Travis J Good

US Patent:

20120197809, Aug 2, 2012

Filed:

Jan 29, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/017005

Inventors:

Charles Calvin Earl - Decatur GA, US
Kaakpema Yelpaala - Denver CO, US
Travis James Good - Denver CO, US

International Classification:

G06Q 10/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705301, 707794, 707755, 707E17009, 707E17045

Abstract:

A method embodied as a web application that enables the automated construction of project teams from profiles contained in data sources accessible through the World Wide Web. The data sources may include social networks, blogs, web pages, and postings on online discussion forums. The locations of these data sources are supplied by a system administrator (during configuration and maintenance) and by registered users of the web application. The web application allows the system administrator to create a set of templates describing the kinds of roles and skills required by the users of the web application. The web application identifies potential team members referenced in the information sources and constructs a semantic network describing the skill sets and team suitability of those potential team members. The web application allows a registered user to enter the roles and capabilities required for a project team they wish to create. Once the user has entered a description of their desired project team, the application automatically constructs candidate teams by analyzing the semantic network to identify appropriate candidate teams given constraints on roles and skills. Four methods for identifying teams from the semantic network are provided. The system then provides the user with a set of recommended team members. In an iterative process, the user adjusts constraints on the team member capabilities until a satisfactory team is identified. The web application allows the user to negotiate compensation with the selected team, and provides a web-based collaboration page that the user and team may use for communication and coordination.