System and method for determining and implementing best practice in a distributed workforce
First Claim
1. A method of determining a best practice for performing a task, comprising:
- defining a provisional-best-practice for performing the task based on collaboration among a plurality of designated team members;
creating a test for determining individual-preferred-practice for performing the task, the test comprising at least one test question and an answer corresponding to each test question;
administering the test to a plurality of test takers comprising individuals who perform the task but are not designated team members;
determining for each of the plurality of test takers a test score representing the degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the provisional-best-practice;
identifying each test question for which the corresponding test answer disagrees with answers to that test question provided by a predetermined proportion of test takers whose test scores represent at least a selected degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the provisional-best-practice; and
deciding, responsive to the identifying step, whether the provisional-best-practice can be designated as the best practice.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for determining, distributing and implementing the best practice for performing a task, and for assessing deviations from that best practice. A feature of the invention involves the identification of qualified reviewers from among workers who perform the task, in order to facilitate and expedite assessment of other workers'"'"' performance of the task, and to help prompt interest by other workers in learning and implementing the best practice. Other features include rapid identification of best practices, which enables organizations to adapt their best practices as changes occur in the industry and in customer expectations. The systems and methods of the present invention are especially useful in the context of organizations, such as insurance companies, whose workforces may be distributed over a number of offices.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method of determining a best practice for performing a task, comprising:
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defining a provisional-best-practice for performing the task based on collaboration among a plurality of designated team members;
creating a test for determining individual-preferred-practice for performing the task, the test comprising at least one test question and an answer corresponding to each test question;
administering the test to a plurality of test takers comprising individuals who perform the task but are not designated team members;
determining for each of the plurality of test takers a test score representing the degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the provisional-best-practice;
identifying each test question for which the corresponding test answer disagrees with answers to that test question provided by a predetermined proportion of test takers whose test scores represent at least a selected degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the provisional-best-practice; and
deciding, responsive to the identifying step, whether the provisional-best-practice can be designated as the best practice. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 56, 57)
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8. A method of determining a best practice for performing a task, comprising:
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defining a provisional-best-practice for performing the task based on collaboration among a plurality of designated team members;
creating over a first network a test for determining individual-preferred-practice for performing the task, the test comprising at least one test question and an answer corresponding to each test question;
administering the test over a second network to a plurality of test takers comprising individuals who perform the task but are not designated team members;
determining for each of the plurality of test takers a test score representing the degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the provisional-best-practice;
identifying each test question for which the corresponding test answer disagrees with answers to that test question provided by a predetermined proportion of test takers whose test scores represent at least a selected degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the provisional-best-practice; and
deciding, responsive to the identifying step, whether the provisional-best-practice can be designated as the best practice.
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9. A method of testing individuals who perform a task for consistency between individual-preferred-practice for performing the task and a best practice for performing the task, comprising:
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creating a test for determining individual-preferred-practice for performing the task, the test comprising at least one test question and an answer corresponding to each test question;
administering the test to a plurality of test takers comprising individuals who perform the task;
determining for each of the plurality of test takers a test score representing the degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the best practice;
identifying each test question for which the corresponding test answer disagrees with answers to that test question provided by a predetermined proportion of test takers whose test scores represent at least a selected degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the best practice; and
modifying the test responsive to the identifying step. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 58, 59)
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16. A method of testing individuals who perform a task for consistency between individual-preferred-practice for performing the task and a best practice for performing the task, comprising:
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creating over a first network a test for determining individual-preferred-practice for performing the task, the test comprising at least one test question and an answer corresponding to each test question;
administering the test over a second network to a plurality of test takers comprising individuals who perform the task;
determining for each of the plurality of test takers a test score representing the degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the best practice;
identifying each test question for which the corresponding test answer disagrees with answers to that test question provided by a predetermined proportion of test takers whose test scores represent at least a selected degree of consistency between individual-preferred-practice and the best practice; and
modifying the test responsive to the identifying step.
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29. A method of distributed calibration of a test, comprising:
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creating a test, the test comprising at least one test question and a provisional-best-answer corresponding to each test question;
administering the test to a plurality of test takers;
determining for each of the plurality of test takers a test score representing the degree of consistency between provisional-best-answers and test-taker-answers;
identifying each test question for which the provisional-best-answer disagrees with the test-taker-answer provided by a predetermined proportion of test takers whose test scores represent at least a selected degree of overall consistency between provisional-best-answers and test-taker-answers; and
deciding, responsive to the identifying step, whether the provisional-best-answers can be designated as the best answers. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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36. A method of distributed calibration of a test, comprising:
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creating over a first network a test, the test comprising at least one test question and a provisional-best-answer corresponding to each test question;
administering the test over a second network to a plurality of test takers;
determining for each of the plurality of test takers a test score representing the degree of consistency between provisional-best-answers and test-taker-answers;
identifying each test question for which the provisional-best-answer disagrees with the test-taker-answer provided by a predetermined proportion of test takers whose test scores represent at least a selected degree of overall consistency between provisional-best-answers and test-taker-answers; and
deciding, responsive to the identifying step, whether the provisional-best-answers can be designated as the best answers.
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46. A method for assessing compliance with a best practice for performing a task, comprising the steps of:
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identifying the best practice;
creating a test to measure consistency between individual-preferred-practice for performing the task and the best practice;
administering the test to members of a group of individuals who perform the task;
designating, responsive to the administering step, at least one member of the group as a qualified reviewer, conducting a review, by at least one qualified reviewer, of actual practices of other individuals for performing the task; and
analyzing, responsive to the review-conducting step, the consistency of the actual practices with the best practice. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 62, 63)
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51. A method for identifying the best practice for performing a task and measuring compliance with it, comprising the steps of:
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developing a questionnaire to identify steps that are involved in performing the task;
administering the questionnaire to individuals who are experts in performing the task;
identifying, responsive to the questionnaire-administering step, a best practice for performing the task;
creating a test to measure consistency between individual-preferred-practice for performing the task and the best practice;
administering the test to a members of a group of individuals who perform the task;
designating, responsive to the administering step, at least one member of the group as a qualified reviewer, conducting a review, by at least one qualified reviewer, of actual practices of other individuals for performing the task; and
analyzing, responsive to the review-conducting step, the consistency of the actual practices with the best practice.
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52. A method of determining a best practice for performing a task, comprising:
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convening a plurality of successful performers of the task;
collaborating, among the successful performers, to develop a questionnaire concerning steps taken in performing the task;
administering the questionnaire to the plurality of successful performers with respect to at least one case of actual practice involving performance of the task;
evaluating the results of the questionnaire-administering step; and
converging, responsive to the evaluating step, on the best practice. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54)
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55. A method of determining a best practice for performing a task, comprising:
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convening a plurality of successful performers of the task;
collaborating, among the successful performers, over a network to develop a questionnaire concerning the steps taken in performing the task;
administering the questionnaire over a second network to the plurality of successful performers with respect to at least one case of actual practice involving performance of the task;
evaluating the results of the questionnaire-administering step; and
converging, responsive to the evaluating step, on the best practice.
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Specification