Adaptation of vocabulary levels for enhanced collaboration

• US 8,738,364 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Banke, Christine A., Carter, William S., Khera, Pawan, Kraemer, James R., Woodward, Elizabeth V.
• Primary Examiner(s): YEN, ERIC L
• Application Number:
  US13/325,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 704/9, 704270-275
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/237 Lexical tools

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for adapting vocabulary levels in a collaborative session. A vocabulary level indicator is received for a first user in the collaborative session. During generation of an electronic communication by a second user in the collaborative session, text entered in the electronic communication is scanned in order to identify a vocabulary level associated with text. The vocabulary level associated with the text is compared to the vocabulary level indicator for the first user. Responsive to the text exceeding the vocabulary level indicator for the first user thereby indicating violating text, an indication is provided to the second user that the violating text is above a vocabulary level of the first user.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system, for adapting vocabulary levels in a collaborative session, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor in the data processing system a vocabulary level indicator for a first user in the collaborative session; and

during generation of an electronic communication by a second user in the collaborative session;

scanning, by the processor, text entered in the electronic communication in order to identify a vocabulary level associated with text;

comparing, by the processor, the vocabulary level associated with the text to the vocabulary level indicator for the first user; and

responsive to the text exceeding the vocabulary level indicator for the first user thereby indicating violating text, indicating, by the processor, to the second user that the violating text is above a vocabulary level of the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether user preferences of the second user indicate that an automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated; and

responsive to the user preferences of the second user indicating that the automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated, automatically replacing, by the processor, the violating text with appropriate text equivalent to the vocabulary level indicated by the vocabulary level indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication to the second user that the violating text is above the vocabulary level of the first user is at least one of an audible, a visual, or a tactile alert.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether user preferences of the second user indicate that an automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated; and

responsive to the user preferences of the second user indicating that the automatic replacement of the violating text should not be initiated, recommending, by the processor, to the second user an action to address the violating text.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the action is at least one of replacement text for the violating text or using shorter sentence structures.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

responsive to the second user failing to accept the action to address the violating text, prompting, by the processor, the second user to provide additional explanation of the violating text; and

responsive to receiving the additional explanation, adding, by the processor, the additional explanation to the electronic communication.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the additional explanation is at least one of additional text that provides the additional explanation of the violating text or an annotation of the violating text with a hyperlink that provides the additional explanation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vocabulary level indicator for a first user is generated by the method comprising:

prompting, by the processor, the first user for a direct indication of the vocabulary level of the first user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vocabulary level indicator for a first user is generated by the method comprising:

analyzing, by the processor, excerpts of text the first user has comfortably read to identify the vocabulary level of the first user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the vocabulary level indicator for a first user is generated by the method comprising:

analyzing, by the processor, the first user'"'"'s electronic presence on a client device of the first user to identify the vocabulary level of the first user, wherein analyzing the first user'"'"'s presence comprises analyzing data stored in storage of the client device and wherein the data comprises at least one of files, forum participation, blogs, or social network activity.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

receive a vocabulary level indicator for a first user in a collaborative session; and

during generation of an electronic communication by a second user in the collaborative session;

scan text entered in the electronic communication in order to identify a vocabulary level associated with text;

compare the vocabulary level associated with the text to the vocabulary level indicator for the first user; and

responsive to the text exceeding the vocabulary level indicator for the first user thereby indicating violating text, indicate to the second user that the violating text is above a vocabulary level of the first user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

determine whether user preferences of the second user indicate that an automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated; and

responsive to the user preferences of the second user indicating that the automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated, automatically replace the violating text with appropriate text equivalent to the vocabulary level indicated by the vocabulary level indicator.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the indication to the second user that the violating text is above the vocabulary level of the first user is at least one of an audible, a visual, or a tactile alert.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

determine whether user preferences of the second user indicate that an automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated; and

responsive to the user preferences of the second user indicating that the automatic replacement of the violating text should not be initiated, recommend to the second user an action to address the violating text.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the vocabulary level indicator for a first user is generated by the computer readable program further causing the computing device to perform at least one of:

prompt the first user for a direct indication of the vocabulary level of the first user;

analyze excerpts of text the first user has comfortably read to identify the vocabulary level of the first user;

or

analyze the first user'"'"'s electronic presence on a client device of the first user to identify the vocabulary level of the first user, wherein analyzing the first user'"'"'s presence comprises analyzing data stored in storage of the client device and wherein the data comprises at least one of files, forum participation, blogs, or social network activity.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive a vocabulary level indicator for a first user in a collaborative session; and

during generation of an electronic communication by a second user in the collaborative session;

scan text entered in the electronic communication in order to identify a vocabulary level associated with text;

compare the vocabulary level associated with the text to the vocabulary level indicator for the first user; and

responsive to the text exceeding the vocabulary level indicator for the first user thereby indicating violating text, indicate to the second user that the violating text is above a vocabulary level of the first user.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether user preferences of the second user indicate that an automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated; and

responsive to the user preferences of the second user indicating that the automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated, automatically replace the violating text with appropriate text equivalent to the vocabulary level indicated by the vocabulary level indicator.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indication to the second user that the violating text is above the vocabulary level of the first user is at least one of an audible, a visual, or a tactile alert.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether user preferences of the second user indicate that an automatic replacement of the violating text should be initiated; and

responsive to the user preferences of the second user indicating that the automatic replacement of the violating text should not be initiated, recommend to the second user an action to address the violating text.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the vocabulary level indicator for a first user is generated by the instructions further causing the processor to perform at least one of:

prompt the first user for a direct indication of the vocabulary level of the first user;

analyze excerpts of text the first user has comfortably read to identify the vocabulary level of the first user;

or

analyze the first user'"'"'s electronic presence on a client device of the first user to identify the vocabulary level of the first user, wherein analyzing the first user'"'"'s presence comprises analyzing data stored in storage of the client device and wherein the data comprises at least one of files, forum participation, blogs, or social network activity.