Respondent Input Ranking System with Offline Data Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for gathering respondent assessments of perceived quality of states characterized by personal attributes, such as health-related quality of life, are inefficient and prone to bias, particularly when trying to quantify the severity of ailments.
Innovation Solution
A computer program product and system that allows respondents to quickly and efficiently input rankings of states by selecting attribute levels, determining alternative states, and providing preference indications, with minimal data communication and input actions, using a device with a display, communication port, and microprocessor to interact with a central computer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional assessment methods are used to gather respondent input on perceived quality of states, then comprehensive data can be collected, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The assessment process is segmented into distinct phases: respondents first define their own state by selecting attribute levels, then evaluate alternative states. This segmentation allows comprehensive data collection while reducing cognitive load and time per respondent.
Solution Approach 2:
Respondents perform preliminary action by defining their own state and selecting attribute levels before evaluating alternatives. This preliminary setup streamlines subsequent comparisons and reduces overall assessment time while maintaining data comprehensiveness.
2Measurement precision
If detailed assessments are required to capture perceived severity of ailments, then measurement accuracy improves, but respondent burden and input actions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary computational process that automatically generates alternative states based on the respondent's defined state. This mediator handles the complexity of state comparison, allowing respondents to provide precise severity assessments through simple preference indications rather than detailed inputs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of the respondent's state with modified attribute levels to generate alternatives. Respondents compare these copied states against their original state, enabling detailed severity measurement through straightforward preference judgments rather than complex detailed assessments.
3Measurement precision
If multiple alternative states are presented for comparison, then ranking accuracy improves, but data communication and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential preference indication data from respondents rather than transmitting complete state descriptions. Each respondent's preferences for multiple alternative states are captured as compact preference indicators, dramatically reducing data communication volume while preserving ranking accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms detailed state comparisons into simplified preference parameter indications. By changing the data representation from detailed state descriptions to compact preference indicators, the system maintains ranking accuracy across multiple alternatives while minimizing data communication and processing requirements.
4Reliability
If online data collection is used to ensure real-time processing, then data freshness is improved, but connectivity issues and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary data collection and stores respondent preferences locally on the device before any communication occurs. This allows offline data collection to proceed reliably without connectivity, with real-time processing occurring later when data is transmitted to the central server.
Solution Approach 2:
The respondent's device performs self-service by storing and managing assessment data locally without requiring continuous connectivity. The device independently handles data collection and only communicates when necessary, eliminating connectivity-dependent processing while maintaining data reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer program product for gathering respondent input for determining a ranking of states each characterized by a set of selected levels each associated to an attribute. The interface mechanism provides for inputting selected attribute levels of a respondent state and for ranking of comparable alternative states determined in response to the inputted respondent state, in comparison with that respondent state. The alternative states are each displayed as the set of attributes with the associated set of alternative levels simultaneously and with an input field for inputting a preference indication of the shown alternative state compared with the respondent state. This allows the respondent input to be entered with very few input actions and little switching between screens. Only the selected attribute levels of the respondent state and the rankings and identifications of the determined alternative states need to be transmitted to the central computer.