MOTIVATIONAL TOOLS FOR ELECTRONIC MESSAGES

• US 20170111304A1
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Carr, Kevin C., Crafts, Jeremy E., Dempsey, Bryan M., Chakra, Al, Imsdahl, Marit L., Vasudevan, Cheranellore
• Application Number:
  US14/884,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

An email received by a user is determined. A task associated with the email is determined. An incentive content for the email is determined. Responsive to the user completing the task, the incentive content is provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method for motivating a recipient to address an email, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more computer processors, an email received by a user;

determining, by one or more computer processors, a task associated with the email;

determining, by one or more computer processors, an incentive content for the email; and

responsive to the user completing the task, providing, by one or more computer processors, the incentive content to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by one or more computer processors, a graphical indication that the email is associated with an incentive content, wherein the graphical indication includes instructions for completing the task.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an incentive content for the email comprises:

associating, by one or more computer processors, one or more incentive contents with the user based on an indication from the user; and

determining, by one or more computer processors, an incentive content for the email, wherein the incentive content is one of the associated one or more incentive contents.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

ranking, by one or more computer processors, the associated one or more incentive contents, wherein a first incentive content is ranked higher than a second incentive content, wherein the ranking is based on one or more of the following;

an indication by the user, an order in which the user completes two or more tasks associated with the email and a second email, and a speed at which the user completes the two or more tasks associated with the email and the second email.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein responsive to the user completing the task, providing the incentive content to the user comprises:

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the email is urgent; and

responsive to the user completing the task associated with the determined urgent email, providing, by one or more computer processors, a highest ranked incentive content to the user.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring, by one or more computer processors, at least one action taken by the user for the email; and

updating, by one or more computer processors, one or more of the following based on the monitored at least one action;

the associated one or more incentive contents and the ranking of the associated one or more incentive contents.

7. A computer program product for motivating a recipient to address an email, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to determine an email received by a user;

program instructions to determine a task associated with the email;

program instructions to determine an incentive content for the email; and

program instructions, responsive to the user completing the task, to provide the incentive content to the user.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

provide a graphical indication that the email is associated with an incentive content, wherein the graphical indication includes instructions for completing the task.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to determine an incentive content for the email comprise:

program instructions to associate one or more incentive contents with the user based on an indication from the user; and

program instructions to determine an incentive content for the email, wherein the incentive content is one of the associated one or more incentive contents.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

rank the associated one or more incentive contents, wherein a first incentive content is ranked higher than a second incentive content, wherein the ranking is based on one or more of the following;

an indication by the user, an order in which the user completes two or more tasks associated with the email and a second email, and a speed at which the user completes the two or more tasks associated with the email and the second email.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program instructions, responsive to the user completing the task, to provide the incentive content to the user comprise:

program instructions to determine whether the email is urgent; and

program instructions, responsive to the user completing the task associated with the determined urgent email, to provide a highest ranked incentive content to the user.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

monitor at least one action taken by the user for the email; and

update one or more of the following based on the monitored at least one action;

the associated one or more incentive contents and the ranking of the associated one or more incentive contents.

13. A computer system for motivating a recipient to address an email, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to determine an email received by a user;

program instructions to determine a task associated with the email;

program instructions to determine an incentive content for the email; and

program instructions, responsive to the user completing the task, to provide the incentive content to the user.

14. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by the at least one of the one or more computer processors, to:

provide a graphical indication that the email is associated with an incentive content, wherein the graphical indication includes instructions for completing the task.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to determine an incentive content for the email comprise:

program instructions to associate one or more incentive contents with the user based on an indication from the user; and

program instructions to determine an incentive content for the email, wherein the incentive content is one of the associated one or more incentive contents.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by the at least one of the one or more computer processors, to:

rank the associated one or more incentive contents, wherein a first incentive content is ranked higher than a second incentive content, wherein the ranking is based on one or more of the following;

an indication by the user, an order in which the user completes two or more tasks associated with the email and a second email, and a speed at which the user completes the two or more tasks associated with the email and the second email.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the program instructions, responsive to the user completing the task, to provide the incentive content to the user comprise:

program instructions to determine whether the email is urgent; and

program instructions, responsive to the user completing the task associated with the determined urgent email, to provide a highest ranked incentive content to the user.

18. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by the at least one of the one or more computer processors, to:

monitor at least one action taken by the user for the email; and

update one or more of the following based on the monitored at least one action;

the associated one or more incentive contents and the ranking of the associated one or more incentive contents.