Contextual interactive program feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612802-B1
Application number	US-201314039684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 27, 2013
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

The subject disclosure is directed towards collecting feedback from users of a program in the current context in which the user is interacting with a part of the program. The collected feedback is thus likely relevant to that part of the program. By associating the collected feedback with metadata that corresponds to the context of the program at the current program location of collection, more meaningful, useful data is obtainable for improving an existing program, developing new programs, debugging and so forth.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms relative to a user interface component or set of components of a program having one or more user interface screens, providing the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms further comprising:
rendering a first interactive feedback component for a first program component of the program; and
rendering a second interactive feedback component for a second program component of the program;

detecting actuation of a selected interactive feedback mechanism in the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms;
presenting a feedback collection mechanism in response to detecting the actuation of the selected interactive feedback mechanism;
collecting contextual feedback from a user while the user is in context of performing a task associated with an input field within a current user interface screen of the program, the feedback collected based upon detecting interaction with the selected interactive feedback mechanism,
the contextual feedback comprising context metadata including metadata that corresponds to where the feedback was collected within the program, the contextual metadata comprising a program identifier and a program context identifier, the program context identifier identifying the selected interactive feedback mechanism in the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms;
collecting additional metadata comprising a duration of time associated with a user interaction with the current user interface screen of the program; and
persisting the contextual feedback in association with the contextual metadata, the contextual metadata comprising an identifier of the program component associated with the selected interactive feedback mechanism, wherein the identifier of the program component is an identifier of the first program component or an identifier of the second program component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms further comprises:
rendering the selected interactive feedback mechanism within a graphical user interface component for a program screen, wherein the feedback is provided by the user while the user is still in context of performing a task within the graphical user interface, wherein the user provides the feedback as the task is being performed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the program comprises a wizard and wherein persisting the feedback in association with the contextual metadata comprises:
persisting an identifier of the program screen and the program context identifier, wherein the program context identifier identifies a step in the wizard being presented at a time the feedback was entered.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
collecting gesture related input data provided as the feedback by the user, wherein the gesture related input data comprises physical gestures.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context metadata comprises an identifier of a control associated with the program component active at a time of feedback entry, and wherein the additional metadata further comprises a duration of user interaction with the control, wherein a long duration of time is indicative of user difficulty with a program component.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms are provided on a single user interface screen, and further comprising:
rendering a first interactive feedback mechanism associated with a first control for the first program component; and
on detecting a context change on a same screen, rendering a second interactive feedback mechanism associated with a second control for the second program component on, the same screen, wherein the context change comprises user interaction with the second control.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms further comprises:
rendering a representation of an interactive feedback mechanism associated with a program screen after a threshold inactivity delay time before the user enters data associated with the program screen, wherein the interactive feedback mechanism is presented to a user to solicit the feedback after the threshold inactivity delay time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms further comprises:
rendering a representation of an interactive feedback mechanism in the plurality of interactive feedback mechanism that visibly indicates when the interactive feedback mechanism is active for interaction versus when the feedback mechanism is inactive.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contextual metadata corresponds to a context of the program at a current program location where the feedback was collected within the program and further comprising:
processing the feedback and the contextual metadata to analyze the program.

10. A system comprising:
one or more processors and a memory, the memory configured to include a program having one or more user interface screens,
a plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms are provided relative to a set of components of the program, providing the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms further comprises:
after a threshold inactivity delay time before a user interaction with a given program component on the one or more user interface screens, rendering a selected interactive feedback mechanism for a given program component on a selected user interface screen in the one or more user interface screens, the selected user interface screen having the selected interactive feedback mechanism accessible thereon;
collect feedback via a feedback collection mechanism from a user while the user is in context of performing a task associated with an input field within the selected user interface screen;
the program persisting the feedback and contextual metadata, including metadata that represents a current program context when the selected interactive feedback mechanism is triggered, and the contextual metadata including metadata that corresponds to where the feedback was collected within the program, the contextual metadata comprising a program identifier and a program context identifier, the program context identifier identifying which interactive feedback mechanism in the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms rendered as the selected interactive feedback mechanism; and
persisting the feedback further comprising persisting an identifier of a program component, the identifier of the program component is an identifier of the given program component associated with the selected interactive feedback mechanism.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the contextual metadata includes at least one of: an interactive control identifier, a software revision/version number, user role data, a customer identifier, license information, timestamp data, system state data, device type data, display type data or duration data.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the contextual metadata further comprising a duration of time associated with a user interaction with the selected user interface screen.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein contextual feedback collection for a given program is operated according to a mode, wherein the contextual feedback collection is turned on for a first version of the program and wherein the feedback collection is turned off for a second version of the program.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of interactive feedback mechanisms are provided on a single user interface screen, and wherein a first interactive feedback mechanism associated with a first control o

Assignees

• Emc Corp

Inventors

• Cox Timothy J
• Joyce Scott
• Labaj Donald

Classifications

• G06F8/20 Primary

  Software design · CPC title