Data matching

A data matching platform for matching a plurality of candidate data sets against one or more desired data set characteristics in a data communication system, the data matching platform being arranged to:

• receive a first candidate data set comprising a first set of candidate data set attributes;
• receive a second candidate data set comprising a second set of candidate data set attributes;
• select a predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme from a plurality of predetermined candidate data set characterisation schemes, the selected predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme corresponding to a set of desired candidate data set attributes indicative of the strength of a match against the one or more desired data set characteristics;
• identify the desired candidate data set attributes corresponding to the selected predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme;
• retrieve, from one or more databases, a set of weighting indicators indicating a relative weighting of each of the desired candidate data set attributes;
• match the desired candidate data set attributes with candidate data set attributes in the first and second candidate data sets;
• rank the first and second candidate data sets in relation to the selected predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme at least in part on the basis of said matching and said retrieved set of weighting indicators;
• and
• generate one or more reports identifying the first and second candidate data sets and the relative rank of the first and second candidate data sets in relation to the selected candidate data set characterisation scheme.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, the computer readable instructions being executable by a computerized device to cause the computerized device to perform a computer-implemented method of matching a plurality of candidate data sets against one or more desired data set characteristics in a data communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a first candidate data set comprising a first set of candidate data set attributes;
• receiving a second candidate data set comprising a second set of candidate data set attributes;
• selecting a predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme from a plurality of predetermined candidate data set characterisation schemes, the selected predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme corresponding to a set of desired candidate data set attributes indicative of the strength of a match against the one or more desired data set characteristics;
• identifying the desired candidate data set attributes corresponding to the selected predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme;
• retrieving, from one or more databases, a set of weighting indicators indicating a relative weighting of each of the desired candidate data set attributes;
• matching the desired candidate data set attributes with candidate data set attributes in the first and second candidate data sets;
• ranking the first and second candidate data sets in relation to the selected predetermined candidate data set characterisation scheme at least in part on the basis of said matching and said retrieved set of weighting indicators;
• and
• generating one or more reports identifying the first and second candidate data sets and the relative rank of the first and second candidate data sets in relation to the selected candidate data set characterisation scheme.