PERSONALIZED TASK RECOMMENDATIONS

• US 20100306016A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Brian P., Solaro, John A.
• Application Number:
  US12/472,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306016A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/205 Education administration or guidance

Abstract

Personalized task recommendation technique embodiments are presented that involve recommending a particular task or tasks to a user which can be employed in furtherance of a desired goal based on observations of past users and how they accomplished this goal. The workflow that is recommended to a user is personalized in that it takes into account the demographic characteristics of the user and the workflow tasks they use. This involves grouping the aforementioned past users into groups whose users accomplish a particular goal using a similar workflow and exhibit similar demographic characteristics. A new user wishing assistance in completing a particular goal is then associated with the group having similar demographic and workflow choice characteristics to the new user. A workflow based on the workflows of the associated group is then recommended to the new user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented process for grouping users based on workflow and demographics, comprising:

using a computer to perform the following process actions;

inputting a sequence of tasks comprising said workflow performed by each user in furtherance of the same prescribed goal;

inputting prescribed demographic information about said users; and

identifying groups of users, wherein each group employs a prescribed degree of workflow similarity in furtherance of said prescribed goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in demographic information.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said users perform workflow tasks on a computer which is in communication with a computer network, and wherein the process action of inputting the sequence of tasks comprising said workflow performed by each user in furtherance of the same prescribed goal, comprises an action of monitoring the workflow performed by each user via the computer network.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said users perform workflow tasks on a computer which is in communication with a computer network, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises an action of obtaining at least some of said demographic information from what is already known to the network about the users.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said users perform workflow tasks on a computer which is in communication with a computer network, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises the actions of:

presenting each user with a questionnaire via the computer network which asks the user to provide at least some of said demographic information; and

receiving the demographic information provided by the users in response to the questionnaire via the computer network.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said goal is an educational-based goal, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises inputting information concerning whether the user is a student, or a teacher, or a school administrator.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein said goal is an educational-based goal, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises inputting information concerning the user'"'"'s subject of study.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein said goal is an educational-based goal, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises inputting information concerning the name of the user'"'"'s teacher.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein said goal is an educational-based goal, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises inputting information concerning the type of school the user attends.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said goal is an educational-based goal, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises inputting information concerning the grade level of the user.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein said goal is an educational-based goal, and wherein the process action of inputting prescribed demographic information about said users, comprises inputting information concerning the location of the user'"'"'s school.

11. The process of claim 1, further comprising the actions of:

inputting additional demographic information about said users after the user groups have been identified; and

regrouping the users, wherein each new group employs a prescribed degree of workflow similarity in furtherance of said prescribed goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in the expanded demographic information.

12. The process of claim 1, further comprising the actions of:

modifying or reducing the existing demographic information about said users after the user groups have been identified; and

regrouping the users, wherein each new group employs a prescribed degree of workflow similarity in furtherance of said prescribed goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in the modified or reduced demographic information.

13. The process of claim 1, further comprising the actions of, after the user groups have been identified:

inputting a sequence of tasks comprising said workflow performed by each of one or more additional users in furtherance of the prescribed goal;

inputting prescribed demographic information about the one or more additional users; and

regrouping the users to include the one or more additional users, wherein each new group employs a prescribed degree of workflow similarity in furtherance of said prescribed goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in demographic information.

14. A computer-implemented process for recommending one or more workflow tasks to a user for use in furthering a goal, comprising:

using a computer to perform the following process actions;

inputting the user'"'"'s request for help in accomplishing at least a portion of said goal;

requesting the user to provide prescribed demographic information and inputting the requested information when received;

employing the received demographic information to identify which of a previously established number of user groups comprise members that are most similar to the user, wherein members of each group exhibits a prescribed degree of workflow similarity between members in connection with furthering said goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in demographic information among the members; and

providing one or more workflow tasks to the user, which are based on the workflow tasks employed by the members of the group identified as comprising members most similar to the user, in accomplishing the at least said portion of the goal.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein the process action of employing the received demographic information to identify which of the previously established number of user groups comprise members that are most similar to the user, comprises the actions of:

whenever it is determined that the user is not similar enough to any of the groups based on a prescribed minimum similarity measure to associate a user to a group, increasing the prescribed minimum similarly measure by a prescribed degree;

re-employing the received demographic information to identify which of a previously established number of user groups comprise members that are most similar to the user based on the increased prescribed minimum similarly measure.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein the process action of requesting the user to provide prescribed demographic information, comprises an action of requesting the same demographic information employed in part to establish the user groups.

17. The process of claim 14, wherein the process action of providing one or more workflow tasks to the user which are based on the workflow tasks employed, by the members of the group identified as comprising members most similar to the user, in accomplishing the at least said portion of the goal, comprises the actions of:

compiling the workflow tasks employed by the members of the group identified as comprising members most similar to the user in accomplishing the at least said portion of the goal, to establish one or more group workflow tasks to be employed in accomplishing the at least said portion of the goal; and

providing the one or more group workflow tasks established to accomplish the at least said portion of the goal, to the user.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for recommending one or more workflow tasks for use in furthering a goal, said computer-executable instructions comprising:

for each of a number of individuals,

inputting a sequence of workflow tasks performed by the individual in furtherance of said goal,

inputting prescribed demographic information about the individual;

establishing groups of individuals, wherein each group exhibits a prescribed degree of workflow similarity between members in connection with furthering said goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in demographic information among the members;

inputting a user'"'"'s request for assistance in accomplishing at least a portion of said goal;

requesting the user to provide said prescribed demographic information or workflow choice characteristics, and inputting the requested information when received;

employing the received information to identify which of the previously established groups comprise members who are most similar to the user; and

providing one or more workflow tasks to the user, which are based on the workflow tasks employed by the members of the group identified as comprising members most similar to the user, to accomplish the at least said portion of the goal.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions for:

revising the demographic information about said users after said groups have been established, wherein the demographic information is revised by at least one of adding new information or deleting existing information or modifying existing information; and

regrouping the users, wherein each new group employs a prescribed degree of workflow similarity in furtherance of said prescribed goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in the revised demographic information.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions for:

after the groups have been established,

inputting a sequence of tasks comprising workflow performed by each of one or more additional users in furtherance of the prescribed goal,

inputting prescribed demographic information about the one or more additional users, and

regrouping the users to include the one or more additional users, wherein each new group employs a prescribed degree of workflow similarity in furtherance of said prescribed goal and exhibits a prescribed degree of similarity in demographic information.