SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UPDATING A SCHEDULE FOR A WORKER BASED ON REAL-TIME INFORMATION RELATED TO EXECUTION OF THE SCHEDULE

• US 20140229215A1
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aktana, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aktana, Inc.
• Inventors: BERNIER, Clark, Choy, Derek, Willson, Robert, Ehrlich, David, O'Holleran, John
• Application Number:
  US13/889,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229215A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• 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 system and method for managing workflow including the ability to manage system-level workflow strategy, manage individual workflow activity, and provide suggestions to optimize individual workflow activity, is provided. The system may provide suggestions to workers based on their schedules and activities that the workers have to perform. Users of the system may configure the criteria used in determining which suggestions to provide to workers. The system may refine the suggestions provided to workers based on feedback received regarding the suggestions previously provided.

Claims

1. A system for determining suggested activities for one or more workers of a company, the system comprising:

a non-transitory electronic storage configured to;

store information related to a schedule for a first worker; and

one or more physical processors configured to execute program modules, the program modules comprising;

a suggestion management module configured to;

access information related to a current location of the first worker;

determine a plurality of requested activities associated with the first worker;

select a subset of the plurality of requested activities as one or more suggested activities for the first worker for a first increment of time after a specified time, a first requested activity being selected based on;

the schedule for the first worker;

the current location of the first worker; and

an activity value associated with performing the first requested activity in the first time period, wherein the activity value is calculated based on one or more of;

information relating to a schedule of a client associated with the activity, one or more performance metrics associated with the activity, or feedback from a second worker related to the activity; and

an activity management module configured to;

display the schedule for the first worker, wherein the specified time comprises a time at which the schedule is displayed; and

display the one or more suggested activities for the first worker with the displayed schedule.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the suggestion management module is configured to select the first requested activity based on:

the schedule for the first worker;

the current location of the first worker;

an activity value associated with performing the first requested activity in the first time period; and

one or more of;

a learned wait time associated with the first requested activity, a travel time associated with the first requested activity, or an availability of the first worker based on the learned wait time and the travel time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the suggestion management module is configured to:

display a first suggested activity with a corresponding rationale comprising information related to the selection of the first suggested activity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the suggestion management module is configured to:

update the one or more suggested activities based on a change to the schedule of the first worker.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity management module is configured to:

display a first suggested activity with information related to the first suggested activity, wherein the information comprises travel directions to a location associated with the first suggested activity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the suggestion management module is configured to:

update the one or more suggested activities based on performance of a scheduled activity of the schedule.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity management module is configured to:

facilitate filtering of the one or more suggested activities based on one or more of;

a location associated with the suggested activity, a customer associated with the suggested activity, an availability of the customer at the specified time, or an availability of the first worker at the specified time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity management module is configured to:

display a first suggested activity and information related to the first suggested activity, the information comprising one or more of;

information related to a product associated with the first suggested activity, information related to a a cross-sell product associated with the product, or information related to sales trends related to the product.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity management module is configured to:

prioritize a first scheduled event to skip based on the current location of the first worker and the specified time.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the suggestion management module is configured to:

update the one or more suggested activities based on feedback from a second worker in a location within a predetermined distance of the current location of the first worker.

11. A method for determining suggested activities for one or more workers of a company, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more physical processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

storing information related to a schedule for a first worker; and

accessing information related to a current location of the first worker;

determining a plurality of requested activities associated with the first worker;

selecting a subset of the plurality of requested activities as one or more suggested activities for the first worker for a first increment of time after a specified time, a first requested activity being selected based on;

the schedule for the first worker;

the current location of the first worker; and

an activity value associated with performing the first requested activity in the first time period, wherein the activity value is calculated based on one or more of;

information relating to a schedule of a client associated with the activity, one or more performance metrics associated with the activity, or feedback from a second worker related to the activity; and

displaying the schedule for the first worker, wherein the specified time comprises a time at which the schedule is displayed; and

displaying the one or more suggested activities for the first worker with the displayed schedule.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting the first requested activity based on;

the schedule for the first worker;

the current location of the first worker;

an activity value associated with performing the first requested activity in the first time period; and

one or more of;

a learned wait time associated with the first requested activity, a travel time associated with the first requested activity, or an availability of the first worker based on the learned wait time and the travel time.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a first suggested activity with a corresponding rationale comprising information related to the selection of the first suggested activity.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

updating the one or more suggested activities based on a change to the schedule of the first worker.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a first suggested activity with information related to the first suggested activity, wherein the information comprises travel directions to a location associated with the first suggested activity.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

updating the one or more suggested activities based on performance of a scheduled activity of the schedule.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

facilitating filtering of the one or more suggested activities based on one or more of;

a location associated with the suggested activity, a customer associated with the suggested activity, an availability of the customer at the specified time, or an availability of the first worker at the specified time.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a first suggested activity and information related to the first suggested activity, the information comprising one or more of;

information related to a product associated with the first suggested activity, information related to a a cross-sell product associated with the product, or information related to sales trends related to the product.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

prioritizing a first scheduled event to skip based on the current location of the first worker and the specified time.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

updating method the one or more suggested activities based on feedback from a second worker in a location within a predetermined distance of the current location of the first worker.

21. A non-transitory electronic storage media storing information related to determining suggested activities for one or more workers of a company, the stored information comprising:

information related to a schedule for a first worker; and

instructions configured to cause a client computing device to;

access information related to a current location of the first worker;

determine a plurality of requested activities associated with the first worker;

select a subset of the plurality of requested activities as one or more suggested activities for the first worker for a first increment of time after a specified time, a first requested activity being selected based on;

the schedule for the first worker;

the current location of the first worker; and

an activity value associated with performing the first requested activity in the first time period, wherein the activity value is calculated based on one or more of;

information relating to a schedule of a client associated with the activity, one or more performance metrics associated with the activity, or feedback from a second worker related to the activity;

display the schedule for the first worker, wherein the specified time comprises a time at which the schedule is displayed; and

display the one or more suggested activities for the first worker with the displayed schedule.

22. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to select the first requested activity based on:

the schedule for the first worker;

the current location of the first worker;

an activity value associated with performing the first requested activity in the first time period; and

one or more of;

a learned wait time associated with the first requested activity, a travel time associated with the first requested activity, or an availability of the first worker based on the learned wait time and the travel time.

23. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

display a first suggested activity with a corresponding rationale comprising information related to the selection of the first suggested activity.

24. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

update the one or more suggested activities based on a change to the schedule of the first worker.

25. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

display a first suggested activity with information related to the first suggested activity, wherein the information comprises travel directions to a location associated with the first suggested activity.

26. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

update the one or more suggested activities based on performance of a scheduled activity of the schedule.

27. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

facilitate filtering of the one or more suggested activities based on one or more of;

a location associated with the suggested activity, a customer associated with the suggested activity, an availability of the customer at the specified time, or an availability of the first worker at the specified time.

28. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

display a first suggested activity and information related to the first suggested activity, the information comprising one or more of;

information related to a product associated with the first suggested activity, information related to a a cross-sell product associated with the product, or information related to sales trends related to the product.

29. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

prioritize a first scheduled event to skip based on the current location of the first worker and the specified time.

30. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 21, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the client computing device to:

update the one or more suggested activities based on feedback from a second worker in a location within a predetermined distance of the current location of the first worker.