Business support systems, business support methods, and programs

Abstract

To increase the convenience of a user in an operation support system which can react to data.SOLUTION: An operation support system (1) supports operations of users. A reaction reception unit (101) receives reactions to plural pieces of data registered in the operation support system. A reaction number acquisition unit (102) acquires the number of reactions to the data. A display control unit (105) displays, in a display unit, a search result screen showing search results regarding the data on the basis of the number of reactions to the data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a business support system, a business support method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, business support systems for supporting the respective operations of a plurality of users have been known. For example, various types of data such as comments and schedules are registered in a business support system. A user can leave a reaction such as a "like" or an emoji for individual data. Non-Patent Document 1 describes a business support system that searches for comments including a specific emoji reaction and displays a search result screen.

Prior Art Literature

Non-Patent Literature

[0003]

Non-Patent Literature 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, in a business support system, the greater the number of reactions to individual data, the more likely this data contains important information for users. Therefore, if a search result screen can be displayed in consideration of the number of reactions to data, it is considered that user convenience will be improved. However, the technology of Non-Patent Document 1 merely searches for messages including a specific emoji reaction and displays the search result screen, and thus could not sufficiently improve user convenience.

[0005] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to improve user convenience in business support systems that allow users to react to data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A business support system relating to one aspect of this disclosure is a business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, and includes: a reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of a plurality of data registered in the business support system; a reaction count acquisition unit that acquires the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data; and a display control unit that causes a display unit to display a search results screen showing the search results for the plurality of data based on the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, user convenience in business support systems that allow for reactions to data will be enhanced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a business support system. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a portal screen. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing an example of a space screen. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a search results screen. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of how sorting conditions for reactions are specified. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of how filtering conditions for reactions are specified. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of how the final search range is determined from the checkboxes. [Figure 8] This diagram shows an example of how the search range can be switched using tabs. [Figure 9] This is a functional block diagram showing the functions implemented in the business support system. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a user database. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of a business support database. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by a business support system. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of a functional block in a modified example. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of the search results screen in Modification Example 7. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [1. Hardware configuration of the business support system] An example of an embodiment of the business support system related to this disclosure will be described. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the business support system. For example, business support system 1 includes a server 10 and a user terminal 20. Each of the server 10 and the user terminal 20 is connected to a network N such as the Internet or a LAN.

[0010] Server 10 is a server computer. For example, Server 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a communication unit 13. The control unit 11 includes at least one processor. The storage unit 12 includes volatile memory such as RAM and non-volatile memory such as flash memory. The communication unit 13 includes at least one of a communication interface for wired communication and a communication interface for wireless communication.

[0011] The user terminal 20 is a user's computer. For example, the user terminal 20 is a personal computer, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone. For example, the user terminal 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, an operation unit 24, and a display unit 25. The hardware configurations of the control unit 21, the storage unit 22, and the communication unit 23 may be the same as those of the control unit 11, the storage unit 12, and the communication unit 13, respectively. The operation unit 24 is an input device such as a mouse, a touch panel, or a keyboard. The display unit 25 is a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0012] Note that the programs stored in the storage units 12 and 22 may be supplied via the network N. The hardware configuration of each of the server 10 and the user terminal 20 is not limited to the example in Fig. 1. For example, a reading unit that reads a computer-readable information storage medium (e.g., an optical disc drive or a memory card slot), or an input / output unit for direct connection with an external device (e.g., a USB terminal) may be included. In this case, the program stored in the information storage medium may be supplied via the reading unit or the input / output unit.

[0013] Further, the business support system 1 may include at least one computer. The computers included in the business support system 1 are not limited to the example in Fig. 1. For example, the business support system 1 does not need to include the user terminal 20. In this case, the user terminal 20 exists outside the business support system 1, and the business support system 1 includes only the server 10. The business support system 1 may include the server 10 and another server computer.

[0014] [2. Outline of Business Support System] The business support system 1 is a system for supporting the business of each of a plurality of users. The business support system 1 is compatible with any type of industry. The series of services provided by the business support system 1 is sometimes called groupware. In the present embodiment, a cloud-type business support system 1 is described as an example, but the business support system 1 may be an on-premise type instead of a cloud type.

[0015] In the business support system 1, various functions related to business support are provided to users. For example, the system may have a schedule sharing function for sharing schedules, a communication function for communicating via messages or web conferences, a file sharing function for sharing files, or a database sharing function for sharing databases. Users use these functions to share information within the group they belong to.

[0016] A group is a collection of a plurality of users who share information. For example, an organization such as a company or a government agency corresponds to a group. A department or team within an organization also corresponds to a group. A user may share information with other users outside the group, or may share information with an unspecified number of other users without particularly having the concept of a group. For example, when a user operates the user terminal 20 to log in to the business support system 1, a portal screen corresponding to the top page of the business support system 1 is displayed on the display unit 25.

[0017] Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of a portal screen. In the present embodiment, a case where each screen is displayed on the browser of the user terminal 20 will be described, but each screen may be displayed on a dedicated program installed in the user terminal 20. For example, in the display area A10, a list of spaces, which are examples of groups that the user participates in, is displayed. When the user selects a space from the display area A10, a space screen corresponding to the top page of the space is displayed on the display unit 25.

[0018] Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a space screen. For example, various data shared in the space can be displayed on the space screen SC2. For example, in the display area A20 of the space screen SC2, threads for communication between users participating in the space are displayed. For example, in the display area A21 of the space screen SC2, a list of applications available to the user is displayed. The list of applications is also displayed in the display area A11 of the portal screen SC1.

[0019] An application is a tool to support a user's work. An application can also be described as a business system tailored to the user's tasks. In this embodiment, an application with functionality similar to spreadsheet software is given as an example, but various known types of applications can be used. For example, an application with functionality similar to word processing software, image editing software, or presentation software may be used. Other functions, such as schedule management, may be provided as a type of application.

[0020] For example, an application may include not only the records that make up a table, but also other information such as comments entered by the user and files uploaded by the user. Therefore, the application will have not only database functionality equivalent to a spreadsheet program, but also other functions such as communication capabilities. Users may use applications pre-prepared in Business Support System 1, or they may create and add their own applications.

[0021] In addition to threads and applications, various other types of data can be registered in the business support system 1. For example, data related to schedules, expense claims, attendance management, or company regulations can be registered in the business support system 1. In this embodiment, users can leave predetermined reactions to the data they can view.

[0022] A reaction is an action taken by another user in response to data registered by another user. A reaction may also be an action taken by the user who registered the data. Entering some string of text to leave a comment in response to the data is also a type of reaction, but in this embodiment, we will give examples of reactions that can be completed with a single click or tap. For example, a reaction could be a "like" or an emoji reaction.

[0023] In the example shown in Figure 3, users can leave reactions to individual posts by selecting icon I200 within display area A20. The data that can be reacted to can be any data, not limited to thread posts. For example, reactions may be possible to comments within the app, uploaded files, or even the user's schedule.

[0024] In this embodiment, the user can search for data registered in the business support system 1 by specifying arbitrary search conditions. For example, if the user enters an arbitrary keyword into input form F12 in Figure 2 or input form F22 in Figure 3, the system searches for data containing that keyword from among multiple data registered in the business support system 1. Once the search is performed, a search results screen showing the search results is displayed on the display unit 25.

[0025] Figure 4 shows an example of a search results screen. For example, in display area A30 of the search results screen SC3, a list of data containing the keywords entered by the user is displayed as search results. Display area A30 is scrollable. From the search results screen SC3, the user can perform various operations related to the display of search results. For example, the user can change the keywords to be included in the search criteria from the input form F31.

[0026] For example, the user can change the sorting criteria for the search results in display area A30 using radio button B32. The user can specify the data creator as a search criterion using input form F33. The user can specify the data creation date as a search criterion using input form F34. When the user changes at least one of the search criteria and sorting criteria and selects button B35, the display in display area A30 is updated.

[0027] In this embodiment, the sorting condition for the search results in display area A30 can be specified based on the reaction to the data. The sorting condition is the condition for the display order of the data to be displayed as search results. For example, the user can specify the sorting condition not only from radio button B32 but also from input form F36. In the example in Figure 4, the sorting condition specified in input form F36 is "post date and time".

[0028] Figure 5 shows an example of how sorting conditions for reactions are specified. In Figure 5, symbols that are not referenced are omitted. This is also the case for Figures 6 to 8, which will be discussed later. For example, when a user selects input form F36, multiple sorting conditions are displayed in the dropdown menu D360. In the example in Figure 5, three sorting conditions are displayed in the dropdown menu D360: "Post Date and Time," "Likes Ascending," and "Likes Descending." As mentioned earlier, "Likes" is an example of a reaction.

[0029] For example, if the user selects "Descending Likes," the display in display area A30 is updated so that the individual data items included in the search results are sorted in descending order of the number of reactions. In the example in Figure 5, five data items are shown with the number of reactions being 1, 7, 15, 4, and 2, so the display in display area A30 is updated so that these five data items are sorted in descending order of the number of reactions. If the user selects "Descending Likes," the display in display area A30 is updated so that these five data items are sorted in ascending order of the number of reactions.

[0030] In this embodiment, filtering conditions for data to be included in search results can also specify conditions related to reactions to the data. Filtering conditions are one of the search conditions. Filtering conditions can also be called search queries. For example, a user can specify filtering conditions not only with keywords but also from input form F37. In the examples in Figures 4 and 5, no filtering conditions have yet been specified in input form F37.

[0031] Figure 6 shows an example of how filtering conditions for reactions are specified. For example, when a user selects input form F37, multiple filtering conditions are displayed in the dropdown menu D370. In the example in Figure 6, three filtering conditions are displayed in the dropdown menu D370: "Liked," "Like 1 or more," and "Like 5 or more." "Liked" means that the user has reacted themselves.

[0032] For example, if a user selects "5 or more likes," the display in display area A30 will be updated to show data with 5 or more reactions. In the example in Figure 6, out of the 5 data points, 2 have 5 or more reactions, so the display in display area A30 will be updated to show these 2 data points. If a user selects "Liked," the display in display area A30 will be updated to show data that the user has reacted to. If a user selects "1 or more likes," the display in display area A30 will be updated to show data with 1 or more reactions.

[0033] In the examples in Figures 4 to 6, the case where all data accessible to the user is included in the search range was explained, but in this embodiment, the search range can be switched. The search range is the range of data to be searched. The search range can also be called the search population. The search range can also be called the range of data to be displayed on the search results screen SC3. For example, the final search range is identified from checkbox B38.

[0034] Figure 7 shows an example of how the final search range is determined from checkbox B38. For example, if the user unchecks checkbox B38 for "Design Management App," "Design Management App" is excluded from the search range. As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the final search range is determined so that data from "Design Management App" is no longer displayed as a search result, and the display in display area A30 is updated.

[0035] For example, when a user checks the "Design Management App" checkbox B38, the "Design Management App" becomes the search scope again. In this case, the display area A30 is updated so that the data from the "Design Management App" is displayed again as a search result. Users can switch the search scope not only to apps, but also to spaces or other users (people in Figure 7, etc.). In this embodiment, the search scope can also be switched by selecting tab T39.

[0036] Figure 8 shows an example of how the search range can be switched from tab T39. For example, if the user selects tab T39 for "Apps," the display in display area A30 is updated so that only data registered in apps is displayed as search results. Similarly, if the user selects tab T39 for "People" or "Spaces," the display in display area A30 is updated so that only data registered by other users with a specific relationship to the user, or data registered in the space to which the user belongs, is displayed as search results.

[0037] As described above, the business support system 1 of this embodiment displays a search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 to enhance user convenience. The search results screen SC3 is designed to enhance user convenience from various perspectives, but in this embodiment, we will mainly describe a configuration that sorts search results based on the number of reactions and a configuration that sorts search results based on the number of reactions. The details of the business support system 1 will be described below.

[0038] [3. Functions provided by the business support system] Figure 9 is a functional block diagram showing the functions implemented in the business support system 1. In this embodiment, among the functions implemented in the business support system 1, the functions for sorting search results based on the number of reactions and the functions for sorting search results based on the number of reactions will be mainly explained.

[0039] [3-1. Functions implemented by the server] For example, server 10 includes a data storage unit 100, a reaction reception unit 101, a reaction count acquisition unit 102, a first designation reception unit 103, a second designation reception unit 104, and a display control unit 105. The data storage unit 100 is implemented by a storage unit 12. Each of the reaction reception unit 101, reaction count acquisition unit 102, first designation reception unit 103, second designation reception unit 104, and display control unit 105 is implemented by a control unit 11.

[0040] [Data Storage Unit] The data storage unit 100 stores data to support the individual tasks of multiple users. For example, the data storage unit 100 stores the user database DB1 and the business support database DB2.

[0041] Figure 10 shows an example of the user database DB1. The user database DB1 is a database that stores various information about users. For example, the user database DB1 stores user ID, password, name, and attribute information. The user ID is information that can uniquely identify a user. Attribute information is information about the user's attributes. Attributes can be any information that can classify a user in some way. For example, attributes could be the group to which the user belongs, or the user's job title.

[0042] Figure 11 shows an example of the business support database DB2. The business support database DB2 is a database that stores various data registered in the business support system 1. For example, it stores data ID, data type, data content, index referenced during searches, data creator, data updater, data update date and time, and reaction information.

[0043] The data ID is information that uniquely identifies the data. The data may also be identifiable by other information, such as a URL for displaying the data, instead of the data ID. The data type indicates which of the multiple functions of the business support system 1 the data relates to. For example, the data type indicates whether the data is registered in a space or in an application. Furthermore, the data type may also indicate which space or application the data is registered in.

[0044] The data content is the content of the data. The index is the information compared to the search criteria during a search. The data creator is the user ID of the user who created the data. The data updater is the user ID of the user who updated the data. The data update date and time is the date and time the data was most recently updated. Reaction information is information about the reactions made to the data. For example, reaction information includes the number of reactions, the user ID of the user who made the reaction, and the date and time of the reaction.

[0045] The data stored in the data storage unit 100 is not limited to the examples above. The data storage unit 100 can store various types of data related to business support. For example, the data storage unit 100 stores the data necessary to display each screen. For example, the data storage unit 100 stores the search engine program.

[0046] [Reaction Reception Department] The reaction reception unit 101 receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the business support system 1. In this embodiment, the reaction reception unit 101 is implemented by the server 10, so the reaction reception unit 101 receives a reaction by receiving a predetermined reaction notification from the user terminal 20. The reaction notification is a notification indicating that a reaction has been made to the data.

[0047] In this embodiment, the reaction notification is a notification indicating that icon I200 has been selected. The reaction can be performed by a predetermined operation and is not limited to the operation of selecting icon I200. For example, the reaction may be performed by selecting another icon. For example, the reaction may be performed by selecting a predetermined key on the keyboard. The reaction may also be equivalent to entering a comment that serves as a reply.

[0048] For example, a reaction notification includes the data ID of the data that received the reaction and the user ID of the user who made the reaction. When data stored in the business support database DB2 is displayed on the user terminal 20, the data ID of this data is also sent to the user terminal 20. The reaction notification includes this data ID. The user ID included in the reaction notification is the user ID of the user who was logged in at the time the reaction was made.

[0049] For example, when a reaction is made to a comment in a certain app, the user terminal 20 sends a reaction notification to the server 10 that includes the data ID of the comment in that app and the user ID of the user who made the reaction. The reaction receiving unit 101 accepts the reaction to this comment upon receiving the reaction notification. The same applies when a reaction is made to data other than comments in an app.

[0050] For example, the reaction reception unit 101 updates the reaction information associated with the data ID included in the reaction notification in the business support database DB2. The reaction reception unit 101 increases the number of reactions indicated by this reaction information. The reaction reception unit 101 adds the user ID included in the reaction notification and the reaction date and time, which is the current date and time, to this reaction information.

[0051] The reaction reception unit 101 may also accept users canceling their reactions. Cancellation of a reaction can be performed by any operation. For example, a user who has already reacted may cancel their reaction by selecting icon I200 again. The reaction reception unit 101 should update the reaction information of the data so that the number of reactions for the canceled data is reduced and the user ID and reaction date and time are deleted.

[0052] [Reaction count acquisition section] The reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions for each of multiple data items. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 can acquire the number of reactions for any data item. For example, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions for at least one data item that satisfies the search criteria specified by the user. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions when a condition related to the number of reactions is specified as a sorting condition or filtering condition.

[0053] In this embodiment, since the number of reactions is indicated in the reaction information of the business support database DB2, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 obtains the number of reactions for the data by referring to the business support database DB2 and obtaining the reaction information associated with the data for which the number of reactions is to be acquired. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 may also acquire the number of reactions by aggregating the number of reactions for this data on the spot. Aggregation can be performed by counting the number of user IDs included in the reaction information.

[0054] [First Designated Reception Desk] The first designation reception unit 103 accepts the designation of one of several search ranges. In this embodiment, the first designation reception unit 103 is implemented by the server 10, so the first designation reception unit 103 accepts the designation of a search range by receiving a predetermined first designation notification from the user terminal 20. The first designation notification is a notification indicating that a search range has been designated by the user.

[0055] For example, the first notification indicates that tab T39 has been selected. The search range can be specified by a predetermined operation, and is not limited to selecting tab T39. For example, the search range can be specified by selecting checkbox B38, or by selecting some icon or radio button. For example, the search range can be specified by entering a string indicating the search range into an input form.

[0056] For example, the first designation notification includes information that identifies the specified search range. In this embodiment, since the user can select from the tabs T39 of "All," "People," "Apps," or "Spaces," the first designation notification includes information indicating which of these tabs T39 has been selected. For example, when a user selects any of the tabs T39, the user terminal 20 sends a first designation notification indicating that tab T39 to the server 10. The first designation receiving unit 103 accepts the designation of the search range upon receiving the first designation notification.

[0057] [Second Designated Reception Desk] The second designation receiving unit 104 accepts the designation of at least one of the following from among a plurality of search ranges: a search range to be included in the search and a search range to be excluded from the search. In this embodiment, the case in which the second designation receiving unit 104 accepts the designation of both the search range to be included and the search range to be excluded from the search is described, but the second designation receiving unit 104 may accept the designation of only one of these.

[0058] In this embodiment, the second designation receiving unit 104 is implemented by the server 10. The second designation receiving unit 104 receives a designation of at least one of the search range to be searched and the search range to be excluded from the search by receiving a predetermined second designation notification from the user terminal 20. The second designation notification is a notification indicating that at least one of the search range to be searched and the search range to be excluded from the search has been designated. In this embodiment, the second designation notification is a notification indicating that checkbox B38 has been selected.

[0059] The specification of at least one of the search ranges to be included in the search and the search ranges to be excluded from the search can be performed by a predetermined operation, and is not limited to the operation of selecting checkbox B38. For example, the specification of at least one of the search ranges to be included in the search and the search ranges to be excluded from the search can be performed by selecting tab T39, or by selecting some icon or radio button. For example, a string indicating the search range or a string indicating the search range to be excluded from the search can be entered into the input form.

[0060] For example, checking checkbox B38, which is currently unchecked, is equivalent to specifying the search range to include. Unchecking checkbox B38, which is currently checked, is equivalent to specifying the search range to exclude from the search. The second designation notification includes information indicating the on / off status of checkbox B38.

[0061] For example, when a user performs an operation on checkbox B38, the user terminal 20 sends a second designation notification to the server 10 indicating the on / off status of checkbox B38. Upon receiving the second designation notification, the second designation receiving unit 104 receives a designation of at least one of the search ranges to be searched and the search ranges to be excluded from the search. The second designation receiving unit 104 refers to the on / off status of checkbox B38 and determines which search ranges to include in the search and which to exclude.

[0062] [Display Control Unit] The display control unit 105 displays a search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, which shows the search results for multiple data items, based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items. In this embodiment, the display control unit 105 itself performs the data search and obtains the search results as an example, but the data search may be performed by other functional blocks other than the display control unit 105. For example, there may be other functional blocks that perform data searches separately from the display control unit 105. The display control unit 105 may obtain the search results performed by other functional blocks.

[0063] Various search methods are available for searching the data itself. Various search engines are also available. For example, the display control unit 105 calculates a search score for each data item based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index stored in the business support database DB2. The display control unit 105 obtains the search results by selecting a predetermined number (for example, about 10 items) of data items in descending order of search score. The search results include the selected data items. Searches may also be performed using methods other than search scores, such as string matching.

[0064] In this embodiment, the display control unit 105 is implemented by the server 10, and the display control unit 105 generates display data for the search results screen SC3 based on the number of reactions. The display data may be data that shows the entire search results screen SC3, or data that shows only the contents of the display area A30. The display control unit 105 transmits the generated display data to the user terminal 20, thereby causing the search results screen SC3 to be displayed on the display unit 25. The display data may be in any format; for example, if a browser is used, it may be in HTML format, or it may be in other formats such as image format.

[0065] In this embodiment, the display control unit 105 performs sorting of the search results based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. Sorting of search results means determining the display order of each of the multiple data items included in the search results. The display control unit 105 performs sorting based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items included in the search results.

[0066] For example, if the user selects "Likes Ascending" from the dropdown menu D360 in input form F36, the display control unit 105 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, sorting each of the multiple data items included in the search results in ascending order of the number of reactions. If the user selects "Likes Descending" from the dropdown menu D360 in input form F36, the display control unit 105 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, sorting each of the multiple data items included in the search results in descending order of the number of reactions.

[0067] In this embodiment, the display control unit 105 performs filtering on the search results based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. Filtering on search results means narrowing down the data to be actually displayed from among the multiple data items included in the search results. Filtering ensures that only a portion of the multiple data items that satisfy the search conditions are displayed. For example, filtering is performed so that only data items with a number of reactions equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold are displayed. Since the filtering conditions can also be considered one of the search conditions, in this case, filtering corresponds to narrowing down the data to be actually displayed from among the multiple data items that satisfy other search conditions.

[0068] For example, if the user selects "Likes 1 or more" from the dropdown menu D370 in input form F37, the display control unit 105 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, showing only the data with one or more reactions from among the multiple data that satisfy the search criteria. If the user selects "Likes 5 or more" from the dropdown menu D370 in input form F37, the display control unit 105 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, showing only the data with five or more reactions from among the multiple data that satisfy the search criteria. The threshold is not limited to one or five reactions as in this embodiment, but may be any value such as two to four reactions or six or more reactions.

[0069] Furthermore, filtering is not limited to methods using predetermined thresholds. For example, the display control unit 105 may perform filtering so that only a predetermined number of data (for example, only the top 3 data) are displayed from among multiple data included in the search results, in descending order of the number of reactions. For example, the display control unit 105 may perform filtering so that only data with a number of reactions greater than the average value among multiple data are displayed from among multiple data included in the search results.

[0070] In this embodiment, the display control unit 105 performs filtering among multiple data so that at least one data item that a specific user has reacted to remains, and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 based on the filtering result. The specific user is any of multiple users who can react to the data. The specific user may be a predetermined user or a user specified on the search results screen SC3.

[0071] In this embodiment, we take the example of a case where the user displaying the search results screen SC3 (i.e., yourself) corresponds to a specific user, but the specific user may be any other user. For example, the specific user may be the supervisor of the user displaying the search results screen SC3, or a colleague in the same department. The specific user may also be any other user that the user displaying the search results screen SC3 has previously designated.

[0072] For example, if a user selects "Liked" from the dropdown menu D370 in input form F37, the display control unit 105 displays a search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 that shows only one of the multiple data items included in the search results that the user has reacted to. The display control unit 105 refers to the reaction information for each of the multiple data items included in the search results and identifies the data item that shows the user ID of the user displaying the search results screen SC3 as the data item that the user has reacted to.

[0073] In this embodiment, after acquiring the search results, the display control unit 105 classifies the search results based on the search range and displays the classified search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 based on the specified search range (the search range received by the first designated reception unit 103). For example, the display control unit 105 initially searches for at least one data item that satisfies the search conditions from all search targets. This search method is as described above.

[0074] For example, after the initial search results are obtained, the user can specify a search range by selecting tab T39. The display control unit 105 classifies the search results so that the specified search range remains from all the search results. The display control unit 105 then displays the search results screen SC3, which shows the classified search results, on the display unit 25. For example, if the user selects tab T39 for "People", the display control unit 105 classifies the search results so that data registered by other users with a specific relationship to the user remains. In this case, data registered by other users with no specific relationship to the user will not be displayed in display area A30.

[0075] For example, if the user selects the "Apps" tab T39, the display control unit 105 classifies the search results so that data registered in the apps remains. In this case, other data besides apps (for example, data from threads within a space) will not be displayed in the display area A30. For example, if the user selects the "Spaces" tab T39, the display control unit 105 classifies the search results so that data registered in the spaces remains. In this case, other data besides spaces (for example, data registered in the apps) will not be displayed in the display area A30.

[0076] For example, the display control unit 105 identifies the final search range to be searched based on the designation received by the second designation reception unit 104, and displays the search results screen SC3 showing the search results in the identified final search range on the display unit 25. The final search range is the search range that is to be displayed on the search results screen SC3 after the second designation reception unit 104 has received the designation. The display control unit 105 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 such that at least one data item that satisfies the search conditions is included in the search results from the final search range designated as the search target. The display control unit 105 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 such that data excluded from the search target is not included in the search results.

[0077] For example, if a user unchecks checkbox B38 for a certain app, the display control unit 105 controls the display of the search results screen SC3 so that data registered in that app is not displayed as a search result. If a user checks checkbox B38 for a certain app, the display control unit 105 controls the display of the search results screen SC3 so that data registered in that app is displayed as a search result.

[0078] For example, if a user unchecks checkbox B38 for a certain space, the display control unit 105 controls the display of the search results screen SC3 so that the data registered in that space is not displayed as a search result. If a user checks checkbox B38 for a certain space, the display control unit 105 controls the display of the search results screen SC3 so that the data registered in that space is displayed as a search result. The display control unit 105 should similarly control the display of the search results screen SC3 when a search range other than an app or space is specified.

[0079] [3-2. Functions implemented on the user terminal] For example, the user terminal 20 includes a data storage unit 200, a display control unit 201, and an operation reception unit 202. The data storage unit 200 is implemented by a storage unit 22. The display control unit 201 and the operation reception unit 202 are each implemented by a control unit 21.

[0080] [Data Storage Unit] The data storage unit 200 stores data necessary to support the user's work. For example, the data storage unit 200 stores a browser for displaying various screens related to the business support system 1. For example, the data storage unit 200 stores applications specific to the business support system 1. For example, the data storage unit 200 stores input content for the search results screen SC3.

[0081] [Display Control Unit] The display control unit 201 displays various screens in the business support system 1 on the display unit 25. For example, the display control unit 201 displays the portal screen SC1, the space screen SC2, or the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 based on the display data received from the server 10.

[0082] [Operation Reception Section] The operation reception unit 202 receives various operations in the business support system 1. For example, the operation reception unit 202 receives operations on the search results screen SC3. The operation details received by the operation reception unit 202 are transmitted to the server 10 as appropriate.

[0083] [4. Processes executed by the business support system] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing performed by the business support system 1. Figure 12 primarily explains the processing related to the display of the search results screen SC3, which is performed by the business support system 1.

[0084] As shown in Figure 12, a login process is performed between the server 10 and the user terminal 20 for the user to log in to the business support system 1 (S1). In S1, the user terminal 20 sends the user ID and password entered by the user to the server 10. The server 10 refers to the user database DB1 and verifies the validity of the user ID and password. If the login process is successful, the portal screen SC1 is displayed on the display unit 25. From this point onward, the server 10 can identify which user performed which actions, such as reactions.

[0085] When the portal screen SC1 is displayed on the display unit 25 in S1, the user can utilize various functions provided by the business support system 1. For example, the user can access data such as apps or threads that they can view. The user can also leave reactions to the data. For example, if the user leaves a reaction to a piece of data by selecting icon I200, the server 10 updates the business support database DB2 so that the reaction information associated with the data ID of that data is updated.

[0086] The following describes the process related to data retrieval. Here, we will describe the process when search criteria are entered in input form F12 of the portal screen SC1. For example, user terminal 20 sends the search criteria entered in input form F12 to server 10 (S2). When server 10 receives the search criteria (S3), it performs a search based on the business support database DB2 and the received search criteria (S4).

[0087] In S4, server 10 searches for a predetermined number of data items that satisfy the search criteria based on the index associated with the data within the search range, from the data stored in the business support database DB2. Here, we explain the case where all data accessible to the user is within the search range, but the search range may also be limited to only a part, such as a specific space or application. Server 10 retrieves the predetermined number of data items that satisfy the search criteria as search results.

[0088] Server 10 generates display data for the search results screen SC3 based on the search results in S4 and sends it to the user terminal 20 (S5). In S5, Server 10 arranges a predetermined number of data items included in the search results in the display area A30 based on default sorting conditions (e.g., by posting date). Server 10 also determines that the other parts of the search results screen SC3 will have default content and generates display data for the search results screen SC3 and sends it to the user terminal 20.

[0089] When the user terminal 20 receives display data for the search results screen SC3 (S6), it displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 (S7). Based on the detection signal from the operation unit 24, the user terminal 20 identifies the user's operation on the search results screen SC3 (S8). In S8, operations on input form F36, input form F37, checkbox B38, tab T39, closing the search results screen SC3, and other operations may be performed.

[0090] In S8, if an operation is performed on input form F36 (S8:F36), the user terminal 20 performs a process with the server 10 to change the sorting conditions and update the display of the search results screen SC3 (S9), and then returns to the process in S8. In S9, the user terminal 20 sends a predetermined sorting condition change notification. The sorting condition change notification is a notification indicating that the sorting conditions have been changed. The sorting condition change notification includes information that can identify the sorting conditions entered in input form F36.

[0091] In S9, when server 10 receives a sort condition change notification, it performs sorting of the search results based on the sort conditions included in the sort condition change notification. Based on the sorting result, server 10 generates display data for the search results screen SC3 and sends it to user terminal 20. When user terminal 20 receives the display data for the search results screen SC3, it updates the display of the search results screen SC3.

[0092] In S8, if an operation is performed on input form F37 (S8:F37), the user terminal 20 performs a process with the server 10 to change the filtering conditions and update the display of the search results screen SC3 (S10), and then returns to the process of S8. In S10, the user terminal 20 sends a predetermined filtering condition specification notification. The filtering condition specification notification is a notification indicating that filtering conditions have been specified. The filtering condition specification notification includes information that can identify the filtering conditions entered in input form F37.

[0093] In S10, when server 10 receives a filtering condition specification notification, it performs filtering on the search results based on the filtering conditions included in the filtering condition specification notification. Based on the filtering results, server 10 generates display data for the search results screen SC3 and sends it to the user terminal 20. When user terminal 20 receives the display data for the search results screen SC3, it updates the display of the search results screen SC3.

[0094] In S8, if an operation is performed on checkbox B38 (S8:B38), the user terminal 20 performs a process with the server 10 to change the search range according to checkbox B38 and update the display of the search results screen SC3 (S11), and then returns to the process of S8. In S11, the user terminal 20 sends a first designation notification containing information that can identify the search range specified by the on / off state of checkbox B38.

[0095] In S11, when server 10 receives the first designated notification, it classifies the search results, which were performed on all search ranges, according to the search range included in the first designated notification. That is, server 10 performs filtering so that only the search range specified by the user remains from the search results that have been performed on all data. Server 10 generates display data for the search results screen SC3 and sends it to user terminal 20. When user terminal 20 receives the display data for the search results screen SC3, it updates the display of the search results screen SC3.

[0096] In S8, if an operation is performed on tab T39 (S8:T39), the user terminal 20 performs a process with the server 10 to change the search range according to tab T39 and update the display of the search results screen SC3 (S12), and then returns to the process of S8. In S12, the user terminal 20 sends a second designation notification containing information that can identify the search range corresponding to the selected tab T39.

[0097] In S12, when server 10 receives the second designation notification, it classifies the search results, which were performed on all search ranges, according to the search range included in the second designation notification. That is, server 10 performs filtering so that only the search range specified by the user remains from the search results that have been performed on all data. Server 10 generates display data for the search results screen SC3 and sends it to user terminal 20. When user terminal 20 receives the display data for the search results screen SC3, it updates the display of the search results screen SC3.

[0098] If any other operation is performed in S8 (S8: Other), the user terminal 20 performs processing corresponding to the other operation performed by the user in communication with the server 10 (S13), and then returns to the processing of S8. Other operations include operations to display additional search results that could not be displayed in the display area A30. The server 10 should update the display of the search results screen SC3 based on the other operation. If an operation to close the search results screen SC3 is performed in S8 (S8: Close), this process ends.

[0099] In this embodiment, the business support system 1 displays a search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, which shows the search results for multiple data items, based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items registered in the business support system 1. This allows the number of reactions to the data to be reflected in the display of the search results screen SC3, thereby improving user convenience in the business support system 1, which allows users to react to data. For example, users can make the search results screen SC3 more user-friendly by sorting the search results by the number of reactions or by filtering the search results by the number of reactions, thus improving user convenience.

[0100] Furthermore, the business support system 1 sorts the search results based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. This allows the user to intuitively understand which data items in the search results have a large or small number of reactions. For example, sorting the search results in descending order of the number of reactions prioritizes displaying data with a large number of reactions and therefore more important data, thus improving user convenience. Conversely, sorting the search results in ascending order of the number of reactions prioritizes displaying data with a small number of reactions and therefore likely to be overlooked by the user, thus improving user convenience.

[0101] Furthermore, the business support system 1 performs filtering on the search results based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. This allows only data with a predetermined number or range of reactions to be displayed on the search results screen SC3, making it easier for the user to find the data they want. For example, if the user wants to find more important data with a large number of reactions, filtering can be performed so that only data with a number of reactions above a certain threshold is displayed, making it easier for the user to find data with a large number of reactions. Conversely, filtering can be performed so that only data with a small number of reactions, which the user is likely unaware of, is displayed, making it easier for the user to find data with a small number of reactions.

[0102] Furthermore, the business support system 1 performs filtering so that at least one data item that a specific user has reacted to remains, and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 based on the filtering results. This makes it easier for users to find data that a specific user has reacted to. For example, if the user displaying the search results screen SC3 is a specific user, the user can search for data they have reacted to, like a bookmark. In this case, there is no need to provide a separate bookmark operation in addition to reactions such as likes or emojis. For example, if a user's supervisor is a specific user, the user can easily find data that their supervisor has reacted to.

[0103] Furthermore, after obtaining the search results, the business support system 1 classifies the search results based on the search range and displays the classified search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 based on the search range specified by checkbox B38 or tab T39. This reduces the processing load on the server 10 because it eliminates the need to perform the search again by first performing a search on all search ranges and then classifying the search results. In addition, it reduces the time required to display the search results screen SC3.

[0104] Furthermore, the business support system 1 identifies the final search range to be searched based on the specification of at least one of the search ranges to be searched and the search ranges to be excluded from the search, and displays the search results screen SC3, which shows the search results for the identified final search range, on the display unit 25. This allows the user to easily switch the final search range, thereby improving user convenience.

[0105] [5. Variant] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. It may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0106] Figure 13 shows an example of a functional block in a modified example. For example, the server 10 includes a threshold determination unit 106, a comment receiving unit 107, and a determination unit 108. Each of the threshold determination unit 106, the comment receiving unit 107, and the determination unit 108 is implemented by a control unit 11.

[0107] [5-1. Variation 1] For example, the embodiment described a case where the filtering threshold for the number of reactions is fixed, but the threshold may be a variable value. For example, data accessible to users working for large companies tends to have a higher number of reactions than data accessible to users working for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For this reason, the threshold may be determined such that the threshold for users working for large companies is higher than the threshold for users working for SMEs.

[0108] The business support system 1 in Modification 1 includes a threshold determination unit 106. The threshold determination unit 106 determines a threshold for filtering based on the group to which the user whose search results screen SC3 is displayed on the display unit 25 belongs. This user is the user currently logged into the business support system 1. In other words, this user is the user who requested the display of the search results screen SC3. When the server 10 communicates with the user terminal 20, it receives the user's user ID or other information that can identify the user.

[0109] The relationship between group conditions and thresholds is assumed to be predefined in the data storage unit 100. These relationships can be defined in any format. For example, these relationships may be defined in table format data, formula format data, or part of program code. The threshold determination unit 106 determines the threshold associated with the conditions that a group to which a user belongs must satisfy as the threshold to be applied to that user.

[0110] For example, the threshold determination unit 106 identifies the group to which a user belongs by referring to the user database DB1. The threshold determination unit 106 determines the threshold so that the threshold is higher the larger the number of members in the group to which the user belongs. That is, the threshold determination unit 106 determines the threshold so that the threshold is lower the smaller the number of members in the group to which the user belongs. The number of members in each group may be stored in the user database DB1 or in another database.

[0111] Furthermore, the method by which the threshold determination unit 106 determines the threshold is not limited to using the number of people in the group. The threshold determination unit 106 can determine the threshold by utilizing the group to which the user belongs in some way. For example, the threshold determination unit 106 may refer to the business support database DB2, calculate the average number of reactions in the group to which the user belongs, and determine the threshold to apply to this group based on that average value. In this case, the threshold determination unit 106 may determine the average value as the threshold, or it may determine the threshold as a value that is higher or lower than the average value.

[0112] The display control unit 105 performs filtering based on the threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 106. Although this differs from the embodiment in that the threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 106 is used, the process of performing filtering based on the threshold is the same as in the embodiment.

[0113] In the modified example 1, the business support system 1 determines a filtering threshold based on the group to which the user whose search results screen SC3 is displayed on the display unit 25 belongs. This enables flexible filtering tailored to the user, thereby improving user convenience. For example, if the threshold is low when the user works for a large company, almost all data may be displayed, potentially resulting in no effective filtering. In this case, setting a higher threshold enables effective filtering specific to large companies. Conversely, if the threshold is high when the user works for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), almost all data may not be displayed. In this case, setting a lower threshold enables effective filtering specific to SMEs.

[0114] [5-2. Variation 2] For example, in this embodiment, after performing a search across all search ranges, if the user selects checkbox B38 or tab T39 to specify a search range, the search results are classified based on the specified search range. Modification 2 describes a case where, at the time of the initial search, a search is performed for each search range that the user can specify.

[0115] In the modified example 2, the display control unit 105 acquires search results for each of the multiple search ranges based on each of the multiple search ranges, and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, which shows the search results corresponding to the search range specified from among the multiple search ranges. The multiple search ranges are all or part of the search ranges that the user can specify. The display control unit 105 acquires search results for the multiple search ranges in advance, and displays the search results corresponding to the search range actually specified by the user on the search results screen SC3.

[0116] In the search results screen SC3 shown in Figures 4 to 8, for example, the search range can be turned on or off for each application or space using checkbox B38. Therefore, the display control unit 105 acquires search results for each combination of applications or spaces that can be specified as a search range using checkbox B38. The display control unit 105 then displays the search results acquired for each combination on the search results screen SC3 according to whether checkbox B38 is on or off.

[0117] In the examples shown in Figures 4 to 8, there are three possible combinations of applications: "Patent Management App" only, "Design Management App" only, or both. Similarly, there are three possible combinations of spaces: "Intellectual Property Department" only, "Company-wide Common" only, or both. Therefore, the display control unit 105 pre-acquires search results for a total of six different search ranges. The search results for each search range are stored in the data storage unit 100. When a user specifies a search range, the display control unit 105 reads the search results corresponding to the user's specified search range from the stored search results for each search range. The display control unit 105 then displays the search results on the search results screen SC3 according to the on / off status of checkbox B38 from among these six possibilities.

[0118] In the examples in Figures 4 to 8, it is possible to switch the search range not only using checkbox B38 but also using tab T39. Therefore, the display control unit 105 obtains search results for each search range that can be specified using tab T39. In the examples in Figures 4 to 8, it is possible to specify three search ranges: "People," "Apps," and "Spaces." Therefore, the display control unit 105 obtains search results for these three search ranges in advance. The display control unit 105 then displays the search results on the search results screen SC3 according to the tab T39 selected by the user from these three options.

[0119] In the modified version 2, the business support system 1 acquires search results for each of the multiple search ranges based on those ranges, and displays a search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 that shows the search results corresponding to the specified search range from among the multiple search ranges. By acquiring the search results for each search range in advance, the user does not need to perform a search or classify the search results after specifying the search range, thus reducing the time required to display the search results screen SC3.

[0120] [5-3. Modified Example 3] For example, in the examples in Figures 4 to 8, the data registered in the "Company-wide" space is data targeting all employees, so the number of users expected to react is larger than the data registered in the "Intellectual Property Department" space. For this reason, data registered in the "Company-wide" space is more likely to receive reactions than data registered in the "Intellectual Property Department" space. In this case, if sorting or filtering is performed simply based on the number of reactions, the data registered in the "Company-wide" space may be displayed preferentially over the data registered in the "Intellectual Property Department" space, potentially causing the data registered in the "Intellectual Property Department" space to be buried.

[0121] Therefore, the display control unit 105 in the modified example 3 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data and the number of users who are expected to react to the data. An expected reaction means that there is a high probability of a reaction due to being included in predetermined conditions. For example, users who are expected to react to the data are users who can view the data, users who have actually viewed the data, users who are part of a specific group (a space in Figure 2) when the data is viewable by all users, or users included in a notification called a mention.

[0122] In variation 3, users who can view data are described as an example of users who are expected to react to the data. For example, the number of users who can view the data is the number of users who have access rights to the data. Access rights to the data are assumed to be defined in the business support database DB2. The display control unit 105 aggregates the number of users who have access rights to each piece of data and identifies the number of users who can view the data. The number of users who can view the data includes not only users who have actually viewed the data, but also users who can view it but have not viewed it. Even if the meaning of "users who are expected to react to the data" is different, the number of users who are expected to react to the data should be aggregated based on a predetermined aggregation method.

[0123] For example, the display control unit 105 calculates the probability of a reaction to a data item by dividing the number of reactions to each of the multiple data items by the number of users who are expected to react to that data item (for example, the number of users who can view the data item). Based on the probability of a reaction to each of the multiple data items, the display control unit 105 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25.

[0124] For example, the display control unit 105 sorts the search results based on the probability of reactions and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. When "Ascending Likes" is selected from the pull-down menu D360 of the input form F36, the display control unit 105 sorts the search results in ascending order of reaction probability and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. When "Descending Likes" is selected from the pull-down menu D360 of the input form F36, the display control unit 105 sorts the search results in descending order of reaction probability and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25.

[0125] For example, the display control unit 105 performs filtering of the search results based on the probability of a reaction and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. In the modified example 3, a threshold for the probability of a reaction can be specified from the pull-down menu D370 of the input form F37. For example, if "Like rate 20% or higher" is selected from the pull-down menu D370, the display control unit 105 filters the search results so that only data with a reaction probability of 20% or higher is displayed and displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25. Any other arbitrary probability can also be specified as the threshold from the pull-down menu D370.

[0126] The display control unit 105 may calculate the final number of reactions for a data item by correcting the number of reactions for each of the multiple data items by the number of users who are expected to react to that data item, rather than calculating the probability of a reaction. The relationship between the number of users who are expected to react to the data item and the correction amount is assumed to be stored in advance in the data storage unit 100. This relationship may be in any format, for example, in table format, mathematical formula format, or as part of program code.

[0127] For example, the display control unit 105 calculates the final number of reactions to each of the multiple data by correcting the number of reactions to each data by a correction amount associated with the number of users who are expected to react to that data. The display control unit 105 may correct the data so that the final number of reactions is smaller than the original number as the number of users who are expected to react to the data increases. In other words, the display control unit 105 may correct the data so that the final number of reactions is larger than the original number as the number of users who are expected to react to the data decreases.

[0128] In the modified example 3, the business support system 1 displays the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25 based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data and the number of users who are expected to react to that data. This prevents data with a relatively small number of expected reactions from being buried on the search results screen SC3.

[0129] [5-4. Modification 4] For example, when users can comment on certain data, depending on the content of the comment, it may be considered equivalent to an action such as a "like." For instance, if user B comments on a post by user A without selecting icon I200, such as "That's a great idea!", it can be considered equivalent to user B selecting icon I200. In this case, even though user B did not select icon I200, the number of reactions may increase.

[0130] The business support system in Modification 4 includes a comment receiving unit 107 and a judgment unit 108. The comment receiving unit 107 can receive comments for each of multiple data as reactions. The reaction receiving unit 101 in Modification 4 accepts reactions other than comments (for example, the selection of icon I200). Comments are sometimes called messages. Comments include strings. The amount of operation required to input a comment is greater than the amount of operation required to input a reaction. For example, the reaction described in the embodiment is completed with one click or tap, but inputting a comment requires two or more character inputs. Information that can identify which data a comment corresponds to is stored in the business support database DB2.

[0131] In Modification 4, the comment receiving unit 107 is implemented by the server 10, and the comment receiving unit 107 accepts comment input from the user terminal 20 by receiving a predetermined comment input notification. The comment input notification is a notification indicating that a comment has been entered by a user. The comment input notification includes the user ID of the user who entered the comment and the content of the comment. In the example in Figure 3, when the user selects icon I201, a comment input form for the post is displayed. The user enters a comment from this input form.

[0132] The determination unit 108 determines whether a comment contains content equivalent to a reaction other than a comment, provided that the user who entered a comment for each of the multiple data items has not made any other reaction to the data. The predetermined expressions that indicate content equivalent to a reaction are predetermined in the data storage unit 100. For example, predetermined expressions may be expressions such as "good," "good," "nice," or "excellent." Expressions that affirm as well as expressions that deny data registered by other users may be registered in the data storage unit 100 as predetermined expressions.

[0133] For example, the determination unit 108 determines whether a predetermined expression is included in the comment for each piece of data. If the predetermined expression is not included in the comment entered by a user, the determination unit 108 does not determine that the comment contains content equivalent to a reaction. However, if the predetermined expression is included in the comment entered by a user, the determination unit 108 determines that the comment contains content equivalent to a reaction.

[0134] In Modification 4, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions based on the determination result of the determination unit 108. For example, if the reaction count acquisition unit 102 does not determine that a comment entered by a user contains content equivalent to a reaction, it does not increase the number of reactions. If it determines that a comment entered by a user contains content equivalent to a reaction, it increases the number of reactions. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 updates not only the number of reactions but also the user ID and the reaction date and time from the reaction information. The display method of the search results screen SC3 may be the same as in the embodiment.

[0135] In the modified version 4, the business support system 1 obtains the number of reactions based on the determination result of whether or not a comment contains content equivalent to other reactions. This allows for a more accurate determination of user reactions to data, as it considers not only the selection of icon I200, but also the content of the comment.

[0136] [5-5. Variation 5] For example, in this embodiment, one type of operation, selecting icon I200, was described as an example of a reaction, but the reaction receiving unit 101 may be capable of receiving each of multiple types of reactions. Modification 5 gives an example of a case where, in addition to icon I200, other icons such as "really like" can be selected. The type of reaction itself may be any type; for example, not only positive reactions but also negative reactions may be possible. There may be three or more types of reactions.

[0137] The reaction count acquisition unit 102 in Modification 5 acquires the number of reactions to each of a plurality of data based on the type of reaction to that data. The relationship between the type of reaction and the number of reactions is assumed to be stored in advance in the data storage unit 100. This relationship may be in any format, for example, in table format, formula format, or as part of program code. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions associated with a type of reaction to a given data.

[0138] For example, if icon I200 is selected, the number of reactions will increase by 1. If another icon, "Like," is selected, the number of reactions will increase by 10. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 determines the amount of increase in the number of reactions based on the type of reaction. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 updates the reaction information stored in the business support database DB2 based on the determined increase. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 may decrease the number of reactions if a negative reaction is made.

[0139] In the modified example 5, the business support system 1 obtains the number of reactions to each of the multiple data points based on the type of reaction to that data. This allows the system to differentiate the magnitude of the user's reaction, thereby improving user convenience.

[0140] [5-6. Variation 6] For example, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 may acquire the number of reactions based on the attributes of the users who reacted to each of the multiple data items. The relationship between the attributes and the number of reactions is assumed to be stored in advance in the data storage unit 100. This relationship may be in any format, for example, a table format, a mathematical formula format, or part of program code. The reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions associated with the attributes of the users who reacted to a certain data item.

[0141] For example, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions in such a way that the higher the rank of the user who reacted to a given data, the greater the increase in the number of reactions per reaction. In other words, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 acquires the number of reactions in such a way that the lower the rank of the user who reacted to a given data, the smaller the increase in the number of reactions per reaction. Alternatively, for example, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 may also apply a correction to data that has been reacted to by other users in the same department as the user, so that the number of reactions is increased.

[0142] The reaction count acquisition unit 102 may acquire the number of reactions based on attributes other than job title. For example, if the department of the user who made the reaction has a large number of members, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 may reduce the increase in the number of reactions in order to minimize the impact of each individual reaction, as a large number of reactions may occur. Conversely, if the department has a small number of members, the reaction count acquisition unit 102 may increase the increase in the number of reactions in order to maximize the impact of each individual reaction.

[0143] In the modified example 6, the business support system 1 obtains the number of reactions based on the attributes of the user who reacted to each of the multiple data points. This allows the number of reactions to be tailored to the user's attributes, thereby improving user convenience.

[0144] [5-7. Variation 7] For example, the search results screen SC3 may have any layout and is not limited to the examples of this embodiment. For example, if the search results cannot all be displayed, the display area A30 of the search results screen SC3 may be scrollable. In this case, when the user scrolls to the bottom of a predetermined number of search results, a button such as "See More" may be displayed below to display further search results. When displaying the search results screen SC3 on the display unit 25, for example, suppose "Post Date and Time" is specified as the default sort order. In this case, the search results screen SC3 will be displayed as shown in Figure 4.

[0145] Suppose the user then changes the sorting condition from "Post Date" to "Likes (Descending)". In this case, the display in display area A30 will be updated to show the results in descending order of the number of reactions within the current search results. However, the search results displayed after clicking the "See More" button may include data with even more reactions. This is because the default sorting order in the initial display was "Post Date". If older data has a large number of reactions, there may be data with even more reactions after clicking the "See More" button. In this case, as soon as the "See More" button is selected, the data in question may move to the top, and it may not be possible to see that data.

[0146] Figure 14 shows an example of the search results screen SC3 in Modification 7. In the example in Figure 14, the "See More" button B301 is not displayed at the bottom of the display area A30, but is displayed separately from the window W300 of the display area A30. Window W300 corresponds to the display area A30 described in the embodiment, and the data included in the search results is arranged in a predetermined sort order. In the example in Figure 14, the display position of the "See More" button B301 does not change even if the user scrolls window W300. In the example in Figure 14, the "See More" button B301 is located outside the display area A30.

[0147] In the modified version 7 of the business support system 1, by arranging the search results screen SC3 in the layout shown in Figure 14, the data is sorted in descending order of the number of reactions, and the data with the most reactions is displayed in display area A30. The user can then select the "See More" button B301. In this case, even if data with an even greater number of reactions is found, this data will be displayed in window W300, allowing the user to notice it. This makes for a user-friendly interface.

[0148] [5-8. Variation 8] For example, business support system 1 can achieve objectives other than "improving user convenience in a business support system that allows reactions to data." Business support system 1 can achieve multiple objectives. For example, there is another objective, such as "switching the search range so that it matches the search range desired by the user." This objective can be achieved by the configuration for specifying the search range described in Embodiment or Modification 2.

[0149] The business support system 1 can achieve the above-mentioned other objectives even without including a configuration that displays the search results screen SC3 based on the number of reactions. For this reason, the business support system 1 may display the search results screen SC3 without specifically basing it on the number of reactions. The business support system 1 does not need to include a reaction reception unit 101 and a reaction count acquisition unit 102. The display control unit 105 does not need to include a function related to display control based on the number of reactions.

[0150] For example, the business support system 1 can also achieve other objectives, such as "providing a user-friendly interface," as described in Modification Example 6. Similarly, in this case, the business support system 1 does not need to include the reaction reception unit 101 and the reaction count acquisition unit 102. The display control unit 105 may include the functions described in Modification Example 7, but may not include the functions related to display control based on the number of reactions.

[0151] [5-9. Other variations] For example, variations 1 to 8 can be combined.

[0152] For example, each of the functions described above can be implemented by any device in the business support system 1. For instance, a function described as being implemented by the server 10 may be implemented by the user terminal 20. In this case, functions similar to the reaction reception unit 101, the reaction count acquisition unit 102, and the display control unit 105 can be implemented by a browser script or by an application installed on the user terminal 20. For example, each function may be implemented by a single computer rather than being shared among multiple computers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0153] 1 Business support system, 10 Server, 11,21 Control unit, 12,22 Storage unit, 13,23 Communication unit, 20 User terminal, 24 Operation unit, 25 Display unit, N Network, 100 Data storage unit, 101 Reaction reception unit, 102 Reaction count acquisition unit, 103 First designation reception unit, 104 Second designation reception unit, 105 Display control unit, 106 Threshold determination unit, 107 Comment reception unit, 108 Judgment unit, 200 Data storage unit, 201 Display control unit, 202 Operation reception unit, A10,A11,A21,A30 Display area, B32 Radio button, B35 Button, B38 Check box, DB1 User database, DB2 Business support database, F12,F22,F31,F33,F34,F36,F37 Input form, SC1 Portal screen, SC2 Space screen, SC3 search results screen, T39 tab, B300 button, B301 button, D360 dropdown, D370 dropdown, I200 icon, I201 icon, W300 window.

Claims

1. A business support system for assisting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A reaction count acquisition unit that acquires the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data, A threshold determination unit determines a threshold for filtering the search results based on the group to which the user belongs, which displays a search results screen showing the search results for the aforementioned multiple data on the display unit. A display control unit that retrieves search results for the plurality of data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the plurality of data, and performs the filtering based on the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data and the threshold, and displays the search results screen on the display unit. Business support systems including this.

2. The display control unit performs sorting of the search results based on the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data and displays the search results screen on the display unit. The business support system according to claim 1.

3. The display control unit, From the aforementioned plurality of data, filtering is performed so that at least one of the data in which a specific user has reacted remains. Based on the results of the filtering, the search results screen is displayed on the display unit. The business support system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A reaction count acquisition unit that acquires the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data, The first selection reception unit accepts the selection of one of several search ranges, A display control unit that, based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the multiple data, obtains search results for the multiple data, classifies the search results based on the search range after obtaining the search results, and displays a search results screen showing the classified search results on the display unit based on the number of reactions for each of the multiple data and the specified search range. Business support systems including this.

5. A business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A reaction count acquisition unit that acquires the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data, The first selection reception unit accepts the selection of one of several search ranges, A display control unit that, based on the search conditions specified by the user, the index of each of the multiple data, and each of the multiple search ranges, obtains the search results for each of the multiple data, and based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data, displays a search results screen on the display unit that shows the search results corresponding to the search range specified from among the multiple search ranges. Business support systems including this.

6. A business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A reaction count acquisition unit that acquires the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data, A second designation receiving unit that receives designation of at least one of the search ranges to be searched and the search ranges to be excluded from the search, from among multiple search ranges, A display control unit that retrieves search results for the multiple data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the multiple data, identifies the final search range to be searched based on the specification, and displays a search results screen showing the search results in the identified final search range on the display unit based on the number of reactions to each of the multiple data, Business support systems including this.

7. A business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A reaction count acquisition unit that acquires the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data, A display control unit that retrieves search results for the plurality of data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the plurality of data, and displays a search results screen showing the search results on the display unit based on the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data and the number of users who are expected to react to the data, Business support systems including this.

8. A business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A comment receiving unit capable of receiving comments for each of the aforementioned multiple data as reactions, A determination unit that determines whether the comment contains content equivalent to the reaction other than the comment, when the user who entered the comment for each of the plurality of data has not made any other reaction to the data; A reaction count acquisition unit that, if it is determined that the comment does not contain content equivalent to the reaction, does not increase the number of reactions, and if it is determined that the comment contains content equivalent to the reaction, increases the number of reactions and acquires the number of reactions for each of the multiple data, A display control unit that retrieves search results for the plurality of data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the plurality of data, and displays a search results screen showing the search results on the display unit based on the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data, Business support systems including this.

9. A business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit capable of receiving multiple types of reactions for each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A reaction count acquisition unit determines the amount of increase in the reaction to each of the plurality of data based on the type of reaction to each of the plurality of data, and acquires the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data. A display control unit that retrieves search results for the plurality of data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the plurality of data, and displays a search results screen showing the search results on the display unit based on the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data, Business support systems including this.

10. A business support system for supporting the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the aforementioned business support system, A reaction count acquisition unit determines the amount of increase in the reaction based on the attributes of the user who reacted to each of the multiple data, and acquires the number of reactions to each of the multiple data. A display control unit that retrieves search results for the plurality of data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the plurality of data, and displays a search results screen showing the search results on the display unit based on the number of reactions to each of the plurality of data, Business support systems including this.

11. A business support method for assisting the individual tasks of multiple users, wherein a computer... A reaction reception step that receives reactions to each of the multiple data registered in the business support system, A reaction count acquisition step to obtain the number of reactions for each of the aforementioned plurality of data, A threshold determination step in which a threshold for filtering the search results is determined based on the group to which the user belongs, which displays a search results screen showing the search results for the aforementioned multiple data on the display unit, A display control step which involves obtaining search results for the plurality of data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the plurality of data, and performing the filtering based on the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data and the threshold, and displaying the search results screen on the display unit, A method for supporting business operations.

12. A computer to support the individual tasks of multiple users, A reaction reception unit that receives reactions to each of the multiple data entries registered in the business support system. A reaction count acquisition unit that acquires the number of reactions for each of the aforementioned plurality of data, A threshold determination unit determines a threshold for filtering the search results based on the group to which the user belongs, which displays a search results screen showing the search results for the aforementioned multiple data on the display unit. A display control unit that retrieves search results for the plurality of data based on the search conditions specified by the user and the index of each of the plurality of data, and performs the filtering based on the number of reactions for each of the plurality of data and the threshold, and displays the search results screen on the display unit. A program designed to function as such.

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