Automatic Management of the Visual Space while Performing a Task

Abstract

A graphical user interface and method for displaying on an agent's desktop. The graphical user interface of the present invention being capable of automatically displaying, in a designated area, a managed application according to a workflow. The graphical user interface of the present invention also includes the ability to control the display of managed applications manually. Further, the graphical user interface and method of the present invention allows an Agent access to non-managed applications without restricting the agent's access to the managed applications.

1 . A computer configured by a set of computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium to display a graphical user interface on an agent desktop in a contact center, the set of computer executable instructions configuring the computer to perform acts comprising:
 (a) monitoring one or more applications for one or more events; and   (b) in response to an event from the one or more events, triggering one or more steps associated with a status of the agent desktop.   
     
     
         2 . The computer of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a contact center control panel and one or more icons, wherein:
 (a) the contact center control panel is operable to present current contact information of a contact associated with a received call;   (b) the current contact information indicates a type for the received call;   (c) each icon from the one or more icons identifies an application from the one or more applications; and   (d) an icon from the one or more icons is selected according to the type for the received call.   
     
     
         3 . The computer of  claim 2 , wherein a predetermined set of rules determines size, placement and visibility of an application identified by the selected icon in an application display area on the graphical user interface when the icon is selected according to a step from of the one or more steps. 
     
     
         4 . The computer of  claim 1  as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) the event comprises completion of input of data into a displayed application; and 
 (b) the one or more steps comprise minimizing a current displayed application associated with a current step and expanding another application associated with a next step. 
 
     
     
         5 . The computer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) the event comprises escalation of an email to a contact; and   (b) the one or more steps comprise expanding and displaying the email.   
     
     
         6 . The computer of  claim 5 , wherein:
 (a) a second event from the one or more events comprises a transmission of the email to the contact; and   (b) the computer is configured to, in response to the second event, expand an application configured to receive input about contact status.   
     
     
         7 . The computer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more steps contract a currently displayed first application and expand a second application associated with a next step. 
     
     
         8 . The computer of  claim 1 , wherein computer is configured to, upon triggering the one or more steps, operate a logic that selects one of the applications to be opened at a certain time and in a certain sequence associated with a step from the one or more steps. 
     
     
         9 . The computer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) the event comprises a receipt of a contact by an agent using the agent desktop;   (b) the set of steps comprises sending a message to a task bar to open an application identified by a first icon included in the task bar to display contact information associated with the contact;   (c) a second event of the one or more events comprises an acceptance of the contact by the agent; and   (d) the computer is configured to, based on the second event, enable the agent to communicate with the contact via email by send a message to the task bar to open an email application identified by a second icon included in the task bar.   
     
     
         10 . The computer of  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) the event comprises an agent becoming available to accept a contact, wherein the contact is associated with a type of call; and   (b) the one or more steps comprise sending a message to a task bar to open an application operable to allow the agent to communicate via an appropriate medium associated with the type of call.   
     
     
         11 . A computer configured by a set of computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium to display a graphical user interface on an agent desktop in a contact center, the set of computer executable instructions configuring the computer to perform a set of acts comprising:
 (a) monitoring one or more applications associated with the graphical user interface for one or more events; and   (b) based on an occurrence of an event from the one or more events, triggering at least one step from a first set of steps associated with a status of an agent desktop, wherein one or more steps from the first set of steps comprises a sub-step.   
     
     
         12 . The computer of  claim 11 , wherein:
 (a) the one or more events comprise completion of input of data by an agent into a first application of the one or more applications, wherein the first application is displayed on the agent desktop; and   (b) wherein the at least one step comprises minimizing a current displayed first application associated with a current step and expanding a second application of the one or more applications, wherein the second application is associated with a next step.   
     
     
         13 . The computer of  claim 11 , wherein:
 (a) a first event of the one or more events comprises an escalation of an email to a contact;   (b) the computer is configured to, in response to the first event, expand and display the email;   (c) a second event comprises a transmission of the email to the contact; and   (d) the computer is configured to, in response to the second event, expand an application configured to receive input about contact status.   
     
     
         14 . The computer of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one step contracts a first application currently displayed on the agent's desktop and expands a second application associated with a next step or sub-step. 
     
     
         15 . The computer of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one step selects one of the one or more applications to be opened at a time and in a sequence associated with a further step or sub-step. 
     
     
         16 . The computer of  claim 11 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises:
 (a) a task bar, wherein the task bar includes one or more icons identifying applications;   (b) an application display area that displays a application responsive to an icon included in the task bar identifying the application being selected, wherein the icon is selected according to a step or sub-step; and   (c) a contact center control panel operable to present current contact information of the contact associated with a received call and contact center information.   
     
     
         17 . The computer of  claim 16 , wherein:
 (a) the current contact information indicates a type of call placed by the contact associated with the received call;   (b) the icon is selected according to the type of call;   (c) the contact center information includes information related to the progress of the contact; and   (d) a predetermined set of rules determines the size, placement and visibility of the application in the application display area when the icon is selected according to the step or sub-step.   
     
     
         18 . The computer of  claim 17 , wherein:
 (a) the one or more events comprise receipt of the current contact by an agent, and   (b) the computer is configured to, based on the receipt, send a message to the task bar to open an application to display contact information associated with the current contact.   
     
     
         19 . The computer of  claim 17 , wherein:
 (a) the one or more events comprise an acceptance of the current contact by an agent; and   (b) the computer is configured to, based on the acceptance, enable the agent to communicate with the contact via email by sending a message to the task bar to open an email application of the one or more applications.   
     
     
         20 . The computer of  claim 17 , wherein:
 (a) the one or more events comprise an agent becoming available to accept a contact associated with a type of call; and   (b) the computer is configured to, based on the availability of the agent, send a message to the task bar to open an application operable to allow the agent to communicate via an appropriate medium associated with the type of call.