Collecting and analyzing survey data

• US 20020052774A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intellistrategies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intellistrategies Incorporated
• Inventors: Alvarez, Fernando, Parker, Lance, Coen, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US09/747,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052774A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A computer-implemented process includes distributing a first, general survey, receiving responses to the first survey, analyzing the responses automatically, and obtaining a second survey based on the analysis of the responses. The second survey is more specific than the first survey. The process further includes distributing the second survey, receiving responses to the second survey, analyzing the responses to the second survey automatically, obtaining a third, still more specific, survey based on the analysis of the responses to the second survey, and repeating the process using the third survey.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

distributing a first survey;

receiving responses to the first survey;

analyzing the responses automatically; and

obtaining a second survey based on the analysis of the responses.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

distributing the second survey;

receiving responses to the second survey;

analyzing the responses to the second survey automatically; and

obtaining a third survey based on the analysis of the responses to the second survey.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first survey comprises a general survey; and

the second survey comprises a specific survey that is selected based on the responses to the general survey.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first survey comprises a general survey; and

the second survey is obtained by;

selecting sets of questions from a database based on the responses to the first survey; and

combining the selected sets of questions to create the second survey.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing comprises validating the responses.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining results of the first survey based on the responses; and

displaying the results of the first survey.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the results of the first survey are displayed on a graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the analysis comprises:

identifying information in the responses that correlates to predetermined criteria; and

displaying the information on the graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing is performed by computer software without human intervention.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first survey is distributed over a computer network to a plurality of respondents; and

the responses are received at a server, which performs the analysis, over a computer network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first survey contains questions, each of the questions being formatted as a computer-readable tag; and

the responses comprise replies to the questions, the replies being formatted as part of the computer-readable tag.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing is performed using the computer-readable tags.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a library of survey templates;

obtaining the first and second surveys using the library of templates.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second surveys are obtained by:

selecting survey templates; and

adding information to the selected survey templates based on a proprietor of the first and second surveys.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recommending the second survey based on the responses to the first survey;

wherein obtaining comprises retrieving the second survey in response to selection of the second survey.

17. The GUI of claim 16, wherein:

the second area displays status information relating to a recently-run survey; and

the GUI further comprises a third area for displaying an analysis of survey results.

18. The GUI of claim 17, wherein the status information comprises a date and a completion status of the recently-run survey.

19. The GUI of claim 17, wherein the analysis of survey results includes information indicating a change in the results relative to prior survey results.

20. The GUI of claim 16, wherein the GUI displays plural actions to perform.

21. The GUI of claim 20, wherein one of the actions comprises displaying a report that relates to the survey.

22. The GUI of claim 21, wherein the report comprises pages displaying information obtained from the survey.

23. The GUI of claim 21, wherein the report comprises information about a product that is the subject of the survey.

24. The GUI of claim 23, wherein the information comprises a comparison to competing products.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

distribute the second survey;

receive responses to the second survey;

analyze the responses to the second survey automatically; and

obtain a third survey based on the analysis of the responses to the second survey.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein:

the first survey comprises a general survey; and

the second survey comprises a specific survey that is selected based on the responses to the general survey.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein:

the first survey comprises a general survey; and

the second survey is obtained by;

selecting sets of questions from a database based on the responses to the first survey; and

combining the selected sets of questions to create the second survey.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein analyzing comprises validating the responses.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

determine results of the first survey based on the responses; and

display the results of the first survey.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the results of the first survey are displayed on a graphical user interface.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the analysis comprises:

identifying information in the responses that correlates to predetermined criteria; and

displaying the information on the graphical user interface.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein analyzing is performed by computer software without human intervention.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein:

the first survey is distributed over a computer network to a plurality of respondents; and

the responses are received at a server, which performs the analysis, over a computer network.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein:

the first survey contains questions, each of the questions being formatted as a computer-readable tag; and

the responses comprise replies to the questions, the replies being formatted as part of the computer-readable tag.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein analyzing is performed using the computer-readable tags.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

store a library of survey templates;

obtain the first and second surveys using the library of templates.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first and second surveys are obtained by:

selecting survey templates; and

adding information to the selected survey templates based on a proprietor of the first and second surveys.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

recommend the second survey based on the responses to the first survey;

wherein obtaining comprises retrieving the second survey in response to selection of the second survey.

16. A graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

a first area for selecting an action to perform with respect to a survey; and

a second area for displaying information that relates to the survey.

25. A computer-readable medium that stores executable instructions that cause a computer to:

distribute a first survey;

receive responses to the first survey;

analyze the responses automatically; and

obtain a second survey based on the analysis of the responses.

40. An apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions to;

distribute a first survey;

receive responses to the first survey;

analyze the responses automatically; and

obtain a second survey based on the analysis of the responses.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor executes instructions to:

distribute the second survey;

receive responses to the second survey;

analyze the responses to the second survey automatically; and

obtain a third survey based on the analysis of the responses to the second survey.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the first survey comprises a general survey; and

the second survey comprises a specific survey that is selected based on the responses to the general survey.

43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the first survey comprises a general survey; and

the second survey is obtained by;

selecting sets of questions from a database based on the responses to the first survey; and

combining the selected sets of questions to create the second survey.

44. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein analyzing comprises validating the responses.

45. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor executes instructions to:

determine results of the first survey based on the responses; and

display the results of the first survey.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the results of the first survey are displayed on a graphical user interface.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the analysis comprises:

identifying information in the responses that correlates to predetermined criteria; and

displaying the information on the graphical user interface.

48. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein analyzing is performed by computer software without human intervention.

49. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the first survey is distributed over a computer network to a plurality of respondents; and

the responses are received at a server, which performs the analysis, over a computer network.

50. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the first survey contains questions, each of the questions being formatted as a computer-readable tag; and

the responses comprise replies to each of the questions, the replies being formatted as the computer-readable tag.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein analyzing is performed using the computer-readable tags.

52. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor executes instructions to:

store a library of survey templates;

obtain the first and second surveys using the library of templates.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the first and second surveys are obtained by:

selecting survey templates; and

adding information to the selected survey templates based on a proprietor of the first and second surveys.

54. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the processor executes instructions to recommend the second survey based on the responses to the first survey; and

obtaining comprises retrieving the second survey in response to selection of the second survey.

55. A method comprising:

distributing a first survey;

receiving responses to the first survey;

analyzing the responses; and

obtaining a second survey based on the analysis of the responses;

wherein distributing and receiving are performed manually via an automated call distribution system and analyzing and obtaining are performed automatically using computer software.