Systems, Computer-Implemented Methods and Computer-Readable Media to Provide Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model for Outsourcing

• US 20130166346A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Al-Zuhair, Dhia, Aboul-Hassan, Nazih
• Application Number:
  US13/722,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20130166346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• 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

Embodiments including systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media can generate an outsourcing questionnaire interface to be displayed at a display. The outsourcing questionnaire interface can include a plurality of questions, relating to a plurality of outsourcing dimensions, and a corresponding plurality of response fields for users to respond with respect to a business process. Embodiments can further determine a plurality of dimensional scores for the business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected responses received at the plurality of response fields. Embodiments can further generate an outsourcing recommendation interface, to be displayed at the display, that is a graphical chart including a process-recommendation bubble, for the business process, which can be displayed having a position and size in the graphical chart determined responsive to one or more of the plurality of dimensional scores.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to provide one or more graphical outsourcing recommendations for a business process to a user of a computing device having a display, the computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

a. generating an outsourcing questionnaire interface, to be displayed at a display of a computing device, the outsourcing questionnaire interface including a plurality of risk questions and a corresponding plurality of risk response-fields, a plurality of readiness questions and a corresponding plurality of readiness response-fields, and a plurality of return questions and a corresponding plurality of return response-fields;

b. determining a risk score, a readiness score, and a return score for a business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected risk responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of risk response-fields, a plurality of user-selected readiness responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of readiness response-fields, and a plurality of user-selected return responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of return response-fields; and

c. generating an outsourcing recommendation interface, to be displayed at a display of a computing device, responsive to determining each of the risk score, the readiness score, and the return score for the business process, the outsourcing recommendation interface being a graphical chart having a coordinate space defined by a first axis and a second axis, the graphical chart comprising;

i. four recommendation quadrants of the coordinate space, each of the four recommendation quadrants being indicative of a corresponding outsourcing recommendation, and

ii. a process-recommendation bubble for the business process being displayed at a position in the coordinate space responsive to each of the risk score and the readiness score and having a surface area responsive to the return score, the process-recommendation bubble intersecting one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a graphical outsourcing recommendation for the business process to a user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the intersected recommendation quadrants.

2. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a. each of the plurality of risk questions relates to a risk factor of a plurality of risk factors;

b. each of the plurality of readiness questions relates to a readiness factor of a plurality of readiness factors;

c. each of the plurality of return questions relates to a return factor of a plurality of return factors;

d. determining the risk score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of risk factor scores for each of the plurality of risk factors;

e. determining the readiness score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of readiness factor scores for each of the plurality of readiness factors; and

f. determining the return score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of return factor scores for each of the plurality of return factors.

3. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 2, wherein:

a. determining the weighted average of the plurality of risk-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected risk-factor weighting profile;

b. determining the weighted average of the plurality of readiness-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected readiness-factor weighting profile; and

c. determining the weighted average of the plurality of return-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected return-factor weighting profile.

4. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 2, the computer-implemented method further comprising determining each of a second risk score, a second readiness score, and a second return score for the business process responsive to the plurality of user-selected risk responses, the plurality of user-selected readiness responses, and the plurality of user-selected return responses, wherein:

a. determining the second risk score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected risk-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of risk factor scores for each of the plurality of risk factors;

b. determining the second readiness score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected readiness-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of readiness factor scores for each of the plurality of readiness factors;

c. determining the second return score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected return-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of return factor scores for each of the plurality of return factors; and

d. displaying the outsourcing recommendation interface is further responsive to determining each of the second risk score, the second readiness score, and the second return score, the graphical chart further comprising;

i. a second process-recommendation bubble being displayed at a second position in the coordinate space responsive to each of the second risk score and the second readiness score and having a surface area responsive to the second return score, the second process bubble intersecting one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a second graphical outsourcing recommendation for the business process to the user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the recommendation quadrants intersected by the second process bubble.

5. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 2, wherein:

a. each of the plurality of risk questions relates to a risk parameter of a plurality of risk parameters, each of the plurality of risk parameters relating to a risk factor of the plurality of risk factors;

b. determining a risk-factor score for a respective risk factor includes averaging each of a plurality of risk-parameter scores for a respective risk parameter relating to the respective risk factor, each of the plurality of risk-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected risk responses to a risk question relating to the respective risk parameter;

c. each of the plurality of readiness questions relates to a readiness parameter of a plurality of readiness parameters, each of the plurality of readiness parameters relating to a readiness factor of the plurality of readiness factors;

d. determining a readiness-factor score for a respective readiness factor includes averaging each of a plurality of readiness-parameter scores for a respective readiness parameter relating to the respective readiness factor, each of the plurality of readiness-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected readiness responses to a readiness question relating to the respective readiness parameter;

e. each of the plurality of return questions relates to a return parameter of a plurality of return parameters, each of the plurality of return parameters relating to a return factor of the plurality of return factors; and

f. determining a return-factor score for a respective return factor includes averaging each of a plurality of return-parameter scores for a respective return parameter relating to the respective return factor, each of the plurality of return-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected return responses to a return question relating to the respective return parameter.

6. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, the computer-implemented method further comprising generating a second risk score, a second readiness score, and a second return score for a second business process responsive to a second plurality of user-selected risk responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of risk response-fields, a second plurality of user-selected readiness responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of readiness response-fields, and a second plurality of user-selected return responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of return response-fields, wherein:

a. generating the outsourcing recommendation interface is further responsive to determining each of the second risk score, the second readiness score, and the second return score for the second business process; and

b. the graphical chart further comprises a second process-recommendation bubble for the second business process being displayed at a second position in the coordinate space responsive to each of the second risk score and the second readiness score and having a second surface area responsive to the second return score, the second process-recommendation bubble intersecting one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a second graphical outsourcing recommendation for the second business process to a user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the intersected recommendation quadrants.

7. Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to provide one or more graphical outsourcing recommendations for a business process to a user of a computing device having a display, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a set of executable instructions that when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

a. generate an outsourcing questionnaire interface, to be displayed at a display of a computing device, the outsourcing questionnaire interface including a plurality of risk questions and a corresponding plurality of risk response-fields, a plurality of readiness questions and a corresponding plurality of readiness response-fields, and a plurality of return questions and a corresponding plurality of return response-fields;

b. determine a risk score for a business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected risk responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of risk response-fields;

c. determine a readiness score for the business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected readiness responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of readiness response-fields;

d. determine a return score for the business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected return responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of return response-fields; and

e. generate an outsourcing recommendation interface, to be displayed at a display of a computing device, the outsourcing recommendation interface recommending whether to outsource the business process responsive to each of the risk score and the readiness score and indicating the return score for the business process.

8. Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 7, wherein:

a. the recommendation is expressed by a graphical chart including a process-recommendation bubble for the business process, the process-recommendation bubble being displayed at a position in the graphical chart responsive to each of the risk score and the readiness score and displayed of a size in the graphical chart responsive to the return score for the business process, and wherein;

i. the graphical chart, having a coordinate space defined by a first axis and a second axis, comprises four recommendation quadrants of the coordinate space, each of the four recommendation quadrants being indicative of a corresponding outsourcing recommendation; and

ii. the process-recommendation bubble for the business process intersects one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a graphical outsourcing recommendation for the business process to a user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the intersected recommendation quadrants.

9. Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 7, wherein:

a. each of the plurality of risk questions relates to a risk factor of a plurality of risk factors;

b. each of the plurality of readiness questions relates to a readiness factor of a plurality of readiness factors;

c. each of the plurality of return questions relates to a return factor of a plurality of return factors;

d. determining the risk score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of risk factor scores for each of the plurality of risk factors;

e. determining the readiness score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of readiness factor scores for each of the plurality of readiness factors; and

f. determining the return score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of return factor scores for each of the plurality of return factors.

10. Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein:

a. determining the weighted average of the plurality of risk-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected risk-factor weighting profile;

b. determining the weighted average of the plurality of readiness-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected readiness-factor weighting profile; and

c. determining the weighted average of the plurality of return-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected return-factor weighting profile.

11. Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, further comprising instructions to receive determine each of a second risk score, a second readiness score, and a second return score for the business process responsive to the plurality of user-selected risk responses, the plurality of user-selected readiness responses, and the plurality of user-selected return responses, wherein:

a. determining the second risk score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected risk-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of risk factor scores for each of the plurality of risk factors;

b. determining the second readiness score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected readiness-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of readiness factor scores for each of the plurality of readiness factors;

c. determining the second return score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected return-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of return factor scores for each of the plurality of return factors; and

d. displaying the outsourcing recommendation interface is further responsive to determining each of the second risk score, the second readiness score, and the second return score, the graphical chart further comprising;

i. a second process-recommendation bubble being displayed at a second position in the coordinate space responsive to each of the second risk score and the second readiness score and having a surface area responsive to the second return score, the second process bubble intersecting one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a second graphical outsourcing recommendation for the business process to the user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the recommendation quadrants intersected by the second process bubble.

12. Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein:

a. each of the plurality of risk questions relates to a risk parameter of a plurality of risk parameters, each of the plurality of risk parameters relating to a risk factor of the plurality of risk factors;

b. determining a risk-factor score for a respective risk factor includes averaging each of a plurality of risk-parameter scores for a respective risk parameter relating to the respective risk factor, each of the plurality of risk-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected risk responses to a risk question relating to the respective risk parameter;

c. each of the plurality of readiness questions relates to a readiness parameter of a plurality of readiness parameters, each of the plurality of readiness parameters relating to a readiness factor of the plurality of readiness factors;

d. determining a readiness-factor score for a respective readiness factor includes averaging each of a plurality of readiness-parameter scores for a respective readiness parameter relating to the respective readiness factor, each of the plurality of readiness-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected readiness responses to a readiness question relating to the respective readiness parameter;

e. each of the plurality of return questions relates to a return parameter of a plurality of return parameters, each of the plurality of return parameters relating to a return factor of the plurality of return factors; and

f. determining a return-factor score for a respective return factor includes averaging each of a plurality of return-parameter scores for a respective return parameter relating to the respective return factor, each of the plurality of return-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected return responses to a return question relating to the respective return parameter.

13. Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, further comprising instructions to generate a second risk score, a second readiness score, and a second return score for a second business process responsive to a second plurality of user-selected risk responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of risk response-fields, a second plurality of user-selected readiness responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of readiness response-fields, and a second plurality of user-selected return responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of return response-fields, wherein:

a. generating the outsourcing recommendation interface is further responsive to determining each of the second risk score, the second readiness score, and the second return score for the second business process; and

b. the graphical chart further comprises a second process-recommendation bubble for the second business process being displayed at a second position in the coordinate space responsive to each of the second risk score and the second readiness score and having a second surface area responsive to the second return score, the second process-recommendation bubble intersecting one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a second graphical outsourcing recommendation for the second business process to a user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the intersected recommendation quadrants.

14. A system to provide one or more graphical outsourcing recommendations for a business process to a user, the system comprising:

a. one or more processors;

b. a display communicatively coupled to the processor to display one or more user interfaces to a user when the display is viewed by the user;

c. a user input interface communicatively coupled with the processor to receive one or more selections by the user when the user input interface is accessed by the user;

d. non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to provide one or more graphical outsourcing recommendations for a business process to the user, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a set of executable instructions that when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to perform operations comprising;

i. generate an outsourcing questionnaire interface, to be displayed at a display of a computing device, the outsourcing questionnaire interface including a plurality of risk questions and a corresponding plurality of risk response-fields, a plurality of readiness questions and a corresponding plurality of readiness response-fields, and a plurality of return questions and a corresponding plurality of return response-fields,

ii. determine a risk score for a business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected risk responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of risk response-fields,

iii. determine a readiness score for the business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected readiness responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of readiness response-fields,

iv. determine a return score for the business process responsive to a plurality of user-selected return responses relating to the business process received at the plurality of return response-fields, and

v. generate an outsourcing recommendation interface, to be displayed at a display of a computing device, the outsourcing recommendation interface being a graphical chart including a process-recommendation bubble for the business process, the process-recommendation bubble being displayed at a position in the graphical chart responsive to each of the risk score and the readiness score and displayed of a size in the graphical chart responsive to the return score for the business process.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein:

a. the graphical chart, having a coordinate space defined by a first axis and a second axis, comprises four recommendation quadrants of the coordinate space, each of the four recommendation quadrants being indicative of a corresponding outsourcing recommendation; and

b. the process-recommendation bubble for the business process intersects one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a graphical outsourcing recommendation for the business process to a user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the intersected recommendation quadrants.

16. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein:

a. each of the plurality of risk questions relates to a risk factor of a plurality of risk factors;

b. each of the plurality of readiness questions relates to a readiness factor of a plurality of readiness factors;

c. each of the plurality of return questions relates to a return factor of a plurality of return factors;

d. determining the risk score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of risk factor scores for each of the plurality of risk factors;

e. determining the readiness score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of readiness factor scores for each of the plurality of readiness factors; and

f. determining the return score includes determining a weighted average of a plurality of return factor scores for each of the plurality of return factors.

17. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein:

a. determining the weighted average of the plurality of risk-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected risk-factor weighting profile;

b. determining the weighted average of the plurality of readiness-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected readiness-factor weighting profile; and

c. determining the weighted average of the plurality of return-factor scores is performed responsive to a user-selected return-factor weighting profile.

18. A system as defined in claim 14, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprising instructions to receive determine each of a second risk score, a second readiness score, and a second return score for the business process responsive to the plurality of user-selected risk responses, the plurality of user-selected readiness responses, and the plurality of user-selected return responses, wherein:

a. determining the second risk score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected risk-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of risk factor scores for each of the plurality of risk factors;

b. determining the second readiness score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected readiness-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of readiness factor scores for each of the plurality of readiness factors;

c. determining the second return score includes determining, responsive to a second user-selected return-weighting profile, a second weighted average of the plurality of return factor scores for each of the plurality of return factors; and

d. displaying the outsourcing recommendation interface is further responsive to determining each of the second risk score, the second readiness score, and the second return score, the graphical chart further comprising;

i. a second process-recommendation bubble being displayed at a second position in the coordinate space responsive to each of the second risk score and the second readiness score and having a surface area responsive to the second return score, the second process bubble intersecting one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a second graphical outsourcing recommendation for the business process to the user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the recommendation quadrants intersected by the second process bubble.

19. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein:

a. each of the plurality of risk questions relates to a risk parameter of a plurality of risk parameters, each of the plurality of risk parameters relating to a risk factor of the plurality of risk factors;

b. determining a risk-factor score for a respective risk factor includes averaging each of a plurality of risk-parameter scores for a respective risk parameter relating to the respective risk factor, each of the plurality of risk-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected risk responses to a risk question relating to the respective risk parameter;

c. each of the plurality of readiness questions relates to a readiness parameter of a plurality of readiness parameters, each of the plurality of readiness parameters relating to a readiness factor of the plurality of readiness factors;

d. determining a readiness-factor score for a respective readiness factor includes averaging each of a plurality of readiness-parameter scores for a respective readiness parameter relating to the respective readiness factor, each of the plurality of readiness-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected readiness responses to a readiness question relating to the respective readiness parameter;

e. each of the plurality of return questions relates to a return parameter of a plurality of return parameters, each of the plurality of return parameters relating to a return factor of the plurality of return factors; and

f. determining a return-factor score for a respective return factor includes averaging each of a plurality of return-parameter scores for a respective return parameter relating to the respective return factor, each of the plurality of return-parameter scores being determined by averaging each of the plurality of user-selected return responses to a return question relating to the respective return parameter.

20. A system as defined in claim 14, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprising instructions to generate a second risk score, a second readiness score, and a second return score for a second business process responsive to a second plurality of user-selected risk responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of risk response-fields, a second plurality of user-selected readiness responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of readiness response-fields, and a second plurality of user-selected return responses relating to the second business process received at the plurality of return response-fields, wherein:

a. generating the outsourcing recommendation interface is further responsive to determining each of the second risk score, the second readiness score, and the second return score for the second business process; and

b. the graphical chart further comprises a second process-recommendation bubble for the second business process being displayed at a second position in the coordinate space responsive to each of the second risk score and the second readiness score and having a second surface area responsive to the second return score, the second process-recommendation bubble intersecting one or more of the four recommendation quadrants to provide a second graphical outsourcing recommendation for the second business process to a user, when viewing the display, corresponding to the intersected recommendation quadrants.