Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Corey James Hulen

Chen-I Lim

Ian Tien

Brent Michael Wilson

Zhenyu Tang

Carolyn Khanh Chau

Stella Yick Chan

Stephen Van De Walker Handy

Catalin Tomai

Eric Danas

Peter Birkedal Peterson

Stephen Handy

Noah H Booth

Ramesh Arimilli

Vincent Feng Yang

Robert Alan Blood

Ian Robert James Tien

R Alan Blood

Scorecard data is received, processed, and visualizations provided by a performance metric application. Real time collaboration between users is facilitated through context based selections from the visualizations through one or more communication applications. Performance metric application may be embedded in the communication application or vice versa through local implementation or in a service based architecture.

Real time collaboration using embedded data visualizations

Scorecard data including scorecard views, and the like are exported to a presentation application for generating a presentation based on the scorecard data. Briefing book definitions are generated based on the scorecard data, default parameters and user-defined parameters for providing a user selections for the presentations. Using composite objects, scorecard and report views may be reformatted, resized, laid out, and paginated according to the presentation preferences. Once the user selections are received the presentation may be rendered generating charts based on the data, grouping and breaking down views, incorporating unstructured data, and the like.

Presentation generation using scorecard elements

Architecture for slicing data defined on both tabular data sources and in OLAP (online analytical processing) multidimensional data sources by time relative to the current date simultaneously with the same time intelligence (TI) filter on a dashboard page. The architecture employs a simple time period specification (STPS) language used to specify time periods in monitoring server TI filters, and key performance indicator (KPI) filters. The architecture maps all time dimensions to a common set of time aggregations (hierarchy) and to a common calendar.

Navigation across datasets from multiple data sources based on a common reference dimension

User interface that enables a user to manipulate visual representations of non-linear business logic to define and run data-centric 'what-if' simulations. The visual interface models non-linear calculations based on the mapping of an input value in a non-linear domain to a score range, which score range can be continuous or non-continuous. The interface presents variable graphical indicator representations, as well as proximity and sensitivity visualizations. Different models can be developed and tested using live data feeds and aggregated dependent data feeds. The visual interface employs recursive scoring, and facilitates collaborative interface interaction.

Visual designer for non-linear domain logic

Scorecard associated content is provided to limited user interfaces of desktop visualization applications on a user's computing device (e.g. a mobile computing device, an ultra-mobile computing device, a personal digital assistant, an in-car computing system, and a tablet computing device) for delivery of personalized and scalable metrics. Users are enabled to set up personalized metric views based on predefined or user-defined desktop visualization applications employing indicators, partial report views, audio, video, and the like. Data delivery attributes from local or remote data sources can be set for deployment of the desktop visualization applications in a service based architecture. Computing device visualization applications may also be used to activate local or remote applications for various scorecard operations.

Service architecture based metric views

Persistent annotations are created on a scorecard that combines multi-dimensional as well as fixed value data. The annotations uniquely defined by the scorecard view definition and by the retrieved scorecard data, are independent of the data's dimensionality enabling persistence of the annotations with the data and definition even when the scorecard is reconfigured. The annotations may include a 'bubble-up' feature, where a hierarchical structure of the scorecard is inherited by the annotations. Threaded discussions and updated document lists are enabled around the annotations with appropriate permissions and/or credentials.

Multidimensional metrics-based annotation

Report views offer a user the ability to specify ancillary data views and also view that data in a scorecard viewing experience. A report view definition may be implemented as a metadata-based mapping of logical reports to physical reports for scorecards and KPIs. Reports are categorized based on their presentation size and/or type. Categorized report attributes included in the report view metadata are managed by a configuration UI. The report view metadata further includes schema, ordering capabilities, and mapping UI such as re-use of report views in multiple areas.

Grouping and display of logically defined reports

Data retrieval from data sources associated with elements of a scorecard is optimized by combining the queries for the same data sources into a single query. The querying process is further optimized based on an attribute and/or condition of a data source. Query parameters and execution schedule may be adjusted based on the elements, data sources, or subscriber identity. Retrieved data is cached at element, combination of elements, data source, or scorecard level for rapid and efficient building and maintenance of scorecards.

Consolidating data source queries for multidimensional scorecards

A user interface is programmed to create a scorecard. The interface includes a scorecard module including a column area and a row area, and a key performance indicator area including a plurality of key performance indicators. A key performance indicator from the key performance indicator area can be dragged and dropped onto one of the column area and the row area to add indicia associated with the key performance indicator to the scorecard.

Key performance indicator scorecard editor

An extensible client-server application platform. Execution of functions may require interactions between client-side and server-side components. Extensions may be provided as pairs of modules, one for the client and one for the server, that interact when performing an extension function. To ensure that the client-side and server-side interact appropriately, extensions modules may be initially supplied to the server and downloaded as appropriate, to the client. An enterprise business intelligence application is used as an example of the extensible client-server application platform. To enable use of third party extension modules, the server-side components may execute on a virtualized server.

Extensible application platform

Groups of subordinate report definitions are determined for selected scorecard metrics based on suitable report type and layout features. A list comprising the available reports is assigned to each source metric enabling association of the groups across metrics. A context of the scorecard is passed to a physical instantiation of the group of reports to affect their behavior. Report presentation, queries, and the like may be performed using the assigned definition list(s).

Definition and instantiation of metric based business logic reports

An interactive dashboard providing scorecard presentation with subordinate reports is automatically generated and configured based on centrally managed metadata definitions. The dashboard may be customized based on subscriber credentials, past preferences, and the like. The dashboard may be deployed to one or more locations to be consumed and further customized by end users.

Automated generation of dashboards for scorecard metrics and subordinate reporting

An object model and a user interface (UI) enable users of a scorecard application to define an order and categorization of elements including header and row components to break out the scorecard data for effective presentation of multidimensional scorecard views combined with data from non-multidimensional sources. Users are provided options to select individual or sets of members, or to provide queries that select sets of metrics for the scorecard view. Header components are defined at predetermined depth of layers enabling the user to view categorized metrics. Additional columns providing attribute information associated with the metrics can also be inserted in selected places within the scorecard matrix using the editing UI.

Multidimensional scorecard header definition

A dimension member of a report is slid to produce a new view of the report that corresponds to the slid dimension. The dimension member sliding allows navigation of a dimension of the data by members in a pattern that is not hierarchical. The view of the report corresponds to a hierarchy tree that is decomposed into a matrix. The next dimension members are determined using the matrix and the dimensionally slid view of the report is generated.

Growing community of inventors

Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Corey James Hulen