Inventory Yield Management System for Wellness Programs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Employers face challenges in efficiently managing employee wellness program inventory and tracking attendance to drive down costs and improve engagement, particularly across a large population, where data credibility and reliability are crucial for incentive schemes.

Innovation Solution

An interactive user interface system with access to inventory and class databases, allowing for the creation of configurable class passes, class space designations, time selections, and discount designations, which calculates projected yields to optimize class inventory management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If employers implement wellness programs with incentives for employees, then employee engagement and health outcomes improve, but program costs and administrative complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemployee engagementVSAvoidprogram administrative complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the wellness program into distinct modules: class inventory management, employee registration, attendance tracking, and incentive calculation. Each module operates independently through the database architecture, allowing employers to implement only the segments needed while reducing overall administrative complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary yield management system that acts as a mediator between class providers and employees. This system automatically handles matching, registration, and tracking functions, reducing the administrative burden on employers while maintaining engagement through personalized recommendations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If employers track employee attendance and wellness class participation, then data credibility for incentive schemes improves, but system complexity and data management requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata credibilityVSAvoiddata management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service functionality where employees automatically register for classes, track their own attendance, and view their incentive status. The database automatically captures and validates data without requiring manual verification, maintaining data credibility while reducing administrative complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements automated feedback loops where attendance data is automatically captured, validated, and used to calculate incentive eligibility. This automated feedback mechanism ensures data credibility through consistent validation rules while reducing the manual data management burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If employers manage wellness inventory across a vast population of employees, then program coverage and engagement opportunities increase, but technological problems and system complexity arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogram coverageVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal database architecture that serves multiple functions: storing class inventory, managing employee profiles, tracking attendance, calculating incentives, and generating reports. This multi-functional system handles vast populations efficiently through standardized data structures and processes, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system adds dimensional organization to inventory management by categorizing classes across multiple dimensions (type, instructor, location, time, availability). This multi-dimensional organization allows the system to efficiently manage vast inventories and large employee populations without increasing proportional complexity, as queries and management operations can target specific dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Productivity

If employers optimize class inventory yield through configurable passes and discounts, then profitability and resource utilization improve, but interface complexity and configuration requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinventory yieldVSAvoidinterface ease of use

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows employers to pre-configure class passes, discounts, and inventory parameters before the wellness program begins. These preliminary configurations are stored in the database and automatically applied during operation, eliminating the need for complex real-time adjustments and simplifying the user interface during active program management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10853899B2Methods and systems for inventory yield management

Publication Date: 2020.12.01 MINDBODY INC

AI summary

In some embodiments, an interactive user interface is provided for an inventory yield management system having access to an inventory database and a class database. The system comprises at least one processor to implement a single interactive user interface comprising a first user interface element configured to present a first user interface view to receive a selection of data stored in the inventory database; a second user interface element configured to present a second user interface view to receive a selection of data for creating a configurable class pass for one or more classes stored in the class database; and a channel indicator for associating a configured class pass with a channel of classes.