System and method for monitoring key performance indicators in a business

• US 20030110249A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
• Inventors: Malaher, Tom, Muller, Michael, Schwartz, Keith, Gaz, Randall, Buus, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 7,188,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system for monitoring business performance indicators in a networked environment. The system comprises a data source having a predefined format, an agent communicatively coupled to the data source, wherein the agent is configured according to the data source format and wherein the agent is operative to gather data from the data source and translate the data into a first modified format thereby creating modified data. The systems also comprises a reaper communicatively coupled to the agent and configured to retrieve the modified data from the agent, a data repository communicatively coupled to the reaper and configured to store the modified data, an alert detector communicatively coupled to the data repository and configured to compare the modified data with a first configuration parameter, and a dashboard controller communicatively coupled to the data repository and configured to display the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring business performance indicators in a networked environment, comprising:

a data source having a predefined format;

an agent communicatively coupled to the data source, wherein the agent is configured according to the data source format and wherein the agent is operative to gather data from the data source and translate the data into a first modified format thereby creating modified data;

a reaper communicatively coupled to the agent and configured to retrieve the modified data from the agent;

a data repository communicatively coupled to the reaper and configured to store the modified data;

an alert detector communicatively coupled to the data repository and configured to compare the modified data with a first configuration parameter; and

a dashboard controller communicatively coupled to the data repository and configured to display the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an agent polling configuration file communicatively coupled to the reaper and configured to store a data polling schedule and provide the data polling schedule to the reaper.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an alert configuration file communicatively coupled to the alert detector and adapted to store the first configuration parameter.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a visual configuration file communicatively coupled to the dashboard controller and adapted to store the second configuration parameter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the dashboard controller comprises an interface for translating the modified data into a user-readable format.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the dashboard controller further comprises a memory cache.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the dashboard controller comprises a plurality of interfaces for translating the modified data into a plurality of user-readable formats.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device communicatively coupled to the dashboard controller and adapted to present the modified data in a user-readable format.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user-readable format is Hyper-Text Markup Language.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the user-readable format is Wireless Markup Language.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the display device is a monitor.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the display device is a cellular phone.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the display device is a pager.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a VoiceXML interface communicatively coupled with the dashboard controller.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source is a proprietary data source.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source is a legacy data source.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source is a third-party application.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source resides on a local area network.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source resides on a wide area network.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source is accessible through the Internet.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the reaper is in two way communication with the agent.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert detector is adapted to send a notification based on the comparison between the modified data and the first configuration parameter.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the notification is sent via an email message.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the notification is sent via a pager message.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the notification is sent via an SNMP trap.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the notification is sent via an internet browser alert.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the networked environment is an electronic commerce system.

28. A system for monitoring business performance indicators in a networked environment, comprising:

a data source having a predefined format;

an agent communicatively coupled to the data source, wherein the agent is configured according to the data source format and wherein the agent is operative to gather data from the data source and translate the data into a first modified format thereby creating modified data;

a reaper communicatively coupled to the agent and configured to retrieve the modified data from the agent;

a repository manager communicatively coupled to the reaper;

a data repository communicatively coupled to the repository manger;

an alert detector communicatively coupled to the repository manager; and

a dashboard controller communicatively coupled to the repository manager.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the repository manager includes a cache, and wherein the repository manger is configured to manage the storage of the modified data within the data repository.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising an alert detector communicatively coupled to the repository manager and configured to compare the modified data with a first configuration parameter.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the repository manager is in two way communication with the reaper.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the data repository is in two way communication with the repository manager.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the alert detector is in two way communication with the repository manager.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the dashboard controller is in two way communication with the repository manager.

35. A system for monitoring a plurality of business metrics in a networked environment, comprising:

a plurality of data sources, wherein each of the plurality of data sources has a predefined format;

a plurality of agents, wherein each of the plurality of agents is communicatively coupled to one of the plurality of data sources, wherein each of the plurality of agents is configured according to the predefined format of the corresponding data source, and wherein each of the plurality of agents is operative to gather data from the corresponding data source and translate the data into a first modified format thereby creating modified data; and

a reaper communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of agents and configured to retrieve the modified data from each of the plurality of agents.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising a dashboard controller communicatively coupled to the reaper and configured to display the modified data in a format defined by a configuration parameter.

37. A method for monitoring a business metric in a networked environment, comprising:

coupling to a data source having a known format, wherein the data source includes data that represents the business metric;

configuring an agent according to the data source format;

gathering the data from the data source via the agent;

translating the data into a first modified format;

storing the modified data in a data repository;

comparing the modified data with an alert parameter range;

displaying the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter;

determining whether the modified data falls within the alert parameter range; and

producing an alert if the modified data falls within the alert parameter range.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the data source is a third party application accessible through a URL address.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising interfacing with a display device, wherein displaying the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter is implemented on the display device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the display device is a cell phone.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the display device is a pager.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the display device is a personal computer monitor.

43. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of:

coupling to a data source having a known format, wherein the data source includes data that represents the business metric;

configuring an agent according to the data source format;

gathering the data from the data source via the agent;

translating the data into a first modified format;

storing the modified data in a data repository;

comparing the modified data with an alert parameter range;

displaying the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter;

determining whether the modified data falls within the alert parameter range; and

producing an alert if the modified data falls within the alert parameter range.

44. A method for monitoring a business metric in a networked environment, comprising:

means for coupling to a data source having a known format, wherein the data source includes data that represents the business metric;

means for configuring an agent according to the data source format;

means for gathering the data from the data source via the agent;

means for translating the data into a first modified format;

means for storing the modified data in a data repository;

means for comparing the modified data with an alert parameter range;

means for displaying the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter;

means for determining whether the modified data falls within the alert parameter range; and

means for producing an alert if the modified data falls within the alert parameter range.

45. A system for monitoring a business metric in a networked environment, comprising:

a processor;

a data storage device; and

an instruction set residing on the data storage device, wherein the instruction set is configured to perform a method, the method comprising

coupling to a data source having a known format, wherein the data source includes data that represents the business metric;

configuring an agent according to the data source format;

gathering the data from the data source via the agent;

translating the data into a first modified format;

storing the modified data in a data repository;

comparing the modified data with an alert parameter range;

displaying the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter;

determining whether the modified data falls within the alert parameter range; and

producing an alert if the modified data falls within the alert parameter range.

46. A system for monitoring business performance indicators in a networked environment, comprising:

a data source having a predefined format;

a collector communicatively coupled to the data source, wherein the collector is configured according to the data source format and wherein the collector is operative to gather data from the data source and translate the data into a first modified format thereby creating modified data;

a controller communicatively coupled to the collector and configured to retrieve the modified data from the collector;

a storage device communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to store the modified data;

an alert detector communicatively coupled to the storage device and configured to compare the modified data with a first configuration parameter; and

a display interface communicatively coupled to the storage device and configured to display the modified data in a visual dashboard format defined by a second configuration parameter.

47. A system for monitoring business performance indicators in a networked environment, comprising:

a collector adapted to communicatively coupled to a data source having a predetermined format, wherein the collector is configured according to the data source format and wherein the collector is operative to gather data from the data source and translate the data into a first modified format thereby creating modified data;

a data manager communicatively coupled to the collector and configured to manage the input and output of the modified data between the collector and a data storage device, wherein the data manager is adapted to communicatively couple with an alert device; and

a display interface communicatively coupled to the data manager and configured to display the modified data in a format defined by a second configuration parameter.