Graphical representation of definitions of statistics
View Patent ↗Existing statistics reporting methods tend to be inflexible and difficult for operators to understand and use effectively. A graphical user interface is provided whereby operators are able to view a state/event model of an automated system and using that graphical user interface make changes to existing statistics, define new statistics and analyze existing statistics. As a result of user inputs made at this graphical user interface changes are effected in a statistics reporting application in order to generate actual values of the statistics. In some embodiments Unified Modeling Language (UML) is used to provide the state/event model and extensions to UML are described which improve the ability to create and modify definitions of statistics.
1. A method of generating a statistical definition defining statistics to be calculated about the behavior of an automated system, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) accessing a state/event model of the automated system, the state/event model comprising a plurality of states;
(ii) displaying a graphical representation of the state/event model at a user interface, the graphical representation comprising graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model;
(iii) receiving user inputs comprising information to select states from the state/event model to generate a new statistical definition;
(iv) displaying at the user interface said newly generated statistical definition using the graphical representation of the state/event model and an additional graphical element, said additional graphical element being arranged such that only a single graphical element is required to represent a selected one of: (a) a virtual transition between two or more states of the state/event model; and (b) a transition between two or more states of the state/event model which are of different objects,
wherein said additional graphical element is added to the graphical representation in addition to the graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises accessing pre-specified definitions of statistics and generating said statistical definition using both the graphical representation and one or more of the pre-specified definitions.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises modifying a generated statistical definition defining a statistic to be calculated about the behavior of the automated system by:
(i) displaying said definition of the statistic to be modified using said graphical representation of the state/event model at the user interface and receiving user inputs about said graphical representation; and
(ii) modifying said definition of the statistic to be modified on the basis of the user inputs.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said automated system is selected from a contact center and a self-service system.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises passing information about said graphical representation of the generated statistical definition defining statistics to a reporting application, said reporting application being arranged to calculate statistics according to the generated statistical definition about the behavior of the automated system.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises web pages.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said user interface is formed using scalar vector graphics extensible markup language (SVG XML).
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said state/event model is provided using Unified Modeling Language (UML).
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said UML is extended to provide for a single graphical element to represent a virtual transition between two or more states.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said UML is extended to provide for a single graphical element to link two or more states which are of different objects.
11. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said UML is extended to provide for a single graphical element to link two or more states, said link having an associated markup statement comprising a guard condition.
12. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said UML is extended to provide for a single graphical element to link two or more states, said link having an associated markup statement comprising an action expression.
13. An apparatus for generating a statistical definition defining statistics to be calculated about the behavior of an automated system, said apparatus comprising:
a) a processor executing program code;
b) an input arranged to access a state/event model of the automated system, the state/event model comprising a plurality of states;
c) an input arranged to receive user inputs comprising information to select states from the state/event model to generate a new statistical definition; and
d) a graphical user interface arranged to display:
a) a graphical representation of the state/event model, the graphical representation comprising graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model; and
b) said newly generated statistical definition using the graphical representation of the state/event model and an additional graphical element, said additional graphical element being arranged such that only a single graphical element is required to represent a selected one of: (a) a virtual transition between two or more states of the state/event model; and (b) a transition between two or more states which are of different objects of the state/event model, and wherein said additional graphical element is added to the graphical representation in addition to the graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model.
14. A contact center comprising an apparatus as claimed in claim 13 .
15. A self-service system comprising an apparatus as claimed in claim 13 .
16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program comprising program code executable by a processor of a computing device, said program code comprising:
code for accessing a state/event model of an automated system, the state/event model comprising a plurality of states;
code for displaying a graphical representation of the state/event model at a user interface, the graphical representation comprising graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model;
code for receiving user inputs comprising information to select states from the state/event model to generate a new statistical definition; and
code for displaying at the user interface said newly generated statistical definition using the graphical representation of the state/event model and an additional graphical element, said additional graphical element being arranged such that only a single graphical element is required to represent a selected-one of: (a) a virtual transition between two or more states of the state/event model; and (b) a transition between two or more states which are of different objects of the state/event model, and wherein said additional graphical element is added to the graphical representation in addition to the graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model.
17. A method of creating a state/event model having a plurality of states comprising the steps of:
a) using Unified Modeling Language (UML) to create a graphical representation of said state/event model, the graphical representation comprising graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model;
b) adding a single graphical element to the graphical representation to represent a selected one of: (i) a virtual transition between two or more states of said state/event model; and (ii) a transition between two or more states which are of different objects of the state/event model;
wherein said single graphical element is added to the graphical representation in addition to the graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said single graphical element has an associated markup statement comprising a guard condition.
19. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said single graphical element comprises an action expression.
20. An apparatus for creating a state/event model having a plurality of states comprising:
a) a processor executing program code arranged to use Unified Modeling Language (UML) to create a graphical representation of said state/event model, the graphical representation comprising graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model;
b) said processor also executing program code arranged to add a single graphical element to the graphical representation to represent a selected one of:
(i) a virtual transition between two or more states of said state/event model; and
(ii) a transition between two or more states which are of different objects of the state/event model;
wherein said single graphical element is added to the graphical representation in addition to the graphical elements representing the plurality of states of the state/event model.