Method and apparatus for product defect classification

1. A method of processing defect data indicative of defects in a product, comprising:

receiving defect data from an end-user, wherein the defect data is indicative of defects in a product at an end-user's environment;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of severity levels;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of impact levels;

classifying the defects into categories based on combinations of severity level and impact level;

automatically generating a graphic representative of a topographical relation among numbers of defects in the categories; and

displaying the graphic on a graphical user interface (GUI);

wherein the graphic comprises a histogram having a first axis representing severity level, a second axis representing impact level, and a third axis representing a number of defects, the first axis and the second axis defining bins respectively associated with the categories.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the histogram comprises a three-dimensional bar chart.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of impact levels is associated with an estimated percentage of customers impacted by a corresponding defect.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of severity levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.

5. A method of processing defect data indicative of defects in a product, comprising:

receiving defect data from an end-user, wherein the defect data is indicative of defects in a product at an end-user's environment;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of severity levels;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of impact levels;

classifying the defects into categories based on combinations of severity level and impact level;

automatically generating a graphic representative of a topographical relation among numbers of defects in the categories;

displaying the graphic on a graphical user interface (GUI);

assigning a threshold to each of the categories;

comparing the number of defects in each of the categories with the threshold assigned thereto;

automatically displaying, for each category of the categories where the number of defects therein exceeds the threshold assigned thereto, an alert graphic on the GUI; and

assigning each of the categories a priority level;

wherein an action is displayed for each alert graphic based on the priority level assigned to the category.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of impact levels is associated with an estimated percentage of customers impacted by a corresponding defect.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of severity levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.

8. Apparatus for processing defect data indicative of defects in a product, comprising:

means for receiving defect data from an end-user, wherein the defect data is indicative of defects in a product at an end-user's environment;

means for assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of severity levels;

means for assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of impact levels;

means for classifying the defects into categories based on combinations of severity level and impact level;

means for automatically generating a graphic representative of a topographical relation among numbers of defects in the categories; and

means for displaying the graphic on a graphical user interface (GUI);

wherein the graphic comprises a histogram having a first axis representing severity level, a second axis representing impact level, and a third axis representing a number of defects, the first axis and the second axis defining bins respectively associated with the categories.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of impact levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of severity levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.

11. Apparatus for processing defect data indicative of defects in a product, comprising:

means for receiving defect data from an end-user, wherein the defect data is indicative of defects in a product at an end-user's environment;

means for assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of severity levels;

means for assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of impact levels;

means for classifying the defects into categories based on combinations of severity level and impact level;

means for automatically generating a graphic representative of a topographical relation among numbers of defects in the categories;

means for displaying the graphic on a graphical user interface (GUI);

means for assigning a threshold to each of the categories;

means for comparing the number of defects in each of the categories with the threshold assigned thereto;

means for automatically displaying, for each category of the categories where the number of defects therein exceeds the threshold assigned thereto, an alert graphic on the GUI; and

means for assigning each of the categories a priority level;

wherein an action is displayed for each alert graphic based on the priority level assigned to the category.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of impact levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of severity levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.

14. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of:

receiving defect data from an end-user, wherein the defect data is indicative of defects in a product at an end-user's environment;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of severity levels;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of impact levels;

classifying the defects into categories based on combinations of severity level and impact level;

automatically generating a graphic representative of a topographical relation among numbers of defects in the categories; and

displaying the graphic on a graphical user interface (GUI);

wherein the graphic comprises a histogram having a first axis representing severity level, a second axis representing impact level, and a third axis representing a number of defects, the first axis and the second axis defining bins respectively associated with the categories.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of impact levels is associated with an estimated percentage of customers impacted by a corresponding defect.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of severity levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.

17. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of:

receiving defect data from an end-user, wherein the defect data is indicative of defects in a product at an end-user's environment;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of severity levels;

assigning each of the defects one of a plurality of impact levels;

classifying the defects into categories based on combinations of severity level and impact level;

automatically generating a graphic representative of a topographical relation among numbers of defects in the categories;

displaying the graphic on a graphical user interface (GUI);

assigning a threshold to each of the categories;

comparing the number of defects in each of the categories with the threshold assigned thereto; and

automatically displaying, for each category of the categories where the number of defects therein exceeds the threshold assigned thereto, an alert graphic on the GUI; and

assigning each of the categories a priority level;

wherein an action is displayed for each alert graphic based on the priority level assigned to the category.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of impact levels is associated with an estimated percentage of customers impacted by a corresponding defect.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of severity levels are defined with respect to expected performance of the product from an end-user point of view.