Workflow System Interleaving Surprise Activities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional retail workflow systems require workers to navigate through multiple applications and nested menus to perform secondary activities, leading to inefficiencies and increased time spent on completing primary and secondary workflows.
Innovation Solution
A method that interleaves surprise activities into a worker's primary workflow based on contextual needs, such as location, qualification, and equipment availability, using a voice-directed workflow system to optimize task allocation and minimize disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If workers navigate through multiple applications and nested menus to perform secondary activities, then they can access different workflows, but workflow completion time increases and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple workflow applications into a single integrated application, allowing workers to access both primary and secondary workflows through one interface rather than switching between multiple applications. This merging eliminates the time lost in logging out and logging back in, while maintaining the ability to perform diverse workflow activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal workflow application that can handle multiple types of workflows (primary and secondary) within a single system. The application provides multi-functional capabilities including workflow selection, context monitoring, deadline tracking, and automated task assignment, allowing workers to perform various workflow activities without needing separate specialized applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If workers switch between multiple workflow applications, then they can complete different tasks, but operational efficiency decreases and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple workflow functionalities into a single application that can handle both primary and secondary workflows simultaneously. Workers remain logged in to one application while accessing different workflow types, eliminating the productivity loss associated with repeated logins and logouts while maintaining full task completion capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary actions by pre-loading and monitoring multiple workflows within the single application before the worker needs to switch tasks. The system proactively manages workflow contexts, deadlines, and task assignments in advance, so workers can seamlessly transition between task types without losing time or reducing efficiency.
3Reliability
If workers revisit locations multiple times to complete different workflows, then they can fulfill all workflow requirements, but time is wasted and workflow completion is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors worker location, current workflow status, and upcoming task requirements. The system provides real-time feedback to the worker about upcoming activities and location changes, allowing them to plan their route efficiently and combine visits to the same locations for multiple workflow activities, thereby fulfilling all requirements while minimizing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the workflow system dynamic by allowing real-time adjustments to workflow assignments based on worker location, current context, and upcoming deadlines. The system can dynamically interleave secondary workflows with primary workflows when the worker is already at the required location, eliminating the need for repeated visits and reducing overall workflow completion time while ensuring all requirements are met.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes obtaining primary workflow having a list of activities being performed by a worker; obtaining a surprise activity; comparing a context of the worker to contextual needs of the surprise activity; and interleaving the surprise activity in the list of activities based on a best fit context of the worker.