Tax Document Drag-and-Drop Interface for Customized Return Preparation

Solution Overview

Problem

Current tax preparation software requires users to answer numerous standard screening questions to determine relevant tax data, leading to a cumbersome and time-consuming process, especially for taxpayers with few sources of income and deductions.

Innovation Solution

A user-friendly interface that allows taxpayers to select relevant tax documents by dragging and dropping them on a computer display, reducing the need for screening questions and customizing the tax return preparation process based on identified documents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If standard screening questions are used to determine relevant tax data, then the software can identify appropriate data prompts, but the user must answer numerous questions making the process time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of tax data collectionVSAvoidtime required for screening interview

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by providing a comprehensive list of all possible tax documents upfront, allowing users to select only what applies to their situation before any data collection begins. This eliminates the need for sequential screening questions while ensuring all relevant documents are identified.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of asking users questions to determine what documents they have (traditional approach), the system inverts the approach by presenting all possible documents and asking users to select what applies. This reversal dramatically reduces the number of interactions required while maintaining completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Adaptability or versatility

If screening questions are posed to determine taxpayer situation, then relevant data prompts can be generated, but users with few income sources still must answer all screening questions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization of data collection to taxpayer situationVSAvoiduser effort in completing screening interview

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by providing a comprehensive list of all possible tax documents upfront, allowing users to select only what applies to their situation before any data collection begins. This eliminates the need for sequential screening questions while ensuring all relevant documents are identified.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system presents an excessive list of all possible tax documents (more than any single user will need), but this allows users to simply select the small subset that applies to them. The excessive presentation upfront enables partial selection, reducing overall user effort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the software questions users on every possible source of income and deduction, then appropriate data is collected, but the process is cumbersome for taxpayers with limited tax situations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveensuring all applicable tax data is collectedVSAvoidcomplexity of the screening process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by providing a comprehensive list of all possible tax documents upfront, allowing users to select only what applies to their situation before any data collection begins. This eliminates the need for sequential screening questions while ensuring all relevant documents are identified.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of asking users questions to determine what documents they have (traditional approach), the system inverts the approach by presenting all possible documents and asking users to select what applies. This reversal dramatically reduces the number of interactions required while maintaining completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS8635127B1System and method for identifying tax documents to customize preparation of a tax return

Publication Date: 2014.01.21 HRB INNOVATIONS

AI summary

A computerized system and method for identifying tax documents to customize tax return preparation. Tax preparation software allows users to identify the tax documents relevant to a taxpayer's situation so that an appropriate tax return can be prepared. The software displays graphical representations of tax documents and allows the user to select the tax documents applicable to the taxpayer's situation by dragging and dropping them on a designated area on the computer display. Once the user has selected the appropriate tax documents, the software prompts the user for responses to data prompts that are appropriate for the taxpayer's situation according to the selected tax documents. The data prompts that are presented relate to the tax documents identified by the user and therefore, are relevant to the taxpayer's specific situation. Prompts for tax data that are not appropriate for the taxpayer's situation are not asked.