Frugal Help System Optimizing Diagnostic Actions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current customer-assistance systems often burden users with unnecessary diagnostic steps, shifting costs from providers to customers, and may not provide high-quality support, which can deter user adoption of products or services.
Innovation Solution
A frugal user engagement help system that optimizes diagnostic actions based on user costs and benefits, using data from smart meters and weather predictions to minimize user interaction while ensuring net positive benefits, focusing on energy-efficient HVAC systems by engaging users only when significant savings can be achieved.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the help system requires users to perform multiple diagnostic tasks and provide extra information, then the burden on help providers is reduced, but the user engagement cost increases and user satisfaction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables products to perform self-diagnosis by automatically collecting operational data and comparing it against baseline profiles, eliminating the need for users to manually perform diagnostic tasks. The product itself generates and transmits diagnostic information, achieving self-service while reducing user burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary baseline testing during initial product operation to establish expected operational profiles before problems occur. This preliminary characterization allows the system to later detect deviations automatically without requiring user intervention during actual diagnostic events.
2Ease of manufacture
If the help system shifts diagnostic burden to users, then provider costs are reduced, but the quality of support deteriorates and user adoption is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual user-based diagnostic processes with automated electronic data collection and analysis. Sensors and communication modules automatically gather operational parameters and transmit them to the help server, substituting the mechanical/manual diagnostic process with an automated electronic system that improves reliability.
3Measurement precision
If the system requires extensive user interaction for diagnosis, then diagnostic accuracy improves, but user time and engagement cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an automated data transmission intermediary that collects diagnostic information from the product and transmits it to the help server without requiring direct user interaction. This intermediary layer maintains diagnostic accuracy by automatically capturing operational data while eliminating the time users would otherwise spend providing information.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the help system collects comprehensive product data automatically, then diagnostic capability improves, but system complexity and instrumentation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a multi-functional communication module that simultaneously performs data collection, transmission, and baseline profiling operations. This universal component handles multiple diagnostic functions through a single integrated interface, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive fault detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for providing assistance to a user of a product in diagnosing faults in the product. During operation, the system receives, at a help server, data associated with current and/or past operation of the product; performs an optimization to determine a sequence of diagnostic actions that is expected to maximize a net benefit to the user. The sequence of diagnostic actions includes one or more actions that require the user to perform at least one task, and performing the optimization involves accounting for costs to the user for performing the at least one task and savings to the user for correcting the faults. The system then interacts with the user, which involves presenting the sequence of diagnostic actions to the user.