Continuous Sensing of Agent Functional States for Real-Time Workforce Metrics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional customer-relationship management systems are inadequate for determining the functional states of remote computing devices and user interfaces, particularly in asynchronous electronic messaging scenarios, leading to delayed and inaccurate performance metrics that hinder timely workforce management.

Innovation Solution

An asynchronous electronic messaging sensing application that continuously monitors and analyzes the functional states of agent computing devices, providing granular and real-time metrics on agent productivity and application utilization, enabling instantaneous feedback for workforce optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If traditional performance tracking software applications are used, then historic or archival computer utilization and performance metrics can be provided, but instantaneous or just-in-time data for in-situ workforce management is not available

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availability delayVSAvoidtimeliness of performance metrics

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary sensing and collection of functional state data continuously in the background, so that when workforce management decisions are needed, the data is already available. The sensing application operates ahead of time to gather metrics without requiring real-time intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a continuous feedback loop where the sensing application monitors functional states, the communication management platform receives this data, and workforce management decisions can be made based on current metrics. This closed-loop feedback eliminates the delay between data generation and data availability for management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If conventional performance tracking software applications are used, then performance metrics can be tracked, but the data values are captured over a period of time until activity is deemed completed, resulting in coarse metrics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegranularity of performance metricsVSAvoidtime period for metric capture

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the continuous monitoring process into discrete functional state measurements that occur at regular intervals. By breaking down the monitoring function into periodic sensing cycles, the system achieves both high granularity and continuous time coverage without requiring continuous data capture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensing application operates periodically at defined intervals to capture functional states. This periodic action allows the system to maintain high measurement precision through consistent timing while avoiding the resource intensity of continuous monitoring. The periodic sensing provides sufficient granularity for workforce management decisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If local performance tracking applications are installed on remote client computing devices, then performance metrics can be tracked, but the applications require resources to maintain operability and are updated less frequently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagent productivity monitoringVSAvoidmaintenance requirements of tracking software

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces a communication management platform as an intermediary between the sensing application and the workforce management system. This intermediary consolidates the tracking functionality, eliminating the need for separate local applications on each client device. The platform handles data collection, processing, and distribution centrally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication management platform performs multiple functions: it serves as the sensing application interface, the data collection point, the processing engine, and the distribution channel to workforce management systems. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for dedicated local tracking applications, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining productivity monitoring capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20240346423A1Continuous data sensing of functional states of networked computing devices to determine efficiency metrics for servicing electronic messages asynchronously

Publication Date: 2024.10.17 KHOROS LLC

AI summary

Various embodiments relate generally to data science and data analysis, computer software and systems, and wired and wireless network communications to interface among repositories of disparate data and computing machine-based entities configured to access, track, and/or analyze data, and, more specifically, to a computing and data storage platform to implement computerized tools to continuously (or nearly continuously) sense data describing functional states of remote computing devices and/or user interfaces configured to service electronic messages, according to at least some examples. For example, a method may include receiving a stream of data representing states of user interfaces, analyzing the states of the user interfaces, identifying activity data, identifying a state of an application, detecting an action and classifying a subset of activity data based on the action, and generating data representing a state of an application configured to interact with a digital conversation.