System and method for evaluating information aggregates by visualizing associated categories

• US 7,065,532 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Elder, Michael D., Schirmer, Andrew L., Rokosz, Vaughn T., Schultz, Matthew, Jho, Jason Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US10/286,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 6, 707100-1041, 707/10, 707/200, 706 45- 50, 706/14, 706/61, 702179-182, 717/109, 717/111, 717/113, 715512-514
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/38 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

System and method for evaluating an information aggregate by analyzing categories into which each document of the aggregate is placed. A metrics database stores for each document indicia including associated categories. A query engine is responsive to a user request and the metrics database for aggregating documents having same, unique attributes in an information aggregate and identifying categories associated with documents comprising the information aggregate; and a visualization engine visualizes the category or set of categories, such as by list or distribution frequency, and changes in time over conceptual or physical space.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating information aggregates to enable visualization of relationships behind a process of knowledge creation and maintenance and to infer context specific knowledge trends and dynamics to evaluate organizational change initiatives and to implement training programs to facilitate communication of key topics, comprising:

collecting a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a shared attribute into an information aggregate;

partitioning a visualization portfolio into people, community, system and category domains for enabling visualization of said context specific knowledge trends and dynamics including identification of individuals creating and receiving knowledge, individuals targeted as field experts, group communication dynamics, and categories of information that are thriving and those lacking activity;

identifying through analysis of document content a set of categories associated with said documents;

visualizing said categories, including selectively determining and visualizing how said category spreads through space over time, how said category spreads through conceptual space over time, and how said category spreads through physical space over time;

displaying for said aggregate a frequency distribution of categories and a visualization of changes of said frequency distribution over time; and

responsive to said visualizing and displaying steps, selectively evaluating organizational change initiatives and implementing training programs to facilitate communication of key topics among said individuals and within said group.

2. System for evaluating an information aggregate to enable visualization of relationships behind a process of knowledge creation and maintenance and to infer context specific knowledge trends and dynamics to evaluate organizational chance initiatives and to implement training programs to facilitate communication of key tonics, comprising:

a metrics database for storing document indicia including associated categories;

a query engine responsive to a user request and said metrics database for aggregating documents having same, unique attributes in an information aggregate and for partitioning a visualization portfolio into people, community, system and category domains for enabling visualization of said context specific knowledge trends and dynamics including identification of individuals creating and receiving knowledge, individuals targeted as field experts, group communication dynamics, and categories of information that are thriving and those lacking activity;

said query engine further for identifying categories associated with documents comprising said information aggregate; and

a visualization engine for visualizing said categories, said visualization engine selectively responsive to user request for visualizing changes in said categories over time and changes in said categories with respect to physical and conceptual space over time to selectively evaluate organizational change initiatives and to implement training programs to facilitate communication of key topics among said individuals and within said group.

3. A computer program product for evaluating information aggregates to enable visualization of relationships behind a process of knowledge creation and maintenance and to infer context specific knowledge trends and dynamics to evaluate organizational change initiatives and to implement training programs to facilitate communication of key topics, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions for collecting a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a shared attribute into an information aggregate;

second program instructions for identifying a set of categories associated with said documents and for partitioning a visualization portfolio into people, community, system and category domains for enabling visualization of said context specific knowledge trends and dynamics including identification of individuals creating and receiving knowledge, individuals targeted as field experts, group communication dynamics, and categories of information that are thriving and those lacking activity;

third program instructions for displaying for said aggregate a frequency distribution of categories in said set of categories; and

fourth program instructions for displaying for said aggregate a visualization of changes of said frequency distribution over time, selectively including visualizing how each said category spreads through conceptual and physical space over time to evaluate organizational change initiatives and to implement training programs to facilitate communication of key topics among said individuals and within said group; and

wherein

said first, second, third, and fourth program instructions are recorded on said computer readable medium.