AUTOMATICALLY GENERATING REPORTS MATCHING USER INTERESTS REPRESENTED IN A DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTED USER INTEREST ANALYTIC MODEL

• US 20120169713A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gao, Xue F., Lu, Anh Q.
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals

Abstract

A method and program product for automatically generating reports matching user interests represented in a dynamically adjusted user interest analytic model (UIAM). A Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) query is generated based on a user visit to a business intelligence application. Based on initial user visit(s), a cube-based UIAM is constructed by including a representation of a first set of user interest(s) in a first set of UIAM item(s). The cube-based UIAM is transformed into a data warehouse-based UIAM. Based on subsequent user visit(s), UIAM items are updated to represent a second set of user interest(s) and UIAM item scores are adjusted to specify how frequently and recently user interests are indicated by the user visits. An update of data in the data warehouse is detected. Reports representative of user interest(s) represented by the updated UIAM items having the top k scores are generated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of automatically generating reports matching user interests represented in a dynamically adjusted user interest analytic model, said method comprising:

a computer system constructing a first user interest analytic model (cube-based UIAM) by including in a first set of one or more UIAM items a representation of a first set of one or more interests (first set of user interest(s)) of a user, said constructing said cube-based UIAM being based on one or more initial visits (initial user visit(s)) of said user to a business intelligence (BI) application;

said computer system storing said cube-based UIAM in a data structure that is an online analytical processing (OLAP) multidimensional cube;

said computer system transforming said cube-based UIAM stored in said cube into a second UIAM (data warehouse-based UIAM) stored in a data warehouse based on tables in said data warehouse;

said computer system storing said data warehouse-based UIAM in said tables in said data warehouse;

said computer system detecting one or more subsequent visits (subsequent user visit(s)) of said user to said BI application;

responsive to said detecting said subsequent user visit(s), said computer system updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM with a representation of a second set of one or more interests (second set of user interest(s)) of said user, wherein said second set of user interest(s) is different from said first set of user interest(s), wherein said updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM includes generating a second set of one or more UIAM items based on said subsequent user visit(s), and adjusting scores of multiple UIAM items that include said first set of one or more UIAM items and said second set of one or more UIAM items;

subsequent to said updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM, said computer system detecting an update of data in said data warehouse; and

responsive to said detecting said update of said data in said data warehouse, based on top k scores of said adjusted scores of said multiple UIAM items, and further based on said updated cube-based UIAM and said updated data warehouse-based UIAM, said computer system automatically generating one or more reports representative of user interest(s) in said first and second sets of user interest(s) corresponding to said top k scores instead of user interest(s) only in said first set of user interest(s), wherein k is a positive integer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting said scores of said multiple UIAM items includes adjusting a score of a UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items, said score of said UIAM item indicating a latest interest of said user, wherein said adjusting said score includes:

said computer system adding M to a score of said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items if said UIAM item is already included in said cube-based UIAM;

said computer system adding said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items as a new record in said cube-based UIAM and assigning a default score of N as said score of said UIAM item if said UIAM item does not already exist in said cube-based UIAM; and

said computer system subtracting W from score(s) of one or more other UIAM item of said multiple UIAM items in said cube-based UIAM, wherein said one or more other UIAM items are other than said UIAM item, wherein said subtracting W from said score(s) of said one or more other UIAM items includes subtracting W from a score of at least one UIAM item of said first set of one or more UIAM items that is different from said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items,

wherein a result of said adjusting said score of said UIAM item of said second set of said one or more UIAM items is said score of said UIAM item being included in said top k scores, and wherein said automatically generating said one or more reports is based in part on said score of said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items being included in said top k scores.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a score of another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items is a predetermined value indicating an outdated UIAM item that represents an outdated interest of said user; and

in response to said determining said score of said another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items is said predetermined value indicating said outdated UIAM item, said computer system deleting said another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items from said cube-based UIAM.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said M, N and W are positive integers, wherein N>

M, and wherein M>

W.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to said constructing said cube-based UIAM, said computer system generating a first set of one or more Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) queries from said BI application based on said initial user visit(s), wherein said constructing said cube-based UIAM is further based on information included in said first set of one or more MDX queries; and

in response to said detecting said subsequent user visit(s), generating a second set of one or more MDX queries, wherein said generating said second set of one or more UIAM items based on said subsequent user visit(s) is further based on information included in said second set of one or more MDX queries.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to said automatically generating one or more reports representative of said user interest(s) in said first and second sets of user interest(s) corresponding to said top k scores instead of user interest(s) only in said first set of user interest(s), said computer system receiving a selection by said user of a report of said one or more reports, said report associated with a UIAM item of said multiple UIAM items included in said updated cube-based UIAM;

based on said receiving said selection of said report, said computer system generating a MDX query based on said selection of said report; and

responsive to said generating said MDX query, said computer system updating said cube-based UIAM again by adding M to said score of said UIAM item of said multiple UIAM items and subtracting W from one or more scores of one or more UIAM items of said multiple UIAM items that are other than said UIAM item.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to said automatically generating one or more reports representative of said user interest(s) in said first and second sets of user interest(s) corresponding to said top k scores instead of user interest(s) only in said first set of user interest(s), said computer system receiving a selection by said user of another report not included in said one or more reports;

based on said receiving said selection of said another report, said computer system generating a MDX query based on said selection of said another report; and

responsive to said generating said another MDX query, said computer system updating said cube-based UIAM by adding M to a score of a UIAM item representing an interest of said user in said report if said UIAM item is already in said cube-based UIAM or assigning a default score of N to said UIAM item if said UIAM item is not already in said cube-based UIAM, and by subtracting W from score(s) of one or more UIAM items of said multiple UIAM items that are different from said UIAM item.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said computer system constructing and storing a user group interest analytic model (UGIAM) by including UIAM items associated with multiple users who utilize said BI application and belong to a user group, said UIAM items based on initial visits of said multiple users to said BI application, wherein said multiple users includes said user, and wherein said UIAM items include said first set of one or more UIAM items;

said computer system updating said UGIAM based on updates of said UIAM items associated with said multiple users belonging to said user group, said updates of said UIAM items based on subsequent visits of said multiple users to said BI application, wherein said updating said UGIAM includes adjusting scores of said UIAM items associated with said multiple users belonging to said user group; and

said computer system automatically generating reports based on top K scores of said adjusted scores of said UIAM items associated with said multiple users belonging to said user group, wherein K is a positive integer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

said computer system determining matching levels of said UIAM items, each matching level indicating whether an interest represented by a corresponding UIAM item of said UIAM items is common among interests of said multiple users belonging to said user group according to predefined criteria; and

said computer system distributing said generated reports to one or more users of said multiple users, said distributing based on said matching levels.

10. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code stored therein, said computer readable program code containing instructions that are carried out by a processor of a computer system to implement a method of automatically generating reports matching user interests represented in a dynamically adjusted user interest analytic model, said method comprising:

constructing a first user interest analytic model (cube-based UIAM) by including in a first set of one or more UIAM items a representation of a first set of one or more interests (first set of user interest(s)) of a user, said constructing said cube-based UIAM being based on one or more initial visits (initial user visit(s)) of said user to a business intelligence (BI) application;

storing said cube-based UIAM in a data structure that is an online analytical processing (OLAP) multidimensional cube;

transforming said cube-based UIAM stored in said cube into a second UIAM (data warehouse-based UIAM) stored in a data warehouse based on tables in said data warehouse;

storing said data warehouse-based UIAM in said tables in said data warehouse;

detecting one or more subsequent visits (subsequent user visit(s)) of said user to said BI application;

responsive to said detecting said subsequent user visit(s), updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM with a representation of a second set of one or more interests (second set of user interest(s)) of said user, wherein said second set of user interest(s) is different from said first set of user interest(s), wherein said updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM includes generating a second set of one or more UIAM items based on said subsequent user visit(s), and adjusting scores of multiple UIAM items that include said first set of one or more UIAM items and said second set of one or more UIAM items;

subsequent to said updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM, detecting an update of data in said data warehouse; and

responsive to said detecting said update of said data in said data warehouse, based on top k scores of said adjusted scores of said multiple UIAM items, and further based on said updated cube-based UIAM and said updated data warehouse-based UIAM, automatically generating one or more reports representative of user interest(s) in said first and second sets of user interest(s) corresponding to said top k scores instead of user interest(s) only in said first set of user interest(s), wherein k is a positive integer.

11. The program product of claim 10, wherein said adjusting said scores of said multiple UIAM items includes adjusting a score of a UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items, said score of said UIAM item indicating a latest interest of said user, wherein said adjusting said score includes:

adding M to a score of said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items if said UIAM item is already included in said cube-based UIAM;

adding said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items as a new record in said cube-based UIAM and assigning a default score of N as said score of said UIAM item if said UIAM item does not already exist in said cube-based UIAM; and

subtracting W from score(s) of one or more other UIAM item of said multiple UIAM items in said cube-based UIAM, wherein said one or more other UIAM items are other than said UIAM item, wherein said subtracting W from said score(s) of said one or more other UIAM items includes subtracting W from a score of at least one UIAM item of said first set of one or more UIAM items that is different from said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items,

wherein a result of said adjusting said score of said UIAM item of said second set of said one or more UIAM items is said score of said UIAM item being included in said top k scores, and wherein said automatically generating said one or more reports is based in part on said score of said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items being included in said top k scores.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein said method further comprises:

determining a score of another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items is a predetermined value indicating an outdated UIAM item that represents an outdated interest of said user; and

in response to said determining said score of said another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items is said predetermined value indicating said outdated UIAM item, deleting said another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items from said cube-based UIAM.

13. The program product of claim 11, wherein said M, N and W are positive integers, wherein N>

M, and wherein M>

W.

14. The program product of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

prior to said constructing said cube-based UIAM, generating a first set of one or more Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) queries from said BI application based on said initial user visit(s), wherein said constructing said cube-based UIAM is further based on information included in said first set of one or more MDX queries; and

in response to said detecting said subsequent user visit(s), generating a second set of one or more MDX queries, wherein said generating said second set of one or more UIAM items based on said subsequent user visit(s) is further based on information included in said second set of one or more MDX queries.

15. The program product of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said automatically generating one or more reports representative of said user interest(s) in said first and second sets of user interest(s) corresponding to said top k scores instead of user interest(s) only in said first set of user interest(s), receiving a selection by said user of a report of said one or more reports, said report associated with a UIAM item of said multiple UIAM items included in said updated cube-based UIAM;

based on said receiving said selection of said report, generating a MDX query based on said selection of said report; and

responsive to said generating said MDX query, updating said cube-based UIAM again by adding M to said score of said UIAM item of said multiple UIAM items and subtracting W from one or more scores of one or more UIAM items of said multiple UIAM items that are other than said UIAM item.

16. The program product of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said automatically generating one or more reports representative of said user interest(s) in said first and second sets of user interest(s) corresponding to said top k scores instead of user interest(s) only in said first set of user interest(s), receiving a selection by said user of another report not included in said one or more reports;

based on said receiving said selection of said another report, generating a MDX query based on said selection of said another report; and

responsive to said generating said another MDX query, updating said cube-based UIAM by adding M to a score of a UIAM item representing an interest of said user in said report if said UIAM item is already in said cube-based UIAM or assigning a default score of N to said UIAM item if said UIAM item is not already in said cube-based UIAM, and by subtracting W from score(s) of one or more UIAM items of said multiple UIAM items that are different from said UIAM item.

17. The program product of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

constructing and storing a user group interest analytic model (UGIAM) by including UIAM items associated with multiple users who utilize said BI application and belong to a user group, said UIAM items based on initial visits of said multiple users to said BI application, wherein said multiple users includes said user, and wherein said UIAM items include said first set of one or more UIAM items;

updating said UGIAM based on updates of said UIAM items associated with said multiple users belonging to said user group, said updates of said UIAM items based on subsequent visits of said multiple users to said BI application, wherein said updating said UGIAM includes adjusting scores of said UIAM items associated with said multiple users belonging to said user group; and

automatically generating reports based on top K scores of said adjusted scores of said UIAM items associated with said multiple users belonging to said user group, wherein K is a positive integer.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

determining matching levels of said UIAM items, each matching level indicating whether said an interest represented by a corresponding UIAM item of said UIAM items is common among interests of said multiple users belonging to said user group according to predefined criteria; and

distributing said generated reports to one or more users of said multiple users, said distributing based on said matching levels.

19. A process for supporting computing infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computer system comprising a processor, wherein said processor carries out instructions contained in said code causing said computer system to perform a method of automatically generating reports matching user interests represented in a dynamically adjusted user interest analytic model, wherein said method comprises:

said computer system constructing a first user interest analytic model (cube-based UIAM) by including in a first set of one or more UIAM items a representation of a first set of one or more interests (first set of user interest(s)) of a user, said constructing said cube-based UIAM being based on one or more initial visits (initial user visit(s)) of said user to a business intelligence (BI) application;

said computer system storing said cube-based UIAM in a data structure that is an online analytical processing (OLAP) multidimensional cube;

said computer system transforming said cube-based UIAM stored in said cube into a second UIAM (data warehouse-based UIAM) stored in a data warehouse based on tables in said data warehouse;

said computer system storing said data warehouse-based UIAM in said tables in said data warehouse;

said computer system detecting one or more subsequent visits (subsequent user visit(s)) of said user to said BI application;

responsive to said detecting said subsequent user visit(s), said computer system updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM with a representation of a second set of one or more interests (second set of user interest(s)) of said user, wherein said second set of user interest(s) is different from said first set of user interest(s), wherein said updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM includes generating a second set of one or more UIAM items based on said subsequent user visit(s), and adjusting scores of multiple UIAM items that include said first set of one or more UIAM items and said second set of one or more UIAM items;

subsequent to said updating said cube-based UIAM and said data warehouse-based UIAM, said computer system detecting an update of data in said data warehouse; and

responsive to said detecting said update of said data in said data warehouse, based on top k scores of said adjusted scores of said multiple UIAM items, and further based on said updated cube-based UIAM and said updated data warehouse-based UIAM, said computer system automatically generating one or more reports representative of user interest(s) in said first and second sets of user interest(s) corresponding to said top k scores instead of user interest(s) only in said first set of user interest(s), wherein k is a positive integer.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein said adjusting said scores of said multiple UIAM items includes adjusting a score of a UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items, said score of said UIAM item indicating a latest interest of said user, wherein said adjusting said score includes:

said computer system adding M to a score of said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items if said UIAM item is already included in said cube-based UIAM;

said computer system adding said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items as a new record in said cube-based UIAM and assigning a default score of N as said score of said UIAM item if said UIAM item does not already exist in said cube-based UIAM; and

said computer system subtracting W from score(s) of one or more other UIAM item of said multiple UIAM items in said cube-based UIAM, wherein said one or more other UIAM items are other than said UIAM item, wherein said subtracting W from said score(s) of said one or more other UIAM items includes subtracting W from a score of at least one UIAM item of said first set of one or more UIAM items that is different from said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items,

wherein a result of said adjusting said score of said UIAM item of said second set of said one or more UIAM items is said score of said UIAM item being included in said top k scores, and wherein said automatically generating said one or more reports is based in part on said score of said UIAM item of said second set of one or more UIAM items being included in said top k scores.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein said method further comprises:

determining a score of another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items is a predetermined value indicating an outdated UIAM item that represents an outdated interest of said user; and

in response to said determining said score of said another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items is said predetermined value indicating said outdated UIAM item, said computer system deleting said another UIAM item of said one or more other UIAM items from said cube-based UIAM.

22. The process of claim 20, wherein said M, N and W are positive integers, wherein N>

M, and wherein M>

W.

23. The process of claim 19, wherein said method further comprises:

prior to said constructing said cube-based UIAM, said computer system generating a first set of one or more Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) queries from said BI application based on said initial user visit(s), wherein said constructing said cube-based UIAM is further based on information included in said first set of one or more MDX queries; and

in response to said detecting said subsequent user visit(s), generating a second set of one or more MDX queries, wherein said generating said second set of one or more UIAM items based on said subsequent user visit(s) is further based on information included in said second set of one or more MDX queries.

24. A computer-implemented method of representing user interests in a cube-based user interest analytic model, said method comprising:

a computer system representing said user interests of a user with a specification of a sub-cube of a cube, an analysis of said sub-cube, user information, and user group information in said cube-based user interest analytic model (UIAM),

wherein said sub-cube describes a data set associated with behavior of said user of a business intelligence (BI) application, said behavior indicating said user interests, wherein said specification of said sub-cube includes an axis of said cube, levels and member sets of said axis, calculations on said axis, an identification of said cube, and an analysis of properties for each pair of a metric in which said user is interested and a dimension in which said user is interested, wherein said properties include a maximum value of said metric in which said user is interested, a maximum deviation that indicates a significant deviation from an average of said metric in which said user is interested, a minimum value of said metric in which said user is interested, a deviation that is significant based on a comparison of metrics, and a specific data value set of said dimension,

wherein said analysis of said sub-cube includes a data level change of said axis in said sub-cube that indicates said user has drilled up or drilled down from an axis to view additional detail or conclusion data,

wherein said analysis of said sub-cube further includes a member set change of said axis in said sub-cube that indicates said user has used filters to filter out data in said cube, wherein said analysis of said sub-cube further includes calculation changes of axes of said cube that indicate said user has changed a calculation of said cube,

wherein said user information includes a user identification that identifies said user based on a logon to said BI application by said user, and

wherein said user group information includes a user group identification that identifies a group that includes said user who logged onto said BI application;

said computer system receiving a Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) query from said BI application based on a visit (user visit) of a user to said BI application;

said computer system extracting said specification of said sub-cube, said analysis of said sub-cube, said user information, and said user group information from said MDX query; and

storing said specification of said sub-cube, said analysis of said sub-cube, said user information, and said user group information in said cube-based UIAM; and

automatically generating one or more reports representative of interests of said user, said interests based on said cube-based UIAM.

25. A computer-implemented method of representing user interests in a data warehouse-based user interest analytic model, said method comprising:

a computer system representing, in said data warehouse-based user interest analytic model (UIAM), said user interests with a fact table having fact table columns, a dimension table having dimension table columns, combinations of dimension table columns, combinations of fact table columns, an analysis of properties for pairs of columns, scores of UIAM items included in said data warehouse-based UIAM, and matching level values, wherein each pair of columns includes a fact table column of said fact table columns and a dimension table column of said dimension table columns, said user interests being interests of a user of a business intelligence (BI) application,

wherein said fact table columns indicate said user interests,

wherein said dimension table columns indicate metrics associated with said user interests,

wherein said combinations of dimension table columns indicate other metrics associated with said user interests,

wherein said combinations of fact table columns indicate a comparison among said metrics associated with said user interests,

wherein properties for each pair of columns includes a maximum value of data in which said user is interested, a maximum deviation that indicates a significant deviation from an average of said data in which said user is interested, a minimum value of said data in which said user is interested, a deviation that is significant based on a comparison between two fact table columns of said fact table columns, and a specific data value set of said dimension table,

wherein each score of said scores is assigned to a corresponding UIAM item of said UIAM items and indicates a level of interest of said user, said interest of said user being represented by said corresponding UIAM item, and said level of interest being dynamically adjusted based on visits to said BI application by said user, and wherein a matching level value of said matching level values for said metrics associated with said user interests indicates whether a user interest of said user interests of said user is common among other users included in a group that includes said user; and

automatically generating one or more reports representative of said user interests as represented in said data warehouse-based UIAM.