Encoding and using information about distributed group discussions

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• obtaining, by one or more configured computing systems of a group discussion prediction service, information about a distributed group discussion that involves a plurality of users submitting a plurality of content items for the distributed group discussion, wherein the plurality of content items include multiple content items submitted for the distributed group discussion during each of multiple time periods;
• selecting, by the one or more configured computing systems, an encoding scheme that has multiple factors to use in summarizing information about the distributed group discussion;
• generating, by the one or more configured computing systems, an aggregation of encoded summary information to represent the distributed group discussion for the multiple time periods, the generating of the aggregation including determining, for each of the multiple factors of the selected encoding scheme and each of the multiple time periods, a value that summarizes information for that factor about the multiple content items submitted for the distributed group discussion during that time period;
• assessing, by the one or more configured computing systems, the generated aggregation of encoded summary information to generate predicted summary information for the distributed group discussion for one or more future time periods, the generating of the predicted summary information including identifying, for each of the multiple factors of the selected encoding scheme and each of the one or more future time periods, a predicted value that summarizes information for that factor about future content items that are predicted to be submitted for the distributed group discussion during that future time period;
• and
• providing, by the one or more configured computing systems, one or more indications of at least some of the generated predicted summary information for the distributed group discussion.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored contents that, when executed, configure a computing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

• obtaining, by the configured computing system, information about a distributed group discussion having a plurality of content items submitted by a plurality of users during multiple time periods;
• selecting one of multiple encoding schemes to use for generating encoded summary information, the multiple encoding schemes each having a distinct group of multiple factors to use in summarizing information about groups of content items;
• generating, by the configured computing system, encoded summary information for the distributed group discussion during the multiple time periods, the generating including determining, for each of the multiple time periods and for each of the multiple factors of the selected one encoding scheme, a value that summarizes information for that factor about content items submitted for the distributed group discussion during that time period;
• assessing, by the configured computing system, the generated encoded summary information to obtain additional information for the distributed group discussion;
• and
• providing, by the configured computing system, one or more indications of at least some of the additional information for the distributed group discussion.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored contents that, when executed, configure a computing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

• obtaining, by the configured computing system, information about a distributed group discussion having a plurality of content items submitted by a plurality of users during multiple time periods;
• generating, by the configured computing system, encoded summary information for the distributed group discussion during the multiple time periods, the generating including determining, for each of the multiple time periods and for each of multiple factors of an encoding scheme, a value that summarizes information for that factor about content items submitted for the distributed group discussion during that time period;
• assessing, by the configured computing system, the generated encoded summary information to obtain additional information for the distributed group discussion, wherein the additional information is predicted information for the distributed group discussion for one or more future time periods, and wherein the assessing of the generated encoded summary information to obtain the additional information includes:
• matching the generated encoded summary information to a first portion of a defined prediction template having encoded information representing changes over time related to one or more other distributed group discussions, and
• generating, for each of at least one of the multiple factors and each of the one or more future time periods, a predicted value that summarizes information for that factor about future content items that are predicted to be submitted for the distributed group discussion during that future time period, including using a second portion of the defined prediction template that is distinct from the first portion as part of generating predicted values for the at least one factors and the one or more future time periods;
• and
• providing, by the configured computing system, one or more indications of at least some of the additional information for the distributed group discussion.

A system, comprising:

• one or more hardware processors of one or more computing systems;
• and
• one or more memories with stored instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more hardware processors, cause the at least one hardware processor to provide predicted future information about a distributed group discussion that currently has a plurality of content items submitted by a plurality of users during multiple time periods, the providing of the summarized predicted future information including:
• obtaining first information about the distributed group discussion including information about the plurality of content items submitted during the multiple time periods, and obtaining second information about the distributed group discussion regarding future content items that are predicted to be submitted for the distributed group discussion during one or more future time periods;
• selecting an encoding scheme that has multiple factors to use in summarizing information about the distributed group discussion;
• generating encoded summary information for the distributed group discussion based on the obtained first and second information, the generating of the encoded summary information including determining, for each of at least one of the multiple factors of the encoding scheme, a value for each of the multiple time periods that summarizes information for that factor about content items submitted for the distributed group discussion during that time period, and a predicted value for each of the one or more future time periods that summarizes information for that factor about future content items that are predicted to be submitted for the distributed group discussion during that future time period;
• and
• providing one or more indications of at least some of the generated encoded summary information for the distributed group discussion.