Method and apparatus for implementing user feedback

A feedback interface for collecting user feedback during use of a computer environment, the feedback interface comprising:

• means for creating a feedback record, wherein the feedback record is created when a user inputs an enter feedback command, said feedback command being input during or subsequent to the user's experience of a product, process, service, or issue, wherein the user wishes to provide user feedback about the product, process, service or issue;
• means for automatically determining a user's feedback context after the enter feedback command is input;
• means for displaying an input area on a display screen in which the user is to input feedback data, said means for displaying including:
• means for displaying a plurality of subject fields describing the feedback context, wherein the user can specify a different context for the user feedback by selecting a descriptive subject for at least one of said fields from a list of predefined subjects provided for each of said fields;
• and
• means for displaying a plurality of attributes which the user can select to define the feedback data, said displayed attributes being associated with said context displayed in said plurality of subject fields;
• means for recording the feedback data, including the attributes and the feedback context, in the feedback record;
• and
• means for providing the feedback record to at least one reviewer who is interested in user feedback for improvement of the product, process, service, or issue or to help users of the computer environment.

A method for acquiring user feedback from a user during use of a computer environment and a feedback environment, wherein the computer environment provides an enter feedback mode command that the user may activate to provide feedback concerning a context of a product, process, service, or issue experienced by the user, and wherein when an enter feedback mode command is received, the method comprises the steps of:

• creating a feedback record in response to a user activating said enter feedback mode command, said enter feedback mode command being activated during or subsequent to the user's experience of said context when the user wishes to provide user feedback about the context;
• recording the user's feedback context in the feedback record after said enter feedback mode command has been activated;
• displaying a multiplicity of attribute indicia that the user may select to identify the nature of the user feedback, said attribute indicia being arranged into a plurality of attribute categories, each attribute category including a plurality of attributes;
• displaying a prompted feedback indicator that is selectable by the user, wherein when the prompted feedback indicator is selected, a list of feedback items that have been previously entered by a plurality of users of the feedback environment is presented to the user so as to enable the user to quickly select and enter feedback that matches any of the listed feedback items and thereby reinforce the importance of the selected feedback item to users of the feedback environment;
• and
• recording selected attributes in the feedback record after said enter feedback mode command has been activated, the attributes identifying the nature of the feedback provided by the user, wherein just one attribute in each attribute category may be selected by the user and stored in the feedback record, and wherein the feedback record is one of a plurality of feedback records available to a reviewer of feedback who is interested in user feedback for improvement of the product, process, service, or issue or to help users of the computer environment or the feedback environment.