Method and apparatus for role-based presentation of information

• US 8,650,059 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Singh, Sumit, Martinez, Javier, Musunuru, Sridhar, Rajkumar, Williams, Bedse, Pritam, Aziz, Mukaram
• Primary Examiner(s): FEENEY, BRETT A
• Application Number:
  US11/553,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

An approach is provided for utilizing role-based presentation interfaces. A role of a user among a plurality of roles is determined. The user is among a plurality of users that are grouped based on the roles. A presentation interface is populated with sales related information based on the determined role.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining by an apparatus one of a plurality of groups associated with a user, wherein grouping of the user is based on at least one criterion, wherein the at least one criterion includes a sale channel that specifies an internal sales representative and an external sales representative;

populating by the apparatus one presentation interface with sales related information based on the determined group,

wherein the presentation interface displays;

a first section specifying sales assignment information,

a second section specifying status of work queues corresponding to sales orders,

a third section specifying a calendar including one or more viewing privileges of the user, and

a fourth section specifying missed and queued communications, in connection with the calendar, wherein the communications include one or more missed calls, and

wherein the status of work queues is defined according to on-hold, unassigned, in queue, assigned, pending, in-progress, or a combination thereof; and

restricting the user access to report information, workflow applications, and sales related information according to the at least one criterion and the one or more viewing privileges of the user,

wherein access by the user to the one or more missed calls in connection with the calendar is restricted according to the internal sales representative or the external sales representative specified in the sale channel.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion includes user type, role, or a combination thereof, wherein the role specifies a predetermined set of job functions, and wherein positioning of elements within each of the sections is directed by the role.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

permitting the user access to sales related information of another one of the user according to the at least one criterion and the one or more viewing privileges of the user; and

tracking one or more sale leads, one or more sale orders, or a combination thereof, based upon the one or more missed calls.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the presentation interface is configured according to user group preference.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the presentation interface further displays a work queue of the user, wherein the work queue is defined according to assigned, firmed, expired, saved, declined, sent, or a combination thereof.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the presentation interface further displays,

a fifth section specifying sales activities,

a six section specifying compensation information that depends on one or more sales funnels, the compensation information is viewable depending on the viewing privileges of the user,

a seventh section specifying contract management, and

an eight section specifying status of data flow-through that depends on the viewing privileges of the user.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the presentation interface includes a graphical user interface (GUI).

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second section further displays a sales funnel that lists the sales orders defined according to core, customer premises equipment (CPE), and growth.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the presentation interface displays a ninth section specifying a quality measurement plan (QMP) and a process variation (PV) that detail quarterly sales information.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the presentation interface displays a tenth section specifying order requests from sales engineers, the order requests are defined according to saved, in queue, assigned, in progress, completed, or a combination thereof.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the missed and queued communications are selectively displayed on the calendar to a user with viewing privileges.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

populating by the apparatus a second presentation interface for a sales order implementer,

wherein the second presentation interface displays;

a first section specifying the sales orders,

a second section specifying a number of one or more rejected orders,

a third section specifying numbers of one or more orders that are assigned, in progress, pending, jeopardy, errors, and completed,

a fourth section specifying one or more messages and alerts regarding the sale orders, and

a fifth section specifying status of data flow-through that depends on the viewing privileges of the sales order implementer.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

populating by the apparatus a third presentation interface for a sales order automation administrator,

wherein the third presentation interface displays;

a first section specifying status of registered users,

a second section specifying one or more help desk activities,

a third section specifying administrator utilities applications,

a fourth section specifying workflow management applications,

a fifth section specifying product management applications,

a sixth section specifying one or more messages and alerts regarding the sale orders,

a seventh section specifying status of data flow-through that depends on the viewing privileges of the sales order automation administrator, and

an eighth section specifying a calendar including one or more helpdesk ticket follow-ups.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to determine one of a plurality of groups associated with a user, wherein grouping of the user is based on at least one criterion, wherein the at least one criterion includes a sale channel that specifies an internal sales representative and an external sales representative, and the processor is further configured to populate one presentation interface with sales related information based on the determined group and one or more viewing privileges of the user, wherein the presentation interface displays;

a first section specifying sales assignment information,

a second section specifying status of work queues corresponding to sales orders,

a third section specifying a calendar including one or more viewing privileges of the user, and

a fourth section specifying missed and queued communications, in connection with the calendar, wherein the communications include one or more missed calls, and

wherein the status of work queues is defined according to on-hold, unassigned, in queue, assigned, pending, in-progress, or a combination thereof; and

restricting the user access to report information, workflow applications, and sales related information according to the at least one criterion and the one or more viewing privileges of the user,

wherein access by the user to the one or more missed calls in connection with the calendar is restricted according to the internal sales representative or the external sales representative specified in the sale channel.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one criterion includes user type, role, or a combination thereof, wherein the role specifies a predetermined set of job functions.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to restrict the user access to report information or workflow applications according to the at least one criterion.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to permit the user access to sales related information of another one of the user according to the at least one criterion.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the presentation interface is configured according to user preference.

19. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the presentation interface specifies sales activities, compensation information, and a work queue of the user, wherein the work queue is defined according to assigned, firmed, expired, saved, declined, sent, or a combination thereof.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

determining one of a plurality of groups associated with a user, wherein grouping of the user is based on at least one criterion, wherein the at least one criterion includes a sale channel that specifies an internal sales representative and an external sales representative;

populating by the apparatus one presentation interface with sales related information based on the determined group,

wherein the presentation interface displays;

a first section specifying sales assignment information,

a second section specifying status of work queues corresponding to sales orders,

a third section specifying a calendar including one or more viewing privileges of the user, and

a fourth section specifying missed and queued communications, in connection with the calendar, wherein the communications include one or more missed calls, and

wherein the status of work queues is defined according to on-hold, unassigned, in queue, assigned, pending, in-progress, or a combination thereof; and

restricting the user access to report information, workflow applications, and sales related information according to the at least one criterion and the one or more viewing privileges of the user,

wherein access by the user to the one or more missed calls in connection with the calendar is restricted according to the internal sales representative or the external sales representative specified in the sale channel.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the at least one criterion includes user type, role, or a combination thereof, wherein the role specifies a predetermined set of job functions.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus is further perform restricting the user access to report information or workflow applications according to the at least one criterion.