Key Decision Points Research Articles

The Promise and Practical Application of Technology To Prepare Early Intervention Personnel

Applications of technology in the preparation of early intervention personnel are increasingly more commonplace and practical. This article describes a model developed and applied in Utah by two universities in cooperation with the State Office of Education. The purpose of the model is to prepare rural personnel for a birth-to-five teaching certificate, using an array of distance technologies. These include interactive television, Internet communications, CD-ROM, videotape, and traditional print material. Key decision-making points and the process of model development and delivery are described

Crewman's associate (CA) cognitive decision aiding (CDA) applications for the U.S. Army's future main battle tanks

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) decision making for the U.S. Army's future main battle tank (FMBT) is currently under investigation by the TACOM crewman's associate (CA) program. McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems is supporting this research by adapting rotorcraft pilot's associate (RPA) program's techniques under study for helicopters to ground combat weapons systems. This research centers on an armored unit mission scenario which contains several key crew decision points where cognitive decision aiding (CDA) is applied. The study identifies the mission segment functions where the CDA can augment the crew's decision making process (i.e. an en route mission change, actions-on-contact with the enemy, and a hasty attack). The CA program has defined unique crew aiding behaviors (called CABs) which partition the tasks between the FMBT crew and the CDA processors on-board so as to best utilize the advantages of the human crewmember and the computer planner-assessor. Crew selectable levels of the associate functioning are possible as illustrated by the implementation of the CABs in various CA advanced technology demonstrations (e.g. combined arms command and control-CAC2, hit avoidance, target acquisition, mobility, and crewstation design). The RPA task network logic structure is used to trigger the scenario event file and control the flow of the task partitioning, timing, and interactions. Areas of CDA commonality between the rotorcraft pilot's and crewman's associates are identified. CDA applications for the Army's combined arms operations exploit “interoperability” in both situational awareness and information transfer between ground maneuver and aviation units. Potential benefits of these CDA applications for the FMBT crew and the armor platoon or higher echelon units are also cited.

A comparison of buffering strategies for the CMS routing/sequencing problem

In this paper, the authors discuss and evaluate the design of alternative buffering strategies for use in Cellular Manufacturing Systems. Of particular interest is the performance of flexible control policies for routing and sequencing in the presence of two very different buffering configurations. One approach makes use of de-centralized buffers associated with each manufacturing cell. This configuration facilitates the use of ‘push’ dispatching rules for material flow and a hierarchical control approach for routing and sequencing. The second configuration involves the use of central buffers at key routing decision points, which facilitate the use of ‘pull’ dispatching rules and simultaneous solution to the routing and sequencing problems. The authors evaluate realistic scenarios using simulation and overcome the inherent difficulty of modeling pull dispatching systems in the presence of flexible inter-cell routing conditions. Sensitivity analysis is performed relative to several key parameters in an effort to identify factors affecting Cellular Manufacturing System design in general.

Strengthening Your Case Study Approach

A well-written case study has an important place in nursing literature because it describes new problems and techniques in clinical practice and helps identify researchable clinical questions. Do not be deceived into thinking that the case study manuscript is easy to write, because it is not. But, with the application of a few guidelines, the case study can be fun to write, exciting to edit, and enjoyable to read.

Decision tree for the management of substance-abusing psychiatric patients

This paper describes a short-term approach developed at a time of numerous drug-related incidents occuring at a large VA Hospital to help staff manage psychiatric patients abusing alcohol or drugs during hospitalization. This was accomplished through the development of a decision tree designed to improve the clinical problem-solving process by identifying key decision points. Prior to this, staff responded emotionally either by prematurely discharging patients or by not recognizing the problem at all. Decision Trees have widespread applicability for resolving complex clinical problems.

Designing conditional release systems for insanity acquittees.

Monitored treatment in the community, also known as conditional release, has been described as the most important advance in the treatment of insanity acquittees in the last decade. Despite the importance of the development of conditional release, however, there has been relatively little written about relevant issues and planning principles important in designing and implementing conditional release systems. The present paper discusses important considerations relevant to conditional release that are associated with key decision points within systems for persons found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). Four planning principles, generalizable to all NGRI systems, are then presented in a way that integrates the previous discussion. It is concluded that conditional release plays a crucial role in the treatment of insanity acquittees and that mental health administrators may either proactively modify their systems, in a way that balances public safety with individual rights and treatment needs, or wait for the modification mandate to be forced upon them in the wake of a highly publicized, heinous offense.

Cost-Effective Surgical Management

A practical guide on the most efficient management of surgical patients. Considers quality of care, cost, and time. Numerous algorithms highlight key decision points. Includes testing and the proper sequence of tests, general problems, proper uses of consultation, specific sets of signs and symptoms, and detailed operative procedures.

Identification of Potential Operator Burden Through Systematic Assessment of Actual Plant Transients

Recent events in U.S. operating nuclear power stations have raised questions as to whether control room operators might be unnecessarily burdened in their response to unusual events. To respond to these questions a team of plant control room operators, system design experts, and a human reliability analyst were assembled by the plant owners to investigate the issue of operator burden. The approach taken focused upon the review of all significant transients which had occurred in one plant type since 1980. The system design organization had previously analyzed each of these events as part of their Transient Assessment Program (TAP). These TAP reports represent a significant data set related to actual transient conditions and operator responses. The reports constituted the primary data base upon which the study was based.The thrust of the effort was the utilization of a multi-disciplinary team to become familiar with the transients and specifically with the operator and equipment responses. This information was then used to indicate generic areas where operator overburden might have occurred. Next information was elicited from the operations staff at each participating facility. In this way plant specific information was obtained which attempted to identify when and in which stations each of the previously identified generic overburdened conditions might apply.The study first required the development of a clear and concise definition of what operator burden was, and the development of generic examples of when it was likely to be observed in actuality. The definition chosen relates the extent of burden to the probability of operator error using an information processing paradigm of operator decision making. The developed definition was then applied to the review of 6 significant transients. This application allowed for the development of 5 generic qualitative categories of operator burden.In a parallel effort, the systems design team members developed detailed scenarios of each transient in a format designed to highlight the key operator decision points. The developed scenarios included a combined presentation of an operator action event tree (von Herrmann, 1983), and an operator concern event timeline. For each of the key decision points identified, a set of questions was developed and correlated to actual plant conditions at that point. These decision point packages were then circulated for response to participating operators and the responses led to a qualitative evaluation of the level of operator burden associated with specific aspects of transient integration.

The US Federal Radio-navigation Plan

The United States is in the process of determining what the future mix of radio-navigation should be for its users. Air, marine and land navigation requirements are being closely re-examined and the ability of future or existing systems to meet these requirements is being investigated. Events such as the destruction of Korean Airline Flight 007 have focused new attention on the Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS), both by the President and Congress. Behind the selection of a future systems mix is a planning process that has been under way for some time. The first Federal Radio-navigation Plan, published in 1980, listed two key decision points in the planning process; a joint preliminary recommendation to be made by the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Transportation (DOT) in 1983 and a national level decision in 1986 (Fig. 1). A national decision will not be made without an opportunity for user comment and international consultations.

Quantitative Risk Assessment: State-of-the-Art for Carcinogenesis

Abstract A critical evaluation of the use of statistical models in carcinogenic risk assessment is made with emphasis on the strengths and weaknesses of current practice. The objective is to bring together information from the fields of toxicology and statistics to develop a sound scientific basis for making risk decisions. It is emphasized that risk assessment is a complex, multifaceted process that is not easily quantified and at present must be based on qualitative as well as on quantitative information. It is evident that dose-response modeling of tumor incidence data from animal studies is of limited value in estimating human risk associated with low-dose chemical exposures. The models take into account only one part of the complex process and have no accepted basis in biology. The key decision points, qualitative factors, and quantitative considerations are identified and discussed, and a risk assessment framework that incorporates these inputs is presented. A model that incorporates the tumorigenic...

Responding to Older Offenders: Age Selectivity in the Processing of Shoplifters

This article examines the effect of the offender's age upon private and public responses to shoplifting offenses at a number of key decision points in the criminaljustice process. After briefly reviewing prior empirical research findings about the effect of suspect 's age upon witness and victim decisions to pursue redressive action against shoplifters, the article examines age selectivity at the prosecutorial stage in the criminal justice process. Using crosstabular analysis with simple elaboration techniques, the authors examine the decision to dismiss or prosecute charged shoplifting offenses across a trichotomous age classification. The findings demonstrate empirically that prosecutors selectively enforce legal norms against shoplifting, and that offender's age is a consideration in such decisions. Older shoplifters are found to be prosecuted less often than adults in the middle of the age distribution, but no less often than younger shoplifters. The implications ofthesefindingsfor the exercise ofprosecutorial discretion, public policy and program development, and common perceptions about the criminality of older citizens are highlighted in the conclusion.

Quantitative risk assessment: State-of-the-art for carcinogenesis

A critical evaluation of the use of statistical models in carcinogenic risk assessment is made with emphasis on the strengths and weaknesses of current practice. The objective is to bring together information from the fields of toxicology and statistics to develop a sound scientific basis for making risk decisions. It is emphasized that risk assessment is a complex, multifaceted process that is not easily quantified and, at present, must be based on qualitative as well as quantitative information. It is evident that dose-response modeling of tumor incidence data from animal studies is of limited value in estimating human risk associated with low-dose chemical exposures. The models take into account only one part of the complex process and have no accepted basis in biology. The key decision points, qualitative factors, and quantitative considerations are identified and discussed and a risk assessment framework that incorporates these inputs is presented. A model that incorporates the tumorigenic dose-response information as well as the qualitative and quantitative biological factors that affect the estimate of risk is proposed. It is concluded that much work needs to be done before a completely quantitative approach to risk assessment is to be useful; in particular pharmacokinetic modeling should be pursued more aggressively.

Innovation among suppliers to automobile manufacturers: an exploratory study of barriers and facilitators1

AbstractThis paper reports on an exploratory study of the barriers and facilitators that affect technological innovation by suppliers to the automotive industry and the adoption of such innovations by the industry. The specific focus in the study was on key decision and action points in the life of specific innovations or potential innovations (ideas for new products) which may affect their successful development and marketing. The major source of data for this study was in the form of brief cases obtained from interviews of managers and technical personnel in suppliers to the automotive industry. These cases related to specific projects engaged in or ideas proposed by the responding firms or others in their sector of the industry which were aimed at the introduction of new or improved products, components, systems, materials, designs, etc., to the automotive industry.The information and data for this study were collected by means of structured interviews with 15 managers in 13 first level supplier firms to the automotive industry. A total of 32 innovations were investigated and a corresponding number of 32 cases and additional information on barriers and facilitators were generated for these 32 innovations.In general it was found that the most important barriers and facilitators to innovating were federal laws and regulations. Overall, the two types of decisions that are made in the automotive supplier's environment which appear consistently throughout these cases are (1) the automotive customer's decision to accept, encourage development of, or adopt innovations, and (2) the government's decision to mandate changes in safety, environment or energy‐relatedregulations or legislation. The policy implications of the results of this study are discussed as they relate to an evolving model of the effects of potential federal intervention in the R&D/innovation process.

Legal considerations affecting information management

Today legal considerations may greatly affect the design, development and management of information systems. Recent court rulings in the United States have signaled information managers that liability may be assessed for improperly relying upon computerized output. Furthermore, the trend appears to be in favor of holding information managers responsible for errors as a matter of policy because the information manager is in the best position to avoid the error and the potential harm. Thus, prudent information management requires a comprehensive risk analysis focusing on a system's key decision points and the substantive law related to those decisions to reduce potential legal exposures associated with possible harm-producing situations which may result from erroneous computerized output.

Plastics waste handling practices in solid waste management

In order to see the impact of plastics on the overall solid waste picture, the sources and nature of wastes generated by that industry will be defined. At one end of the spectrum are industrial wastes resulting from plastics formation and from packaging and transfer. Fabrication follows and then the intermediate markets. Finally, there is the consumer. Each step generates a waste stream. The options for disposal or recycle are discussed for each waste source and the economics included are reviewed. The fate of plastics in the environment has been of concern to some, principally because plastics generally do not disappear very fast. Activity in this sector will be discussed. Engineering and other technical input for all waste handling follows economic reality and higher scrap values are resulting in new market potentials for waste plastics. The emergence of energy as a key decision point in environmental concern has highlighted the energy value of waste plastics as fuel. Current activity in this area will be discussed. An increased legislative role in solid waste management is needed. Some of the currently considered legislative practices that help and that hurt the industry's ability to assist in managing the solid waste problem will be reviewed.

A Systematic Approach to Evaluating Teaching and Learning Initiatives in Post-secondary Education

This article describes a research-driven heuristic for the scholarly evaluation of teaching and learning interventions, which is systematic, collaborative, and discipline focused. We offer this guide to educational developers and other instructional support staff who are tracking the impact of interventions in teaching and learning with academic colleagues who lack backgrounds in educational evaluation or social-science research. Grounded in our experience in three different faculties, the framework may be modified to meet the needs of other contexts and disciplines. To aid such modification, we explicitly describe the thinking underlying the key decision-making points. We offer practical advice that may assist academics and academic developers with evaluation processes, thus addressing the scarcity in the literature of comprehensive, programmatic, scholarly, and systematic assessments of innovations in teaching and learning at the university level.