Patent ID: 7739122

Claim:
A method of evaluating service elements, said method comprising: selecting a measurement type from among a standard measurement type, a custom measurement type and an ad-hoc measure type, the selecting including identifying information to be collected; collecting measurement data relating to one or more parameters of a service element responsive to the use of the service element and responsive to the selecting, the service element being a discrete entity for which a customer is to be billed and which represents a service, and includes a feedback capability, the measurement data comprising a plurality of data collection measurements, each data collection measurement of the measurement data being the standard measurement type, the custom measurement type or the ad-hoc measurement type pursuant to the selecting, wherein a standard measurement comprises information relevant across multiple service elements, a custom measurement comprises information relevant to only the particular service element being evaluated, and an ad-hoc measurement comprises information dynamically obtained on the service element during a lifecycle usage of the service element, the ad-hoc measurement being a data collection measurement type which is first specified after deployment of the service element without additional change to the service element, wherein the standard measurement type, custom measurement type and ad-hoc measurement type are distinct types of data collection measurements; storing the measurement data for the service element in a data structure for the service element, including each measurement's classification; automatically determining, based on the stored measurement data, whether a change is to be made to at least one aspect of the service element, the automatically determining comprising automatically determining whether a particular measurement of the measurement data is within a corresponding established acceptable range, and if not, automatically obtaining an action pattern pre-specified for the particular measurement, and automatically performing a sequence of predefined activities prescribed by the action pattern for the particular measurement; and wherein the action pattern is an automatic action pattern, and the sequence of predefined activities prescribed by the action pattern for the particular measurement comprise automatically updating a service element projection value for the particular measurement with the actual, particular measurement value, thereby automatically modifying the service element.