Method and apparatus for augmenting and analyzing response data

Abstract

Providing, to a first user, variable options for viewing reports based on data in a data store, each of the variable options corresponding to an attribute of the data associated with the included users. Responsive to an indication of a selected variable option from the first user, determining that data associated with the first user in the data store does not include a value for an attribute of the data associated with the included users corresponding to the selected variable option. Responsive to a request sent to the first user to provide information concerning a value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option, receiving, and storing in association with the first user in the data store, information concerning the value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option. Subsequent to receiving the information, providing a report to the first user according to the selected variable option.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In a communication system comprising a publicly-accessible communication network, a plurality of devices operatively connected to the communication network and supporting communication between a corresponding plurality of users, and a data manager operatively connected to the communication network, the data manager implementing a data store comprising information concerning a plurality of action requests presented to at least some of the plurality of users and further comprising data associated with included users of the plurality of users, a method for obtaining data from at least a portion of the plurality of users, the method comprising:
 providing, to a first user of the plurality of users, variable options for viewing reports based on the data associated with the included users in the data store, each of the variable options corresponding to an attribute of the data associated with the included users, where the data manager provides the information via the communication network to a device of the plurality of devices corresponding to the first user;   receiving, by the data manager via the communication network from the device corresponding to the first user, an indication of a selected variable option;   determining, by the data manager, that data associated with the first user in the data store does not include a value for an attribute of the data associated with the included users corresponding to the selected variable option;   sending, by the data manager via the communication network to the device corresponding to the first user, a request to provide information concerning a value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option;   receiving, by the data manager via the communication network from the device corresponding to the first user, the information concerning the value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option; and   storing, by the data manager, the information concerning the value as attribute corresponding to the selected variable option in the data store, where the information concerning the value is associated in the data store with the first user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 subsequent to receiving, by the data manager, the information concerning the value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option:   providing, by the data manager via the communication network to the device corresponding to the first user, a report according to the selected variable option.   
     
     
         3 . An apparatus operatively connected to a publicly-accessible communication network, a plurality of devices being operatively connected to the communication network and supporting communication between a corresponding plurality of users, and a data manager being operatively connected to the communication network, the data manager implementing a data store comprising data corresponding to included users of the plurality of users and further comprising information concerning a plurality of action requests presented to at least some of the plurality of users, the apparatus for use in obtaining responses from at least a portion of the plurality of users, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   machine readable storage, operatively connected to the at least one processor and having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the at least processor cause the at least one processor to:   provide, to a first user of the plurality of users via the communication network to a device of the plurality of devices corresponding to the first user, variable options for viewing reports based on the data associated with the included users in the data store, each of the variable options corresponding to an attribute of the data associated with the included users;   receive, via the communication network from the device corresponding to the first user, an indication of a selected variable option;   determine that data associated with the first user in the data store does not include a value for an attribute of the data associated with the included users corresponding to the selected variable option;   send, via the communication network to the device corresponding to the first user, a request to provide information concerning a value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option;   receive, via the communication network from the device corresponding to the first user, the information concerning the value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option; and   store the information concerning the value as attribute corresponding to the selected variable option in the data store, where the information concerning the value is associated in the data store with the first user.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , the machine-readable storage further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 subsequent to receiving the information concerning the value for the attribute corresponding to the selected variable option, provide, via the communication network to the device corresponding to the first user, a report according to the selected variable option.