Design Team Research Articles

Team Design and its Implications for Competition and Disclosure

Team Design and its Implications for Competition and Disclosure

Hospital-Level Care at Home for Acutely Ill Adults in Rural Settings: Proof of Concept.

Residents in rural areas face barriers to accessing acute care. Rural home hospital (RHH) or delivery of acute care at home could represent an important clinical care model. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of RHH as a substitute to traditional hospital care. Patients were cared for by a remote RHH attending physician and an RHH registered nurse deployed to the home. The study team conducted daily check-ins with RHH clinicians to assess workflows for completion. Surveys assessed patient experience and qualitative interviews assessed perceived acceptability, safety, and quality of care. We completed qualitative analysis of the interviews and coded qualitative data into domains and subdomains through an iterative process. RHH was successfully deployed to three acutely ill patients in rural Utah. RHH admission, daily care, and discharge processes were accomplished for each patient. From qualitative analysis, we identified four domains: (1) Perceived comfort level during RHH admission, (2) Perceived safety during RHH admission, (3) Perceived quality of care during RHH admission, and (4) Perception of RHH workflows. We found acute care was delivered to rural homes with satisfactory patient and clinician experience. Team dynamics, technology build, robust clinical and operational workflows, and care coordination were important to a successful admission. Learnings from this study can inform program design and training for RHH teams and startup for larger RHH evaluation. Home hospital care is expanding rapidly in the United States and RHH could represent an important clinical care model.

Root cause failure assessment of a water retention reservoir at a mining industry Site

This paper reports on an investigation into the failure of a double HDPE geomembrane lined retention reservoir constructed in 2018 that failed in 2021, only 3 years after construction. Several technical and non-technical factors contributed to the failure, and these are examined systematically. The primary failure occurred at the outlet pipe penetration, where the design detail had been modified due to constructability issues. Several administrative failures were also identified during the investigation, the most significant of which was the absence of a comprehensive construction report with a concluding statement from the engineer of record verifying the structure was constructed in accordance with the design and specifications and is fit for purpose. The failure highlights the need to better integrate design and construction teams and to keep impeccable records of all technical decisions.

How to Encourage Inclusion in a Qualitative Research Project Using a Design-Based Research Methodology

Many issues and challenges face research design and research teams that want to become more inclusive, especially in large-scale research projects involving many stakeholders. This article explores an approach called Design-Based Research (DBR). DBR has been widely used in education for several years; it emphasizes collaboration with the community and takes the context of participants into consideration. DBR is transposable to other disciplines and is intended to be inclusive of the diverse stakeholders involved in a research project. For instance, in an ongoing research project about unconscious bias and inclusive behaviors, it takes into account all stakeholders’ needs and involves them in all stages of the research, which is taking place in a real-world context rather than a laboratory. The aim of this article is to better understand how the DBR methodology enables the inclusion of historically marginalized groups and how it is applied in the field. This exploratory article will present an example of an ongoing research project using the DBR methodology to show how this approach can be more inclusive than experimental approaches. This exploration reveals the positive impact of DBR in implementing solutions that can help reduce inequalities and power relationships. It also reveals the complexity of conducting qualitative research in a social laboratory. In particular, it takes into account the specificity of each historically marginalized group, from an intersectional perspective, the difficulty of operating within a process where not everything is determined in advance, and the need for a researcher specializing in DBR. It is important to allow sufficient time and financial resources at each stage to recognize the involvement of community organizations. The tools and knowledge generated by this type of research project will be useful for other organizations and future research.

Patient Involvement in the Design of an Innovative Clinical Study to Compare the Palatability of Anti-Hyperkalemia Medications.

The inclusion of patient representatives as study consultants brings diverse perspectives, insights, and experiences to clinical trial design and execution, and their role in the clinical trial development process is being increasingly recognized and valued. The APPETIZE study evaluated the palatability of, and preference for, three potassium binders for treating hyperkalemia in patients with chronic kidney disease. A core aspect of the development of this study was the inclusion of a patient representative during the design stage. Here, I describe the process of patient involvement in the APPETIZE study design (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04566653), the resultant positive impacts, and key learnings. A patient with chronic kidney disease was invited to be a member of the APPETIZE trial design team. This patient representative attended study team meetings and provided invaluable input into protocol development, questionnaire selection, design of patient information sheets and consent forms, and primary manuscript structure. These critical insights resulted in an enhanced trial design and generation of high-quality, patient-relevant data. APPETIZE provides an excellent example of a patient preference study that relied on input from multiple stakeholder groups, including, most notably, the patients themselves. This approach may serve as a model for early and deep patient engagement in the design and interpretation of clinical trials.

Design team formation using self-assessment and observer-assessment techniques: mapping practices in a global network of universities

Abstract Design engineering education is increasingly challenge-based, which requires educators to form cohesive student teams capable of delivering desired outcomes while fostering learning and collaboration. An example is an international network in which students from different global universities collaborate. Student teams work on researching the problem space, re-framing their challenge and producing multiple prototypes. The challenge for the teaching teams is to be able to form multiple cohesive teams out of a pre-selected group of highly motivated students. Because of the exclusive nature of this educational program, it is a suitable case study for exploring student design team formation practices. The aim is to identify the methods, tools, theoretical underpinnings, challenges and limitations of student team formation. We interviewed teachers from seven universities about their practices. The interviewees had several years of experience in team building. The interviews were analyzed to contrast practices across universities as well as to the team formation literature. Our findings show that mixed methods that combine self-assessments and observer-assessment methods are the preferred means of forming teams. Our findings also show that current practices have evolved over time through trial and error, and are only partially grounded in different literatures and not necessarily in team formation literature.

Project Spotlight: Precast concrete panels bring aesthetic appeal to Chicago surgery center

The University of Illinois Health Specialty Care Building, a new out¬patient surgery center in the heart of Chicago’s Medical District, includes two levels of same-day surgery suites, three levels of specialty clinics, and a ground floor with check-in, pharmacy, and imaging services. Precast concrete panel manufacturer International Concrete Products (ICP) from Germantown, Wis., was brought in very early in the process to work with the design team to find solutions for the facility.

Towards ecodesign for upscaling: an illustrative case study on photovoltaic technology in France

The upscaling of technology encompasses many facets a designer concerned with reducing environmental impacts must manage. Therefore, previous research proposed an environmental assessment for upscaling (EAU) methodology. This method hinges on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approaches (e.g., prospective, absolute) and coordinates the environmental modelling from an ecodesign perspective. The originality of this paper is to present an illustrative application on photovoltaic systems. The focus is on the modelling practices (step 3 of the method) using upscaling design levers and generating parametrized scenarios meant to be interpretable for a design team. Examples of data collection and upscaling modelling are provided for the upscaling of silicon-based photovoltaic technology in France from 2021 to 2050. This case study shows that integrating upscaling parameters, such as industrial process evolutions, the technology deployment strategy, and the socio-technical context associated with the technology upscaling phenomenon influence LCA results significantly. The paper, therefore, discusses recommendations for design teams to support them in assessing the environmental implications of their technology choices.

What, how and when should I prototype? An empirical study of design team prototyping practices at the IDEA challenge hackathon

What, how and when should I prototype? An empirical study of design team prototyping practices at the IDEA challenge hackathon

Conceptual design vulnerability assessment of the housing light roofs to strong winds

Hurricanes are one of the most significant causes of human and material losses in the Caribbean region. These events have demonstrated their devastating impact on housing and infrastructure. The assessment of the vulnerability of buildings with light roofs, at the initial design stage, is considered to be a fundamental step in the mitigation of these damages and losses. This paper presents the introduction of an indicator-based vulnerability assessment in an effort to mitigate these damages in advance. This indicator facilitates the design team's decision to select the appropriate light roof alternative subject to strong winds at the conceptual stage of the process. The indicators that contribute to the conceptual assessment of vulnerability were identified based on a comprehensive review of the literature and numerical simulations of the risk scenarios using CFD/FEM software’s. The ranking of indicator weights was determined by the Kano method according to experts' opinions. A desktop application has been developed for the assessment of the vulnerability of light roof variants for buildings at the conceptual design stage. The results reported in a case study demonstrate the viability of the desktop application based on the vulnerability indicator to assist decision making in the conceptual design stage.

Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management.

To examine the feasibility and usability of EnergyPoints™, an innovative mobile health app that teaches and guides people with cancer to implement daily acupressure to self-manage their fatigue and sleep disturbances. The study used an integrated agile, human-centered approach. Adults (age 18 years and over) with cancer experiencing at least moderate fatigue, and living in the Greater New York City community, were recruited from social media, patient advocacy groups, and referrals. Twenty participants (in 3 sprints of 3, 5, and 12) were video-recorded thinking aloud while using the app for the first time. They then used the app at home to self-administer acupressure (twice daily for 1 week) while continuously wearing a fitness tracker. Each participant completed an exit interview and modified Computer System Usability Questionnaire post-participation. Participants were ages 40 to 76 years and 65% female; 65% were non-Hispanic white. Mean pass rates per ritual exceeded 80%. Users completed (totally or partially) greater than 90% of stimulating acupressure and 70% of relaxing acupressure rituals. Sprint 3 SPs totally completed at least 1 ritual 87% of the time. The majority agreed or strongly agreed the app was easy to use (90%), easy to learn (85%), easy to understand (75%), and effective in helping perform self-acupressure (85%). In an analysis of ease of completing 5 key tasks, all successfully completed the tasks; 3 users required some assistance. Of 654 usability statements, those coded as personal experience/context (197), content related to acupressure learning (105), and content related to the onboarding/profile (71) were most frequent. The design team integrated recommendations into the app before the next sprint. Findings supported feasibility and usability, as well as acceptability, and led to significant alterations and improvements. EnergyPoints™ offers an opportunity to mainstream acupressure and help cancer survivors self-manage their symptoms.

Understanding Collaborative Design Practice Through Self-Study

Designing online teacher professional development (oTPD) grounded in participatory practices is complex. An intense interdisciplinary collaboration of teacher educators, online learning experts, and instructional designers is needed. Achieving shared understanding is essential for successful collaboration, yet varied perspectives of interdisciplinary experts can cause tensions. Under the right conditions, conflict can be positive and productive. This study of collaborative design practice examined the process of aligning technology and pedagogy when designing participatory oTPD using the self-study methodology. Data analysis revealed relevant interrelationships and uncovered a consistent pattern related to purposeful use of technology. While self-study was an effective inquiry method and provided valuable insights into our practice, it also fostered an environment of trust and collaborative knowledge exchange necessary for successful joint problem solving, cognitive synchronization, and innovation in interdisciplinary design teams.

Childcare Voucher: A Qualitative/Pilot Study, Exploring the Experiences of Expectant and Parenting Teenage Mothers in Washington, District of Columbia (DC)

Objective: The aim of this study is to use human-centered design and journey mapping to explore the experience of Expectant and Parenting Teens in the District of Columbia (DC) in accessing childcare while attending school and/or seeking employment. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 young mothers who had experienced teenage pregnancy and 10 providers assisting young parents in accessing support services, including childcare. Journey map interview guide (Table 1) was used for this interview. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim to ensure that the participants’ statements were maintained in the transcripts. A thematic analysis was used to examine data and themes arising from the interviews. Open and axial coding was used to code the interview transcripts and organize them into categories and themes following an inductive and deductive approach. Results: The design team conducted 30 deep-dive interviews with 20 young parents (ages 18 - 25) and 10 providers assisting young parents in accessing support services, including childcare. The young parents interviewed were majority Black (66%) and Hispanic (19%), and largely live in wards 7 (33%) and 8 (28%). Their children’s average age was 4 years (range 2 months -8 years). Discussion: Three main themes and categories were identified as (1) Motivation to finish high school and find employment, (2) Challenges of accessing childcare voucher and quality childcare (3) Support staff (school councilors) experience.

OPTIMIZING CONSTRUCTABILITY BY INVOLVING CONTRACTORS IN DESIGN STAGE FOR ENHANCING THE PROJECT PERFORMANCE

This study explores the model of optimizing constructability through early contractor involvement in the design stage to enhance overall project performance. In order to improve project performance and improve constructability, this study investigates the crucial role that contractor involvement the stage in the design phase. Conventional task conveyance models frequently isolate plan and development processes, prompting sub-standard constructability and deferred project timetables. This study advocates for a cooperative methodology by including workers for hire from the beginning in the plan stage to outfit their skill and bits of knowledge. The main goal is to occur with ways to continuously incorporate contractors into the design process, thereby fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between the design and construction teams. Project teams can mitigate potential issues, streamline workflows, and address constructability issues by utilizing contractor input in the early stages. This proactive commitment guarantees a more effective development stage, decreasing deferrals and cost overcomes. The study looks at examples of successful projects in which early contractor involvement significantly improved project outcomes by conducting a comprehensive review of case studies and industry best practices. Key discoveries highlight the significance of correspondence, joint effort, and innovation mix in streamlining constructability. Keywords: constructability, project performance, contractor involvement, design stage, and early engagement.

Zooming in and out of Apple Inc.: An Organizational Behavior Analysis of Individual and Team Levels

Apple Inc. is widely recognized as a prominent global corporation. This study undertakes a comprehensive investigation of Apple Inc., including the leadership of CEO Tim Cook, the internal dynamics of the design team, and many organizational and external influences. By employing analytical frameworks such as Industry Analysis and PESTEL, this study examines the competitive advantage of Apple Inc. and identifies potential areas for enhancement. The findings indicate that Apple's dedication to innovation and ethical conduct has resulted in the establishment of a robust brand and a devoted consumer following. However, in order to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving technological environment, Apple Inc. must persistently adjust its strategies. Additionally, it is imperative for Apple to acknowledge and rectify concerns regarding labor and environmental practices that have been raised by critics. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive comprehension of the factors that establish Apple Inc. as a prominent player in the worldwide market.

Editorial

The first issue of volume 11 of JFDE elaborates on several topics related to façade design and engineering, focusing on façade systems, their construction, properties, and performance.
 The topic of prefabrication in façade construction is one of the themes emerging from this issue. The importance of prefabrication is growing in the building industry as it has the potential to improve productivity by allowing faster, high-quality, and cost-effective construction while reducing risks related to onsite construction. Different articles touch on this topic from varying perspectives. In the context of decarbonization and the large number of buildings to be renovated, prefabrication for energy retrofits is a relevant topic. One notable article presents the development and evaluation of prefabricated timber-based façade modules. The results showed significant energy savings and effective vapor release of the prefabricated façade system. Furthermore, prefabrication and pre-engineering of systems require a paradigm shift in design and engineering practices towards more integrated approaches. A Kit-of-Part (KoP) approach to façade design employed by the authors of a different article enables an architect-led design team to validate design options through digital design tools based on a pre-engineered set of components. Information about the products included in the tool includes performance, cost, and environmental impact.
 Focusing further on the properties of façade components, a paper in this issue investigates large-scale applications in building design regarding the aluminum used in façades and underlines the environmental benefits to be gained from reducing the use of raw materials, with particular emphasis on a sustainable approach to façade design. Finally, the issue addresses shading as an essential component of façade function, examining the influence of different shading devices on both performance and aesthetic aspects of the façade.
 Overall, the issue provides insights into contemporary trends in façade design, emphasizing the role of pre-engineering and evaluating façade components in contributing to the future of the construction industry.

Comparative cost analysis of traditional and industrialised deep retrofit scenarios for a residential building

In this paper, the economic competitiveness for deep retrofit actions between the industrialised off-site and the traditional on-site approaches are discussed by using a comparative Life Cycle Costing (LCC) analysis. This assessment was based on a deep analysis of all renovation-related cost and timing processes, from design to operation and maintenance phases. The study was based on three retrofit scenarios for an existing building in Italy undergoing a deep renovation. The Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) was developed starting from real costs and a list of bills collected by the design team and the industrialised technologies developers. Afterwards, the LCC modelling was performed for all scenarios. The results show that the two deep retrofit approaches (traditional and industrialised) are comparable in terms of investment costs, even if a gap of around -7% and +16% still exists. This highlights a potential for technological optimisation. Moreover, the operation and maintenance phase has shown to be key to transforming the expected higher quality of the industrialised components into a prolonged life expectance, hence highly impacting the whole cumulated Net Present Value. Finally, the analysis of the End of Life (EoL) phase in case of possible reusing of some dismantled components in the industrialised scenario resulted in contributing in a relevant way to increase the final value of such an approach.

Internal Sales Management of Heating Materials and Heating Systems

Software - M3, Microsoft office dynamics 365 and Microsoft excel. The whole work deals with three types of categories HS (Heating System), PHS (Process Heating System) and HM (Heating Material). All these categories consist of many products. The heating system requires 3 to 6 weeks to be manufactured. The process heating material needs 3 months to be manufactured. The heating materials are usually kept ready for the orders. There are two types of sales- the field sales and the inside sales. The field sales take care of the getting orders from the customers. The inside sales takes care of the internal information of the customer, invoicing, and order confirmation. The inside sales also look after the payment process and order placement. Firstly, a PO is sent from the field sales regarding the customer and the order requested. As mentioned, customer master and financial based works are taken over by the inside sales. The customer master is used to check whether the customer is new or old, whether to accept the order and to also check whether payments can be made. All the information is uploaded in a M3 and Dynamics 365 software and an invoice is being created. The invoice is sent to the technical team. When the technical team confirms the order then the information is sent to the design team and the delivery date is finalized. Then the order is confirmed by the inside sales. The production is started after confirmation. There is a separate team for assembly. After confirmation the inside sales proceed with payment methods.

OTC SENIOR STATION: CONSUMER-FACING TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE MEDICATION SAFETY

Abstract Over-the-counter (OTC) medications with anticholinergic effects (e.g. doxylamine, diphenhydramine) are widely used by older adults, despite their association with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Authoritative bodies, such as the American Geriatrics Society and National Academy of Medicine, recommend discouraging the use of both prescription and OTC anticholinergics. However, most interventions previously developed and tested have targeted only prescription anticholinergics despite the use rate of OTC anticholinergics being higher in older adult populations. Consumer-facing technology may be ideal for addressing OTC anticholinergic use as it is cost effective, scalable, and can address the constraints of relying on busy pharmacists to intervene during older adult OTC medication purchases; this has become especially relevant as pharmacies face staffing shortages, increasing pharmacist workload and requiring pharmacies adjust their hours of operation. Our interdisciplinary team of pharmacists, engineers, and designers engaged both older adults and pharmacy staff in the co-design of “OTC Senior Station”: a user-centered, consumer-facing kiosk to be placed in community pharmacies to promote reduced anticholinergic use by older adults. Kiosk users are prompted to input brief information, which is used to present safer alternatives to OTC anticholinergics (e.g., for insomnia management). This poster will present OTC Senior Station--what we believe to be the first consumer-facing technology to target OTC anticholinergic use—the participatory design methods used to create it, and the results of studies to assess its usability with older adults.

Arts, crafts, and dance - developing aesthetic learning processes in arts and crafts through a general teacher education and higher dance education collaboration

The context for this research is a collaboration that took place in 2021 between the general teacher education study program in arts and crafts at the NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University College of Dance Art in Oslo, Norway. The higher dance education institution visited the general teacher education institution with the workshop KROM, an anagram for body and spaces in Norwegian. KROM was developed at Rom for dans (Dancespaces) and is a well-established workshop project that has been touring schools in Norway widely. The KROM workshop visiting the teacher education institution became an educational design research project guided by the question: How can a workshop collaboration with the topic “body and spaces” carried out by an educational design team from a primary and secondary teacher education institution and a higher dance education institution produce insights about aesthetic learning processes in arts and crafts? An educational design team consisting of six members from the two involved institutions designed, carried out, and researched the project. Central insights offered as an outcome of the collaboration are as follows: the quality of the collaboration in the design-team itself is of crucial importance; active connections to the traditions and pedagogies of the hosting subject, in this case arts and crafts, need to be made by the hosting teacher educators in order to support the teacher candidates’ learning; and, dance engages specifically the elements of body, space, embodied collaboration, and play in arts and crafts aesthetic learning processes.