The application describes a program that would watch users' computer activity, automatically offering help and letting supervisors monitor users.
The patent application, published Dec. 27, describes a program that would monitor users' computer activity, automatically offer help solving problems or links to information resources, and even allow supervisory monitoring of users to make sure they're working or so others can give employees' guidance if they're stuck on a certain task.
The application centers on "activity-centric monitoring," which could be anything from "designing a new ad campaign" to "resizing an image." Either way, the program as described would be capable of monitoring related activity and providing advice or gentle nudging to carry out the task properly.
The program would even be able to determine performance levels across a group of employees and identify lower performers who might then be given additional training, be reassigned to other tasks, or, potentially, even be fired because they can't keep up with the work. (more)
