KB5027: Using question objects for personalized report execution in MicroStrategy Narrowcast Server 9.x

A question object is a set of questions answered on a per user basis to define preference objects. Strategy Narrowcast Server 9.x - 10.x uses preference objects to deliver personalized information, ensuring that users receive only their specified information. With Personalized Report Execution, a separate SQL query for each recipient is sent to the Strategy Intelligence Server using the subscriber's preference objects to define the 'WHERE' clause in the SQL query.
 
Using Strategy Developer, create a report in the project defined as 'Information Source' in Strategy Narrowcast Server.
Users need to consider the questions they wish to make to the subscribers of the Strategy Narrowcast service. Then, they should create an attribute element prompt for each question.
For example, if a service that sends users information on when the users favorite bands are in town is created, users need to create an attribute element prompt 'Choose Band' and 'Choose City'.

• Create a report that holds any one attribute and any one metric.
• Drag and drop the prompts to be included in the question object into the filter definition area of the report. If the information source uses a security object, then that prompt must be the first prompt to be used as a question object. Otherwise, prompt order is irrelevant. When adding prompts, keep in mind that subscribers must answer each prompt.

Sample definition for a report defined as a question object
 
Define the report as a question object in Strategy Narrowcast Administration Console.
In the Strategy Narrowcast Administration Console, create a new question object and browse to the report previously defined. In the object browser, check 'Personalized report execution.'
 
Associate the question object with a relevant content information object
The question object should include all prompt objects in the information object. Question objects are specific to the information source from which it is defined. Therefore, users can only associate question objects with information objects from the same information source.
Using the above example, the information object included is a Strategy Developer report showing bands, the city and dates of their concert, and ticket price. Include prompts for band and city in the information object report and the question report to ensure that the subscriber receives only requested information.

Sample definition of report defined as an information object
 
To associate the previously defined question object with this information object, in the Information Object Wizard, go to Advanced Properties and check the box "Gather preferences using a question object". Then select the question object that will be used.

When Strategy Narrowcast Server Delivery Engine executes a service containing this information object, it submits each user's preference objects to the Strategy Intelligence Server. This allows for the prompts contained in the information object to be answered at run time.
 
To define the user's preference object for the question object:
In the Strategy Narrowcast Administration Console, edit the user and go to User Properties Editor, Preference tab.

Under preference, select "New" to answer the prompt associated to the question object with this user. This will bring up the Strategy Desktop prompt resolution interface for each of the prompts that were included in the question object.
If the designer added the question object created in Step 3 above, the designer would, then, be prompted to select any number of bands and cities, defining this user's preference objects for band and city.

Sample Prompt Resolution
 
Defining a user’s preference objects as above, whenever a service containing an information object that is associated with this question object is executed, the results for this user will be filtered to include only the relevant data. That is, the SQL generated will include:
WHERE band in ("Big Fat Dead Elvis", "Brittina Sperilera" , "DEVO", "Menudo")
AND city in ("Akron", "Columbus")

Sample HTML Report received by end user
 
NOTES:

• If an information object with an associated question object is sent to a user who does not have corresponding preference objects defined, that end user will receive no content for that information object. The reason is that when the query is submitted to the Strategy Intelligence Server, the report cannot execute without some value to resolve the prompt contained within the information object. However, if the prompt is defined with default answers when it is created in Strategy Developer, those users without preference objects will have their information filtered with the default prompt answers.
• The same Strategy Developer report can be used as both the question object and the information object (assuming a security object is not being used). If the application designer chooses to do so, that one question object would potentially only be relevant to one information object. A question object may however, contain more prompts than any particular information object (choose band, choose city, choose genre, choose sub-genre, choose venue etc.). If so, this question object could be applied to more than one information object.