Survey generation system

• US 20050193333A1
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ebert, Peter S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A survey generation system is described that allows a survey designer to design and implement a survey for obtaining feedback from participants of the survey. Survey components are displayed within a first portion of a user interface, where each survey component is associated with a type of survey question. The survey designer may select one or more of the survey components by “dragging and dropping” the selected survey component to a second portion of the user interface, where the survey generation system automatically creates an editable instance of the selected survey component and corresponding question type. The survey designer may enter a desired question, and associated answer choices, if any. In this way, the survey designer designs the survey in an easy, fast, and intuitive manner, and, in particular, views the survey as it will appear to the participant, even during the design of the survey.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a survey component generator operable to provide survey components for display within a designer view of a user interface for selection by a survey designer, and further operable to generate an editable instance of each of a plurality of selected ones of the survey components, for display and editing within a participant view of the user interface; and

a survey assembler operable to receive edited instances of the plurality of selected survey components displayed in the participant view of the user interface, for assembly into a survey for output to a survey participant.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the designer view of the survey components and the participant view of at least some of the editable or edited instances of the selected survey components are displayed to the survey designer simultaneously during a designing of the survey.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the survey components include drag-and-drop elements displayed within the designer view and the editable instances include dragged-and-dropped instances of one or more of the survey components within the participant view.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the survey components are identified within the designer view as corresponding to a survey question type, and wherein the editable survey components include an editable question or answer field that corresponds to the survey question type.

5. The system of claim 1 comprising a results compiler that is operable to receive survey input from a plurality of survey participants for aggregation of the survey input.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the survey component generator is operable to generate the survey components as extensible Mark-up Language (XML) components, and further wherein the survey assembler is operable to assemble, save, and output the survey as an XML document.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the participant view includes a first screen of editable or edited instances of the selected survey components, and a second screen of editable or edited instances of the selected survey components.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the first screen displays a first index marker and the second screen displays a second index marker.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the designer view includes a first save function for saving the first screen and the second screen individually, and a second save function for saving the survey, such that the survey assembler is operable to assemble the first screen and the second screen into the survey in response to selection of the second save function by the survey designer.

10. The system of claim 1 comprising an integrator for supplying the survey to an external application, such that the survey may be supplied to users of the external application.

11. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of survey components within a first portion of a user interface;

receiving a selection of at least some of the survey components by a survey designer;

displaying editable instances of the selected survey components within a second portion of the user interface; and

receiving edits to the editable instances of the selected survey components to obtain edited instances of the selected survey components, while displaying the plurality of survey components within the first portion of the user interface.

12. The method of claim 11 the receiving the selection and the displaying editable instances comprise providing a drag-and-drop functionality for the survey components such that the editable instances include dragged-and-dropped instances of one or more of the survey components.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising aggregating the edited instances of the survey components into a survey.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising:

identifying the edited instances of the survey components as a first indexed set of edited instances of the survey components;

removing the first indexed set from the second portion of the user interface;

displaying additional editable instances of further-selected survey components within the second portion of the user interface;

receiving edits to the additional editable instances of the further-selected survey components, to obtain additional edited instances of the further-selected survey components, while displaying the plurality of survey components within the first portion of the user interface; and

identifying the additional edited instances of the further-selected survey components as a second indexed set of edited instances of the survey components.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising:

including the first indexed set and the second indexed set within the survey; and

outputting the survey to a survey participant for viewing according to the first indexed set and the second indexed set.

16. The method of claim 13 comprising outputting the survey to a user-feedback application, such that the survey designer may include the survey within a user-feedback campaign.

17. A user interface comprising:

a first portion for displaying survey components that are each associated with a type of survey question; and

a second portion for displaying editable instances of selected ones of the survey components for editing by a survey designer, to thereby obtain a plurality of survey questions, while the first portion is displaying the survey components,

wherein the editable instances are supplied and placed within the second portion by way of a dragging-and-dropping of the selected ones of the survey components between the first portion and the second portion.

18. The user interface of claim 17 wherein the second portion displays one set of a plurality of sets of the survey questions at a time, and the plurality of sets are indexed for selection by the survey designer or by a participant of the survey questions.

19. The user interface of claim 18 wherein the first portion includes a first save function for saving the sets of the survey questions, and a second save function for saving the survey questions in their entirety.

20. The user interface of claim 19 wherein the second portion includes an index identifier that identifies a currently-viewed set of the sets of the survey questions, and that allows navigation between the sets of the survey questions.