Patent ID: 8458013

Claim:
A test portfolio optimization system, comprising: a non-transitory medium operable to store: information identifying a plurality of tests associated with one or more policies that guide a enterprise's performance of a activity, wherein each test comprises at least one test question that assesses the enterprise's adherence to the policy; information identifying an activity volume, wherein the activity volume represents a number of times the enterprise performs the activity; and information identifying an impact per exception, wherein an exception is an event in which the enterprise's performance of the activity fails to adhere to the policy, wherein the impact per exception is a number characterizing how one exception impacts the enterprise; and an optimization engine comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the non-transitory medium, the optimization engine operable to: generate a plurality of test portfolios, each test portfolio comprises different types of tests of the plurality of tests, each test type characterized by a sample size and a frequency, the frequency representing a number of times the test type is to be administered during a period of time; determine a test cost for each portfolio over the period of time, the test cost for each portfolio is equal to a sum of costs for each test type within the portfolio over the period of time, the cost for each test type over the period of time is based on the sample size, cost to test each sample, and the frequency of the test type; and determine an impact per portfolio over the period of time, the impact per portfolio representing an ability to reduce impact on the enterprise by identifying exceptions, the impact per portfolio is equal to a sum of impacts per test type for each test type over the period of time, the impact per test type over the period of time is based on the activity volume, the impact per exception, and an historical exception rate.