Performance prediction service using entity-process information

• US 8,626,569 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chess, David M., Krasikov, Sophia, Segal, Alla, Velayudham, Senthilnathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US12/132,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 705 729- 732, 705/7.39, 709223-238
• US Class Current: 705/7.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

Performance prediction techniques are provided that utilize business-process information such as transaction history and log information. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a computer-based technique for providing a performance prediction service comprises the following steps/operations. First, business-process information associated with a business is obtained. Then, a performance estimation function is generated based at least in part on the business-process information, the performance estimation function being usable in responding to a query obtained from a potential customer of the business.

Claims

1. A computer-based method of providing a performance prediction service, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a query from a potential customer of an entity;

obtaining entity-process information associated with the entity, wherein the entity-process information comprises entity operational information associated with at least one of transactions, backorders, cancelled orders, and service level agreement compliance associated with the entity;

obtaining post-fact reputation information associated with the entity, wherein the post-fact reputation information comprises information regarding a performance history of past business transactions of the entity;

generating a performance estimation function based at least in part on the entity-process information and the post-fact reputation information; and

utilizing the performance estimation function in responding to the query obtained from the potential customer of the entity to provide information regarding a reputation of the entity or a prediction of future performance of the entity;

wherein the obtaining, generating and utilizing steps are executed on a computing system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein one or more software components for implementing the obtaining, generating and utilizing steps are loaded from the memory and executed by the processor resulting in generation of a response to the query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining post-fact reputation information further comprises obtaining such information from one or more prior clients of the entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining entity-process information further comprises obtaining such information from the entity in real-time or offline.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining entity-process information further comprises obtaining such information from the entity in response to a single request or in a continually streaming form.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of removing sensitive information from the entity-process information.

6. Apparatus for providing a performance prediction service, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

obtain a query from a potential customer of an entity;

obtain entity-process information associated with the entity, wherein the entity-process information comprises entity operational information associated with at least one of transactions, backorders, cancelled orders, and service level agreement compliance associated with the entity;

obtain post-fact reputation information associated with the entity, wherein the post-fact reputation information comprises information regarding a performance history of past business transactions of the entity;

generate a performance estimation function based at least in part on the entity-process information and the post-fact reputation information; and

utilize the performance estimation function in responding to the query obtained from the potential customer of the entity to provide information regarding a reputation of the entity or a prediction of future performance of the entity.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the operation of obtaining post-fact reputation information further comprises obtaining such information from one or more prior clients of the entity.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the operation of obtaining entity-process information further comprises obtaining such information from the entity in real-time or offline.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the operation of obtaining entity-process information further comprises obtaining such information from entity in response to a single request or in a continually streaming form.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further operative to remove sensitive information from the entity-process information.

11. An article of manufacture for providing a performance prediction service, comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing one or more programs which when executed by a processor implement the steps of:

obtaining a query from a potential customer of an entity;

obtaining entity-process information associated with the entity, wherein the entity-process information comprises entity operational information associated with at least one of transactions, backorders, cancelled orders, and service level agreement compliance associated with the entity;

obtaining post-fact reputation information associated with the entity, wherein the post-fact reputation information comprises information regarding a performance history of past business transactions of the entity;

generating a performance estimation function based at least in part on the entity-process information and the post-fact reputation information; and

utilizing the performance estimation function in responding to the query obtained from the potential customer of the entity to provide information regarding a reputation of the entity or a prediction of future performance of the entity;

wherein the obtaining, generating and utilizing steps are executed on a computing system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein one or more software components for implementing the obtaining, generating and utilizing steps are loaded from the memory and executed by the processor resulting in generation of a response to the query.