Computerized employee evaluation processing apparatus and method

Abstract

A method for computerized industrial process control provides computers networked to communicate with one another. Each computer active in the system is responsbile for at least a portion of the process and at least one decision for a process to be controlled and having an output. All activities are characterized by type, the types of activities forming a universal set including sensing facts, linking facts into a meaningful context, and evaluating meaning to formulate a decision. An entity responsible for an assigned decision conducts a series of activities selected from the three types, which may be applied recursively. Decisions are communicated between computers through the system to control the process. Producing output from the process follows according to a combination of decisions reported from each computer corresponding to a responsible person or other entity. In various embodiments, the process control may be hardware product development, manufacturing, chemical composition processing, or data collection and processing such as from instruments and machines or computerized information processes including employee evaluation.

1 . A method for computerized industrial process control, the method comprising: 
 providing a system comprising computers networked to communicate with one another, each computer being selectively activated to cooperatively operate and communicate with other computers in the system and comprising a processor, a memory device operably connected thereto, and a network connection for communicating with the other computers in the system;    selecting a process to be controlled and having an output corresponding thereto;    selecting an entity corresponding to each computer active in the system to be responsible for at least a portion of the process and at least one decision;    providing a set of types of activities, the set being a universal set and consisting of sensing facts, linking facts into a meaningful context, and evaluating meaning to form a decision;    assigning to each entity at least one assigned decision;    inputting facts to each entity;    conducting by each entity a series of activities selected from the three types, applied recursively;    executing and outputting by each entity the at least one assigned decision through the computer to the system;    communicating the at least one assigned decision from each entity through the system to control the process; and    producing the output from the process according to a combination of the at least one decision from each entity.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activities of each of the types recurses within itself to contain activities of each of the three types therein.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of types is part of a recursion from a higher level of activity corresponding to one of the types, and wherein the higher level activity exists in a greater domain of activities encompassing the process.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process controlled is a manufacturing process and the output is a product.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the product is a mechanical device.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the product is a chemical composition.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the product is an object previously created in a received condition, and the output is the object delivered in a changed condition with respect to the received condition.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the output is information.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the information is at least one employee-evaluation score.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the process further comprises providing an employee evaluation by: 
 defining at least one group of persons;    including a first employee in the at least one group;    accessing the each computer by at least one second employee;    presenting questions directed to an ability of the first employee to process and implement decisions in each of nine areas, the nine areas constituting a universal, recursive, exclusive, and exhaustive set of activities directed to a corresponding decision;    receiving and processing scores corresponding to the questions, in which each score represents a numerical value scaled to compare the first employee with a standard maximum score assigned by the second employee to a member of the at least one group; and    providing a score comparing the first employee to a score corresponding to the group.    
     
     
         11 . A method for computerized industrial process control, the method comprising: 
 providing a system comprising computers networked to communicate with one another, each computer being selectively activated to cooperatively operate and communicate with other computers in the system and comprising a processor, a memory device operably connected thereto, and a network connection for communicating with the other computers in the system;    selecting a manufacturing process to be controlled and having an output corresponding thereto comprising a product;    selecting for each computer active in the system a designated person responsible for at least a portion of the process and at least one decision;    providing a set of types of activities, the set comprising a universal, recursive, exclusive, exhaustive set of types consisting of sensing facts, linking facts into a meaningful context, and evaluating meaning to form a decision;    assigning to the each computer at least one assigned decision corresponding to one of the types of activities;    providing inputs to the each computer;    conducting by the each computer in coordination with the designated person a series of activities selected from the three types, applied recursively;    outputting to the system by the each computer in coordination with the designated person the at least one assigned decision;    communicating the at least one assigned decision to at least one second computer in the system identified to receive outputs from the each computer; and    producing the output from the process according to a combination of the at least one decision from each entity.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising reporting by the each computer the assigned decision to at least one third computer responsible to provide inputs to the each computer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the output is a product, the method further comprising delivering custody of the product to a third party, independent from the entity producing the output, for inspection with respect to compliance with constraints.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising delivering the product to the third party in an exchange for compensation.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of a chemical composition, a manufactured hardware device, information, a gathered resource, and a software application.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the output is information comprising an evaluation of personnel based on nine factors consisting of an ability to process and follow up on the nine factors consisting of vision, connections, resources, issues, objectives, ideas, constraints, projects, and results.  
     
     
         17 . A method of automated, computerized collection and processing of personnel evaluations, the method comprising: 
 providing computers networked to communicate with each other;    programming the computers with a software application to present questions, collect answers, and process scores corresponding to the answers;    defining at least one group of persons;    including a first employee in the at least one group;    accessing the at least one computer of the computers by at least one second employee;    presenting by the at least one computer questions directed to an ability of the first employee in each area of a set of areas, the areas constituting an exhaustive set of activities to be measured and lying within the scope of responsibility of the first employee;    receiving and processing scores corresponding to the questions, in which each score represents a numerical value scaled to compare the first employee with a standard maximum score assigned by the second employee to a member of the at least one group; and    providing a score comparing the first employee to a standard corresponding to the group.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the questions comprise requesting a score corresponding to an evaluation of the first employee based on an ability to process and follow up on decisions in each area of the set of areas.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the each decision corresponds to one of a universal and closed set of activities for processing, deciding, and following up on decisions.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the closed set corresponds to nine areas consisting of vision, connections, resources, issues, objectives, ideas, constraints, projects, and results.