Computer system for monitoring actual performance to standards in real time

• US 7,571,111 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ahrens, Bruce, Cartier, David
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTSON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/812,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for conducting a management session between a supervisor and an employee or other subordinate. The system utilizes a handheld personal computer that is programmed with multiple supervisory functions, which are displayed in an integrated format to reduce the number of supervisory sessions required for a given employee. The system also provides for the capture and storage of automatic work measurement data, which can be integrated with other work measurement data captured by one or more sensing devices within the employee'"'"'s workspace, and performance to standards can be reviewed in real time via real-time alerts or at the end of the evaluation.

Claims

1. A portable device for recording and evaluating a subordinate'"'"'s work, comprising:

a user interface for receiving information;

an information storage device;

a screen device for displaying information; and

a processor coupled to said user interface, said information storage device, and said screen device, said processor configured for;

storing, on said portable device, data associated with a plurality of job elements, wherein each of said plurality of job elements corresponds to a work activity of said subordinate'"'"'s work session and comprises a set of job methods to be performed by a subordinate over the course of said work session;

displaying, on said portable device, a first screen window comprising a listing of said job elements;

receiving a first input comprising a selection of a first of said job elements, said first of said job elements relating to a first work activity of said subordinate'"'"'s work;

responsive to said first input, displaying, on said portable device, a second screen window associated with said first of said job elements relating to said subordinate'"'"'s first work activity, said second screen window displaying a first particular set of job methods to be performed by said subordinate, said first particular set of job methods corresponding to said first job element;

receiving a second input comprising a measurement indicating that said subordinate has failed to comply with at least one job method of said first particular set of job methods;

responsive to said second input indicating that said measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold for said at least one job method, altering a display of said at least one job method on said second screen window;

receiving a third input comprising a selection of a second of said job elements, said second of said job elements relating to a second work activity of said subordinate'"'"'s work;

responsive to said third input, displaying, on said portable device, a third screen window associated with said second of said job elements relating to said subordinate'"'"'s second work activity, said third screen window displaying a second particular set of job methods to be performed by said subordinate, said second particular set of job methods corresponding to said second job element;

receiving a fourth input comprising a measurement indicating that said subordinate has failed to comply with at least one job method of said second particular set of job methods; and

responsive to said fourth input indicating that said measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold for said at least one job method, altering a display of said at least one job method on said third screen window, wherein;

said second screen window comprises a concurrent display of said first particular set of job methods, and

said third screen window comprises a concurrent display of said second particular set of job methods.

2. The portable device of claim 1, wherein said data stored on said portable device further comprises written descriptions of said first and second particular sets of job methods.

3. The portable device of claim 1, wherein said second input is received from a sensor positioned on a vehicle used by said subordinate during said first work activity.

7. The portable device of claim 1, wherein said second input is received wirelessly from a sensor positioned on a vehicle used by said subordinate during said first work activity.

8. The portable device of claim 3, wherein said sensor positioned on said vehicle is adapted to sense one or more types of data selected from a group consisting of:

door data, global positioning data, engine data, weather data, ignition data,

and mileage data.

9. The portable device of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured for displaying said second screen window concurrently with said first screen window on said portable computer in response to receiving said first input comprising said selection of said first of said job elements, and said processor is configured for displaying said third screen window concurrently with said first screen window on said portable computer in response to receiving said third input comprising said selection of said second of said job elements.

4. A method of recording and evaluating a subordinate'"'"'s work, comprising:

storing, on a portable computer, data associated with a plurality of job elements, wherein each of said plurality of job elements corresponds to a work activity of said subordinate'"'"'s work session and comprises a set of job methods to be performed by a subordinate over the course of said work session;

displaying, on said portable computer, a first screen window comprising a listing of said job elements;

receiving a first input comprising a selection of a first of said job elements, said first of said job elements relating to a first work activity of said subordinate'"'"'s work;

responsive to said first input, displaying, on said portable computer, a second screen window associated with said first of said job elements relating to said subordinate'"'"'s first work activity, said second screen window displaying a first particular set of job methods to be performed by said subordinate, said first particular set of job methods corresponding to said first job element;

receiving a second input comprising a first measurement indicating that said subordinate has failed to comply with at least one job method of said first particular set of job methods;

responsive to said second input indicating that said first measurement exceeds an associated predetermined threshold, altering a display of said at least one job method on said second screen window, wherein said second screen window comprises a concurrent display of said first particular set of job methods;

receiving a third input comprising a selection of a second of said job elements, said second of said job elements relating to a second work activity of said subordinate'"'"'s work;

responsive to said third input, displaying, on said portable computer, a third screen window associated with said second of said job elements relating to said subordinate'"'"'s second work activity, said third screen window displaying a second particular set of job methods to be performed by said subordinate, said second particular set of job methods corresponding to said second job element;

receiving a fourth input comprising a second measurement indicating that said subordinate has failed to comply with at least one job method of said second particular set of job methods; and

responsive to said fourth input indicating that said second measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold, altering a display of said at least one job method of said second particular set of job methods on said third screen window, wherein said third screen window comprises a concurrent display of said second particular set of job methods.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a selection area is displayed in association with said first particular set of job methods, and the method further comprises:

selecting job method on said second screen window; and

responsive to selection of the selected job method, storing an indication that said subordinate failed to comply with said selected job method.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of storing data includes storing written descriptions of each job method of the first and second sets of job methods.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of displaying said second screen window is performed by displaying said second screen window concurrently with said first screen window on said portable computer in response to receiving said first input comprising said selection of said first of said job elements, and the step of displaying said screen third window is performed by displaying said third screen window concurrently with said first screen window on said portable computer in response to receiving said third input comprising said selection of said second of said job elements.