Organization health analysis using real-time communications monitoring

• US 8,041,589 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Lang, Andrew W., Hepworth, Neil, Gentle, Christopher R., Chan, Kevin, Blair, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALKER III, GEORGE H
• Application Number:
  US11/733,355
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management

Abstract

The present invention provides a communication monitoring and analysis method and system. More specifically, the present invention provides a method for determining the health and overall satisfaction of employees in an organization. The determination may be made by monitoring communications generated by employees for their tone and other parameters related to their satisfaction with various decisions made within the organization.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a satisfaction survey, comprising:

a processor determining an event of interest for an enterprise;

the processor analyzing a first message generated by a user in order to determine a first tone of the user, wherein the first message is generated prior to the event of interest and is in temporal proximity to the event of interest;

the processor analyzing a second message generated by the user in order to determine a second tone of the user, wherein the second message is generated after the event of interest and is in temporal proximity to the event of interest;

the processor comparing the first tone of the user to the second tone of the user;

based on the comparison, the processor determining a reaction of the user to the event of interest; and

the processor associating results of determining the reaction with a user'"'"'s level of satisfaction related to the event of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event of interest comprises a policy decision for the enterprise and wherein the analysis of the message determines a reaction of the user to the policy decision.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following is true:

(i) the first tone comprises a more positive tone than the second tone and wherein the reaction is determined to be a negative reaction to the event of interest;

(ii) the first tone comprises a less positive tone than the second tone and wherein the reaction is determined to be a positive reaction to the event of interest; and

(iii) the first tone and second tone are substantially the same and wherein the reaction is determined to be indifferent to the event of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a recipient of the first message is in a similar hierarchical position relative to the user as a recipient of the second message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second tone of the user comprise at least one of neutral, anger, boredom, disgust, anxiety, happiness, and sadness.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing a plurality of messages from a plurality of users associated with the enterprise, wherein each of the plurality of messages are generated in temporal proximity to the event of interest;

determining a tone of each of the plurality of messages;

averaging the tone of the plurality of message; and

determining a reaction of the enterprise to the event of interest.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions operable to perform a method for conducting a satisfaction survey, the instructions comprising:

instructions to determine an event of interest for an enterprise;

instructions to analyze a first message generated by a user in order to determine a first tone of the user, wherein the first message is generated prior to the event of interest and is in temporal proximity to the event of interest;

instructions to analyze a second message generated by the user in order to determine a second tone of the user, wherein the second message is generated after the event of interest and is in temporal proximity to the event of interest;

instructions to compare the first tone of the user to the second tone of the user;

based on the comparison, instructions to determine a reaction of the user to the event of interest; and

instructions to associate results of the reaction determination with a user'"'"'s level of satisfaction related to the event of interest.

8. A communication device, comprising:

a memory;

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor operable to execute a monitoring application, the monitoring application operable to;

determine when an event of interest occurred for an enterprise;

analyze a first message generated by a user in order to determine a first tone of the user, wherein the first message is generated prior to the event of interest and is in temporal proximity to the event of interest;

analyze a second message generated by the user in order to determine a second tone of the user, wherein the second message is generated after the event of interest and is in temporal proximity to the event of interest;

compare the first tone of the user to the second tone of the user;

based on the comparison, determine a reaction of the user to the event of interest; and

associate results of determining the reaction with a user'"'"'s level of satisfaction related to the event of interest.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the second message is a predetermined amount of time after the event of interest.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first message is a predetermined amount of time before the event of interest.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the first or second message comprises at least one of an email, a text message, an Instant Message, a voice message, and a real-time voice signal.