Adaptive server architecture for controlling allocation of programs among networked devices

A server system configured to manage and adaptively optimize distribution of programs among a geographically diverse set of remote client devices, the server system comprising:

• a network interface to receive messages from remote client devices that are respectively involved in different programs managed by the server system;
• a data warehouse storing contents of messages received from the remote client devices over time over one or more computer networks, the messages for different programs including elements specified by the respective programs, wherein at least some of the messages comprise sensor measurements or interaction records;
• a database storing (i) program profiles for the programs managed by the server system, (ii) records specifying sets of client devices associated with the respective programs, (iii) profiles associated with the client devices and candidates for the programs, and (iv) configuration data for configuring remote devices to carry out monitoring specified by the respective programs;
• and
• one or more processors and one or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the server system to perform operations comprising:
• selecting, for each of multiple remote devices, a customized set of the programs having a ranking of the programs determined based on a scoring process that uses the stored profile associated with the remote device and the program profiles, the customized sets of programs being selected to balance allocation of programs among the remote devices to satisfy (i) constraints for the programs regarding amounts and types of participants for the respective programs and (ii) constraints for the remote devices including limitations on device capabilities of the remote devices or resources available to be allocated to the programs;
• distributing, to each of the multiple remote devices, configuration data for at least one of the programs in the customized set of programs selected for the remote device, the configuration data being distributed over the computer network such that the remote devices receiving the configuration data initiate automated sensor measurements and presentation of surveys as specified in program data maintained for the program by the server system;
• obtaining, from each of the multiple remote devices, monitoring data that is generated for the programs by the remote devices and is provided over the computer network, the monitoring comprises receiving a series of messages from each of the multiple remote devices in which the messages in each series of messages include results of different data collection events performed by the remote devices for a program in accordance with the configuration data for the program;
• adapting the scoring process for prioritizing the programs for different remote devices by altering values in the program profiles and at least one of a model or a function used in the scoring process, the adaptation using the obtained monitoring data as feedback to control adjustment of the model or function based on rates at which the obtained monitoring data indicates that remote devices have satisfied requirements for data collection or data quality;
• and
• causing, by the one or more computers, each of one or more of the remote devices to carry out monitoring for one of the programs selected based on the adapted scoring process by distributing configuration data corresponding to one or more programs identified for the one or more remote devices using the adapted scoring process.