. A computational device for defining a performance milestone track for a planned process, comprising:

at least one data processor configured to execute program instructions; and

a non-transitory storage device configured to store program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computational device to perform a method of defining a performance milestone track for a planned process;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to select a desired time range in relation to a duration for a repeatable process to define a set of average assessment trajectories for the repeatable process;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to retrieve historical data from a data storage device accessible to the computational device, wherein the historical data is representative of assessment data for a plurality of actors in conjunction with selective assessments of the plurality of actors during performances of the repeatable process, wherein the historical data includes an assessment parameter identifying a value for the corresponding selective assessment;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to process a select time portion of the retrieved historical data using a binning algorithm, wherein the binning algorithm assigns historical data for the select time portion across a plurality of quantile range bins based on select ranges of assessment parameter values for the corresponding historical data;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to separately process a select actor portion of the retrieved historical data for each quantile range bin using a smoothing algorithm to form the set of average assessment trajectories for the repeatable process.

15. The computational device of claim 14, further comprising:

an input device configured to permit an operator of the computational device to interact with the at least one processor in conjunction with execution of the program instructions;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to receive new assessment data for a new actor performing a current iteration of the repeatable process, wherein the new assessment data is received via the input device, wherein the new assessment data is associated with the desired time range, wherein selection of the desired time range is based at least in part on receipt of the new assessment data;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to compare a new assessment value from the new assessment data to the average assessment trajectories;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to select an average assessment trajectory that most closely matches the new assessment value as a performance milestone track for the new actor.

16. The computational device of claim 15 wherein the performance milestone track is representative of average assessment parameter values over time in relation to the duration of the repeatable process and new assessment data for the new actor in relation to the desired time range, the computational device further comprising:

a display device configured to permit an operator of the computational device to interact with the at least one processor in conjunction with execution of the program instructions;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to format the performance milestone track in at least one of a graph format and a table format;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to send the formatted performance milestone track to at least one of the display device, a printing device, and a performance milestone storage device;

wherein the formatted performance milestone track is configured to enable a user of the computational device to assess performance of the corresponding new actor for the current iteration of the repeatable process.

17. The computational device of claim 14 wherein the set of average assessment trajectories are representative of average assessment parameter values over time in relation to the duration of the repeatable process, the computational device further comprising:

a display device configured to permit an operator of the computational device to interact with the at least one processor in conjunction with execution of the program instructions;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to format the set of average assessment trajectories in at least one of a graph format and a table format;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to send the formatted set of average assessment trajectories to at least one of the display device, a printing device, and a performance milestone storage device.

18. The computational device of claim 14, further comprising:

an input device configured to permit an operator of the computational device to interact with the at least one processor in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, wherein the desired time range is received by the at least one processor from the input device in conjunction with operator interaction to select the desired time range.

19. The computational device of claim 14 wherein the historical data includes an iteration parameter identifying a specific iteration of the repeatable process;

wherein, in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, the at least one data processor is configured to select one or more desired iterations of the repeatable process, wherein the retrieved historical data is limited to historical data associated with the one or more desired iterations;

the computational device further comprising;

an input device configured to permit an operator of the computational device to interact with the at least one processor in conjunction with execution of the program instructions, wherein the one or more desired iterations are received by the at least one processor from the input device in conjunction with operator interaction to select the one or more desired iterations.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a corresponding computational device to perform a method of defining a performance milestone track for a planned process, the method comprising:

selecting a desired time range in relation to a duration for a repeatable process in conjunction with using a computational device to define a set of average assessment trajectories for the repeatable process;

retrieving historical data from a data storage device accessible to the computational device, wherein the historical data is representative of assessment data for a plurality of actors in conjunction with selective assessments of the plurality of actors during performances of the repeatable process, wherein the historical data includes an assessment parameter identifying a value for the corresponding selective assessment;

processing a select time portion of the retrieved historical data at the computational device using a binning algorithm, wherein the binning algorithm assigns historical data for the select time portion across a plurality of quantile range bins based on select ranges of assessment parameter values for the corresponding historical data; and

separately processing a select actor portion of the retrieved historical data for each quantile range bin at the computational device using a smoothing algorithm to form the set of average assessment trajectories for the repeatable process.