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System Designers (system + designer)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Information Science and Computing	50%
Engineering	50%

Selected Abstracts

User perspectives on relevance criteria: A comparison among relevant, partially relevant, and not-relevant judgments

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2002
Kelly L. Maglaughlin
This study investigates the use of criteria to assess relevant, partially relevant, and not-relevant documents. Study participants identified passages within 20 document representations that they used to make relevance judgments; judged each document representation as a whole to be relevant, partially relevant, or not relevant to their information need; and explained their decisions in an interview. Analysis revealed 29 criteria, discussed positively and negatively, that were used by the participants when selecting passages that contributed or detracted from a document's relevance. These criteria can be grouped into six categories: abstract (e.g., citability, informativeness), author (e.g., novelty, discipline, affiliation, perceived status), content (e.g., accuracy/validity, background, novelty, contrast, depth/scope, domain, citations, links, relevant to other interests, rarity, subject matter, thought catalyst), full text (e.g., audience, novelty, type, possible content, utility), journal/publisher (e.g., novelty, main focus, perceived quality), and personal (e.g., competition, time requirements). Results further indicate that multiple criteria are used when making relevant, partially relevant, and not-relevant judgments, and that most criteria can have either a positive or negative contribution to the relevance of a document. The criteria most frequently mentioned by study participants were content, followed by criteria characterizing the full text document. These findings may have implications for relevance feedback in information retrieval systems, suggesting that systems accept and utilize multiple positive and negative relevance criteria from users. Systems designers may want to focus on supporting content criteria followed by full text criteria as these may provide the greatest cost benefit. [source]

Digital human modeling and workplace evaluation: Using an automobile assembly task as an example

HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 5 2007
Shao-Wen Chang
This study proposes a method of conducting workplace evaluations in the digital environment for the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. For visual presentation, we apply a digital human modeling system to the workplace virtual dynamic simulation. Then, we use captured workplace motion data for ergonomics evaluation, including biomechanics analysis and posture analysis. By integrating dynamic simulation and ergonomics evaluation, it enables the system designer to visualize and improve workplace design in the digital space. The method has been applied to evaluate automobile assembly tasks and some ergonomic improvements have been implemented.f© 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Sequential decision-theoretic models and expert systems

EXPERT SYSTEMS, Issue 2 2002
Silvano Mussi
Sequential decision models are an important component of expert systems since, in general, the cost of acquiring information is significant and there is a trade-off between the cost and the value of information. Many expert systems in various domains (business, engineering, medicine etc.), needing costly inputs that are not known until the system operates, have to face this problem. In the last decade the field of sequential decision models based on decision theory (sequential decision-theoretic models) have become more and more important due to both the continuous progress made by research in Bayesian networks and the availability of modern powerful tools for building Bayesian networks and for probability propagation. This paper provides readers (especially knowledge engineers and expert system designers) with a unified and integrated presentation of the disparate literature in the field of sequential decision-making based on decision theory, in order to improve comprehensibility and accessibility. Besides the presentation of the general theory, a view of sequential diagnosis as an instance of the general concept of sequential decision-theoretic models is also shown. [source]

Effect of ventilation strategies on air contaminant concentrations and energy consumption in buildings

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2001
Ismail M. Budaiwi
Abstract Considering the diversity of indoor contaminant characteristics and generation patterns, finding an appropriate ventilation strategy that can secure acceptable indoor air quality with minimum energy consumption is a challenging task for HVAC system designers and operators. This study theoretically models and investigates the impact of various ventilation strategies on contaminant concentration behaviour and corresponding ventilation cooling energy requirements for a single-zone enclosure. Two types of contaminants are considered; carbon dioxide as an occupancy dependent and formaldehyde, which is independent of occupancy. An airflow model is used to predict space pressure and air leakage rates across the enclosure envelope, and an air quality model is used to predict time-varying contaminant concentrations. In addition, a building energy simulation model is utilized to predict the corresponding ventilation cooling energy requirements under hot climatic conditions. Results from this study show that acceptable contaminant concentrations during occupied periods can be achieved by different ventilation strategies but at substantially different ventilation energy requirements. More than 50 per cent reduction in ventilation energy requirements can be obtained while maintaining acceptable IAQ if proper ventilation strategy is employed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

In-depth analysis of the satellite component of DVB-SH: Scenarios, system dimensioning, simulations and field trial results

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 4-5 2009
Ana Bolea Alamanac
Abstract This paper presents a first-step validation of the satellite component of DVB-SH obtained by simulations and preliminary on-field measurements. It is hoped that the results presented will be useful to system designers. The methodology and results presented are expected to be further consolidated by additional on-field trials with recently launched and soon to be launched commercial S-band GEO satellites dedicated to DVB-SH. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Identifying Web search session patterns using cluster analysis: A comparison of three search environments

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2009
Dietmar Wolfram
Session characteristics taken from large transaction logs of three Web search environments (academic Web site, public search engine, consumer health information portal) were modeled using cluster analysis to determine if coherent session groups emerged for each environment and whether the types of session groups are similar across the three environments. The analysis revealed three distinct clusters of session behaviors common to each environment: "hit and run" sessions on focused topics, relatively brief sessions on popular topics, and sustained sessions using obscure terms with greater query modification. The findings also revealed shifts in session characteristics over time for one of the datasets, away from "hit and run" sessions toward more popular search topics. A better understanding of session characteristics can help system designers to develop more responsive systems to support search features that cater to identifiable groups of searchers based on their search behaviors. For example, the system may identify struggling searchers based on session behaviors that match those identified in the current study to provide context sensitive help. [source]

From generative fit to generative capacity: exploring an emerging dimension of information systems design and task performance

INFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009
Michel Avital
Abstract Information systems (IS) research has been long concerned with improving task-related performance. The concept of fit is often used to explain how system design can improve performance and overall value. So far, the literature has focused mainly on performance evaluation criteria that are based on measures of task efficiency, accuracy, or productivity. However, nowadays, productivity gain is no longer the single evaluation criterion. In many instances, computer systems are expected to enhance our creativity, reveal opportunities and open new vistas of uncharted frontiers. To address this void, we introduce the concept of generativity in the context of IS design and develop two corresponding design considerations ,,generative capacity' that refers to one's ability to produce something ingenious or at least new in a particular context, and ,generative fit' that refers to the extent to which an IT artefact is conducive to evoking and enhancing that generative capacity. We offer an extended view of the concept of fit and realign the prevailing approaches to human,computer interaction design with current leading-edge applications and users' expectations. Our findings guide systems designers who aim to enhance creative work, unstructured syntheses, serendipitous discoveries, and any other form of computer-aided tasks that involve unexplored outcomes or aim to enhance our ability to go boldly where no one has gone before. In this paper, we explore the underpinnings of ,generative capacity' and argue that it should be included in the evaluation of task-related performance. Then, we briefly explore the role of fit in IS research, position ,generative fit' in that context, explain its role and impact on performance, and provide key design considerations that enhance generative fit. Finally, we demonstrate our thesis with an illustrative vignette of good generative fit, and conclude with ideas for further research. [source]

Computers, systems theory, and the making of a wired hospital: A history of Technicon Medical Information System, 1964,1987

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 6 2010
Rachel Plotnick
This paper investigates the controversy surrounding the systems approach in medicine, contributing to the body of literature on systems and information technology in civilian contexts. Specifically, the paper follows the design and implementation of a hospital information system at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, California, in the 1960s and 1970s. The case study suggests that while many considered "people problems" like healthcare too complex for the systems approach, in fact it could have positive results if system engineers could translate social concerns about medicine into business and organizational strategies. This paper identifies the ways systems designers approached an organization characterized by autonomy rather than collaboration, craft rather than science, and charity rather than business, and helped to redefine that organization as one that emphasized rationality, efficiency, and the coexistence of man and machine. [source]