Obtaining user feedback in a networking environment

• US 20070226201A1
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hezroni, Yaron, Subramanian, Sushmita, Rao, Vivek, Wissink, Catherine, Seubert, Roxanne, Lerum, Cameron, Archer, Emma
• Application Number:
  US11/388,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields

Abstract

As a user interacts with a program, an object may be presented that, when invoked, allows the user to provide feedback about content encountered when using a program. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided that collects feedback from the user at a centralized computer system. The method includes allowing a user to generate an event in order to provide feedback while using a program. In response to the event being generated, the method collects a set of data that includes (1) contextual data from which the source of the content may be identified; (2) the identity of the content selected by the user; and (3) user generated feedback that describes an issue with the content. Then, the set of data is communicated from a computer associated with the user to a centralized computer system.

Claims

1. In a networking environment that includes a computer system for collecting data from a plurality of sources and a computer associated with a user, a computer-implemented method of obtaining feedback from the user, the method comprising:

(a) allowing the user to generate an event while using a program to provide feedback;

(b) in response to the event being generated, collecting a set of data that includes;

(i) contextual data from which the source of the content may be identified;

(ii) content selected by the user;

(iii) user-generated feedback that describes an issue with the content selected by the user; and

(c) communicating the set of data from the computer associated with the user to the computer system that collects data from a plurality of sources.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

(a) receiving the set of data at the computer system that collects data obtained from a plurality of sources; and

(b) providing a network location where the user may track the status of the issue.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the event is generated when the user activates a GUI object presented in the program;

and

wherein allowing the user to generate an event includes providing a class from which the GUI object may be instantiated.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the program is a Web browser and the user generates the event by activating a GUI object presented on a hypertext document.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein collecting a set of data includes identifying a string of text selected by the user with an input device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein collecting the set of data includes presenting a menu that contains selectable menu items for categorizing the issue.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the contextual data to identify an entity that is responsible for the content selected by the user.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the contextual data collected includes a resource identifier for the content selected by the user.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the contextual data collected includes:

(a) the identity and version of the operating system installed on the computer associated with the user; and

(b) the identity of the program and version that presented the content that was selected by the user.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the contextual data collected includes files, dialogs, or strings that are associated with the content selected by the user.

11. In a networking environment with a central server computer that is communicatively connected to a plurality of client computers, a software system that aggregates feedback generated at the client computers in a central location, the software system comprising:

(a) a feedback routine associated with the client computers that is operative to;

(i) obtain feedback data that describes an issue with content presented to the user;

(ii) cause the feedback data to be communicated from a client computer to the central server computer;

(b) a backend database associated with the central server computer that stores data obtained from the client computers; and

(c) a database application associated with the central server computer operative to manage and filter data stored in the backend database.

12. The software system as recited in claim 11, further comprising an operating system associated with the client computers that are operative to:

(a) manage the execution of a program; and

(b) allow the program to instantiate a selectable GUI object that initiates execution of the feedback routine when selected.

13. The software system as recited in claim 11, wherein the operating system includes a transport level communication system;

and

wherein the feedback routine uses the transport level communication system to cause the feedback data to be communicated from a client computer to the central server computer.

14. The software system as recited in claim 11, further comprising a Web portal associated with the central server computer that is operative to:

(a) receive feedback data from the client computer and store the feedback data in the backend database; and

(b) provide a network location where the user may track the status of the issue.

15. The software system as recited in claim 11, wherein the feedback routine is further configured to collect data that:

(a) identifies the content selected by the user; and

(b) describes a software state of a client computer.

16. The software system as recited in claim 15, wherein the database application is further configured to map the content selected by the user to an entity that is responsible for the content.

17. A computer-readable medium containing computer-readable instructions that when executed in a computer networking environment with a computer system that collects data from a plurality of sources and a computer associated with a user, performs a method of obtaining feedback from the user, the method comprising:

(a) receiving notice that a GUI object was selected;

(b) causing the user to identify the content in which feedback will be provided;

(c) obtaining a description of the issue from the user regarding the content;

(d) communicating a set of data from the computer associated with the user to the computer system that collects data from a plurality of sources; and

(e) wherein the set of data includes;

(i) contextual data from which the source of the content may be identified;

(ii) content identified by the user; and

(iii) description of the issue.

18. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

(a) receiving the set of data at the computer system that collects the data from a plurality of sources; and

(b) providing a network location where the user may track the status of the issue.

19. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the contextual data communicated from the computer associated with the user to the computer system that collects data from a plurality of sources further includes:

(a) a resource identifier for the content selected by the user.

(b) the identity and version of the operating system installed on the computer associated with the user;

(c) the identity of the program and version that presented the content that was selected by the user; and

(d) the identity of files, dialogs, or strings that are associated with the content selected by the user.

20. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the GUI object is presented on a Web page and the user generates the event by performing a pointer activation event on the GUI object.