System and method for identifying excellence within a profession

• US 8,412,564 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Reuters Corporation (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Thell, Charles F., White, William C., Larson, Cindy
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett, Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US12/109,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.42
• US Class Current: 705/7.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function

Abstract

The present invention provides for a system and method of identifying excellence within a profession. In one embodiment, excellent performing candidates within a profession group are identified by creating a candidate pool from independent research and a peer nomination process. Identified candidates then obtain a score according to an independent research and objective evaluation process. Peer evaluators contribute to this score by evaluating top-scoring candidates, and a total score is compiled for each identified candidate. Candidates with scores in a top percentage of the candidates are then recognized as demonstrating excellent performance in the profession group.

Claims

1. A method on a processing device for identifying excellent performance of candidates within a profession group, the processing device comprising a processor, a user interface device, and a data storage device, the method comprising:

creating a candidate pool by selecting individuals from a profession group, including;

receiving and processing a survey of peer professionals working within the profession group, wherein the peer professionals nominate other individuals within the profession group, wherein a minimum set of qualifications exist for each of the peer professionals to provide nominations;

performing independent research to identify individuals, the independent research comprising data mining to identify the individuals who satisfy predefined criteria for outstanding performance within the profession group, wherein the data mining includes querying electronic data sources containing relevant biographical information for the individuals within the profession group; and

selecting candidates for the candidate pool based on a combination of the results produced by the survey of peer professionals and the independent research, wherein the combination is performed using a computer operation which removes duplicate candidates;

wherein biographical information about individuals identified via the survey and the independent research is compiled for each individual within the candidate pool and stored in the data storage device;

evaluating the candidates individuals within the candidate pool, including;

performing, by the processor, independent research to evaluate performance of the candidates, the independent research comprising retrieval of performance information for the candidates relevant to objective criteria specific to the profession group, wherein the retrieval of performance information is performed independent of input from the individuals in the profession group and the peer professionals, and wherein the performance information is compiled for each candidate in the candidate pool and added to the information compiled for each candidate stored within the data storage device;

for each candidate within the candidate pool, storing in the data storage device a score for each objective criterion based on the performance information of each candidate stored in the data storage device;

for each candidate within the candidate pool, compiling with the processor a point total from the scores of each objective criterion; and

identifying candidates with point totals in a first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool;

conducting peer evaluations of only the candidates with point totals in the first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool, including;

selecting peer evaluators from among the candidates having point totals in the first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool;

obtaining, from the user interface device, peer evaluation scores from the selected peer evaluators; and

producing, with the processor, an averaged peer evaluation score for each candidate in the first predetermined top percentage; and

identifying, with the processor, candidates in a second predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool based on a function of the point totals compiled from the scores of each objective criterion and the peer evaluation scores obtained from the selected peer evaluators.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising dividing the individual candidates with point totals in a predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool into groups based on common characteristics.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the common characteristics include firm or organization size of the candidates.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the profession group is limited to practitioners located within a defined geographic area.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the nominations of peer professionals are tracked to prevent peer professionals from engaging in reciprocal voting.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the number of nominations provided by each of the peer professionals is limited to a predefined number.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein creating a candidate pool further includes providing a point value for individuals who are nominated by peer professionals outside of the nominated individual'"'"'s firm or organization, wherein the step of identifying candidates in the second predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool is based on a function of the point value.

8. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

weighting the peer evaluation scores provided by the peer evaluators based on a predefined multiplier value; and

wherein the step of identifying candidates in the second predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool is based on a function of the point totals compiled from the scores of each objective criterion and the weighted peer evaluation scores obtained from the selected peer evaluators.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein independent verification is performed of all information material to the score for each objective criterion of the selected individual candidates.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein a website is used to provide an interface to input and display data.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein a report is generated onto a tangible medium showing the identified candidates and relevant information used in creating the report, the relevant information including one or more of profession group, profession sub-group, geographic area, predetermined time period, and point totals.

12. A computer program on a non-transitory computer readable medium, for execution by a computer to identify excellent performance of candidates within a profession group, the computer program comprising:

a code segment for creating a candidate pool by selecting individuals from a profession group, including;

processing a survey of peer professionals working within the profession group, wherein the peer professionals nominate other individuals within the profession group, wherein a minimum set of qualifications exist for each of the peer professionals to provide nominations;

performing independent research to identify individuals, the independent research comprising data mining to identify the individuals who satisfy predefined criteria for outstanding performance within the profession group, wherein the data mining includes querying electronic data sources containing relevant biographical information for the individuals within the profession group; and

selecting candidates for the candidate pool based on a combination of the results produced by the survey of peer professionals and the independent research, wherein the combination is performed using a computer operation which removes duplicate candidates;

wherein biographical information about individuals identified via the survey and the independent research is compiled for each individual within the candidate pool and stored in a data store;

a code segment for evaluating the candidates within the candidate pool, including;

performing independent research to evaluate performance of the candidates, the independent research comprising retrieval of performance information for the candidates relevant to objective criteria specific to the profession group, wherein the retrieval of performance information is performed independent of input from the individuals in the profession group and the peer professionals, and wherein the performance information is compiled for each candidate in the candidate pool and added to the information compiled for each candidate stored within the data store;

for each candidate within the candidate pool storing in the data store a score for each objective criterion based on the performance information of each candidate stored in the data store;

for each candidate within the candidate pool, compiling a point total from the scores of each objective criterion; and

identifying candidates with point totals in a first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool;

a code segment for conducting peer evaluations of only the candidates with point totals in the first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool, including;

selecting peer evaluators from among the candidates having point totals in the first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool;

obtaining peer evaluation scores from the selected peer evaluators; and

producing an averaged peer evaluation score for each candidate in the first predetermined top percentage; and

a code segment for identifying candidates in a second predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool based on a function of the point totals compiled from the scores of each objective criterion and the peer evaluation scores obtained from the selected peer evaluators.

13. A computer system for identifying excellent performance of candidates within a profession group, comprising:

a candidate pool component for creating a candidate pool by selecting individuals from a profession group, the candidate pool component performing the steps of;

processing a survey of peer professionals working within the profession group, wherein the peer professionals nominate other individuals within the profession group, wherein a minimum set of qualifications exist for each of the peer professionals to provide nominations;

performing independent research to identify individuals, the independent research comprising data mining to identify the individuals who satisfy predefined criteria for outstanding performance within the profession group, wherein the data mining includes querying electronic data sources containing relevant biographical information for the individuals within the profession group; and

selecting candidates for the candidate pool based on a combination of the results produced by the survey of peer professionals and the independent research, wherein the combination is performed using a computer operation which removes duplicate candidates;

wherein biographical information about individuals identified via the survey and the independent research is compiled for each individual within the candidate pool and stored in a data store;

an evaluation component for evaluating the candidates within the candidate pool, the evaluation component performing the steps of;

performing independent research to evaluate performance of the candidates, the independent research comprising retrieval of performance information for the candidates relevant to objective criteria specific to the profession group, wherein the retrieval of performance information is performed independent of input from the individuals in the profession group and the peer professionals, and wherein the performance information is compiled for each candidate in the candidate pool and added to the information compiled for each candidate stored within the data store;

for each candidate within the candidate pool, storing in the data store a score for each objective criterion based on the performance information of each candidate stored in the data store;

for each candidate within the candidate pool, compiling a point total from the scores of each objective criterion; and

identifying candidates with point totals in a first predetermined top percentage candidates in the candidate pool;

a peer evaluation component for conducting peer evaluations of only the candidates with point totals in the first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool, the peer evaluation component performing the steps of;

selecting peer evaluators from among the candidates having point totals in the first predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool;

obtaining peer evaluation scores from the selected peer evaluators; and

producing an averaged peer evaluation score for each candidate in the first predetermined top percentage; and

an identification component for identifying candidates in a second predetermined top percentage of candidates in the candidate pool based on a function of the point totals compiled from the scores for each objective criterion and the peer evaluation scores obtained from the selected peer evaluators.