Survey generation system

• US 7,565,615 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ebert, Peter S
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Tuyetlien T
• Application Number:
  US11/041,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20050193333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/760, 715/763, 715/769, 705/7, 705/10
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A survey generation system is described that allows a survey designer to design and implement a survey for obtaining feedback from participants of the survey. Survey components are displayed within a first portion of a user interface, where each survey component is associated with a type of survey question. The survey designer may select one or more of the survey components by “dragging and dropping” the selected survey component to a second portion of the user interface, where the survey generation system automatically creates an editable instance of the selected survey component and corresponding question type. The survey designer may enter a desired question, and associated answer choices, if any. In this way, the survey designer designs the survey in an easy, fast, and intuitive manner, and, in particular, views the survey as it will appear to the participant, even during the design of the survey.

Claims

1. A computer system having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the computer system provide a survey generation system comprising:

a survey component generator tangibly implemented in the computer system and operable to provide multiple survey components for display within a designer view of a user interface for selection by a survey designer, and further operable to generate an editable instance of a plurality of survey components, for display and editing within a participant view of the user interface, wherein the survey designer selects each of the plurality of survey components and visually places the selected survey component in the participant view of the user interface in an order that the plurality of survey components will be presented on a first screen of a survey;

wherein the designer view includes first and second save functions, the first save function configured for;

(i) saving the first screen including a plurality of editable or edited instances of the plurality of selected survey components located in the participant view and clearing the participant view, and (ii) saving a second screen upon another selection of the first save function after generation of the second screen to include a plurality of editable or edited instances of the plurality of survey components in the participant view, wherein each instance of the plurality of editable or edited instances of the first and second screens includes a question field and its corresponding answer field; and

wherein the first and second screens include first and second index markers, respectively, indicating that the first screen is to be presented before the second screen in a sequence;

a survey assembler tangibly implemented in the computer system and operable to receive the plurality of editable or edited instances of the plurality of selected survey components displayed in the participant view of the user interface, for assembly into the survey for output to a survey participant, wherein the second save function is configured for causing the survey assembler to assemble the first screen and the second screen into the survey such that the first screen is presented before the second screen in the sequence and such that the plurality of instances of the plurality of selected survey components are presented in the order on the first screen.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the designer view of the multiple survey components and the participant view of at least some of the editable or edited instances of the plurality of survey components are displayed to the survey designer simultaneously during a designing of the survey.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the multiple survey components include drag-and-drop elements displayed within the designer view and the plurality of editable or edited instances include dragged-and-dropped instances of one or more of the survey components within the participant view.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of survey components are identified within the designer view as corresponding to a survey question type, and wherein the plurality of editable survey components include an editable question or answer field that corresponds to the survey question type.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising a results compiler that is operable to receive survey input from a plurality of survey participants for aggregation of the survey input.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the survey component generator is operable to generate the plurality of survey components as extensible Mark-up Language (XML) components, and further wherein the survey assembler is operable to assemble, save, and output the survey as an XML document.

7. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising an integrator for supplying the survey to an external application, such that the survey may be supplied to users of the external application.

8. A method comprising:

displaying multiple survey components within a first portion of a user interface of a computer system;

receiving a selection of a plurality of the multiple survey components by a survey designer, the survey designer selecting each of the plurality of survey components and visually placing the selected survey component in a second portion of the user interface in an order that the plurality of survey components will be presented on a first screen of a survey;

displaying a plurality of editable instances of the plurality of selected survey components within the second portion of the user interface;

receiving edits to the plurality of editable instances of the plurality of survey components to obtain edited instances of the plurality of survey components, while displaying the multiple survey components within the first portion of the user interface;

in response to a first input generated using a first save function, saving the first screen including the plurality of editable or edited instances of the selected plurality of survey components having the order and located in the second portion, and clearing the second portion;

in response to a second input generated using the first save function, saving a second screen after generation of the second screen to include a plurality of editable or edited instances of the plurality of survey components in the second portion, wherein each instance of the plurality of editable or edited instances of the first and second screens includes a question field and its corresponding answer field; and

wherein the first and second screens include first and second index markers, respectively, indicating that the first screen is to be presented before the second screen in a sequence; and

in response to a third input generated using a second save function, assembling the first screen and the second screen into the survey such that the first screen is presented before the second screen in the sequence and such that the plurality of instances of the plurality of selected survey components are presented in the order on the first screen.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the selection and the displaying editable instances comprise providing a drag-and-drop functionality for the survey components such that the editable instances include dragged-and-dropped instances of one or more of the survey components.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting the survey to a user-feedback application, such that the survey designer may include the survey within a user-feedback campaign.

11. A user interface tangibly implemented in a computer system comprising a computer display device, the user interface comprising:

a first portion for displaying multiple survey components that are each associated with a type of survey question; and

a second portion for displaying editable instances of a plurality of selected a plurality of survey components for editing by a survey designer, to thereby obtain a multiple of survey questions, while the first portion is displaying the multiple survey components, the survey designer selecting each of the plurality of survey components and visually placing the selected survey component in a second portion of the user interface in an order that the plurality of survey components will be presented on a first screen of a survey;

wherein the first portion includes a first save function configured for;

(i) saving the first screen including a plurality of editable or edited instances of the plurality of selected survey components located in the second portion and clearing the second portion, and (ii) saving a second screen upon another selection of the first save function after generation of the second screen to include a plurality of editable or edited instances of the selected plurality of survey components in the second portion, wherein each instance of the plurality of editable or edited instances of the first and second screens includes a question field and its corresponding answer field; and

wherein the first and second screens include first and second index markers, respectively, indicating that the first screen is to be presented before the second screen in a sequence;

wherein the first portion includes a second save function configured for causing the first screen and the second screen to be assembled into the survey such that the first screen is presented before the second screen in the sequence and that the plurality of instances of the plurality of selected survey components are presented in the order on the first screen; and

wherein the plurality of editable or edited instances are supplied and placed within the second portion by way of a dragging-and-dropping of the plurality of the survey components between the first portion and the second portion.