Final Deliverables Research Articles

Assessing deployment and growth of integrated care: The maturity matrix tool developed by the EIP on AHA B3 group

Integrated Care in one of the six specific priority actions of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Health Ageing planned for the period 2012-15. The B3 action group on integrated care was established in response to this priority action to assist regions and delivery organisations in addressing the key challenges they have identified in implementing integrated care. At present, the group encompasses more than 150 institutions ranging from health and social care providers to industry, academia and those representing patient and carers. The B3 action group has been developing its activities around nine action areas: organisational models, change management, workforce development, risk stratification, care pathways, patient empowerment, ICT / Teleservices, Finance / Funding and Communication / Dissemination. Each action area has adopted a particular approach, depending on the specifics of its topic. However, across all action areas, there has been a common emphasis on the identification of good practices and the distillation of those characteristics that grade the maturity of a given organisation in the path towards achieving integrated care. As a prior step towards the development of a set of toolkits that will support adopters in their path towards integrated care, several action areas in the B3 group have been working on an instrument for ranking the level of maturity of any given integrated care practice. This instrument, with specific characteristics for some of the action areas, has been named maturity matrix. The session is intended to be a lively discussion with the integrated care community, around the process followed to obtain these maturity matrixes and their applicability in diverse scenarios. The goal is to refine the tool on the basis of the comments gathered during the session so that it could International Journal of Integrated Care – Volume 15, 27 May – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-117020 – http://www.ijic.org/ 15th International Conference on Integrated Care, Edinburgh, UK, March 25-27, 2015 2 be more effectively incorporate to the final set of toolkits that will constitute one of the main final deliverables of the B3 group.

If you build it, will they come? – A discussion of use cases and barriers of using the knowledge organization systems (KOS) available as linked open data (LOD)

ABSTRACTThe publishing of knowledge organization systems (KOS) as Linked Open Data (LOD) has become a well‐accepted practice during the last five years. More than 1,000 thesauri, classifications, taxonomies, ontologies, term lists, and other types of KOS are available as LOD datasets. However, there are still visible and invisible barriers for the real end‐users (i.e., those other than the creators and publishers of KOS products) to access and use the LOD KOS. More importantly, the question arises as to how the LOD KOS can be used as more than traditional “controlled vocabularies” or function as more than just “value vocabularies” in the Semantic Web. Of course, the new functions are made possible because of the use of Semantic Web standards such as SKOS, OWL, RDFS, and SPARQL, but what are the appropriate practices for the implementation, extension, access, and use of these standards in the final deliverables? This panel will cover the use cases of the LOD KOS while also address the barriers and issues of using them.

The Seven50 Plan and Regional Governance in Southeast Florida

This article provides an introduction to “Seven50: Southeast Florida Prosperity Plan”, including project design, public process and recommendations. Seven50 was a regional discussion about the next 50 years of development for seven counties. The project was executed from 2009 through 2014. The principal author of the article was a member of the Seven50 Executive Committee from the start to the end, and participated in the debates about its goals, chronology and professional activities. Research and analysis were performed on the final deliverables of the project. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted with key participants in March and June of 2015, approximately a year after the project was completed. Their views and opinions provided context for an evaluation of the project’s effectiveness and its impact on future regional growth. Conclusions were reached about the value of the process and its contribution to the theory and practice of regional planning and governance.

A Systems Engineering approach for the deployment of an atmospheric monitoring station

AbstractIn this paper the importance of a Systems Engineering (SE) approach is reiterated for developing and managing an atmospheric monitoring station. A newly established comprehensive atmospheric monitoring station, the Welgegund Atmospheric Monitoring Station (WAMS), was used as a case study ‐ system of interest (SOI). In agreement with commercial projects, the Customer Need has shown that the SOI life‐cycle may be time intensive with significant financial impacts. The Operational Concept was visualised in terms of physical requirements, operational methodology and final deliverables. Functional Analysis emphasised the design importance of the measurement station for continuous operation and to remain relevant throughout the system life‐cycle. Physical architectures and interfaces were scrutinised to maximise the efficiency of the SOI. Testing was vital and remains a continuous process. By continuing to implement the SE approach, the WAMS will satisfy the changing and unique stakeholder requirements throughout the system life‐cycle. The paper concludes that the SE framework provided made a positive contribution since the initial design and has adequately identified all the requirements in order for WAMS to be implemented on time, within budget and to the level of performance required.

Model for Improving Productivity Without Impacting Quality of Deliverables in IT Projects

This research has developed a theoretical model that will help to improve productivity without reducing quality in software projects. It has been observed that while trying to increase productivity, quality gets hit in software projects. However, customer requirements in these projects demand that the projects be delivered on time without having defects or bugs in the final deliverables. Thus, it becomes important to identify variables that would increase productivity without compromising the quality. In the present study, through literature review different variables were identified that would affect both productivity and quality simultaneously. The data were collected from 36 software projects and were analysed to check the relationships between the identified variables, productivity and quality. Using structured equation modelling it was found that level of application complexity, training, level of client support, reusing existing code and quality of document management system significantly impact productivity without compromising quality. The findings can be used in projects engaged in customized software development as well as in commercial software development.

A study on conflicts during an interdisciplinary capstone design experience

When teams are formed there is often conflict that arises. However, not all conflict is detrimental to the final deliverables of the team. Conversely, extreme presence of conflict or the wrong type of conflict is counterproductive. We studied two types of new teams. One type of new team was composed solely of students majoring in engineering, while the second type was composed of students majoring in engineering and students majoring in management. Models were fit with a superset of variables to determine the causes of task, relational, and process conflict. Our overarching goal is to understand the factors which each of the student groups perceive to cause conflict such that we can tailor our instruction toward helping the two different groups to work together as a successful project team. Among the findings are that the variables influencing the types of conflict between the two types of students are distinct.

Alternative assessment methods in technology enhanced project-based learning

In this paper, we investigate how peer assessment may support the student evaluation process through the various project elaboration phases. To this end, MyProject, a project-based learning environment that aims to support learners throughout the life cycle of a project, has been extended with: a a peer review process for the project final deliverables; b a mechanism allowing the provision of peer feedback in the form of agreement, disagreement or neutral. The literature review conducted to support this upgrade of MyProject concerned related work both on project-based learning and peer review systems. The empirical study conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the peer assessment functionalities of MyProject revealed that only a small sample of correct initial solutions may positively influence students' final deliverables through the peer review process. Students were also interested in having access to their peers' ideas although they do not spend much time in offering feedback.

EMSYS - Human Resources and Payroll Management Integrated Information System

This paper presents an overview of a new integrated information system for the management of large organizations as universities, dealing with payroll and human resources management (EMSYS HR & Payroll). It is designed for specialized units or complex profile organizations, including group architecture. In particular here is presented the implementation in University Politehnica of Bucharest. Updated legislation and economic-financial practices specific to the economic/academic environments are implemented. The system offers users multiple tools to design, configure and monitor payroll and human resources processes to insure state-of-art management. Architecture and design offer a strong, flexible and easy configurable system at user’s level, adapting permanently to organization's dynamic, business environment and legislation. EMSYS HR & Payroll is implemented for most difficult organizational and management models for Human Resources management. The main objectives are: it insures the development of human potential in order to optimize the professional performances, by using the most appropriate methods and labor means; set up of long and middle term strategic objectives, aiming to plan and organize human resources, attracting, obtaining and withholding workforce in organization, creating proper labor conditions, realizing job-employee accordance. Some functions implemented in the system allow setting up tactical-operational objectives, for daily activities. It provides functions to reward employees: job evaluation, performances evaluation, bonuses, appropriate benefits package, optimizing costs with human resources.The functions implemented in this system ensure strong tools to design and configure requests specific to organization, flexible coding/recoding system such as any definition can be changed in any moment without perturbing the program. Strong tools protect personal data, creating a confidential environment between the factors involved in human resources and payroll management. All information related to employees or applicants are dynamically recorded. Specific functions address training planning and monitoring, career's management and top of career. The archives of employee’s information, payroll elements in net or gross amount, in any currency, at any exchange are well designed. There are functions related to payment rates: each employee can be paid in any day with another salary, hour/employee reimbursement based on a cost center; hour/employee reimbursement on order, any hour/employee can be differently paid on diverse criteria/algorithms, automatic highlight of payroll elements, associated taxes and holdings on cost centers, orders, employees. Tools are provided for the configuration by the user of the changes imposed by the human resources and payroll model of the company. Reporting activities can be realized in any currency, at any exchange; design and configure Taxes/Contributions. Special tools are provided to design human resources and payroll documents, to generate final deliverables for payments approval, to generate statistic reports regarding unity/employee. Exchange of data with other systems is considered by strong Export/Import. Advanced integration with other information systems is given for: EMSYS Financial and Banking Systems.

The use of stereoscopic images taken from a microdrone for the documentation of heritage – An example from the Tuekta burial mounds in the Russian Altay

To analyse, interpret and manage our cultural heritage it is important to have an accurate and realistic representation of it. Documenting this heritage involves geographic techniques such as photogrammetry, for which a lot of rather expensive and extensive platforms are already in use. However, a microdrone, a recently developed unmanned aerial vehicle platform is a cheaper and easy to handle tool. To test the very limits of the microdrone and its accompanying data-acquisition and data-processing software, we collected data from a remote area in Tuekta, in the Russian Altay Mountains. This paper presents the challenges faced during the whole photogrammetric procedure from planning the flights to producing the final deliverables. Microdrones are subject to weather conditions and site location which affect both the quality of photos and therefore the whole processing procedure. Therefore, once the conditions/restrictions had been identified and taken into account, it was possible to develop good photos. Such photos made it possible to produce accurate final products, like digital elevation models and orthophotos. These accurate deliverables prove the usefulness of such microdrones for documenting heritage at a desolate and difficult site as well as their usability for documenting the majority of our cultural and archaeological heritage. In future, it would be interesting to test a new, bigger and more stable microdrone. Together with software improvements, the whole photogrammetric process should become faster and easier.

Considerations for Data Processing in Multi-mode Surveys

The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health across the U.S. (REACH U.S.) Risk Factor Survey presented unique challenges to processing data collected from a multi-mode survey. REACH U.S., which is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monitors the progress and achievements of 28 local health interventions designed to eliminate health disparities among African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, and Hispanics. NORC at the University of Chicago conducts annual surveys in 28 communities using an innovative address-based sampling approach that combines multiple modes of data collection via telephone, mail, and in-person interviews. In this paper, we discuss NORC’s approach to processing multi-mode REACH U.S. data, paying particular attention to data processing procedures that occurred before, during, and after data collection. We also detail a metadata data processing framework that guided the creation of the final data file deliverables.

Is Project Alignment – a Process Perspective

Information system (IS) project alignment has been defined as the degree to which an IS's project deliverables are consistent with the project's objectives, which are shaped by the organization's IS strategy. These objectives may change as the project unfolds, reflecting emergent opportunities, limitations, and strategy (Jenkin and Chan, 2005). The IS project alignment process refers to the sequence and flow of events that lead to project alignment and, thus, strategy execution. To develop an understanding of project alignment processes – how IS projects become aligned or misaligned – this study examines nine projects across two organizational settings to analyze the key events and processes of project alignment. By analyzing three different project patterns using different organizational metaphors, this study explains evidence contradicting widely held beliefs about project management. Rather than planning and process maturity, the results of this study highlight the importance of executing processes, change, learning, knowing in practice, and heedful interrelating between project team members to align final project deliverables. This research, based on an empirical study, contributes to both the IS alignment and project management literatures by further developing the emerging concept of project alignment to include a process view of how to achieve alignment of final project deliverables with IS project objectives and the IS strategy.

Cultural Issues in Software Estimation: From Intuition to Model Based Estimation in Upgrade Projects

This paper discusses issues related to change in culture that happens when software estimation becomes scientific, methodical and predictive. From a person based intuitive approach to model based estimation techniques, the approach necessitates a change in mindset and culture. This change in culture has been noticed in upgrade projects. Upgrades play an important role in product life cycle. A product is released with required features to meet immediate requirements of the customers. Any additional or modifications to features are carried through upgrade projects. These upgrades planned well in advance by the product developing organizations are made available to customers through published road map for the products. And hence it is important to be able to predict the effort required for these upgrade projects accurately and consistently. The objective of this research was to study cultural issues while developing an estimation model that would increase accuracy, predictability of estimation in upgrade projects. The methodology adopted in this research work was to use primary sources of data to develop an estimation model for upgrade projects and test this model in live upgrade projects. The results from the research showed that the level of accuracy for estimation increased, predictability in delivery was higher without comprising quality of final deliverables. The culture also went through a change through training and mentoring.

Introduction to Chemical Product Design: A Hands-on Approach

Chemical product design has been introduced into the Chemical Engineering curriculum at The University of Queensland through an introductory Second year subject followed by product-specific electives in third year (biochemistry, food technology, materials and particle and polymer science, physical chemistry and so on) and culminating in a capstone year-long project in the fourth and final year. In keeping with problem-based learning strategies, experiential learning is gained in the Second year subject, which was first offered in 2003, by two hands-on reverse engineering assignments and a business skills subject. The fourth year course, which was inaugurated in 2004, involves the students in the design and promotion of actual cutting-edge products requiring initial market research and experimental product development. Both Second and fourth year students taking the courses have been highly motivated and committed in their efforts to produce quality final deliverables. Student performance and lecturer reflections indicate that learning objectives have been achieved and interest stimulated. Reactions from students to this new and somewhat innovative stream of courses have been positive although it has been indicated that the work load is significantly higher than other subjects with the same credit rating. The courses will continue to be offered and will be strengthened through modifications arising as a result of lecturer and student feedback.

Passive retrofitting of office buildings to improve their energy performance and indoor environment: the OFFICE project

OFFICE was a research project, partly funded by the CEC, dealing with the passive retrofitting of office buildings to improve their energy performance and indoor working conditions. The project was coordinated by the University of Athens with the participation of organizations and research institutes from eight European countries. The aim of the project was to develop global retrofitting strategies, tools and design guidelines in order to promote successful and cost-effective implementation of passive solar and energy efficient retrofitting measures to office buildings. Within the frame of the project, 10 office buildings located in different climatic zones around Europe were studied extensively. Energy audits and monitoring activities, specific experiments as well as an assessment of the potential of proposed retrofitting scenarios were performed for each building. The final deliverables of the project include: (a) case studies presenting high-quality examples of representative retrofitted office buildings in various parts of Europe; (b) a rating methodology classifying office buildings according to their energy consumption, CO 2 production and indoor thermal and visual comfort; (c) an Atlas describing the technical and economical potential for energy conservation of selected retrofitting scenarios for defined types of office buildings in different climatic zones of Europe and (d) Design Guidelines, performance criteria and methodologies for best practice giving credit for renewable energy sources incorporated into office buildings, all presented in the form of a Handbook. Results from the assessment of the potential of various retrofitting scenarios proposed for each case study are included in the Handbook in the form of brochures. This paper gives an analytical description of the activities carried out within the frame of the project and describes the resulting final deliverables.

TOBUS — a European diagnosis and decision-making tool for office building upgrading

The TOBUS (a decision-making tool for selecting office building upgrading solutions) methodology and software have been developed as a result of a 2-year European research project, involving eight European institutions, in the frame of the JOULE III programme of the European Commission (EC), Directorate General XII. A structured diagnosis scheme enables architects and engineers to simultaneously handle the entire complex process of office building refurbishment or retrofit with respect to deterioration, functional obsolescence of building services, energy consumption and indoor environmental quality. The software tool can then be used to define the most appropriate and cost-effective actions, to elaborate consistent refurbishment scenarios and calculate a reasonable investment budget in the early stages of a refurbishment project. This paper provides an overview of the work performed in TOBUS and an overview of the methodology and final deliverables of the project.