IVR system manager

• US 20070192113A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Sadowski, Stephanie, Benvegnu, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

An IVR system designer receives design specification data (which may be either state definition data or IVR system document data) and stores it in a database. A design specification report can be generated based on the stored design specification data. The report may correspond to a chosen period of time or it may correspond to chosen version of the IVR system. It may provide one or more of the following: a summary of a state within the IVR system, a listing of the previous states that lead to the current state, prompts for the state, inputs for the state, a listing of decision outcomes, key performance indicator triggers for the state, global commands that are active in the state, business units for which the state is applicable, a sample dialogues listing, test scripts listing for testing the IVR system, a change history listing for the system, a design flow diagram for the system, or pseudo-code listing for a portion of the system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for maintaining IVR system specification information for an Interactive Voice Response (“

IVR”

) system, comprising;

receiving design specification data for the IVR system from a computer user, where the design specification data is state definition data or IVR system documentation data;

storing the design specification data in a database; and

generating a design specification report from the stored design specification data.

2. The method from claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an IVR specification change from the computer user for the IVR system; and

storing the IVR specification change in the database;

wherein the design specification report reflects a design change in the IVR system.

3. The method from claim 2, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

4. The method from claim 2, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

5. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification data is received from a plurality of computer users.

6. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification report comprises a state details report that summarizes at least one state for the IVR system.

7. The method from claim 6, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of previous states that lead to the at least one state.

8. The method from claim 6, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of prompts.

9. The method from claim 6, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of inputs.

10. The method from claim 6, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of decision outcomes.

11. The method from claim 6, wherein the state details report lists key performance indicator triggers for the state.

12. The method from claim 6, wherein the state details report indicates global commands that are active in the at least one state.

13. The method from claim 6, wherein the state details report indicates business units for which the at least one state is applicable.

14. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification report comprises a sample dialogues listing for the IVR system.

15. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification report comprises a test scripts listing for testing the IVR system.

16. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification report comprises a change history listing for the IVR system.

17. The method from claim 16, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

18. The method from claim 16, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

19. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification report comprises a global commands summary.

20. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification report comprises a design flow diagram for the IVR system.

21. The method from claim 1, wherein the design specification report comprises a pseudo-code listing for a portion of the IVR system.

22. A system for maintaining IVR system specification information for an Interactive Voice Response (“

IVR”

) system, comprising;

a data receiver for receiving design specification data for the IVR system from a computer user, where the design specification data is state definition data or IVR system documentation data;

a database for storing the design specification data; and

a report generator for generating a design specification report from the stored design specification data.

23. The system from claim 22, further comprising:

a change receiver for receiving an IVR specification change from the computer user for the IVR system and storing the IVR specification change in the database;

wherein the design specification report reflects the IVR specification change.

24. The system from claim 23, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

25. The system from claim 23, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

26. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification data is received from a plurality of computer users.

27. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification report comprises a state details report that summarizes at least one state for the IVR system.

28. The system from claim 27, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of previous states that lead to the at least one state.

29. The system from claim 27, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of prompts.

30. The system from claim 27, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of inputs.

31. The system from claim 27, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of decision outcomes.

32. The system from claim 27, wherein the state details report lists key performance indicator triggers for the state.

33. The system from claim 27, wherein the state details report indicates global commands that are active in the at least one state.

34. The system from claim 27, wherein the state details report indicates business units for which the at least one state is applicable.

35. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification report comprises a sample dialogues listing for the IVR system.

36. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification report comprises a test scripts listing for testing the IVR system.

37. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification report comprises a change history listing for the IVR system.

38. The system from claim 37, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

39. The system from claim 37, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

40. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification report comprises a global commands summary.

41. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification report comprises a design flow diagram for the IVR system.

42. The system from claim 22, wherein the design specification report comprises a pseudo-code listing for a portion of the IVR system.

65. The system from claim 22, further comprising:

means for receiving an IVR specification change from the computer user for the IVR system and storing the IVR specification change in the means for storing;

wherein the design specification report reflects the IVR specification change.

66. The system from claim 65, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

67. The system from claim 65, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

43. A computer program for maintaining IVR system specification information for an Interactive Voice Response (“

IVR”

) system, comprising;

a computer code segment for receiving design specification data for the IVR system from a computer user, where the design specification data is state definition data or IVR system documentation data;

a computer code segment for storing the design specification data in a database; and

a computer code segment for generating a design specification report from the stored design specification data.

44. The computer program from claim 43, further comprising:

a computer code segment for receiving an IVR specification change from the computer user for the IVR system and storing the IVR specification change in the database;

wherein the design specification report reflects the IVR specification change.

45. The computer program from claim 44, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

46. The computer program from claim 44, wherein the design specification report corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

47. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the state definition data is received from a plurality of computer users.

48. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the design specification report comprises a state details report that summarizes at least one state for the IVR system.

49. The computer program from claim 48, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of previous states that lead to the at least one state.

50. The computer program from claim 48, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of prompts.

51. The computer program from claim 48, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of inputs.

52. The computer program from claim 48, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of decision outcomes.

53. The computer program from claim 48, wherein the state details report lists key performance indicator triggers for the state.

54. The computer program from claim 48, wherein the state details report indicates global commands that are active in the at least one state.

55. The computer program from claim 48, wherein the state details report indicates business units for which the at least one state is applicable.

56. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the design specification report comprises a sample dialogues listing for the IVR system.

57. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the design specification report comprises a test scripts listing for testing the IVR system.

58. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the design specification report comprises a change history listing for the IVR system.

59. The computer program from claim 58, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

60. The computer program from claim 58, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

61. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the design specification report comprises a global commands summary.

62. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the design specification report comprises a design flow diagram for the IVR system.

63. The computer program from claim 43, wherein the design specification report comprises a pseudo-code listing for a portion of the IVR system.

64. A system for maintaining IVR system specification information for an Interactive Voice Response (“

IVR”

) system, comprising;

means for receiving design specification data for the IVR system from a computer user, where the design specification data is state definition data or IVR system documentation data;

means for storing the design specification data; and

means for generating a design specification report from the stored design specification data.

68. The system from claim 64, wherein the state definition data is received from a plurality of computer users.

69. The system from claim 64, wherein the design specification report comprises a state details report that summarizes at least one state for the IVR system.

70. The system from claim 69, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of previous states that lead to the at least one state.

71. The system from claim 69, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of prompts.

72. The system from claim 69, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of inputs.

73. The system from claim 69, wherein the state details report comprises a listing of decision outcomes.

74. The system from claim 69, wherein the state details report lists key performance indicator triggers for the state.

75. The system from claim 69, wherein the state details report indicates global commands that are active in the at least one state.

76. The system from claim 69, wherein the state details report indicates business units for which the at least one state is applicable.

77. The system from claim 64, wherein the design specification report comprises a sample dialogues listing for the IVR system.

78. The system from claim 64, wherein the design specification report comprises a test scripts listing for testing the IVR system.

79. The system from claim 64, wherein the design specification report comprises a change history listing for the IVR system.

80. The system from claim 79, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time chosen by the computer user.

81. The system from claim 79, wherein the change history listing corresponds to a period of time from a beginning system version chosen by the computer user to an ending system version chosen by the computer user.

82. The system from claim 64, wherein the design specification report comprises a global commands summary.

83. The system from claim 64, wherein the design specification report comprises a design flow diagram for the IVR system.

84. The system from claim 64, wherein the design specification report comprises a pseudo-code listing for a portion of the IVR system.