Effective Task Performance Research Articles

Genetic algorithm application for multi-criteria scheduling problem

The paper describes mathematical model and method of task solution for defining an enterprise work performance schedule. Two-stage feedstock processing is supposed to exist at the enterprise. At the first stage the sawing process into semimanufactured products is done. The second stage (finished products manufacturing stage) includes durable processing of obtained semimanufactured products at one of the interchangeable work centers. The sawing process into semimanufactured products is carried out according to a plan, developed in advance and in compliance with technological charts. Scheduling consists of separate cutting calculation and planning of all feedstock cutting with the aim of the most effective specification task performance based on available reserves. Following the cutting plan, an enterprise work performance schedule is created. This schedule consists of the cutting sequence with volume, start and end time, and plan for loading of after-treatment. The solution to this problem becomes more involved due to the necessity of taking into account all features, limitations and parameters of process equipment, as well as of raw material and production orders. Special method based on genetic algorithm has been proposed for handling the problem. The algorithm has been tested on several different real production plans. Its efficiency estimation is given. The software system implemented on the proposed algorithm has been tested on real operating data of several sawmills. Reduction of machine idle time and incomplete production decrease has been confirmed by the enterprise specialists.

Students’ Perception of Daylight Illumination in the School Workshop as a Determinant for Effective Students’ Task Performance in Workshop Practice

The study investigated daylight illumination in the school workshop as a determinant for effective students’ taskperformance in workshop practice. 183 NCE Technical students in 300 Level which comprised of 73 and 112students from Federal Colleges of Education (Technical), Asaba and Omoku, Nigeria respectively during the2008/2009 academic session was used for the study The daylight Illumination Task Performance Questionnaire(DITPQ) was used to collect data. The students perceived that there was inadequate daylight illumination of theschool workshop and it negatively affected effective students’ task performance workshop practice; and nosignificant difference existed in the students’ mean perception scores of daylight illumination in the schoolworkshop as a determinant for their effective task performance in workshop practice.

From an expert-driven paper guideline to a user-centred decision support system: A usability comparison study

To assess whether a user-centred prototype clinical decision support system (CDSS) providing patient-specific advice better supports healthcare practitioners in terms of (a) types of usability problems detected and (b) effective and efficient retrieval of childhood cancer survivor's follow-up screening procedures compared to an expert-driven paper-based guideline. A user-centred design (UCD) process was employed to design a prototype CDSS. Usability problems in information retrieval with the paper-based guideline were assessed by think-aloud analysis with 13 participants. Both simple and more complex tasks were applied. The analysis provided input for the UCD process of the prototype. The usability of the prototype CDSS was subsequently evaluated by think-aloud analysis with the same participants. Usability problems of the paper-based guideline and the prototype CDSS were compared by using the classification of usability problems scheme. In addition, efficiency (time to complete task) and effectiveness (completeness of retrieved screening procedures) of information retrieval of participants in the expert-driven paper-based guideline and the user-centred prototype CDSS were compared. Usability problems in both the paper-based guideline and the CDSS prototype were mainly classified as 'incongruent with participants' mental model'. The prototype CDSS reduced this type of problem from 17 to 6 problems. The time to perform simple information retrieval tasks increased by 58 s when using the prototype CDSS, however, it resulted in a 58% improvement in task completeness compared to the paper-based guideline. The time to perform complex scenarios decreased by 3:50 min with the prototype CDSS, with 17% higher completeness compared to the paper-based guideline. Analysis showed that usability problems experienced by healthcare practitioners when using a paper-based guideline could be overcome by implementing the guideline in a user-centred CDSS design. Although different types of usability problems were experienced with the prototype CDSS, they did not inhibit effective and efficient performance of tasks in the system. The usability problem analysis of the paper-based guideline effectively supported comparison of usability problems found in the two information retrieval systems and it supported the UCD of the CDSS.

Job Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment according to Life Organization (LIFO) Behavior Type of Novice Nurses

Purpose: This study was done to provide data that would contribute to effective task performance in clinical nursing and development of nursing professional by understanding job stress, job satisfaction and organizational commitment according to Life Organization (LIFO) behavior types of novice nurses. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey and the participants were 313 novice nurses who worked in one university hospital located in the city of Gwangju. Data were collected through the structured questionnaires that included general characteristics, job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment scales. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and ANOVA with SPSS/WIN 19.0. Results: Regarding job stress according to LIFO behavior types of novice nurses, there were statistically significant differences between the favorable situation and the unfavorable situation. There were also statistically significant differences regarding the organizational commitment according to LIFO behavior types. Conclusion: The results indicate a difference in behavior patterns of novice nurses that suggest a need for education in order to reduce stress from the job and enhance organizational commitment by developing each nurse's preferred pattern and compensating for unfavorable patterns, as well. There also needs to be nursing resources that take into consideration behavior patterns of novice nurses.

Differences in learning volitional (manual) and non-volitional (posture) aspects of a complex motor skill in young adult dyslexic and skilled readers.

The ‘Cerebellar Deficit Theory’ of developmental dyslexia proposes that a subtle developmental cerebellar dysfunction leads to deficits in attaining ‘automatic’ procedures and therefore manifests as subtle motor impairments (e.g., balance control, motor skill learning) in addition to the reading and phonological difficulties. A more recent version of the theory suggests a core deficit in motor skill acquisition. This study was undertaken to compare the time-course and the nature of practice-related changes in volitional (manual) and non-volitional (posture) motor performance in dyslexic and typical readers while learning a new movement sequence. Seventeen dyslexic and 26 skilled young adult readers underwent a three-session training program in which they practiced a novel sequence of manual movements while standing in a quiet stance position. Both groups exhibited robust and well-retained gains in speed, with no loss of accuracy, on the volitional, manual, aspects of the task, with a time-course characteristic of procedural learning. However, the dyslexic readers exhibited a pervasive slowness in the initiation of volitional performance. In addition, while typical readers showed clear and well-retained task-related adaptation of the balance and posture control system, the dyslexic readers had significantly larger sway and variance of sway throughout the three sessions and were less efficient in adapting the posture control system to support the acquisition of the novel movement sequence. These results support the notion of a non-language-related deficit in developmental dyslexia, one related to the recruitment of motor systems for effective task performance rather than to a general motor learning disability.

Hippocampal-cerebellar involvement in enhancement of performance in word-based BRT with the presence of background noise: An initial fMRI study.

noise may impose deleterious effects on cognitive processing. However, noise below the threshold level may increase the ability to detect stimuli via stochastic resonance mechanisms (SR). The present study investigates whether task performance is deteriorated or enhanced by 5-dB SNR and, if the task performance is enhanced, whether this facilitation in performance points to a particular neural area that serves to attenuate noise and/or increase effective task performance. The areas of interest are the cerebellum and hippocampus due to their roles in working memory (WM) and their links with attention. Fifteen healthy young Malay adults performed three tasks during fMRI scanning: listening to babble noise (N), WM task in quiet (WMQ), and WM task in noise (WMN). Activated regions during N are bilateral STG and MTG. Both WM tasks produced similar activation in a network of areas in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes. However, the two tasks demonstrated marked differences in the left hippocampus, right posterior cerebellum, and bilateral anterior cerebellum. Moreover, the results obtained from the behavioral task demonstrated that participants responded better in the presence of noise. These results support the hypothesis that the left hippocampus, right posterior cerebellum, and bilateral anterior cerebellum may be involved in attenuating noise and/or increasing attention to task performance, which could be due to SR mechanisms operating in the presence of noise. These results collectively suggest leftward asymmetries during the tasks with the right posterior cerebellum, bilateral anterior cerebellum, and left hippocampus providing compensatory attention processes, at least in the context of this study.

Improving video-mediated communication with orchestration

Video-mediated communication (VMC) has become a popular communication medium. However, research to date suggests that the inherent constraints of VMC impair effective and efficient communication and task performance. We propose that these negative findings could be attributed to how the technology was used and propose the novel concept of communication orchestration aimed at mitigating some of the signaled limitations. Orchestration is a selection process for displaying information that is deemed relevant for accomplishing an effective and efficient task performance and communicative experience. We report an experiment that confirmed this suggestion. The results indicate that orchestration could be an important novel feature to aid humans when communicating via VMC, but also suggest that there is potential for further improvements in orchestration.

Is the Regional Land Use Plan a Solution for the Challenges in Metropolitan Regions? Considerations about the Installation in the Greater Frankfurt/Rhine-Main Area

The initial installation of a Regional Land Use Plan in the region Frankfurt/Rhine-Main has shown that this type of plan is well suited to make a more effective performance of tasks of planning action requirements in metropolitan urban areas. This was first demonstrated in a study accompanying the planning process by a working group of the Academy for Spatial Research and Planning. Crucial issues are the introduction, the content structure and the key elements of the plan, the plan preparation process and the acceptance by the affected municipalities. In addition, initial findings to future demands on the regional land use plan could be derived from the ongoing planning process. Moreover, initial understandings for application of this planning instrument in the German planning practice are formulated in general. Nevertheless the ultimate test for the Regional Land Use Plan in the practical application still to put its suitability as an effective and efficient planning tool has to be done after its entry into force in 2011.

Changing Perspectives in Australian Archaeology, part V. Karremarter—Mid to Late Holocene stone artefact production and use in the lower southeast of South Australia

Karremarter is a small limestone shelter in the Lower South-East of South Australia that was used from the mid-Holocene onward. This paper presents a characterization of the typological and technological attributes of the chipped stone artefacts recovered from this shelter. This provides the basis for assessing the relationship between access to and selection of raw materials, tool-making strategies and the spatial and temporal availability of subsistence resources. Frankel, DaviD, anD nicola Stern, 2011. Changing perspectives in Australian archaeology, part V. Karremarter— Mid to Late Holocene stone artefact production and use in the lower southeast of South Australia. Technical Reports of the Australian Museum, Online 23(5): 59–71. The mid-late Holocene assemblage of chipped stone artefacts from Karremarter in the lower southeast of South Australia provides a springboard for discussing two of the recurring themes of Val Attenbrow’s research: the meaning of variation and change in composition and characteristics of artefact assemblages, and the information that stone technology can contribute to an understanding of past land use patterns. Assemblage variation can be investigated at different scales, ranging from the short-term and local to the long-term and widespread, and may involve explanations that refer to season and scale of occupation, through to patterns of mobility or broad responses to changes to the environment (cf. Frankel, 1991a: 144–145; Bird & Frankel, 2001, 2005: Bailey, 2007). Over the past 20-plus years researchers have striven for a better understanding of the factors contributing to assemblage variation in different circumstances, stimulating considerable interest in the strategies used to make and maintain tools and in the way these relate to the strategies employed to acquire other critical resources and to maintain social networks (e.g., Torrence, 1983; Shott, 1986; Kelly, 1988; Bamforth, 1991; Kuhn, 1992). Kuhn (1994), for example, explored the relationship between the cost of transporting artefacts and their potential utility and found that if size did not constrain the effectiveness of a tool, the most economical strategy for a highly mobile forager would have been to carry many small tools with modest potential for reworking. However, if larger tools were required for effective performance of tasks, he suggests that it would have been more economical to carry tools with longer working edges and greater potential for re-working (Kuhn, 1994: 438). He also acknowledged a considerable body of evidence indicating that mobile foragers sometimes transported cores as part of their tool-kits, even though the mass of a core can never be converted in its entirety into tool blanks or tools. Hiscock (2006) has built on these (and other) foundations to argue that in southeastern Australia changes in the relative abundance of backed artefacts and scrapers in Holocene artefact assemblages reflect different strategies for balancing the costs of tool manufacture and maintenance with the

Investigating the performance of path-searching tasks in depth on multiview displays

Multiview auto-stereoscopic displays support both stereopsis and head motion parallax depth cues and could be superior for certain tasks. Previous work suggests that a high viewpoint density (100 views/10cm at the eye) is required to convincingly support motion parallax. However, it remains unclear how viewpoint density affects task performance, and this factor is critical in determining display and system design requirements. Therefore, we present a simulated multiview display apparatus to undertake experiments using a path-searching task in which we control two independent variables: the stereoscopic depth and the viewpoint density. In the first experiment, we varied both cues and found that even small amounts of stereo depth (2cm) reliably improved task accuracy and reduced latency, whereas there was no evidence of dependence on viewpoint density. In the second experiment, we switched off the stereoscopic cue and varied viewpoint density alone. We found that for these monoscopic images increasing viewpoint density resulted in some reduction in response latency (up to eight views/10cm) but had no effect on accuracy. We conclude for cases where occlusion is not an overriding factor that low viewpoint densities may be sufficient to enable effective path-searching task performance.

On the Measurement of Situation Awareness for Effective Human-Robot Interaction in Teleoperated Systems

Several methods of measuring the situation awareness (SA) of a human who is teleoperating a robot are compared for the domain of urban search and rescue (USAR), to identify those that have the greatest potential for developing more reliable and accurate ways of measuring SA for effectively operating robot systems. Such comparative studies are essential because SA has been identified as a key human factors issue since post-September 11, 2001, operations for effective task performance in (tele)robotics. This paper discusses the pros and cons of the main aspects that need to be included in developing reliable SA measurement methods from the related domain of air traffic control, in which SA has a long research history. These methods have been adopted and modified accordingly to address needs of teleoperating robot systems and have been tested in a realistic USAR simulated scenario developed especially for performing these assessments. The results were compared against each other as well as with existing measures. A new method of measuring task performance that is more appropriate for USAR is also presented and tested within the comparative studies.

LEADER DEVELOPMENT, IDENTITY, AND GOAL ORIENTATION: A STUDY OF PERSONAL CHANGE TRAJECTORIES.

The article presents the results of research into leadership development in terms of developmental processes and goal orientation. An overview of related previous studies is provided, along with details of the research protocol, which involved a longitudinal study of approximately 1000 university students. A range of variation in terms of initial leadership orientation and developmental trajectories is described. The importance of self-identification as a person with leadership potential was found to correlate significantly with effective performance of leadership tasks.

The effect factors of end-user task performance in a business environment: Focusing on computing competency

An individual’s computing capability has an effect on his performance of given tasks in a business environment that is heavily dependent on computing. Extracting factors affecting an individual’s task performance is important research work as this research can lead to more efficient and effective performance of tasks. We present in this paper, based on our study, the effect factors of an individual’s task performance based on his computing competency. We developed a theoretical model composed of four independent factors and two dependent factors to investigate the correlation between these factors and an end-user task performance. The 213 participants completed surveys of four domestic-Korean-based companies were analyzed by using structural equation modeling and a second-generation multivariate technique. The results indicated that these four independent factors had effects on end-user computing competency and that computing competency significantly affected a user’s task performance. These findings contribute to research related to task performance and an expanded understanding of the factors that improve an end-user’s task performance in terms of his or her computing competency.

Cognitive strategy use by children with Asperger's syndrome during intervention for motor‐based goals

Cognitive Orientation for (daily) Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is a cognitive approach utilised by occupational therapists to help guide children in the discovery of appropriate strategies for effective task performance through a structured problem-solving process. There has been limited research into its utility for children with Asperger's syndrome (AS). These children often present with motor difficulties, although these are not required for diagnosis of the syndrome. A recent study found that children with AS were able to use the CO-OP framework to enhance their performance of motor-based goals. This paper presents two case studies demonstrating the use of CO-OP with children with AS, and explores the global and domain-specific strategies and types of guidance utilised to improve their task performance. Two children with AS, aged 9 and 11, with above average intellectual ability, engaged in 10 sessions of CO-OP. All sessions were videotaped. One hundred minutes of randomly selected footage were coded per child using the Observer Software Package version 5.0. The mean interrater agreement for the two children was 94.06% and 89.30%. Both children (i) utilised the global strategies 'do', followed by 'plan' and 'check', (ii) used at least three domain-specific strategies in each session with 'task specification/modification' and 'body position' utilised most, and (iii) used limited verbal self-guidance. These two children with AS were able to utilise cognitive strategies to effectively solve their motor performance problems. Children with AS and those with DCD used similar strategies to achieve motor goals. CO-OP appears to have potential as an effective intervention for children with AS. Study limitations, clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

The Red-Line of Workload: Theory, Research, and Design

Multi-tasking is now ubiquitous component of our lives; despite the fact that we all can cite an incident where multi-tasking put us in a difficult situation. The reason so many of us do multi-task is that most of the time we are capable of effective dual task performance. Hart and Wickens (2008) have defined the point where one traverses safe and effective multi-tasking to dangerous and ineffective multi-tasking as the “red-line” of workload. In this panel, we will discuss this “red-line” of workload from the theoretical, empirical, and practical viewpoints. To that end, we first examine what theories of attention can help guide empiric search for this red line and where these theories must be expanded with further research. The greatest need is research that will allow human factors practitioners to identify the red line of workload before a system has been developed. One approach to achieving this research is to leverage the approach of industrial ergonomics, which has successfully defined physical workload limits by using data from safety incidents. Another avenue of research to be discussed is that which will lead to refinement of our theories and understanding of cognitive function to improve our ability to predict the red line. Next we move to the problem of evaluating systems to ensure that the red line of workload is not crossed. In particular, we will discuss the possibility of using task analysis, specifically, CPM-GOMS to predict if a system design will lead to excessive workload. Finally, we present two system design strategies for maintaining a cognitive workload that is below the red-line. The first of these is an adaptive automation using eye-tracking to reduce screen clutter when it appears workload has become so high an error may occur. The second design strategy presents four research based design principles for reducing workload to acceptable levels.

Evaluation of presentation of information for process control operations

In an experimental process control simulation study two operators performed monitoring and control operations including safety critical tasks that required parallel processing of information distributed over different functional mimic displays. The assignment of mimic displays to Visual Display Units (VDUs) was experimentally varied by allowing one or two VDUs for mimic presentation. The study revealed no evidence for differences in task performance during normal process control operations. During abnormal operations, however, detrimental effects both on performance and work load were observed. Having only one VDU available for mimic display revealed either a lower level of performance (time for fault management) and/or a higher level of emotional work strain. It is concluded that decisions on the number of VDUs necessary for effective and efficient process control must refer to the tasks to be performed and the presentation of information necessary for a safe, effective and efficient task performance under critical, but not only normal conditions.

Intelligent Support for a Computer Aided Design Optimisation Cycle

It is becoming more and more evident that adding intelligence to existing computer aids, such as computer aided design systems, can lead to significant improvements in the effective and reliable performance of various engineering tasks, including design optimisation. This paper presents three different intelligent modules to be applied within a computer aided design optimisation cycle to enable more intelligent and less experience-dependent design performance.

The challenges and directions of MIS curriculum development in respect of transformation of business requirements

Effective use of information technology (IT), is becoming one of the prime determinants of success of business organization. However, rapid advances in IT cause that knowledge and skills required by IS professionals have to be changed continuously and profoundly. In this environment, IS/IT skills can become obsolete quite easily. The IS/IT jobs of tomorrow will require the flexible updating of knowledge, skills and abilities for effective performance of changing tasks and duties.

Coping self-talk and cognitive interference in anxious children.

The present study addressed the as-yet-unresolved issue of whether coping self-talk facilitates or interferes with effective task performance. Tests of the relationship between coping cognition and task performance are reported when potentially confounding relationships of negative cognition and task performance are controlled. The results indicate that coping self-talk of high-anxious children was positively correlated with negative thoughts but did not contribute significantly to performance. Implications for the functional value of coping self-talk are discussed.

Issues and Concerns about Computer-Supported Meetings: The Facilitator's Perspective

In an effort to boost meeting productivity and success, managers may employ trained group facilitators. They may also implement group support systems (GSS) for the same reason. The two approaches can be taken separately or together. In this study, in depth interviews with 37 practicing facilitators provided their perspectives on critical factors that influence meeting success and potential benefits and concerns with the use of GSS. Respondents focused on a core of communication and group process skills as critical for facilitator success. Overall, the respondents observed or anticipated more efficient and effective task performance as benefits of GSS technology. Their concerns focused on technology related issues: participant anxiety, systems inflexibility, and systems reliability. Views of facilitators with high and low levels of GSS experience are largely consistent. High experience GSS facilitators viewed technical issues as more central to meeting success, while low experience GSS facilitators focused more heavily on attributes of the group. The paper concludes by offering suggestions for identifying and training GSS facilitators and comments on key issues of importance to GSS designers, based on the facilitator's perspective.