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Systematic Process (systematic + process)
Selected AbstractsFull-wave modeling and optimization of Bøifot junction ortho-mode transducersINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RF AND MICROWAVE COMPUTER-AIDED ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2008Jorge A. Ruiz-Cruz Abstract The full-wave design of broadband ortho-mode transducers based on the Bøifot junction has two main aspects: an efficient analysis method and a design process divided into tasks with relatively low computational effort. In the analysis part, a rigorous mode-matching technique has been developed to obtain the generalized admittance matrix of the Bøifot junction. The other elements of the device are also analyzed by mode-matching. With respect to the design, the proposed procedure starts with the optimization of the individual building blocks of the device. Their interaction is also taken into account in a systematic process. The analysis and design methods have been validated with other numerical methods and an experimental prototype. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2008. [source] Methodological rigour within a qualitative frameworkJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2004Gerard A. Tobin BSc MSc RGN RMN RCNT RNT Aim., This paper discusses the literature on establishing rigour in research studies. It describes the methodological trinity of reliability, validity and generalization and explores some of the issues relating to establishing rigour in naturalistic inquiry. Background., Those working within the naturalistic paradigm have questioned the issue of using validity, reliability and generalizability to demonstrate robustness of qualitative research. Triangulation has been used to demonstrate confirmability and completeness and has been one means of ensuring acceptability across paradigms. Emerging criteria such as goodness and trustworthiness can be used to evaluate the robustness of naturalistic inquiry. Discussion., It is argued that the transference of terms across paradigms is inappropriate; however, if we reject the concepts of validity and reliability, we reject the concept of rigour. Rejection of rigour undermines acceptance of qualitative research as a systematic process that can contribute to the advancement of knowledge. Emerging criteria for demonstrating robustness in qualitative inquiry, such as authenticity, trustworthiness and goodness, need to be considered. Goodness, when not seen as a separate construct but as an integral and embedded component of the research process, should be useful in assuring quality of the entire study. Triangulation is a tried and tested means of offering completeness, particularly in mixed-method research. When multiple types of triangulation are used appropriately as the ,triangulation state of mind', they approach the concept of crystallization, which allows for infinite variety of angles of approach. Conclusion., Qualitative researchers need to be explicit about how and why they choose specific legitimizing criteria in ensuring the robustness of their inquiries. A shift from a position of fundamentalism to a more pluralistic approach as a means of legitimizing naturalistic inquiry is advocated. [source] Perspectives on professional values among nurses in TaiwanJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 10 2009Fu-Jin Shih Aim., The purpose of this study was to identify the most important contemporary professional nursing values for nursing clinicians and educators in Taiwan. Background., Nursing values are constructed by members of political and social systems, including professional nursing organisations and educational institutions. Nurses' personal value systems shape the development of these professional values. An understanding of nurses' perceptions of professional values will enable the profession to examine consistencies with those reflected in existing and emerging educational and practice environments. Design., A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using the focus-group discussion method. Methods., A purposive sample of 300 registered nurses in Taiwan, consisting of 270 nursing clinicians and 30 faculty members, participated in 22 focus-group interviews. Data were analysed using a systematic process of content analysis. Results., Six prominent values related to professional nursing were identified: (a) caring for clients with a humanistic spirit; (b) providing professionally competent and holistic care; (c) fostering growth and discovering the meaning of life; (d) experiencing the ,give-and-take' of caring for others; (e) receiving fair compensation; and (f) raising the public's awareness of health promotion. Four background contexts framed the way participants viewed the appropriation of these values: (a) appraising nursing values through multiple perspectives; (b) acquiring nursing values through self-realisation; (c) recognising nursing values through professional competency and humanistic concerns and (d) fulfilling nursing values through coexisting self-actualisation. A conceptual framework was developed to represent this phenomenon. Conclusion., The most important professional nursing values according to the perspectives of nurses in Taiwan were identified. These values reflect benefits to society, to nurses themselves and to the interdisciplinary team. Relevance to clinical practice., Nurses' awareness of their own values and of how these values influence their behaviour is an essential component of humanistic nursing care. Nursing educators need to develop better strategies for reflection and integration of both personal and professional philosophies and values. [source] The characteristics, qualities and skills of practice developersJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 3 2003Brendan Mccormack BSc, DPhil, PGCEA Summary ,,There is a growing interest in practice development as a systematic process for the development of quality patient care. ,,Whilst there is a range of accounts of practice development in the literature, little work has been undertaken to develop an understanding of the systems and processes involved and there is even less on the roles involved in practice development. ,,This paper explores in particular the characteristics, qualities and skills of practice developers, i.e. professionals who have formal responsibility for developing practice in organizations. ,,The paper represents part of a larger study exploring the conceptual basis of the term ,practice development'. ,,Data for this part of the project were collected through literature analysis, seven focus groups involving 60 practice developers and telephone interviews with 25 practising nurses with experience of working with practice developers. The data were analysed using cognitive mapping processes. ,,Four role functions are presented in the paper, as well as qualities and skills needed to operationalize the identified role functions. ,,A clear picture of the skills and qualities required by practice developers emerges from the data. [source] Architecture-based semantic evolution of embedded remotely controlled systemsJOURNAL OF SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND EVOLUTION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, Issue 3 2003Lawrence Chung Abstract Evolution of a software system is a natural process. In most systems, evolution takes place during the maintenance phase of their life cycles. Those systems that have reached their limit in evolution have usually reached their end of useful life and may have to be replaced. However, there are systems in which evolution occurs during the operational phase of their life cycles. Such systems are designed to evolve while in use or, in other words, be adaptable. Semantically adaptable systems are of particular interest to industry as such systems often times adapt themselves to environment change with little or no intervention from their developing or maintaining organization. Since embedded systems usually have a restricted hardware configuration, it is difficult to apply the techniques developed for non-embedded systems directly to embedded systems. This paper focuses on evolution through adaptation and develops the concepts and techniques for semantic evolution in embedded systems. As the first step in the development of a software solution, architectures of software systems themselves have to be made semantically evolvable. In this paper we explore various architectural alternatives for the semantic evolution of embedded systems,these architectures are based on four different techniques that we have identified for semantic evolution in embedded systems. The development of these architectures follows the systematic process provided by the non-functional requirement (NFR) framework, which also permits the architectures to be rated in terms of their evolvability. As the field of embedded systems is vast, this paper concentrates on those embedded systems that can be remotely controlled. In this application domain the embedded system is connected to an external controller by a communication link such as ethernet, serial, radio frequency, etc., and receives commands from and sends responses to the external controller via the communication link. The architectures developed in this paper have been partly validated by applying them in a real embedded system,a test instrument used for testing cell phones. These architectures and techniques for semantic evolution in this application domain give a glimpse of what can be done in achieving semantic evolution in software-implemented systems. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Consultative instructor supervision and evaluationPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT, Issue 5 2010William W. Lee PhD Organizations vary greatly in how they monitor training instructors. The methods used in monitoring vary greatly. This article presents a systematic process for improving instructor skills that result in better teaching and better learning, which results in better-prepared employees for the workforce. The consultative supervision and evaluation model breaks monitoring into two distinct phases: supervision, for the purpose of improving instruction, and evaluation, for the purpose of rating instructors for promotion, retention, raises, and bonuses. [source] Designing for performance, Part 1: Aligning your HPT decisions from top to bottomPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT, Issue 1 2007Ryan Watkins Wanting to improve individual and organizational performance is a worthwhile ambition. Yet your success in accomplishing this relies heavily on the suitable selection, design, and development of performance technologies. Only when capable performance technologies are systematically aligned with the desired results of your organization and its partners will you achieve sustainable performance improvements. In this article, the first of a three-part series, you will find a systematic process for initiating the design of a performance system that will accomplish useful results. From identifying the performance expectations of internal and external partners to justifying the performance objectives you establish as guides for future decision making, the systematic processes described in this article will provide you with the initial tools for successfully selecting an integrated set of performance technologies that have the capacity to accomplish valuable results. [source] Technical decomposition approach of critical to quality characteristics for Product Design for Six SigmaQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2010Yihai He Abstract Product Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) approach is a structural and disciplined methodology driven by critical to quality characteristics (CTQs). How to identify and decompose the CTQs is the kernel part in the DFSS process. Traditional method only depends on the quality function deployment (QFD) matrix to flow down CTQs roughly. The paper puts forward a novel technical approach for CTQs decomposition from customer requirements into critical technical parameters based on the relational tree. Specifically, this approach emphasizes the systematic process and quantitative computation on quality relation weight. In order to specify the object of product DFSS, the connotation and evolution model of CTQs are created first. Then along the product development process, a decomposition measure for relational tree of CTQs is studied based on the functional and physical trees in Axiomatic Design (AD). And the quality relation weight computation of its nodes by means of Rough Set and fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is explored. Finally, an application on a car body noise vibration harshness (NVH) improvement, as an example, is given, and the decomposition process of NVH related with the functional and physical trees as well as its node weights computation algorithm are expounded in detail. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Participatory evaluation (I) , sharing lessons from fieldwork in AsiaCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2007B. Crishna Abstract Background There is a need to study methodologies for evaluating social development projects. Traditional methods of evaluation are often not able to capture or measure the ,spirit of change' in people, which is the very essence of human development. Using participatory methodologies is a positive way to ensure that evaluations encourage an understanding of the value of critical analysis among service providers and other stakeholders. Participatory evaluation provides a systematic process of learning through experiences. Methods Practical experiences of conducting a number of evaluation studies in social development projects have led the author to develop four basic principles of participatory evaluation strategies. This has been further conceptualized through an extensive literature search. The article develops and shares these principles through descriptions of field experiences in Asia. Results The article illustrates that the role of any evaluation remains a learning process, one which promotes a climate of reflection and self-assessment. It shows how using participatory methods can create this environment of learning. However, one needs to keep in mind that participatory evaluation takes time, and that the role and calibre of the facilitator are crucial. Conclusion Participatory evaluation methods have been recommended for social development projects to ensure that stakeholders remain in control of their own lives and decisions. [source] Designing for performance, Part 1: Aligning your HPT decisions from top to bottomPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT, Issue 1 2007Ryan Watkins Wanting to improve individual and organizational performance is a worthwhile ambition. Yet your success in accomplishing this relies heavily on the suitable selection, design, and development of performance technologies. Only when capable performance technologies are systematically aligned with the desired results of your organization and its partners will you achieve sustainable performance improvements. In this article, the first of a three-part series, you will find a systematic process for initiating the design of a performance system that will accomplish useful results. From identifying the performance expectations of internal and external partners to justifying the performance objectives you establish as guides for future decision making, the systematic processes described in this article will provide you with the initial tools for successfully selecting an integrated set of performance technologies that have the capacity to accomplish valuable results. [source] | |||||||||||||