System and method for resource optimization

• US 20050125274A1
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Treger, Jerold R., Pittman, Chris, Nastacio, Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The present invention includes a method and system to facilitate managing of local and remote resources. The invention facilitates access to a resource engine, for the automatic grading, tracking, scoring, and assigning of resources based on the resource'"'"'s skills and skill sets. The invention also facilitates the automatic grading, tracking, scoring, and assigning of tasks and/or applications based on the skills and skill sets needed to perform the tasks and/or applications. The invention uses one or more engines to combine relationships for resources, tasks, skills and time entry to determine expected completion times and efficiencies. The engine may include grading and scoring a resource'"'"'s skills sets, dividing applications into various tasks, determining the desired resource skills sets to complete the tasks, and matching a resource'"'"'s skills sets with the desired skills sets for the tasks.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating at least one of the management, assignment, grading, and tracking of at least one of resources, tasks, applications, and skills, said method including:

obtaining information related to application problems;

defining tasks associated with said application problems;

determining desired resource skills to complete said tasks; and

managing said resource skills and said tasks, wherein managing includes at least one of;

grading skills sets of at least one of local and remote resources to determine resource skills sets scores;

assigning said resources to said tasks based on said desired resource skills and said resource skills sets scores, and tracking said resource skills based on task completion times.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining information, defining tasks, determining desired resource skills, and managing said resources and tasks is at least one of automatic and manual.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said tracking further includes:

combining relationships for resources, tasks, skills and time entry to determine expected completion times and efficiencies.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining information related to applications problems further comprises the step of accessing a system for the management, assignment, grading, and tracking of at least one of resources, tasks, applications, and skills, said step of accessing includes:

inputting authentication information including at least one of a name, password, and identification;

verifying said authentication information; and

transmitting at least one of a homepage and webpage for interfacing with said system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of managing said resource skills and said tasks includes the step of optimizing resources, tasks, applications, and skills.

6. A computer-implemented method that facilitates the assignment of a resource to tasks and applications;

said method comprising;

obtaining information on applications problems;

defining tasks associated with said application problems;

determining the desired resource skills to complete said tasks; and

managing said resources and tasks, wherein managing includes;

automatically grading resources to determine resource skills scores and automatically assigning said resources to said tasks based on said desired resource skills and said resource skills scores.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein obtaining information, defining tasks, determining desired resource skills, and managing said resources and tasks is at least one of automatic and manual.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said grading includes comparing actual and expected task completion times.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said grading includes comparing resource efficiencies relating to application tasks.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising accessing a system for the management, assignment, grading, and tracking of at least one of resources, tasks, applications, and skills.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of managing resource skills and tasks includes determining whether a first resource can work a task, based upon a first resource schedule.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of managing resource skills and tasks further includes reassigning said task to a second resource, based upon a second resource schedule, if said first resource schedule does not allow for assignment of said task.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein said devices configured to facilitate obtaining information, the defining of tasks, the determination of desired resource skills sets, and the management of said resources and tasks configured to be automatic and manual.

15. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a device configured to facilitate grading and tracking said resources and said tasks by the use of an algorithm, said algorithm based upon at least one of;

the completion times for said application tasks and comparisons of resource efficiencies relating to application tasks.

13. An automated system that comprises:

a computer-implemented device configured to facilitate at least one of the management, assignment, grading, and tracking of at least one of resources, tasks, applications, and skills, said method including;

a device configured to facilitate obtaining information on applications problems;

a device configured to facilitate the defining of tasks associated with said application problems;

a device configured to facilitate a determination of the desired resource skills sets to complete said tasks; and

a device configured to facilitate the management of said resources and tasks, wherein said device includes at least one of;

a device configured to facilitate the automatic grading of skills sets of at least one of local and remote resources to determine resource skills sets scores;

a device configured to facilitate the automatic assignment of said resources to said tasks based on said desired resource skills sets and said resource skills sets scores, and a device configured to facilitate the automatic tracking of said resources based on task completion times.

16. An automated system that comprises:

a device configured to facilitate at least one of the management, assignment, grading, and tracking of at least one of resources, tasks, applications, and skills, said device including;

a device configured to facilitate the grading of skills sets for a resource to establish a resource score;

a device configured to facilitate the defining of tasks comprising an application;

a device configured to facilitate the determination of the skills sets desired to complete said application tasks to establish a task score; and

a device configured to facilitate matching said resource with said application tasks, wherein said device configured to facilitate matching uses an algorithm based on said resource and task scores.