Interactive Hierarchy GUI for Employee Benefit Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional computer applications for managing employee benefit offerings are inefficient and time-consuming due to the need for users to navigate multiple on-screen windows, leading to errors and a lack of clarity on the user's current operation and location within the system.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface with an interactive hierarchy that organizes information into nodes at multiple levels, allowing users to easily navigate and manage benefit offerings by highlighting the current node and using visual attributes to indicate entry status, thereby providing a clear sense-of-place and sense-of-task.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional applications display many separate on-screen windows for each plan type, plan, and option, then users can access detailed information for each benefit component, but the user interface complexity and navigation difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate windows (plan type window, plan window, option window) into a single integrated window that displays all benefit information simultaneously. The hierarchical structure within this unified window allows users to view and navigate through benefit programs, plan types, plans, and options without switching between multiple windows, thus reducing interface complexity while maintaining information completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the benefit information into hierarchical levels (benefit programs, plan types, plans, options) that can be expanded or collapsed independently within the single window. This segmentation allows users to focus on specific levels of detail while maintaining awareness of the overall structure, reducing the cognitive load associated with navigating multiple windows
2Manufacturing precision
If users navigate through multiple separate windows to enter and verify setup information, then detailed information can be managed, but the time required to complete tasks and potential for errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements visual indicators (such as checkmarks or highlighted fields) that provide immediate feedback to users about which information has been entered and which requires attention. This feedback mechanism allows users to verify information completeness and accuracy within the same window without needing to navigate to separate verification windows, reducing both time and error potential
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows users to enter setup information for multiple benefit components simultaneously in a single window rather than requiring sequential entry through multiple windows. The hierarchical structure enables users to pre-fill information at higher levels that automatically propagates to lower levels, reducing redundant data entry and verification steps
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional applications provide separate windows for each benefit component, then detailed management is possible, but the sense-of-place and sense-of-task for users deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a hierarchical dimension to the user interface, organizing benefit information into nested levels (programs → plan types → plans → options) that can be expanded or collapsed. This hierarchical dimension provides users with a clear sense of their current location within the benefit structure while maintaining the ability to access detailed management capabilities at each level, all within a single contextual window
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer system, and graphical user interface for presenting an interactive hierarchy and indicating entry of information therein is disclosed. An interactive hierarchy is used to organize information using nodes arranged in multiple levels, where the interactive hierarchy may also be used to select a node to operate on. The interactive hierarchy may provide sense-of-place by depicting the organization of the nodes and indicating which node a user is operating on. An indicator is also provided which indicates whether one or more types of information have been entered for a given node, level of nodes, etc., thereby providing sense-of-task by enabling a user to determine which types of information have already been entered, which types of information have yet to be entered, etc. Further, a task indicator may be provided for stepping users through various information entry and/or management tasks, thereby further improving sense-of-task.