Method and system for evaluating serviceability of a computer system

• US 6,765,593 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Simmons, Hoyt Conis
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao Kevin
• Application Number:
  US09/768,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20020097254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 345/763, 345/765, 345/764, 345/744, 345/265, 345/762, 707/104.1, 707/104.2, 705/11, 705/7, 705/10
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis

Abstract

A method and system for evaluating the serviceability of a system is disclosed. The method and system include obtaining a comparison of the system with a plurality of criteria and calculating at least one serviceability score based on the comparison. The comparison includes an objective measure of the serviceability of the system for each of the plurality of criteria.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a serviceability of a system comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a comparison of the system with a plurality of criteria, the comparison including an objective measure of the serviceability of the system for each of the plurality of criteria;

wherein the system includes a plurality of parts, wherein the plurality of criteria include serviceability criteria; and

wherein the comparison obtaining step (a) further includes the step of

(a1) obtaining the comparison for each of the plurality of parts with a corresponding portion of the plurality of criteria to provide the objective measure based on the serviceability of the system for the plurality of parts; and

(b) calculating at least one serviceability score based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating step (b) further includes the step of:

(b1) calculating a serviceability score for each of the plurality of parts.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(c) obtaining information relating to the plurality of parts, the information being used to calculate the serviceability score for each of the plurality of parts.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of criteria provide can be organized into a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories including customer self help, support enablement and service enablement.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the calculating step (b) further includes the step of:

(b1) calculating a serviceability score for each of the plurality of categories.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparison obtaining step (a) further includes the steps of:

(a2) providing a plurality of questions corresponding to the plurality of criteria to a user, each of the plurality of questions having a particular set of possible answers; and

(a3) allowing the user to answer the plurality of questions.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of questions has a particular weight.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of criteria further includes a measure of overall serviceability of the system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

(c) determining whether the serviceability score is at least a target score; and

(d) changing the system if the serviceability score is not at least the target score.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of criteria include a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories including at least one of customer self help, support enablement, and service enablement.

11. A method for evaluating a serviceability of a system including a plurality of parts, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a plurality of criteria for judging serviceability of the system;

(b) determining a plurality of questions for the system, the plurality of questions indicating the serviceability of the system, each of the plurality of questions having a particular set of possible answers, each of the plurality of questions corresponding to a portion of the plurality of parts,

(c) providing the plurality of questions to a user;

(d) allowing the user to provide a plurality of answers the plurality of questions; and

(e) calculating a serviceability score for the plurality of parts based on the plurality of answers and the plurality of criteria;

wherein a portion of the plurality of questions indicate a portion of the serviceability of the plurality of parts.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

(f) calculating a plurality of serviceability scores for a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories capable of including customer self help, support enablement and service enablement.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

(f) calculating a comprehensive serviceability score for the system.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

(f) obtaining information relating to the plurality of parts, the information being used to calculate the serviceability score for each of the plurality of parts.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of criteria further includes a measure of overall serviceability of the system.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

(g) determining whether the serviceability score is at least a target score; and

(h) changing the system if the serviceability score is not at least the target score.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of questions has a particular weight.

18. A computer-readable medium including a program for evaluating a serviceability of a system, the program including instructions for:

(a) obtaining a comparison of the system with a plurality of criteria, the comparison including an objective measure of the serviceability of the system for each of the plurality of criteria;

wherein the system includes a plurality of parts and wherein the comparison obtaining instructions (a) further includes instructions for

(a1) obtaining the comparison for each of the plurality of parts with a corresponding portion of the plurality of criteria to provide the objective measure based on the serviceability of the system for the plurality of parts; and

(b) calculating at least one serviceability score based on the comparison.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the plurality of criteria include a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories including at least one of customer self help, support enablement, and service enablement.

20. A computer-readable medium containing a program for evaluating a serviceability of a system including a plurality of parts, the program including instructions for:

(a) determining a plurality of criteria for judging serviceability of the system;

(b) determining a plurality of questions for the system, the plurality of questions indicating the serviceability of the system, each of the plurality of questions having a particular set of possible answers, each of the plurality of questions corresponding to a portion of the plurality of parts;

(c) providing the plurality of questions to a user;

(d) allowing the user to provide a plurality of answers the plurality of questions; and

(e) calculating a serviceability score for the plurality of parts based on the plurality of answers and the plurality of criteria;

wherein a portion of the plurality of questions indicate a portion of the serviceability of the plurality of parts.

21. A tool for evaluating a serviceability of a system comprising:

an interface for obtaining a comparison of the system with a plurality of criteria, the comparison including an objective measure of the serviceability of the system for each of the plurality of criteria; and

means for calculating at least one serviceability score based on the comparison;

where in the system includes a plurality of parts and wherein the comparison interface is further for obtaining the comparison for each of the plurality of parts with a corresponding portion of the plurality of criteria to provide the objective measure based on the serviceability of the system for the plurality of parts.

22. The tool of claim 21 wherein the calculating means further calculates a serviceability score for each of the plurality of parts.

23. The tool of claim 22 wherein the interface further obtains information relating to the plurality of parts, the information being used to calculate the serviceability score for each of the plurality of parts.

24. The tool of claim 21 wherein the plurality of criteria provide can be organized into a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories including customer self help, support enablement and service enablement.

25. The tool of claim 21 wherein the calculating means further calculates a serviceability score for each of the plurality of categories.

26. The tool of claim 21 wherein the interface further provides a plurality of questions corresponding to the plurality of criteria to a user, each of the plurality of questions having a particular set of possible answers and allows the user to answer the plurality of questions.

27. The tool of claim 26 wherein each of the plurality of questions has a particular weight.

28. The tool of claim 21 wherein the plurality of criteria further includes a measure of overall serviceability of the system.

29. The tool of claim 21 wherein the plurality of criteria include a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories including at least one of customer self help, support enablement, and service enablement.

30. A tool evaluating a serviceability of a system including a plurality of parts, the tool comprising:

an interface for providing a plurality of questions to a user, the plurality of questions for the system, the plurality of questions indicating the serviceability of the system, each of the plurality of questions having a particular set of possible answers, each of the plurality of questions corresponding to a portion of the plurality of parts, the interface further allowing the user to provide a plurality of answers the plurality of questions; and

means for calculating a serviceability score for the plurality of parts based on the plurality of answers and a plurality of criteria;

wherein a portion of the plurality of questions indicate a portion of the serviceability of the plurality of parts.

31. The tool of claim 30 further comprising means for calculating a plurality of serviceability scores for a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories capable of including customer self help, support enablement and service enablement.

32. The tool of claim 30 further comprising means for calculating a comprehensive serviceability score for the system.

33. The tool of claim 31 wherein the interface further obtains information relating to the plurality of parts, the information being used to calculate the serviceability score for each of the plurality of parts.

34. The tool of claim 30 wherein each of the plurality of questions has a particular weight.

35. The tool of claim 30 wherein the plurality of criteria further includes a measure of overall serviceability of the system.

36. The tool of claim 30 further comprising:

means for determining whether the serviceability score is at least a target score; and

means for changing the system if the serviceability score is not at least the target score.