Method and Web Platform for Brokering Know-How

Abstract

A method for brokering of know-how in various formats between users on an electronic Web service platform includes the following steps: allowing users access to the electronic Web service platform, requesting registration data from a user on the platform, managing interest area categories, receiving user offers for know-how in at least one interest area category, enabling searches of users for know-how in at least one interest area category, calculating and displaying a rating in respect of offers in at least one interest area category, approving to a selected offer an agreed exchange of know-how and a corresponding transfer of credit points, conveying selected know-how from the provider to the consumer and booking a corresponding transfer of credit points, and accepting and storing a rating given to the provider by the consumer in respect of the transferred know-how, wherein the rating is assigned to the interest area category of the transferred know-how. There is not a general rating for a provider but a rating for skills or know-how in specific interest area categories.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 registering, with one or more processors, a first user and a second user in an electronic web service platform;   receiving from the first user a user offer for at least one of know-how or skills in a first interest area category;   responsive to the first user providing the at least one of know-how or skills, receiving form other consumers ratings for the first user in the first interest area category;   receiving from the second user a search for the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category;   determining, with the one or more processors, a first amount for the first user to provide the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category to the second user based on the ratings;   receiving from the second user an acceptance of the first amount; and   providing, with the one or more processors, the web services platform for the first user to provide the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category to the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the first user a confirmation that the first user is associated with a company account; and   receiving from the second user a selection of a subset of the first user's know-how or skills to be associated with the company account.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second user accepts to receive the at least one of know-how or skills from the company account. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first amount comprises credit points and further comprising exchanging credit points from the second user to the first user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining dependencies between the second user and the other consumers;   receiving from the other consumers ratings for the first user in the first interest area category;   weighting the ratings of the first user for the second user based on the dependencies; and   wherein the first amount is based on the weighted ratings.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the weighted ratings are based on whether the other consumers were rating the at least one of know-how or skills in interest areas that are similar to the first interest area category searched by the second user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising providing to the second user the ratings and the dependencies for the other users. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein weighting the ratings of the first user comprises giving high weights to the ratings from the other consumers who gave a good rating to a formerly offered know-how or skills of the second user in same interest areas. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of know-how or skills are provided as at least one of answering questions, chatting on a topic, and providing data and documents. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first interest area category is added, changed or removed in the electronic web service platform by an administrator based on user feedback and requests. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a computer comprising one or more processors that execute instructions to cause the system to:   register a first user and a second user in an electronic web service platform;   receive from the first user a user offer for at least one of know-how or skills in a first interest area category;   responsive to the first user providing the at least one of know-how or skills, receive ratings from other consumers for the first user in the first interest area category;   receive from the second user a search for the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category;   determine, with the one or more processors, a first amount for the first user to provide the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category to the second user based on the ratings;   receive an acceptance from the second user of the first amount; and   provide, with the one or more processors, the web services platform for the first user to provide the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category to the second user.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions are executed to cause the system to:
 receive from the first user a confirmation that the first user is associated with a company account; and   receive from the second user a selection of a subset of the first user's know-how or skills to be associated with the company account.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second user accepts to receive the at least one of know-how or skills from the company account. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first amount comprises credit points and further comprising exchanging credit points from the second user to the first user. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions are executed to cause the system to:
 determine dependencies between the second user and the other consumers;   receive from the other consumers for the first user in the first interest area category;   weight the ratings of the first user for the second user based on the dependencies; and   wherein the first amount is based on the weighted ratings.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the weighted ratings are based on whether the other consumers were rating the know-how or skills in interest areas of other providers similar to the first interest area category searched by the second user. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:
 register a first user and a second user in an electronic web service platform;   receive from the first user a user offer for at least one of know-how or skills in a first interest area category;   responsive to the first user providing the at least one of know-how or skills, receive from other consumers ratings for the first user in the first interest area category;   receive from the second user a search for the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area;   determine, with the one or more processors, a first amount for the first user to provide the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category to the second user based on the ratings;   receive an acceptance from the second user of the first amount; and   provide, with the one or more processors, the web services platform for the first user to provide the at least one of know-how or skills in the first interest area category to the second user.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer program code when run on the computer further causes the computer to:
 receive from the first user a confirmation that the first user is associated with a company account; and   receive from the second user a selection of a subset of the first user's know-how or skills to be associated with the company account.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the second user accepts to receive the at least one of know-how or skills from the company account. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the computer program code when run on the computer further causes the computer to:
 determine dependencies between the second user and the other consumers;   receive from the other consumers ratings for the first user in the first interest area category;   weight the ratings of the first user for the second user based on the dependencies; and   wherein the first amount is based on the weighted ratings.