Patent ID: 7203899

Claim:
A processor implemented method of assessing usability of a collection of contents for use in the prediction of user traffic flow in hypermedia linked collections of documents without relying on observed usage information, the method comprising: associating at least one content in the collection of contents with a connection in a connection topology and at least one proximal information with the connection in the connection topology; converting at least one content in the collection of contents into a termination point, wherein a movement through the collection of contents is terminated at the termination point; initiating at least one first spreading activation from a content in the collection of contents, the first spreading activation simulating a number of predictable movements of one or more simulated users through the collection of contents; measuring an inherent loss corresponding to the simulated users remaining after spreading activation; determining at least a first value of the number of predictable movements through the collection of contents that reached the termination point based on the proximal information associated with the connection in the connection topology; and storing a predicted usability value, based on the first value and the inherent loss, in association with the collection of contents.