System and method for enabling product development

• US 9,037,733 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Thomas, Tracey R., Chen, Katherine G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MIRZA, ADNAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/862,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212

Abstract

A comprehensive platform for developing digital products. A standardized process is applied to a product development effort and an online portal provides tools to aid the product development, assessment, funding and commercializing products. Project management, workflow and data security functionality enable consistent, efficient and secure interactions between users. Business rules, workflows, valuation models and rating methods may be user defined or based upon marketplace, industry or technology standards.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computer-based system configured for interfacing with experts and from a first user, standardized data for assessing an opportunity;

wherein the receiving the standardized data comprises;

presenting, by the computer-based system and to the first user, a first question in an interactive assessment template, wherein the template includes fields which request the standardized data;

receiving, by the computer-based system and from the first user, a first response to the first question, wherein the first response is part of the standardized data;

determining, by the computer-based system, a second question based at least partially upon the first response; and

receiving, by the computer-based system, a second response to the second question, wherein the second response is part of the standardized data;

creating, by the computer-based system and at least partially based upon the standardized data, a web page for the opportunity;

determining, by the computer-based system and at least partially based upon the standardized data, a plurality of experts for the opportunity;

selecting, by the computer-based system, a first expert from the plurality of experts;

determining, by the computer-based system, a cooperativeness score for the first expert;

receiving, by the computer-based system and from the first expert, feedback associated with the opportunity;

determining, by the computer-based system and based on the feedback, that the opportunity is a winner of a first round of a product tournament;

advancing, by the computer-based system, the opportunity to a second round of the product tournament;

developing, by the computer-based system, a second version of the opportunity; and

judging, by the computer-based system, the second version of the opportunity in the second round of the product tournament.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first expert is at least one of an industry expert, a member of the media, a judge in the product tournament or an investor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the plurality of experts is based upon expert rating data, wherein the expert rating data comprises ratings of experts based upon at least one of qualifications, peer rating, industry knowledge or experience.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the computer-based system, a plurality of experts and determining, by the computer-based system, a relevance score for each expert in the plurality of experts, wherein the relevance score is based upon at least one of industry, skill set, or location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the relevance score is based upon search criteria received from the first user.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining, by the computer-based system, for the first expert an expertise score.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining, by the computer-based system, a price for the first expert.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the price is determined based upon an auction.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system, a bid from the first user for the services of the first expert.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system, a request from the first user for expert advice associated with the opportunity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity is at least one of a digital product or a digital service.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, receiving, by the computer-based system, a digital upload comprising the opportunity.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising enabling, by the computer-based system, access by the first expert to at least one of the standardized data or the opportunity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the feedback comprises a score, a rating, an offer to purchase, an offer to invest, a recommendation, a critique and a comparison.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling, by the computer-based system, an online meeting between the expert and the first user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the computer-based system, via an online portal and based at least partially upon the standardized data, a plurality of tools to the first user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein, the plurality of tools comprises a search tool, a statistical scoring tool, an access configuration tool, an interactive assessment tool, a recommendations tool, a storage tool, a feedback tool, an expert advice tool, a web recording tool, a market research tool, a project management tool, a prototype tool, a demonstration tool, a connect and recommend tool and a mobile alert tool.

18. A system comprising:

a processor configured for interfacing with experts,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the processor and from a first user, standardized data for assessing an opportunity;

wherein the receiving the standardized data comprises;

presenting, by the processor and to the first user, a first question in an interactive assessment template, wherein the template includes fields which request the standardized data;

receiving, by the processor and from the first user, a first response to the first question, wherein the first response is part of the standardized data;

determining, by the processor, a second question based at least partially upon the first response; and

receiving, by the processor, a second response to the second question, wherein the second response is part of the standardized data;

creating, by the processor and at least partially based upon the standardized data, a web page for the opportunity;

determining, by the processor and at least partially based upon the standardized data, a plurality of experts for the opportunity;

selecting, by the processor, a first expert from the plurality of experts;

determining, by the processor, a cooperativeness score for the first expert;

receiving, by the processor and from the first expert, feedback associated with the opportunity;

determining, by the processor and based on the feedback, that the opportunity is a winner of a first round of a product tournament;

advancing, by the processor, the opportunity to a second round of the product tournament;

developing, by the processor, a second version of the opportunity; and

judging, by the processor, the second version of the opportunity in the second round of the product tournament.

19. An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system configured for interfacing with experts, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the computer-based system, and from a first user, standardized data for assessing an opportunity;

wherein the receiving the standardized data comprises;

presenting, by the computer-based system and to the first user, a first question in an interactive assessment template, wherein the template includes fields which request the standardized data;

receiving, by the computer-based system and from the first user, a first response to the first question, wherein the first response is part of the standardized data;

determining, by the computer-based system, a second question based at least partially upon the first response; and

receiving, by the computer-based system, a second response to the second question, wherein the second response is part of the standardized data;

creating, by the computer-based system and at least partially based upon the standardized data, a web page for the opportunity;

determining, by the computer-based system and at least partially based upon the standardized data, a plurality of experts for the opportunity;

selecting, by the computer-based system, a first expert from the plurality of experts;

determining, by the computer-based system, a cooperativeness score for the first expert;

receiving, by the computer-based system and from the first expert, feedback associated with the opportunity;

determining, by the computer-based system and based on the feedback, that the opportunity is a winner of a first round of a product tournament;

advancing, by the computer-based system, the opportunity to a second round of the product tournament;

developing, by the computer-based system, a second version of the opportunity; and

judging, by the computer-based system, the second version of the opportunity in the second round of the product tournament.