KPI Tree Generation for Department-Linked Causal Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies fail to clarify the causal relation between key performance indicators (KPIs) as control targets and end targets, and the departments responsible for each KPI, complicating business management strategies in diversified manufacturing environments.

Innovation Solution

An operation control apparatus and method that generates a KPI tree from an issues-structure tree, associating KPIs with departments and displaying causal relations, allowing for clear visualization and management of KPIs and their responsible departments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If existing technologies are used to manage KPIs, then basic KPI tracking is possible, but the causal relation between control target KPIs and end target KPIs cannot be clarified

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecausal relation informationVSAvoidmanagement system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the management system into distinct functional modules: a KPI management module that handles individual KPI definitions and a causal relation management module that handles relationships between KPIs. This segmentation allows the system to track both individual KPIs and their causal relationships separately, preventing information loss while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If detailed KPI tracking is implemented, then control target monitoring is improved, but department responsibility information is not associated

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveKPI monitoring precisionVSAvoiddepartment responsibility information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges KPI monitoring functionality with department responsibility tracking into a unified KPI management module. Each KPI is associated with responsible departments, and this association is maintained throughout the causal relation chain. This merging ensures that detailed KPI monitoring does not occur in isolation but is always linked to the appropriate organizational units, preventing loss of responsibility information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple KPIs are tracked independently, then comprehensive monitoring is achieved, but the causal relation structure becomes unclear

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveKPI tracking versatilityVSAvoidcausal relation structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a causal relation management module as an intermediary between individual KPI tracking and overall business goal assessment. This intermediary module explicitly models causal relationships between control target KPIs and end target KPIs, maintaining the versatility of tracking multiple independent KPIs while preserving the causal structure that connects them to business objectives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If comprehensive KPI management is implemented, then business control is improved, but the system becomes too complex to operate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebusiness control reliabilityVSAvoidsystem operation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments comprehensive KPI management into distinct functional modules: KPI definition, causal relation management, and performance assessment. This segmentation allows the system to provide reliable comprehensive control while maintaining ease of operation through modular functionality, where each module handles a specific aspect of KPI management independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates universal management modules that can handle multiple types of KPIs and relationships through standardized interfaces. The KPI management module and causal relation management module are designed to work with any KPI type, reducing operational complexity by providing unified mechanisms for diverse KPI management tasks rather than requiring separate handling for each KPI type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3798938B1Operation control apparatus, operation control method, and operation control program
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS LTD
  • EP3798938B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3798938B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3798938B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An operation control apparatus of the invention includes a KPI tree preparation field for accepting an issues-structure tree indicating a causal relation of an issue of an organization having a plurality of departments, and KPI definition information having a KPI for evaluating the issue mutually associated with the department responsible for the KPI, and a KPI tree generation field for generating a KPI tree indicating the causal relation of the KPI from the issues-structure tree indicating the causal relation of the issue by accepting a user's association of the KPI with the issue constituting the issues-structure tree.