Methods, systems, and apparatus for personalizing a web experience using ant routing theory
Methods, systems, and apparatus for using ant theory to personalize a workflow are described. One or more path segments in a data structure that represents a workflow may be identified, the one or more path segments corresponding to a path traversed by a user. A weight associated with each of the identified one or more path segments in the data structure may be increased. One or more weights in the data structure associated with a plurality of path segments may be decreased based on a temporal decay rate. A guidance activity that directs a user to a more heavily weighted path at a workflow decision point may be established.
1. An apparatus for generating weights of a workflow, the apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
memory to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
increase one or more decay-based weights, each decay-based weight associated with a path segment of a path in a workflow traversed by a user, each decay-based weight being stored in a data structure, each decay-based weight being configured to decrease based on a temporal decay rate;
decrease the one or more decay-based weights in the data structure based on the temporal decay rate; and
establish a guidance activity that directs a user to a more heavily weighted path segment at a workflow decision point, wherein the guidance activity moves criteria of a latter step in a workflow to an earlier decision point.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
normalize one or more of the decay-based weights.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the normalization is based on a non-linear scale.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the increase of the one or more decay-based weights is performed for a single traversal of the path.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the guidance activity reduces a count of exit paths from a decision point in a workflow.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
delete a path comprising one or more path segments having decay-based weights smaller than a weight threshold.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
evaluate an effectiveness of a guidance activity.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
calculate a percentage change in a decay-based weight of a path segment during an evaluation period.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the evaluation period occurs from prior to the establishment of the guidance activity until a predefined period of time after the establishment of the guidance activity.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
maintain a set of decay-based weights in the data structure for each of a plurality of sets of users.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
mark one or more path segments based on a corresponding weight.
12. A method for generating weights of a workflow, the method comprising:
increase one or more decay-based weights, each decay-based weight associated with a path segment of a path in a workflow traversed by a user, each decay-based weight being stored in a data structure, each decay-based weight being configured to decrease based on a temporal decay rate;
decrease the one or more decay-based weights in the data structure based on the temporal decay rate; and
establish a guidance activity that directs a user to a more heavily weighted oath segment at a workflow decision point, wherein the guidance activity moves criteria of a latter step in a workflow to an earlier decision point.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising deleting a path comprising one or more path segments having decay-based weights smaller than a weight threshold.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising evaluating an effectiveness of a guidance activity.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising maintaining a set of decay-based weights in the data structure for each of a plurality of sets of users.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:
increase one or more decay-based weights, each decay-based weight associated with a path segment of a path in a workflow traversed by a user, each decay-based weight being stored in a data structure, each decay-based weight being configured to decrease based on a temporal decay rate; and
decrease the one or more decay-based weights in the data structure based on the temporal decay rate; and
establish a guidance activity that directs a user to a more heavily weighted path segment at a workflow decision point, wherein the guidance activity reduces a count of exit paths from a decision point in a workflow.