Method and/or system for providing and/or analyzing influence strategies

Abstract

A method and/or system that can be implemented on a computing device or tables or board game or otherwise uses a rule set to evaluate data about a situation and actors in order to provide advice regarding strategies for influencing actors and/or other outputs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a screenshot of an example graphical interface with interactive actor objects and data input and advice presentation and data output fields allowing influence related data to be input and presented interactively according to specific embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a representative example logic device in which various aspects of the present invention may be embodied or that can be used to provide interface to a system according to the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of board game or kit according to specific embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a score table according to specific embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a chart illustrating a power and influence model that can be incorporated according to specific embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a chart illustrating a learning and acceptance model that can be incorporated according to specific embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of providing advice to one or more users or evaluating decisions regarding influencing actors (individuals or groups) to affect a situation comprising: receiving data regarding said situation;receiving data regarding one or more of said actors;analyzing said data regarding said situation and said data regarding one or more of said actors to determine advice from a predetermined set of advice options in one or more advice tables Regarding one or more strategies applicable to one or more of said actors; andpresenting or using said advice to indicate one or more of said strategies.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said data regarding one or more of said actors comprises one or more characteristics of one or more of said actors selected from the group consisting of: identities;position within an organization;job title;amounts of funds or other resources available;charisma;physical power either directly or indirectly available;personal or available expertise;typical adoption cycles for new ideas;opposition or favoritism with respect to other actors;importance of a situation to;family, caste, clan, tribe, or other group or identify affiliation;history with respect to any portion of some or all of these factors; andother information about an actor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said data regarding said situation is selected from the group consisting of: a current state of a situation about which information is entered, andcommunications and other related plans and plan states relative to the situation about which information is entered or provided.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: using said advice in order to alter measured qualities or quantities derived from or related to the situation.

5. The method of claim 1 further wherein: said analyzing employs a rule set or other analysis tool derived from influence research

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: storing data about a situation and the current state of relevant actors for later retrieval and simulation.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing a means for input data to be modified and results recomputed to reflect changing real, perceived, or proposed situations.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: combining measures of outcomes and other results calculated by the method with original data so as to produce additional indications.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein results of historic and ongoing research into power and influence strategies and tactics are applied in order to generate said advice.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said data and/or advice (or predictions) are graphically presented in colors, numbers, words, locations, sentences, shapes, or others visual means so as to indicate meaningful advice to a user.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein metrics are calculated using an apparatus selected from the group consisting of: an automated calculating device;a set of tables; andother readily usable mechanical, electrical, optical, or other similar mechanism to allow rapid application of these techniques for individuals or groups of people.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: employing hidden information regarding at least one individual or group with results compared to historic, generated, or other individual or group results in order to produce scores of the strategies, tactics, or other identified specifications of those individuals relative to calculating devices and/or other individuals and/or other groups.

13. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: determining and saving scores of users;using said scores as a basis for changing stored information about the performance of users on these strategies, tactics, and techniques and in which the stored information is used to rank those users relative to each other.

14. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: associating a weight to one or more types of situation and actor data elements;associating a numerical value with one or more individual instances of said situation and actor data elements;using a combination of said weights and said numerical values to select from a predefined set of strategies or tactics according to a table or other computational method.

15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: computing derived values from input data;using said derived values in combination with said input data to select from a predefined set of strategies or tactics according to a table or other computational method that provides the same results as such a table.

16. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: assigning default values which are used as assumptions in calculation methods to unentered data values.

17. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: generating one or more of said input data values through the roll of dice, the pick of cards, automated pseudo-random or truly random number generation, flips of coins, or other similar techniques in order to create situations not in correspondence to any specific real situation for simulation, educational, or entertainment purposes.

18. A method according to claim 17 in which the generated values are used according to a predefined criteria so as to generate situations with specific characteristics so that they map to realistic situations likely to be found in realistic environments or other situations corresponding to specific constraints used to optimize against other criteria such as educational value, interest, or enjoyment.

19. A method according to claim 1 in which handling of data and provision of advise is automated and executed using a computer, computer systems or networks.

20. A method according to claim 1 in which handling of data and provision of advise is accomplished using one or more of: booklets;tables;cards;or any other mechanical or printed material known for presenting data values and/or presenting data value results of various operations.

21. A method according to claim 1 in which results are partially or fully ordered, sorted, or otherwise ranked according to a scoring system.

22. A method according to claim 1 wherein users or players engage in a game using moves in order to compete or cooperate with other users or players so as to cause simulated situational changes which change the scores of one or more of those users or players or situations.

23. An information system providing advice relating to influencing actors comprising: a data store for storing data relating to one or more situations;a data store for storing data relating to one or more actors;a data store for storing data regarding advice and influence strategies;an analysis module for selecting one or more influence strategies and/or other advice based on data relating to situations and actors;a presentation interface able to present data relative to advice and/or influence strategies to a user.

24. The system according to claim 23 further comprising: an interactive graphical user interface, said interface comprising:a plurality of objects indicating actors;a plurality of input fields allowing input of data regarding a situation;a plurality of output fields for display data relating to said advice or strategies.

25. An electronic data file, recorded or transmitted on a fixed digital medium, that when loaded into an appropriately configured digital apparatus causes the apparatus to embody the system of claim 23.