Issue Rank Balancing in Tracking Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Issue tracking systems face challenges in efficiently managing and prioritizing issues due to multiple users, automated systems, concurrent changes, and localized congestion in rank spaces, leading to difficulties in re-ranking issues without altering their order.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for balancing issues by determining new rank values and safely re-ranking selected issues, using a formula to calculate new rank values that are approximately equally distributed between the lowest and highest ranked issues, while ensuring the order of issues remains unchanged.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If issues are re-ranked to alleviate localized congestion in rank spaces, then the distribution of rank values improves, but the order of issues may be altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the rank value parameters of issues in a controlled manner. By calculating new rank values based on the position of issues in the sorted list and redistributing them to alleviate localized congestion, the system improves rank value distribution while maintaining issue order through careful parameter selection and validation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by checking whether re-ranking an issue would alter the issue order before applying the rank change. The system evaluates the impact of each potential rank value assignment and only applies changes that maintain the original issue sequence, thus preserving stability while improving distribution
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple users and automated systems concurrently add or reorder issues, then the issue tracking system becomes more versatile, but the rank management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by calculating all new rank values before applying any changes to the issues. This pre-calculation approach allows the system to handle concurrent operations more effectively by establishing a complete re-ranking plan in advance, reducing the complexity of managing simultaneous rank changes from multiple users and automated systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the rank management process into distinct phases: calculating new rank values, determining which issues can be safely re-ranked, and applying changes. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by breaking down the concurrent rank management problem into manageable steps that can be executed systematically
3Quantity of substance
If issues are densely ranked with consecutive ordering, then the ranking system achieves complete coverage, but space for new issues is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the ranking space constraint by redistributing rank values along the ranking dimension to create more uniform spacing. By recalculating rank values to be approximately equally distributed, the system creates additional space in the rank spectrum for new issues while maintaining complete coverage of existing issues
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a computer implemented method for balancing a set of issues maintained by an issue tracking system, each issue in the set of issues having an original rank value. The method comprises determining a set of new rank values for the issue in the set of issues; selecting a first issue from the set of issues, the first issue being an issue from set of issues that is neither a lowest ranked issue or highest ranked issue; determining whether the first issue can be safely re-ranked based on the new rank value calculated for the first issue and original rank values of issues adjacent to the first issue; and in response to determining that the first issue can safely be re-ranked, re-ranking the first issue by assigning the new rank value determined for the first issue to the first issue.