Role discovery using privilege cluster analysis

Abstract

Systems and methods used in human resource management systems. The method optimizes the assignment of permissions (e.g., ability to write to a database, ability to create a new account, etc.) to jobs. The method discovers relationships between jobs, duties and privileges by accessing an organization chart that relates a plurality of jobs, a plurality of specific duties to be performed within the purview of a given job, and a plurality of permissions for the respective duties of the job. The method then flattens the organization chart to enumerate the permissions inherited by the jobs. The method proceeds to mine the inherited permissions across the jobs to optimize the sets of permissions. The sets can be optimized (e.g., minimize number of sets, maximize coverage, etc.) and named so as to be conveniently assigned (e.g., by an HR person) to a job (e.g., in the case of a new employee).