Computerized employee evaluation processing apparatus and method

Abstract

A method for computerized industrial process control provides computers networked to communicate with one another. Each computer active in the system is responsbile for at least a portion of the process and at least one decision for a process to be controlled and having an output. All activities are characterized by type, the types of activities forming a universal set including sensing facts, linking facts into a meaningful context, and evaluating meaning to formulate a decision. An entity responsible for an assigned decision conducts a series of activities selected from the three types, which may be applied recursively. Decisions are communicated between computers through the system to control the process. Producing output from the process follows according to a combination of decisions reported from each computer corresponding to a responsible person or other entity. In various embodiments, the process control may be hardware product development, manufacturing, chemical composition processing, or data collection and processing such as from instruments and machines or computerized information processes including employee evaluation.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 411,704, filed Sep. 19, 2002, and U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 666,106, filed Sep. 18, 2003, which will issue as U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,301 on May 31, 2005.BACKGROUND [0002] 1. The Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates to computerized collection and processing of data and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for industrial process control. [0004] 2. The Background Art [0005] People in the business of manufacturing products, companies producing services, entities that harvest resources for sale, and the like often believe that their business operates on actions. People and organizations alike often mistake activity for the core of their business. Doing physical activities that produce an obvious and measurable output, product, or dollar value are often credited with the success of a business. Nevertheless, behind every business activity lie decisions mad...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a computerized process control system for an industrial process. The system includes a network of computers that communicate with each other and execute various activities to produce an output. The system uses a set of universal types of activities that are connected in a broader context, allowing for flexibility and adaptability. The decisions made by the system are based on the inputs of each entity in the network, and the system produces an output based on the collective decisions of all entities involved. The system can evaluate the adherence of entities to the decisions and their results, providing valuable feedback for improving the process control. The invention also provides a limited set of decisions that form the environment or define the environment for the process control, allowing for a more targeted and efficient approach. Overall, the invention provides a computerized system for controlling industrial processes that is flexible, adaptable, and effective in producing desired outcomes."

Problems solved by technology

Subjectivity creates immediate conflict in many instances due to a reviewer and a reviewed person making evaluations based on differing criteria, differing events, and different views of facts.

Employee management, training, education, employment, evaluation, and the like are often not reliable, repeatable, or objective, despite claims to being all of the above and more in terms of fairness.

Moreover, employee evaluations often take excessive amounts of time, attention, emotional cost, and the like.

Likewise, employee evaluations typically take excessive amounts of time away from other administrative tasks.

Nevertheless, few can doubt the importance of human resources and the proper evaluation and management thereof.

Since businesses operate based on various operational priorities with various organizational structures, capital expenditures and distributions of overhead expenses (e.g. machinery, real estate, other resources, etc.) a universal management style seems impossible.

Moreover, universal management and leaderhip criteria seem impossible to define.

Many business schools are complained of in industry as producing only people who understand principle and interest.

Styles of management or leadership do not necessarily translate to other situations, personnel, and the like.

Nevertheless, all decisions in an organization are not equal.

Moreover, all decisions cannot be handled in exactly the same way.

Effectively, much of the structure the decision frames promise actually is illusory.

Moreover, decision frame theory does not appear to distinguish one decision type from another, the sequencing of decisions that relate to one another, or the fact that different decisions have different import, require different processes or are used in different ways that may affect the decision.

Nevertheless, problems continue to crop up that should not return, because they should have been handled properly in the first place.

Thus, providing a single principle, and much motivation, expecting the “student to work out the details,” is not necessarily good management practice, does not extend overall personality types, and is difficult to implement in an organization of any size.

A very visible principle is not allowed to obscure a less understood principle and a misunderstood principle is not allowed to hold hostage great principles that are failing in implementation.

Similarly, testing logically follows completion of coding, and is inappropriate before.

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