Web site map with author awareness

• US 20040122740A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McCarrick, Richard L., Pohs, Wendi L.
• Application Number:
  US10/329,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted

Abstract

A method and system for providing customer information. The method comprises the steps of providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy, each of said items having an author; and editing that taxonomy and adding said items to a web site map, according to the edited taxonomy. The method comprises the further steps of determining person awareness in real time for each said author, and providing a visual indication of that person awareness for each said item on said web site map. Preferably, items are classified with others of related content, each listing of an item in the taxonomy includes the author'"'"'s name, and the name includes an indication of whether the author is currently available for a real-time chat with the reader. If so, the reader can send a message to the author and conduct an online conversation, obtaining further information personally from the author.

Claims

1. A method of providing customer information, comprising the steps of:

providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy, each of said items having an author;

editing said taxonomy and adding said items to a Web site map, according to said edited taxonomy;

determining person awareness in real time for each said author; and

providing a visual indication of said person awareness for each said item on said web site map.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy includes the steps of:

providing a Web server with knowledge management software;

using the knowledge management software to organize the content items into a preliminary taxonomy; and

editing the preliminary taxonomy to obtain an edited taxonomy.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy includes the further step of using the knowledge management software to check the Web site at defined times for items added to the Web site during a given time period.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing content items includes the step of listing each item on the Web site, each listing of an item also including a subject or title for the item, a description of the item, and the name of the author of the item.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step includes the steps of:

providing a Web serer with a messaging/meeting software program; and

said authors, using the software program to identify the authors current availability.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of, if the author of the item is identified as currently available, a user of the Web site initiating further communications with said author through the messaging/meeting software program.

7. A system for providing customer information, comprising:

means for providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy, each of said items having an associated expert;

means for editing said taxonomy and adding said items to a Web site map, according to said edited taxonomy;

means for determining person awareness in real time for each said expert; and

means for providing a visual indication of said person awareness for each said item on said web site map.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the means for providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy includes a Web server with knowledge management software, for using the knowledge management software to organize the content items into a preliminary taxonomy, and for editing the preliminary taxonomy to obtain an edited taxonomy.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the Web server further uses the knowledge management software to check the Web site at defined times for items added to the Web site during a given time period.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein the means for providing content items includes means for listing each item on the Web site, each listing of an item also including a subject or title for the item, a description of the item, and the name of the expert associated with the item.

11. A system according to claim 7, wherein:

the means for determining includes a Web server with a messaging/meeting software program; and

said experts use the software program to identify the experts current availability.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the Web server enables a user of the Web site to initiate further communications with one of the experts through the messaging/meeting software program if said one expert is identified as currently available

13. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing customer information, said method steps comprising:

providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy, each of said items having an author;

editing said taxonomy and adding said items to a Web site map, according to said edited taxonomy;

determining person awareness in real time for each said author; and

providing a visual indication of said person awareness for each said item on said web site map.

14. A program storage device according to claim 13, wherein the step of providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy includes the steps of:

using knowledge management software provided on a Web server to organize the content items into a preliminary taxonomy; and

editing the preliminary taxonomy to obtain an edited taxonomy.

15. A program storage device according to claim 14, wherein the step of providing content items classified into a categorization taxonomy includes the further step of using the knowledge management software to check the Web site at defined times for items added to the Web site during a given time period.

16. A program storage device according to claim 13, wherein the step of providing content items includes the step of listing each item on the Web site, each listing of an item also including a subject or title for the item, a description of the item, and the name of the author of the item.

17. A program storage device according to claim 13, wherein the determining step includes the steps of enabling authors, using a messaging/meeting software program on a Web server to identify the authors current availability.

18. A program storage device according to claim 17, wherein said method further comprises the step of a user of the Web site initiating further communications with one of the authors through the messaging/meeting software program if said one of the authors is identified as currently available.