Centralized Assessment Engine for Risk Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current assessment processes in organizations are inefficient and inflexible, leading to excessive costs, inaccurate reporting, and increased vulnerability due to redundant questions, unclear process ownership, and lack of centralized reporting, which hinders effective risk management and compliance with changing business needs.

Innovation Solution

A system for constructing assessments that integrates project and application databases, allowing for centralized data management, reduced redundant questions, and flexible workflow configurations, enabling project managers to focus on compliance and risk mitigation with minimal programmer involvement, while promoting decision confidence and cost optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple separate risk assessment processes are used in different locations, then comprehensive risk coverage is achieved, but process complexity and redundancy increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverisk assessment coverageVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates multiple separate risk assessment processes into a single centralized assessment engine that can be accessed from multiple locations. This merging eliminates redundancy while maintaining comprehensive risk coverage through a unified question repository and centralized data collection mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The centralized assessment engine serves multiple functions and locations through a universal platform. It can conduct various types of risk assessments (compliance, security, operational) across different organizational units while maintaining a single source of truth for all assessment data and questions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If assessment processes are highly structured and comprehensive, then assessment thoroughness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassessment thoroughnessVSAvoiduser ease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The comprehensive assessment process is segmented into modular components including separate question modules, configurable workflows, and distinct data collection points. This segmentation allows the system to maintain thoroughness through multiple assessment stages while presenting a simplified, step-by-step interface to users that reduces operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The assessment process employs dynamic workflow configurations that can adapt to different project types and risk levels. The system can dynamically adjust the number and type of questions presented based on preliminary responses, maintaining thoroughness for high-risk assessments while providing streamlined processes for lower-risk scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If assessment questions are customized for different locations and purposes, then assessment relevance is improved, but process standardization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassessment relevanceVSAvoidprocess standardization
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements local quality by allowing location-specific and purpose-specific customization of assessment questions and parameters while maintaining a standardized core framework. Each organization unit can configure relevant questions and thresholds appropriate to their specific context, ensuring assessment relevance without completely diverging from standardized processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The assessment system enables parameter changes that allow customization of questions, thresholds, and evaluation criteria for different locations and purposes. These parameter adjustments are made within a standardized platform architecture, maintaining process standardization at the system level while allowing flexibility in assessment parameters to ensure relevance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Measurement precision

If centralized reporting capability is implemented, then data consistency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a centralized reporting engine as an intermediary layer between the distributed assessment processes and the final reporting output. This intermediary consolidates data from multiple assessment instances, ensures data consistency through centralized validation rules, and generates standardized reports while abstracting the complexity of data integration from end users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9672488B1Assessment construction tool
Publication Date: 2017.06.06 PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP INC
  • US9672488B1 patent drawing
  • US9672488B1 patent drawing
  • US9672488B1 patent drawing

AI summary

An assessment construction tool is provided for developing and executing assessments of various operational aspects of a business entity. Both application-level and project-level assessments may be constructed, and the assessments include a mechanism for applying scores associated with answers derived from conducting the assessment to multiple assessment process categories of the business entity.