SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCED BUSINESS PROCESS MONITORING

• US 20100194560A1
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hufnagle, Richard, Hojecki, Edward, Ceria, Junlenon, Scully, Keith
• Application Number:
  US12/364,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20100194560A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for enhanced business process monitoring. The system may receive input identifying a transaction segment, receive past operational data associated with the transaction segment, generate a unique electronic signature associated with the transaction segment, associate a threshold with the transaction segment, and monitor the current operational data associated with the transaction segment to determine if the threshold has been exceeded.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the operational health of a business process, the system comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memory storage areas, the one or more processors configured to:

electronically receive input identifying a first transaction segment and a second transaction segment of a business process;

electronically receive (a) past operational data associated with the first transaction segment and (b) past operational data associated with the second transaction segment;

electronically generate (a) a unique electronic signature associated with the first transaction segment based on the past operational data associated with the first transaction segment and (b) a unique electronic signature associated with the second transaction segment based on the past operational data associated with the second transaction segment;

electronically associate (a) a first critical threshold with the first transaction segment and (b) a second critical threshold with the second transaction segment;

electronically receive (a) current operational data associated with the first transaction segment and (b) current operational data associated with second transaction segment;

electronically determine if the current operational data exceeds (a) the first critical threshold associated with the first transaction segment or (b) the second critical threshold associated with the second transaction segment; and

in response to a determination that the current operational data exceeds the first critical threshold or the second critical threshold, electronically generate an alert indicating that a critical threshold has been exceeded.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to electronically generate impact data in response to an alert indicating that the current operational data exceeds the first critical threshold or the second critical threshold, and wherein the impact data projects how the current operational data affects the business process.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a unique electronic signature associated with the business process based on the past operational data associated with the first and second transaction segments respectively.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to electronically associate (a) a first predictive threshold with the first transaction segment and (b) a second predictive threshold with the second transaction segment.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

electronically determine if the current operational data exceeds (a) the first predictive threshold associated with the first transaction segment or (b) the second predictive threshold associated with the second transaction segment; and

in response to a determination that the current operational data exceeds the first predictive threshold or the second predictive threshold, electronically generate an alert indicating that a predictive threshold has been exceeded.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to electronically generate impact data in response to the current operational data exceeding the first predictive threshold or the second predictive threshold, and wherein the impact data projects how the current operational data affects the business process.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the unique electronic signature associated with the first transaction segment and the unique electronic signature associated with the second transaction segment are displayed as a graphical representation.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

associate (a) a first degradation threshold with the first transaction segment and (b) a second degradation threshold with the second transaction segment;

electronically determine if the current operational data exceeds (a) the first degradation threshold associated with the first transaction segment or (b) the second degradation threshold associated with the second transaction segment; and

in response to a determination that the current operational data exceeds the first degradation threshold or the second degradation threshold, electronically generate an alert indicating that a degradation threshold has been exceeded.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to electronically generate impact data in response to the current operational data exceeding the first degradation threshold or the second degradation threshold, and wherein the impact data projects how the current operational data affects the business process.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the alert indicates that the second transaction segment cannot be initiated because of the degradation.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the past operational data associated with the first and second transaction segments respectively, includes transaction volume information over a fixed period of time.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the current operational data associated with the first and second transaction segments respectively, includes current transaction volume information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein:

the current operational data includes data associated with the respective transactions being processed via the business process,

the data associated with the respective transactions provides an indication if a status of a transaction has changed from a first status to a second status, and

the first status indicates the transaction is in the first transaction segment and the second status indicates the transaction is in the second transaction segment.

14. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion configured to receive input identifying a first transaction segment and a second transaction segment of a business process;

a second executable portion configured to electronically receive (a) past operational data associated with the first transaction segment and (b) past operational data associated with the second transaction segment;

a third executable portion configured to electronically generate (a) a unique electronic signature associated with the first transaction segment based on the past operational data associated with the first transaction segment and (b) a unique electronic signature associated with the second transaction segment based on the past operational data associated with the second transaction segment;

a fourth executable portion configured to electronically associate (a) a first critical threshold with the first transaction segment and (b) a second critical threshold with the second transaction segment;

a fifth executable portion configured to electronically receive (a) current operational data associated with the first transaction segment and (b) current operational data associated with second transaction segment;

a sixth executable portion configured to electronically determine if the current operational data exceeds (a) the first critical threshold associated with the first transaction segment or (b) the second critical threshold associated with the second transaction segment; and

a seventh executable portion configured to electronically generate an alert indicating that a critical threshold has been exceeded in response to a determination that the current operational data exceeds the first critical threshold or the second critical threshold.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising an eighth executable portion configured to electronically generate impact data in response to an alert indicating that the current operational data exceeds the first critical threshold or the second critical threshold, and wherein the impact data projects how the current operational data affects the business process.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising a ninth executable portion configured to generate a unique electronic signature associated with the business process based on the past operational data associated with the first and second transaction segments respectively.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising an eighth executable portion configured to electronically associate (a) a first predictive threshold with the first transaction segment and (b) a second predictive threshold with the second transaction segment.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

a ninth executable portion configured to electronically determine if the current operational data exceeds (a) the first predictive threshold associated with the first transaction segment or (b) the second predictive threshold associated with the second transaction segment; and

a tenth executable portion configured to electronically generate an alert indicating that a predictive threshold has been exceeded in response to a determination that the current operational data exceeds the first predictive threshold or the second predictive threshold.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising an eleventh executable portion configured to generate impact data in response to the current operational data exceeding the first predictive threshold or the second predictive threshold, and wherein the impact data projects how the current operational data affects the business process.

20. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the unique electronic signature associated with the first transaction segment and the unique electronic signature associated with the second transaction segment are displayed as a graphical representation.

21. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

an eighth executable portion configured to associate (a) a first degradation threshold with the first transaction segment and (b) a second degradation threshold with the second transaction segment;

a ninth executable portion configured to electronically determine if the current operational data exceeds (a) the first degradation threshold associated with the first transaction segment or (b) the second degradation threshold associated with the second transaction segment; and

a tenth executable portion configured to electronically generate an alert indicating that a degradation threshold has been exceeded in response to a determination that the current operational data exceeds the first degradation threshold or the second degradation threshold.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising an eleventh executable portion configured to electronically generate impact data in response to the current operational data exceeding the first degradation threshold or the second degradation threshold, and wherein the impact data projects how the current operational data affects the business process.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the alert indicates that the second transaction segment cannot be initiated because of the degradation.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the past operational data associated with the first and second transaction segments respectively, includes transaction volume information over a fixed period of time.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein the current operational data associated with the first and second transaction segments respectively, includes current transaction volume information.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein:

the current operational data includes data associated with the respective transactions being processed via the business process,

the data associated with the respective transactions provides an indication if a status of a transaction has changed from a first status to a second status, and

the first status indicates the transaction is in the first transaction segment and the second status indicates the transaction is in the second transaction segment.