Apparatus and method for managing a software system via analysis of call center trouble tickets

• US 6,449,341 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1998
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockie, Ken, Adams, Mark, Bridges, Don R., Holmes, Marty
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/139,466
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1, 379/9, 379/10, 379/15, 379/32, 379/34, 379/112, 379/13, 379/201, 379/133, 379/207, 379/242, 379/9.01, 379/9.03, 379/9.04, 379/15.01, 702/127, 702/179, 702/183, 702/184
• US Class Current: 379/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2263 Network management

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing a software system based on analysis of call center trouble ticket data. The apparatus and method include and involve a data storage subsystem that has a database for storing data related to call center trouble tickets which are generated in response to corresponding trouble reports related to a software system. Also included and involved is a processor that is coupled to the data storage subsystem and which is operative to process the data stored in the database by producing statistics related to the software system and particular subsystems thereof, and to store the generated statistics in the data storage subsystem. The apparatus and method also include and involve an output subsystem that is coupled to the processor and to the data storage system and which is operative to automatically retrieve the statistics from the data storage subsystem to generate at least one report based on the statistics.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a software system, comprising:

a data storage subsystem having a database for storing data related to call center trouble tickets generated in response to corresponding trouble reports related to a telecommunications software system;

a processor coupled to said data storage subsystem and operative to process said data stored in said database by producing statistics related to said software system and particular subsystems thereof, and to store said statistics in said data storage subsystem, wherein the statistics comprise at least one of call averages, upper control limit call volumes, lower control limit call volumes and average call volumes over relative periods of time; and

an output subsystem coupled to said processor and said data storage system and operative to automatically retrieve said statistics from said data storage subsystem and to generate at least one report based on said statistics, wherein said at least one report indicates which call center trouble tickets correspond to the at least one report to depict a cause for said trouble report.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said statistics include mathematical averages related to a set of call center trouble tickets about which data is stored in said database.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to perform a Pareto analysis related to a set of call center trouble tickets about which data is stored in said database, said Pareto analysis being represented in said at least one report.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said output system is operative to produce a graphical representation of said statistics.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said graphical representation includes graphic indications related to call center trouble tickets which correspond to said particular subsystems of said software system.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said statistics include percentages of all call center trouble tickets corresponding to said particular subsystems of said software system, said percentages being represented in said at least one report.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one report is used to manage a lifecycle related to said software system.

8. A method for managing a software system, comprising the steps of:

collecting data related to call center trouble tickets generated by a call center in response to corresponding trouble reports related to a telecommunications software system;

processing said data by automatically generating statistics related to said software system and particular subsystems thereof, wherein the statistics comprise at least one of call averages, upper control limit call volumes, lower control limit call volumes and average call volumes over relative periods of time, and

generating at least one report based on said statistics, wherein said at least one report indicates which call center trouble tickets correspond to the at least one report to depict a cause for said trouble report.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said statistics include mathematical averages related to a set of call center trouble tickets generated by said call center.

10. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of performing a Pareto analysis related to a set of call center trouble tickets, said Pareto analysis being represented in said at least one report.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said at least one report includes a graphical representation of said statistics.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said graphical representation includes graphic indications related to call center trouble tickets which correspond to said particular subsystems of said software system.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein said statistics include percentages of all call center trouble tickets corresponding to said particular subsystems of said software system, said percentages being represented in said at least one report.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of managing a lifecycle related to said software system based on said at least one report.

15. An apparatus for processing call center trouble ticket data comprising:

a data storage subsystem storing data related to call center trouble tickets generated in response to corresponding trouble reports related to a telecommunications software system and particular subsystems thereof;

a processor coupled to said data storage subsystem and operative to process said data by producing statistics related to said software system and said particular subsystems thereof, and to store said statistics in said data storage subsystem, wherein the statistics comprise at least one of call averages, upper control limit call volumes, lower control limit call volumes and average call volumes over relative periods of time; and

an output subsystem coupled to said processor and said data storage system and operative to automatically retrieve said statistics from said data storage subsystem to generate a report based on said statistics, said report including a graphical representation of said statistics and indicating which call center trouble tickets correspond to the at least one report to depict a cause for said trouble report.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said statistics include mathematical averages related to a set of call center trouble tickets about which data is stored in said database.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to perform a Pareto analysis related to a set of call center trouble tickets about which data is stored in said data storage subsystem, said Pareto analysis being represented in said report.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein said output system is operative to produce a graphical representation of said statistics.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said graphical representation includes graphic indications related to call center trouble tickets which correspond to said particular subsystems of said software system.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein said statistics include percentages of all call center trouble tickets which correspond to said particular subsystems of said software system, said percentages being represented in said report.

21. An apparatus for managing a software system, comprising:

a data storage subsystem having a database for storing data related to call center trouble tickets generated in response to corresponding trouble reports related to a software system;

a processor coupled to said data storage subsystem and operative to process said data stored in said database by determining in an automated spreadsheet statistics related to said software system and particular subsystems thereof, and to store said statistics in said data storage subsystem; and

an output subsystem coupled to said processor and said data storage system and operative to automatically retrieve said statistics from said data storage subsystem and to generate at least one report base on said statistics.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the automated spreadsheet includes at least one of an average number of call cells, a percentage of users related to daily call amounts, one or more daily call center trouble ticket report numbers and one or more percentage summaries.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the call center trouble tickets correspond to trouble reports related to telecommunications trouble.