Patent Issued for System with task analysis framework display to facilitate update of electronic record information (USPTO 11625388): Hartford Fire Insurance Company

2023 MAY 03 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Bennett, Jonathan R (Hartford, CT, US), Daly, Sarah E (Southington, CT, US), Osborn, Laura J (Prospect, CT, US), Schroeder, Margaret M (Glastonbury, CT, US), St. Pierre, Ellen J. (Cheshire, CT, US), filed on August 29, 2019, was published online on April 11, 2023.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 11625388, is Hartford Fire Insurance Company (Hartford, Connecticut, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Electronic records, such as files and database entries, may be stored and utilized by an enterprise. For example, a company such as an insurance enterprise might access and update electronic records associated with tasks that might be performed (e.g., a project to implement a new software architecture or a new business arrangement). Each task may be associated with a number of different items or processes that need to be selected, arranged, and/or performed to successfully complete the task. Accurately creating such tasks, and convincing others in the enterprise that task is appropriate, may allow for new and improved initiatives to accomplish an organization’s goals. For example, successful task creation may increase efficiency by adopting a consistent, enterprise-wide framework and process across the company and let a business more effectively and quickly adapt to increasingly changing and complex environments (e.g., to help the enterprise position itself for success in current and future strategic growth initiatives). Employees implementing the tasks may want to learn a consistent business analysis framework that can be applied right away and deepen skill sets to assess current business state, identify action plans, and create long-term business strategies. Employees may also want to appeal more quickly to the needs of an audience to deliver a compelling business rationale and/or recommendation, avoid re-work associated with many tasks, enhance the detail and comprehensiveness of decision making to drive business results, and/or learn from (and share with) peers and stakeholders associated with a task.

“Correctly tracking, analyzing, and presenting task requirement, however, can be a time-consuming and error-prone task for employees, managers, etc. (especially when there are a substantial number of employees, many different types of complicated tasks to be implemented, etc.). This information might typically be compiled and stored using a spreadsheet application (e.g., such as the EXCEL® spreadsheet application available from Microsoft®), PowerPoint presentations, etc. Manually creating, updating, and analyzing appropriate electronic records in this way, however, can be a difficult process. It would therefore be desirable to provide systems and methods to access and update electronic records representing a task analysis framework for an enterprise in a way that provides faster, more accurate results.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided to access and update electronic records representing a task analysis framework for an enterprise in a way that provides faster, more accurate results and that allow for flexibility and effectiveness when analyzing those results. In some embodiments, a task analysis data store may contain electronic records representing a plurality of task analysis items for an enterprise. A back-end application computer server may receive, from a remote user device, first step data about task objectives for task identifier and update the task analysis data store. The server may then automatically evaluate the first step data in accordance with a first step data evaluation rule. When the first step data complies with the first step data evaluation rule, the server may permit receipt of second step data about a task analysis and update the task analysis data store. The server may then automatically evaluate the second step data in accordance with a second step data evaluation rule. When the second step data complies with the second step data evaluation rule, the server may permit receipt of third step data about analysis presentation and update the task analysis data store.

“Some embodiments comprise: means for receiving, at the back-end application computer server from a remote user device associated with a user, first step data about task objectives associated with a task identifier; means for updating a task analysis data store based on the received first step data, wherein the task analysis data store contains electronic records representing a plurality of task analysis items for the enterprise and, for each planned task analysis item, an electronic record identifier and a set of task analysis item attribute values including the task identifier; means for automatically evaluating the first step data in accordance with at least one first step data evaluation rule; when the first step data complies with the at least one first step data evaluation rule, means for permitting receipt of second step data about a task analysis associated with the task identifier; means for updating the task analysis data store based on the received second step data; means for automatically evaluating the second step data in accordance with at least one second step data evaluation rule; when the second step data complies with the at least one second step data evaluation rule, means for permitting receipt of third step data about analysis presentation associated with the task identifier; and means for updating the task analysis data store based on the received third step data.

“In some embodiments, a communication device associated with a back-end application computer server exchanges information with remote devices in connection with an interactive graphical user interface. The information may be exchanged, for example, via public and/or proprietary communication networks.

“A technical effect of some embodiments of the invention is an improved and computerized way to access and update electronic records representing a task analysis framework for an enterprise in a way that provides faster, more accurate results. With these and other advantages and features that will become hereinafter apparent, a more complete understanding of the nature of the invention can be obtained by referring to the following detailed description and to the drawings appended hereto.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A system to access and update electronic record information via a back-end application computer server of an enterprise, comprising: (a) a task analysis data store, accessible via an encrypted database management system, the task analysis data store containing electronic records that represent a plurality of task analysis items for the enterprise and, for each planned task analysis item, an electronic record identifier and a set of task analysis item attribute values including a task identifier; (b) the back-end application computer server, coupled to the task analysis data store, including: a computer processor, and a computer memory, coupled to the computer processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the back-end application computer server to: (i) receive, from a remote user device associated with a user via at least one security feature component, first step data about task objectives associated with the task identifier, (ii) update the task analysis data store based on the received first step data, (iii) automatically evaluate the first step data in accordance with at least one first step data evaluation rule, (iv) automatically generate an alert signal when the first step data diverges from the at least one first step data evaluation rule by more than a threshold amount, (v) when the first step data complies with the at least one first step data evaluation rule, permit receipt of second step data about a task analysis associated with the task identifier, wherein the second step data includes an audience analysis for an assigned decision maker, and (vi) prevent, via an access control toll booth, receipt of second step data when the first step data is not in compliance with the at least one first step data evaluation rule thereby reducing the number of messages that need to be transmitted, (vii) update the task analysis data store based on the received second step data, (viii) automatically evaluate the second step data in accordance with at least one second step data evaluation rule, (vix) when the second step data complies with the at least one second step data evaluation rule, permit receipt of third step data about analysis presentation associated with the task identifier, and (x) prevent, via an access control toll booth, receipt of third step data when the second step data is not in compliance with the at least one second step data evaluation rule thereby reducing the number of messages that need to be transmitted and (xi) update the task analysis data store based on the received third step data; (xii) automatically generate physical presentation materials based on information in the task analysis data store; © a communication port coupled to the back-end application computer server to facilitate a transmission of data with multiple remote user devices to support interactive user interface displays via a distributed communication network; and (d) an email server receiving information from the back-end application computer server which automatically establishes a channel of communication, via exchanged records, with an employee through the alert signal and a reminder that the employee has not completed entering at least one of the first step data and the second step data.

“2. The system of claim 1, wherein the task analysis item attribute values include at least one of: (i) a desired future state, (ii) a task driver, (iii) a checklist, (iv) a performance metric, (v) criteria of success, (vi) self-rating data, (vii) risk information, (viii) a mitigation plan, (ix) an audience analysis, and (x) potential questions and responses.

“3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one evaluation rule is associated with: (i) a checklist completion, (ii) a self-rating, (iii) supporting documentation, (iv) a minimum amount of time, (v) a percentage of completion, (vi) an artificial intelligence review, and (vii) manual review by at least one other user.

“4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first step data is associated with at least one of: (i) benefit details for the enterprise, (ii) risk details for the enterprise, (iii) a subject matter expert identifier.

“5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second step data is associated with at least one of: (i) research and data collection, (ii) stakeholder consultation, and (iii) critical analysis.

“6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second step is associated with a repeated process, until a recommendation is selected, including all the following: (i) research and data collection, (ii) stakeholder consultation, and (iii) critical analysis.

“7. The system of claim 5, wherein the second step data includes a stakeholder analysis containing at least one of: (i) a stakeholder identifier, (ii) a stakeholder role, (iii) an anticipated reaction, (iv) stakeholder needs and concerns, (v) enterprise needs, and (vi) plan data.

“8. The system of claim 5, wherein the second step data further includes decision making model information.

“9. The system of claim 1, wherein the back-end application computer server is further programmed to transmit information from the task analysis data store to another remote device associated with another user.

“10. A computerized method to access and update electronic record information via a back-end application computer server of an enterprise, comprising: receiving, at the back-end application computer server from a remote user device associated with a user via at least one security feature component, first step data about task objectives associated with a task identifier; updating a task analysis data store based on the received first step data, wherein the task analysis data store is accessible via an encrypted database management system and contains electronic records representing a plurality of task analysis items for the enterprise and, for each planned task analysis item, an electronic record identifier and a set of task analysis item attribute values including the task identifier; automatically evaluating the first step data in accordance with at least one first step data evaluation rule; automatically generating an alert signal when the first step data diverges from the at least one first step data evaluation rule by more than a threshold amount; when the first step data complies with the at least one first step data evaluation rule, permitting receipt of second step data about a task analysis associated with the task identifier, wherein the second step data includes an audience analysis for an assigned decision maker; when the first step data is not in compliance with the at least one first step data evaluation rule, preventing, via an access control toll booth, receipt of the second step data thereby reducing the number of messages that need to be transmitted; updating the task analysis data store based on the received second step data; automatically evaluating the second step data in accordance with at least one second step data evaluation rule; when the second step data complies with the at least one second step data evaluation rule, permitting receipt of third step data about analysis presentation associated with the task identifier; when the second step data is not in compliance with the at least one second step data evaluation rule, preventing, via an access control toll booth, receipt of the third step data thereby reducing the number of messages that need to be transmitted; updating the task analysis data store based on the received third step data; automatically generating physical presentation materials based on information in the task analysis data store; and receiving, at an email server, information from the back-end application computer server which automatically establishes a channel of communication, via exchanged records, with an employee through the alert signal and a reminder that the employee has not completed entering at least one of the first step data and the second step data.

“11. The method of claim 10, wherein the task analysis item attribute values include at least one of: (i) a desired future state, (ii) a task driver, (iii) a checklist, (iv) a performance metric, (v) criteria of success, (vi) self-rating data, (vii) risk information, (viii) a mitigation plan, (ix) an audience analysis, and (x) potential questions and responses.

“12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one evaluation rule is associated with: (i) a checklist completion, (ii) a self-rating, (iii) supporting documentation, (iv) a minimum amount of time, (v) a percentage of completion, (vi) an artificial intelligence review, and (vii) manual review by at least one other user.

“13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first step data is associated with at least one of: (i) benefit details for the enterprise, (ii) risk details for the enterprise, (iii) a subject matter expert identifier.

“14. The method of claim 10, wherein the second step data is associated with at least one of: (i) research and data collection, (ii) stakeholder consultation, and (iii) critical analysis.

“15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second step is associated with a repeated process, until a recommendation is selected, including all the following: (i) research and data collection, (ii) stakeholder consultation, and (iii) critical analysis.

“16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second step data includes a stakeholder analysis containing at least one of: (i) a stakeholder identifier, (ii) a stakeholder role, (iii) an anticipated reaction, (iv) stakeholder needs and concerns, (v) enterprise needs, and (vi) plan data.

“17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second step data further includes decision making model information.”

There are additional claims. Please visit full patent to read further.

For more information, see this patent: Bennett, Jonathan R. System with task analysis framework display to facilitate update of electronic record information. U.S. Patent Number 11625388, filed August 29, 2019, and published online on April 11, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11625388)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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