Friction reduction during professional network expansion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12271401-B2
Application number	US-202217900009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2022
Priority date	Aug 31, 2022
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

A method for friction reduction during professional network expansion is implemented via a computing system including a processor. The method includes executing, via a network, an enterprise application on a remote computing system operated by a user associated with an enterprise and surfacing a professional networking UI on a display of the remote computing system during execution of the enterprise application. The method includes generating parameters that are representative of a connection between the user and each suggested professional contact based on enterprise-level data corresponding to the user and each suggested professional contact and generating friction-reducing UI elements for each suggested professional contact based on the generated parameters. The method includes receiving, via the professional networking UI, user input including a command to open a contact connection page corresponding to one of the suggested professional contacts and surfacing the corresponding contact connection page including the generated friction-reducing UI elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for friction reduction during professional network expansion, wherein the method is implemented via a computing system comprising a processor, and wherein the method comprises:
executing, via a network, an enterprise application on a remote computing system operated by a user associated with an enterprise;
causing surfacing of a professional networking user interface (UI) on a display of the remote computing system during the execution of the enterprise application, wherein the professional networking UI comprises UI elements corresponding to a professional network of the user and suggested professional contacts for the user;
generating parameters that are representative of a connection between the user and each suggested professional contact based on enterprise-level data corresponding to the user and each suggested professional contact, the enterprise-level data derived from at least one property graph, wherein the at least one property graph comprises at least:
data objects relating to the user's interactions at the enterprise level,
data objects relating to various types of enterprise resources, and
data objects relating to telemetry data maintained by an application service provider of the enterprise application, the telemetry data comprising data collected during the execution of the enterprise application;

generating friction-reducing UI elements for each suggested professional contact based on the generated parameters;
receiving, via the professional networking UI, user input comprising a command to open a contact connection page corresponding to one of the suggested professional contacts; and
causing surfacing of the contact connection page for the suggested professional contact on the display of the remote computing system, wherein the contact connection page comprises at least a portion of the generated friction-reducing UI elements.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising utilizing a machine learning model to perform at least one of the generation of the parameters or the generation of the friction-reducing UI elements.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising:
receiving, via the professional networking UI, feedback regarding the contact connection page; and
updating the machine learning model based on the feedback.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters that are representative of the connection between the user and each suggested professional contact comprise at least one of:
a location of the user;
a location of the suggested professional contact;
a current position of the user within the enterprise;
a current position of the suggested professional contact within the enterprise;
a career goal of the user;
at least one of a goal or a standard corresponding to the enterprise;
an estimated likelihood of reach-out success for the suggested professional contact;
a relationship between the user and the suggested professional contact;
any interactions between the user and the suggested professional contact;
any similarities between the user and the suggested professional contact; or
any mutual professional contacts between the user and the suggested professional contact.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the friction-reducing UI elements comprise at least one of:
an interactions panel that displays any interactions between the user and the suggested professional contact;
an information panel that displays any similarities between the user and the suggested professional contact;
an introductions panel that displays any mutual professional contacts between the user and the suggested professional contact;
a notes box that enables the user to enter text regarding the suggested professional contact;
a relationship drop-down menu that enables the user to specify a professional relationship between the user and the suggested professional contact; or
a new event link that enables the user to schedule an introductory event with the suggested professional contact.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, via the contact connection page, additional user input comprising an interaction with one of the friction-reducing UI elements; and
performing an action corresponding to the selected friction-reducing UI element.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
integrating the parameters that are representative of the connection between the user and the suggested professional contact into a communication platform of the enterprise application; and
during a communication between the user and the suggested professional contact via the communication platform, causing surfacing of friction-reducing data corresponding to the parameters.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein causing the surfacing of the friction-reducing data corresponding to the parameters comprises pre-populating the communication platform with at least one of similarities between the user and the suggested professional contact, potential topics of mutual interest, potential meeting times, potential meeting locations, or potential communication methods.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
ranking a likelihood of professional network expansion between the user and each suggested professional contact based on the parameters that are representative of the connection between the user and each suggested professional contact;
generating a prioritized list of suggested professional contacts for the user based on the ranking; and
causing the surfacing of the prioritized list via the professional networking UI.

10. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
execute an enterprise application on a computing system operated by a user associated with an enterprise;
cause surfacing of a professional networking user interface (UI) on a display of the computing system during the execution of the enterprise application, wherein the professional networking UI comprises UI elements corresponding to a professional network of the user and suggested professional contacts for the user;
generate parameters that are representative of a connection between the user and each suggested professional contact based on enterprise-level data corresponding to the user and each suggested professional contact, the enterprise-level data derived from at least one property graph, wherein the at least one property graph comprises at least:
data objects relating to the user's interactions at the enterprise level,
data objects relating to various types of enterprise resources, and
data objects relating to telemetry data maintained by an application service provider of the enterprise application, the telemetry data comprising data collected during the execution of the enterprise application;

generate friction-reducing UI elements for each suggested professional contact based on the generated parameters;
receive, via the professional networking UI, user input comprising a command to open a contact connection page corresponding to one of the suggested professional contacts; and
cause surfacing of the contact connection page for the suggested professional contact on the display of the computing system, wherein the contact connection page comprises at least a portion of the generated friction-reducing UI elements.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to utilize a machine learning model to perform at least one of the generation of the parameters or the generation of the friction-reducing UI elements.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of clai

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Chong Choo Yei
• Kenyon Heidi
• Shah Neha Parikh
• Shenvi Priolkar Deepa
• Dollar Christopher Michael
• Kim Jin Young
• Melhaff Aaron Nash
• Kannepalli Venkata Sreekanth
• Copfer Wende E
• Becker Harald
• Huang Amy L

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06Q10/101

  Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services · CPC title

• G06Q10/105

  Human resources · CPC title