Assessment Assignment Workload Index

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing information security assessment assignment methods are inefficient due to varying time and effort requirements across assessments, leading to suboptimal workload distribution among assessors.

Innovation Solution

A method that processes workload records for each assessor, calculates a complexity score for each assessment, and assigns new assessments based on a workload index, which considers the complexity score and previous assessment burdens, ensuring optimal workload distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If assessments are assigned based on the number of pending assessments only, then assignment simplicity is improved, but workload distribution fairness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassignment simplicityVSAvoidworkload distribution fairness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the assignment parameter from a simple count of pending assessments to a complexity-weighted workload index. Each assessment is assigned a complexity score based on multiple factors (number of controls, risk level, assessor expertise match), and the workload index is calculated as the sum of complexity scores rather than simple counts. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction by maintaining assignment automation while achieving fairer workload distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If assessors are assigned more assessments to increase productivity, then assessment throughput is improved, but assessor overload risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassessment throughputVSAvoidassessor capacity utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic workload assignment by continuously calculating workload indexes that reflect each assessor's current capacity and the complexity of available assessments. The system dynamically adjusts assignment decisions based on real-time workload states rather than using static rules, allowing optimal throughput while preventing overload through adaptive load balancing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If simple assessment counting is used for workload tracking, then system complexity is reduced, but assignment accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidworkload measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the workload measurement into distinct components: individual complexity scores for each assessment based on multiple factors (number of controls, risk level, assessor expertise). This segmentation allows accurate workload measurement through summation of weighted components while keeping the underlying system manageable through modular calculation approaches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8700685B2Allocation of assessments

Publication Date: 2014.04.15 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

Apparatuses, computer readable media, methods, and systems are described for processing a workload record for each of a plurality of assessors, each of the workload records identifying an assessment previously assigned to a particular one of the assessors, calculating a complexity score for each of the assessments, calculating a workload index for each of the assessors based on the complexity score of the assessment previously assigned to that assessor, and assigning a new assessment to a particular one of the assessors based on the workload indexes.