Journal articles on the topic 'Decision support systems Australia'
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Buttery, Alan, and Rick Tamaschke. "Marketing Decision Support Systems and Australian Businesses: A Queensland Case Study and Implications Towards 2000." Journal of Management & Organization 3, no. 1 (January 1997): 51–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s183336720000599x.
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AbstractLittle is known about the extent to which the Marketing Decision Support System (MDSS) technology is currently used in Australia, or about the scope for the technology in Australia towards the year 2000. This paper reports the results of recent survey research into MDSS in Queensland by industry sector (agriculture and mining, manufacturing, construction, and services). The results suggest that there is an urgent need to boost the pace of MDSS development in all industry sectors, and that this should be given a high priority in government policy initiatives to enhance Australia's competitive advantage. It is possible, otherwise, that the present gap in information usage between Australia and its competitors will widen, with consequent negative implications for the nation's current account deficit, foreign debt and unemployment.
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Buttery, Alan, and Rick Tamaschke. "Marketing Decision Support Systems and Australian Businesses: A Queensland Case Study and Implications Towards 2000." Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 3, no. 1 (January 1997): 51–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.5172/jmo.1997.3.1.51.
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AbstractLittle is known about the extent to which the Marketing Decision Support System (MDSS) technology is currently used in Australia, or about the scope for the technology in Australia towards the year 2000. This paper reports the results of recent survey research into MDSS in Queensland by industry sector (agriculture and mining, manufacturing, construction, and services). The results suggest that there is an urgent need to boost the pace of MDSS development in all industry sectors, and that this should be given a high priority in government policy initiatives to enhance Australia's competitive advantage. It is possible, otherwise, that the present gap in information usage between Australia and its competitors will widen, with consequent negative implications for the nation's current account deficit, foreign debt and unemployment.
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Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica, Andrew J. Constable, Elizabeth A. Fulton, Stuart P. Corney, Rowan Trebilco, Alistair J. Hobday, Julia L. Blanchard, et al. "Integrated modelling to support decision-making for marine social–ecological systems in Australia." ICES Journal of Marine Science 74, no. 9 (May 26, 2017): 2298–308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsx078.
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Abstract Policy- and decision-makers require assessments of status and trends for marine species, habitats, and ecosystems to understand if human activities in the marine environment are sustainable, particularly in the face of global change. Central to many assessments are statistical and dynamical models of populations, communities, ecosystems, and their socioeconomic systems and management frameworks. The establishment of a national system that could facilitate the development of such model-based assessments has been identified as a priority for addressing management challenges for Australia’s marine environment. Given that most assessments require cross-scale information, individual models cannot capture all of the spatial, temporal, biological, and socioeconomic scales that are typically needed. Coupling or integrating models across scales and domains can expand the scope for developing comprehensive and internally consistent, system-level assessments, including higher-level feedbacks in social–ecological systems. In this article, we summarize: (i) integrated modelling for marine systems currently being undertaken in Australia, (ii) methods used for integration and comparison of models, and (iii) improvements to facilitate further integration, particularly with respect to standards and specifications. We consider future needs for integrated modelling of marine social–ecological systems in Australia and provide a set of recommendations for priority focus areas in the development of a national approach to integrated modelling. These recommendations draw on—and have broader relevance for—international efforts around integrated modelling to inform decision-making for marine systems.
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Bellamy, JA, D. Lowes, AJ Ash, JG Mcivor, and ND Macleod. "A Decision Support Approach to Sustainable Grazing Management for Spatially Heterogeneous Rangeland Paddocks." Rangeland Journal 18, no. 2 (1996): 370. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9960370.
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Public concern for the way land resources are used has led to the introduction of legislation in several Australian States requiring the demonstration of sustainable use of the pastoral resource. However, no practical system of appraisal of sustainability in grazing management systems exists. The common situation facing decision-makers at policy and enterprise levels is one of inadequate, unobtainable or inappropriate data, or systematic indeterminacy. This necessitates erring on the side of caution, through an adaptive integrated approach to decision-making. Such an approach requires: (i) an understanding of the key processes that govern the interactions between livestock, plants, and heterogeneous landscape systems; (ii) the identification of indicators of potential problems in these systems at spatial and temporal scales relevant to human use and management; and (iii) the availability of effective tools to evaluate management options in terms of their risks to the sustainability of the grazing land resource, and the profitability of production. This paper describes a decision support approach to improving our understanding of the complexities of grazing management systems. The paper first proposes an integrated framework for a decision support system (DSS) for evaluating the sustainability of grazing management in terms of the risk of changes to the vegetation and soil resource, and the profitability of production. It then examines an application of a DSS approach, called Landassess DSS, to the tropical woodlands in northern Australia, and discusses the broader implications for sustainable management of extensive native pasture livestock production systems.
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Mullan, Leanne, Karen Wynter, Andrea Driscoll, and Bodil Rasmussen. "Implementation strategies to overcome barriers to diabetes-related footcare delivery in primary care: a qualitative study." Australian Journal of Primary Health 27, no. 4 (2021): 328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py20241.
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The aim of this study is to identify, from the perspectives of key health policy decision-makers, strategies that address barriers to diabetes-related footcare delivery in primary care, and outline key elements required to support implementation into clinical practice. The study utilised a qualitative design with inductive analysis approach. Seven key health policy decisions-makers within Australia were interviewed. Practical strategies identified to support provision and delivery of foot care in primary care were: (a) building on current incentivisation structures through quality improvement projects; (b) enhancing education and community awareness; (c) greater utilisation and provision of resources and support systems; and (d) development of collaborative models of care and referral pathways. Key elements reported to support effective implementation of footcare strategies included developing and implementing strategies based on co-design, consultation, collaboration, consolidation and co-commissioning. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first Australian study to obtain information from key health policy decision-makers, identifying strategies to support footcare delivery in primary care. Implementation of preventative diabetes-related footcare strategies into ‘routine’ primary care clinical practice requires multiparty co-design, consultation, consolidation, collaboration and co-commissioning. The basis of strategy development will influence implementation success and thus improve outcomes for people living with diabetes.
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Hochman, Z., H. van Rees, P. S. Carberry, J. R. Hunt, R. L. McCown, A. Gartmann, D. Holzworth, et al. "Re-inventing model-based decision support with Australian dryland farmers. 4. Yield Prophet® helps farmers monitor and manage crops in a variable climate." Crop and Pasture Science 60, no. 11 (2009): 1057. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp09020.
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In Australia, a land subject to high annual variation in grain yields, farmers find it challenging to adjust crop production inputs to yield prospects. Scientists have responded to this problem by developing Decision Support Systems, yet the scientists’ enthusiasm for developing these tools has not been reciprocated by farm managers or their advisers, who mostly continue to avoid their use. Preceding papers in this series described the FARMSCAPE intervention: a new paradigm for decision support that had significant effects on farmers and their advisers. These effects were achieved in large measure because of the intensive effort which scientists invested in engaging with their clients. However, such intensive effort is time consuming and economically unsustainable and there remained a need for a more cost-effective tool. In this paper, we report on the evolution, structure, and performance of Yield Prophet®: an internet service designed to move on from the FARMSCAPE model to a less intensive, yet high quality, service to reduce farmer uncertainty about yield prospects and the potential effects of alternative management practices on crop production and income. Compared with conventional Decision Support Systems, Yield Prophet offers flexibility in problem definition and allows farmers to more realistically specify the problems in their fields. Yield Prophet also uniquely provides a means for virtual monitoring of the progress of a crop throughout the season. This is particularly important for in-season decision support and for frequent reviewing, in real time, of the consequences of past decisions and past events on likely future outcomes. The Yield Prophet approach to decision support is consistent with two important, but often ignored, lessons from decision science: that managers make their decisions by satisficing rather than optimising and that managers’ fluid approach to decision making requires ongoing monitoring of the consequences of past decisions.
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Noble, James C., and Paul Walker. "Integrated shrub management in semi-arid woodlands of eastern Australia: A systems-based decision support model." Agricultural Systems 88, no. 2-3 (June 2006): 332–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2005.06.018.
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Atkinson, Jo-An, Adam Skinner, Sue Hackney, Linda Mason, Mark Heffernan, Dianne Currier, Kylie King, and Jane Pirkis. "Systems modelling and simulation to inform strategic decision making for suicide prevention in rural New South Wales (Australia)." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 54, no. 9 (June 17, 2020): 892–901. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0004867420932639.
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Background: The need to understand and respond to the unique characteristics and drivers of suicidal behaviour in rural areas has been enabled through the Australian Government’s 2015 mental health reforms facilitating a move to an evidence-based, regional approach to suicide prevention. However, a key challenge has been the complex decision-making environment and lack of appropriate tools to facilitate the use of evidence, data and expert knowledge in a way that can inform contextually appropriate strategies that will deliver the greatest impact. This paper reports the co-development of an advanced decision support tool that enables regional decision makers to explore the likely impacts of their decisions before implementing them in the real world. Methods: A system dynamics model for the rural and remote population catchment of Western New South Wales was developed. The model was based on defined pathways to mental health care and suicidal behaviour and reproduced historic trends in the incidence of attempted suicide (self-harm hospitalisations) and suicide deaths in the region. A series of intervention scenarios were investigated to forecast their impact on suicidal behaviour over a 10-year period. Results: Post-suicide attempt assertive aftercare was forecast to deliver the greatest impact, reducing the numbers of self-harm hospitalisations and suicide deaths by 5.65% (95% interval, 4.87−6.42%) and 5.45% (4.68−6.22%), respectively. Reductions were also projected for community support programs (self-harm hospitalisations: 2.83%, 95% interval 2.23−3.46%; suicide deaths: 4.38%, 95% interval 3.78−5.00%). Some scenarios produced unintuitive impacts or effect sizes that were significantly lower than what has been anticipated under the traditional evidence-based approach to suicide prevention and provide an opportunity for learning. Conclusion: Systems modelling and simulation offers significant potential for regional decision makers to better understand and respond to the unique characteristics and drivers of suicidal behaviour in their catchments and more effectively allocate limited health resources.
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Williams, Paul. "A regulation evaluation system: a decision support system for the Building Code of Australia." Construction Management and Economics 13, no. 3 (May 1995): 197–208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01446199500000024.
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Laka, Mah, Adriana Milazzo, and Tracy Merlin. "Factors That Impact the Adoption of Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) for Antibiotic Management." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4 (February 16, 2021): 1901. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041901.
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The study evaluated individual and setting-specific factors that moderate clinicians’ perception regarding use of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) for antibiotic management. A cross-sectional online survey examined clinicians’ perceptions about CDSS implementation for antibiotic management in Australia. Multivariable logistic regression determined the association between drivers of CDSS adoption and different moderators. Clinical experience, CDSS use and care setting were important predictors of clinicians’ perception concerning CDSS adoption. Compared to nonusers, CDSS users were less likely to lack confidence in CDSS (OR = 0.63, 95%, CI = 0.32, 0.94) and consider it a threat to professional autonomy (OR = 0.47, 95%, CI = 0.08, 0.83). Conversely, there was higher likelihood in experienced clinicians (>20 years) to distrust CDSS (OR = 1.58, 95%, CI = 1.08, 2.23) due to fear of comprising their clinical judgement (OR = 1.68, 95%, CI = 1.27, 2.85). In primary care, clinicians were more likely to perceive time constraints (OR = 1.96, 95%, CI = 1.04, 3.70) and patient preference (OR = 1.84, 95%, CI = 1.19, 2.78) as barriers to CDSS adoption for antibiotic prescribing. Our findings provide differentiated understanding of the CDSS implementation landscape by identifying different individual, organisational and system-level factors that influence system adoption. The individual and setting characteristics can help understand the variability in CDSS adoption for antibiotic management in different clinicians.
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Antonius, Nicky, Xiangzhu Gao, and Jun Xu. "Applying Enterprise Social Software for Knowledge Management." International Journal of Knowledge and Systems Science 7, no. 4 (October 2016): 19–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijkss.2016100102.
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This paper investigates the application of Enterprise Social Software for knowledge management in Australia. The Enterprise Social Software researched here assisted in collaborative knowledge sharing to support data-driven decision making. Enterprise Social Software was beneficial for complex tasks, especially those that involved a wide range of collaborators such as multi-disciplinary teams or geographically distant users. Australian knowledge workers found Enterprise Social Software to be extremely helpful in enhancing their externalisation and combination, but less proficient in socialisation and internalisation. In overall, there was agreement among respondents that Enterprise Social Software was facilitating them to meet work requirements which would be very hard or impossible to deliver without. The findings highlight Enterprise Social Software as a technological platform that diffuses the task complexity facing knowledge workers in Australia as a representation of the next generation Knowledge Management Systems.
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Westbrook, J. I., J. C. Wyatt, and E. Coiera. "Section 1: Health and Clinical Mangement: The Safety and Quality of Decision Support Systems." Yearbook of Medical Informatics 15, no. 01 (August 2006): 20–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1638469.
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SummaryThe use of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) can improve the overall safety and quality of health care delivery, but may also introduce machine-related errors. Recent concerns about the potential for CDSS to harm patients have generated much debate, but there is little research available to identify the nature of such errors, or quantify their frequency or clinical impact.A review of recent literature into electronic prescribing systems, as well as related literature in decision support.There seems to be some evidence for variation in the outcomes of using CDSS, most likely reflecting variations in clinical setting, culture, training and organizational process, independent of technical variables. There is also preliminary evidence that poorly implemented CDSS can lead to increased mortality in some settings. Studies in the US, UK and Australia have found commercial prescribing systems often fail to uniformly detect significant drug interactions, probably because of errors in their knowledge base. Electronic medication management systems may generate new types of error because of user-interface design, but al so because of events in the workplace such as distraction affecting the actions of system users. Another potential source of CDSS influenced errors are automation biases, including errors of omission where individuals miss important data because the system does not prompt them to notice them, and errors of commission where individuals do what the decision aid tells to do, even when this contradicts their training and other available data. Errors of dismissal occur when relevant alerts are ignored. On-line decision support systems may also result in errors where clinicians come to an incorrect assessment of the evidence, possibly shaped in part by cognitive decision biases.The effectiveness of decision support systems, like all other health IT, cannot be assessed purely by evaluating the usability and performance of the software, but is the outcome of a complex set of cognitive and socio-technical interactions. A deeper understanding of these issues can result in the design of systems which are not just intrinsically ‘safe’ but which also result in safe outcomes in the hands of busy or poorly resourced clinicians.
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Reiter, Dana, Wayne Meyer, Lael Parrott, Douglas Baker, and Peter Grace. "Increasing the effectiveness of environmental decision support systems: lessons from climate change adaptation projects in Canada and Australia." Regional Environmental Change 18, no. 4 (November 25, 2017): 1173–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-017-1255-9.
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Laka, Mah, Adriana Milazzo, Drew Carter, and Tracy Merlin. "OP196 Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) For Antibiotic Management: Factors Limiting Sustainable Digital Transformation." International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 37, S1 (December 2021): 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462321000763.
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IntroductionClinical decision support systems (CDSS) are being developed to support evidence-based antibiotic prescribing and reduce the risk of inappropriate or over-prescribing; however, adoption of CDSS into the health system is rarely sustained. We aimed to understand the implementation challenges at a macro (policymakers), meso (organizational) and micro-level (individual practices) to identify the drivers of CDSS non-adoption.MethodsWe have adopted a mixed-method study design which comprised of: (i) systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the impact of CDSS on appropriate antibiotic prescribing, (ii) Online survey of clinicians in Australia from hospitals and primary care to identify drivers of CDSS adoption and (iii) in-depth interviews with policymakers to evaluate policy-level challenges and opportunities to CDSS implementation.ResultsCDSS implementation can improve compliance with antibiotic prescribing guidelines, with a relative decrease in mortality, volume of antibiotic use and length of hospital stay. However, CDSS provision alone is not enough to achieve these benefits. Important predictors of clinicians’ perception regarding CDSS adoption include the seniority of clinical end-users (years), use of CDSS, and the care setting. Clinicians in primary care and those with significant clinical experience are less likely to use CDSS due to a lack of trust in the system, fear of comprising professional autonomy, and patients’ expectations. Lack of important policy considerations for CDSS integration into a multi-stakeholder healthcare system has limited the organizational capacity to foster change and align processes to support the innovation.ConclusionsThese results using multiple lines of evidence highlight the importance of a holistic approach when undertaking health technology management. There needs to be system-wide guidance that integrates individual, organizational and system-level factors when implementing CDSS so that effective antibiotic stewardship can be facilitated.
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Douglas, Ned, Jacqueline Leverett, Joseph Paul, Mitchell Gibson, Jessica Pritchard, Kayla Brouwer, Ebony Edwards, et al. "Performance of First Aid Trained Staff using a Modified START Triage Tool at Achieving Appropriate Triage Compared to a Physiology-Based Triage Strategy at Australian Mass Gatherings." Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 35, no. 2 (January 27, 2020): 184–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x20000102.
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AbstractIntroduction:Triage at mass gatherings in Australia is commonly performed by staff members with first aid training. There have been no evaluations of the performance of first aid staff with respect to diagnostic accuracy or identification of presentations requiring ambulance transport to hospital.Hypothesis:It was hypothesized that triage decisions by first aid staff would be considered correct in at least 61% of presentations.Methods:A retrospective audit of 1,048 presentations to a single supplier of event health care services in Australia was conducted. The presentations were assessed based on the first measured set of physiological parameters, and the primary triage decision was classified as “expected” if the primary and secondary triage classifications were the same or “not expected” if they differed. The performance of the two triage systems was compared using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis.Results:The expected decision was made by first aid staff in 674 (71%) of presentations. Under-triage occurred in 131 (14%) presentations and over-triage in 142 (15%) presentations. The primary triage strategy had an AUROC of 0.7644, while the secondary triage strategy had an AUROC of 0.6280, which was significantly different (P = .0199).Conclusion:The results support the continued use of first aid trained staff members in triage roles at Australian mass gatherings. Triage tools should be simple, and the addition of physiological variables to improve the sensitivity of triage tools is not recommended because such an approach does not improve the discriminatory capacity of the tools.
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Speirs, Simon D., Doug J. Reuter, Ken I. Peverill, and Ross F. Brennan. "Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia: an overview." Crop and Pasture Science 64, no. 5 (2013): 417. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp13034.
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Australian grain production depends on applied fertiliser, particularly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and to a lesser extent potassium (K) and sulfur (S). Despite this dependence, soil testing is used sparingly as a tool to underpin fertiliser decisions. Some grain producers typically conduct soil tests at least once every 3 years on a selection of individual fields, but it is broadly understood that many grain producers use soil testing rarely or not at all. The choice by many grain producers not to support fertiliser decisions by soil testing relates to several factors. One key factor has been a perception that soil test interpretation criteria, previously published separately before collation by K. I. Peverill, L. A. Sparrow, and D. J. Reuter, may be biased or unreliable. The current paper provides an overview of research findings, presented in this special edition of Crop & Pasture Science, describing a national approach to the collation of all available and statistically valid N, P, K, and S response trials for cereal, oilseed, and pulse crops in Australia. It provides an overview of the process adopted to make this single national dataset available to both the grains and fertiliser industries. The process to build adoption has formed an integral component of the approach, as calibration data derived from the national database are being used to underpin soil test interpretation as part of fertiliser recommendations made through Fertcare to grain producers in Australia.
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Heartfield, Marie, Andrea Morello, Melanie Harris, Sharon Lawn, Vincenza Pols, Carolyn Stapleton, and Malcolm Battersby. "e-Learning competency for practice nurses: an evaluation report." Australian Journal of Primary Health 19, no. 4 (2013): 287. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py13033.
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Practice nurses in Australia are now funded to facilitate chronic condition management, including self-management support. Chronic disease management requires an established rapport, support and proactivity between general practitioners, patients and the practice nurses. To achieve this, training in shared decision making is needed. e-Learning supports delivery and achievement of such policy outcomes, service improvements and skill development. However, e-learning effectiveness for health care professionals’ is determined by several organisational, economic, pedagogical and individual factors, with positive e-learning experience linked closely to various supports. This paper reinforces previous studies showing nurses’ expanding role across general practice teams and reports on some of the challenges of e-learning. Merely providing practice nurses with necessary information via web-based learning systems does not ensure successful learning or progress toward improving health outcomes for patients.
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Agnew, Danelle, and Kirstie Fryirs. "Identifying corridors of river recovery in coastal NSW Australia, for use in river management decision support and prioritisation systems." PLOS ONE 17, no. 6 (June 23, 2022): e0270285. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0270285.
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By connecting corridors of river recovery, resilience can be built into river systems to mitigate against future floods and droughts driven by anthropogenic disturbance or climate extremes. However, identifying where these corridors can be built is still lacking in river management practice. The Open Access NSW River Styles database contains comprehensive information on geomorphic river condition and recovery potential. The database can be used to systematically analyse where corridors of river recovery could be created via conservation or rehabilitation. Analysis was undertaken in ArcGIS using the recovery potential layer along 84,342 km of freshwater stream length, across 20 catchments of coastal NSW. We identified 4,905 km of reach connections, defined as an upstream to downstream section of river that is connected end-to-end, and 17,429 km of loci connections defined as more isolated sections of river from which recovery can be seeded and extended into adjacent reaches. There was significant spatial variability in the types and lengths of connections made across the catchments. Some catchments have significant potential to build corridors of recovery along large sections of river, whereas other catchments are more fragmented. These results provide practitioners with a user-friendly distillation of where river conservation and rehabilitation activities could be focussed when working with river recovery in practice. Combined with local on-ground knowledge, this information forms an important input to evidence-based prioritisation and decision making in river management.
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Eastwood, C. R., D. F. Chapman, and M. S. Paine. "Networks of practice for co-construction of agricultural decision support systems: Case studies of precision dairy farms in Australia." Agricultural Systems 108 (April 2012): 10–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2011.12.005.
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Carberry, P. S., Z. Hochman, J. R. Hunt, N. P. Dalgliesh, R. L. McCown, J. P. M. Whish, M. J. Robertson, M. A. Foale, P. L. Poulton, and H. van Rees. "Re-inventing model-based decision support with Australian dryland farmers. 3. Relevance of APSIM to commercial crops." Crop and Pasture Science 60, no. 11 (2009): 1044. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp09052.
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Crop simulation models relevant to real-world agriculture have been a rationale for model development over many years. However, as crop models are generally developed and tested against experimental data and with large systematic gaps often reported between experimental and farmer yields, the relevance of simulated yields to the commercial yields of field crops may be questioned. This is the third paper in a series which describes a substantial effort to deliver model-based decision support to Australian farmers. First, the performance of the cropping systems simulator, APSIM, in simulating commercial crop yields is reported across a range of field crops and agricultural regions. Second, how APSIM is used in gaining farmer credibility for their planning and decision making is described using actual case studies. Information was collated on APSIM performance in simulating the yields of over 700 commercial crops of barley, canola, chickpea, cotton, maize, mungbean, sorghum, sugarcane, and wheat monitored over the period 1992 to 2007 in all cropping regions of Australia. This evidence indicated that APSIM can predict the performance of commercial crops at a level close to that reported for its performance against experimental yields. Importantly, an essential requirement for simulating commercial yields across the Australian dryland cropping regions is to accurately describe the resources available to the crop being simulated, particularly soil water and nitrogen. Five case studies of using APSIM with farmers are described in order to demonstrate how model credibility was gained in the context of each circumstance. The proposed process for creating mutual understanding and credibility involved dealing with immediate questions of the involved farmers, contextualising the simulations to the specific situation in question, providing simulation outputs in an iterative process, and together reviewing the ensuing seasonal results against provided simulations. This paper is distinct from many other reports testing the performance and utility of cropping systems models. Here, the measured yields are from commercial crops not experimental plots and the described applications were from real-life situations identified by farmers. A key conclusion, from 17 years of effort, is the proven ability of APSIM to simulate yields from commercial crops provided soil properties are well characterised. Thus, the ambition of models being relevant to real-world agriculture is indeed attainable, at least in situations where biotic stresses are manageable.
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Chapman, D. F., B. R. Cullen, I. R. Johnson, and D. Beca. "Interannual variation in pasture growth rate in Australian and New Zealand dairy regions and its consequences for system management." Animal Production Science 49, no. 12 (2009): 1071. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an09054.
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The profitability of dairy farms in Australia and New Zealand is closely related to the amount of pasture dry matter consumed per hectare per year. There is variability in the pasture growth curve within years (seasonal variation) and between years (interannual variation) in all dairy regions in both countries. Therefore, the biological efficiency of production systems depends on the accuracy and timeliness of the many strategic and tactical decisions that influence the balance between feed supply and demand over an annual cycle. In the case of interannual variation, decisions are made with only limited quantitative information on the range of possible pasture growth outcomes. To address this limitation, we used the biophysical simulation model ‘DairyMod’ to estimate mean monthly herbage accumulation rates of annual or perennial ryegrass-based pastures in 100 years (1907–2006) for five Australian sites (Kyabram in northern Victoria, Terang in south-west Victoria, Ellinbank in Gippsland, Elliott in north-west Tasmania and Vasse in south-west Western Australia) and in 35 years (1972–2006) for three sites in New Zealand (Hamilton in the Waikato, Palmerston North in the Manawatu and Winchmore in Canterbury). The aim was to evaluate whether or not a probabilistic approach to the analysis of pasture growth could provide useful information to support decision making. For the one site where annual ryegrass was simulated, Vasse, the difference between the 25th and 75th percentile years was 20 kg DM/ha.day or less in all months when pasture growth occurred. Irrigation at Kyabram and Winchmore also resulted in a narrow range of growth rates in most months. For non-irrigated sites, the 25th–75th percentile range was narrow (10–15 kg DM/ha.day) from May or June through to September or October, because plant available soil water was adequate to support perennial ryegrass growth, and the main source of interannual variability was variation in temperature. Outside of these months, however, variability in growth was large. There was a positive relationship between total annual herbage accumulation rate and mean stocking for four southern Australian regions (northern Victoria, south-west Victoria, Gippsland and Tasmania), but there was evidence of a negative relationship between the co-efficient of variation in pasture growth and stocking rate. The latter suggests that farmers do account for risk in pasture supply in their stocking rate decisions. However, for the one New Zealand region included in this analysis, Waikato, stocking rate was much higher than would be expected based on the variability in pasture growth, indicating that farmers in this region have well defined decision rules for coping with feed deficits or surpluses. Model predictions such as those presented here are one source of information that can support farm management decision making, but should always be coupled with published data, direct experience, and other relevant information to analyse risk for individual farm businesses.
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Khan, Shahbaz, Tariq Rana, Munir A. Hanjra, and David Robinson. "Decision support model for water policy in the presence of waterlogging and salinity." Water Policy 13, no. 2 (September 29, 2009): 187–207. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wp.2010.024.
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Irrigation improves food security and human wellbeing. Poorly managed irrigation can raise watertables inducing waterlogging and salinity. Excessive groundwater withdrawals can lower watertables, impacting drainage and interlinked hydroeconomic systems. Sustainable irrigation management thus remains a global water policy challenge. This study develops a framework for using market-based instruments for net groundwater recharge management to mitigate waterlogging and salinity, taking selected settings in the Murray–Darling Basin in Australia as a case study. The SWAGMAN® series of models are developed which enable farmers to meet their paddock-scale recharge targets while optimizing profits, and to link their onfarm land and water management actions to regional recharge goals. Spatial quantification of recharge effectively converts a diffuse source groundwater recharge issue to a point source problem, enabling assignment of private property rights to a common pool issue. Integrated hydrological, economic, and institutional models, as well as farm case studies, are used to evaluate the efficiency of various net recharge management options, specifically a cap-and-trade model. The results show that the net gains from the scheme would be small, about 1% of annual farm income, which do not support its outright adoption. Consideration of offsite/indirect impacts may, however, alter this calculus.
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Hill, Katy, Tim Moltmann, Roger Proctor, and Simon Allen. "The Australian Integrated Marine Observing System: Delivering Data Streams to Address National and International Research Priorities." Marine Technology Society Journal 44, no. 6 (November 1, 2010): 65–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.4031/mtsj.44.6.13.
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AbstractThe Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) has been established with Australian federal government funding, bringing together universities and marine agencies from across the nation to deliver a sustained observing system for Australia. It is led by the University of Tasmania on behalf of the marine and climate science community, with 10 different organizations operating components of the system based on their institutional strengths and capabilities. The system’s primary goal is to provide information in support of marine and climate science; however, as all IMOS data are discoverable and freely available through the Internet-based Ocean Portal, the system has the potential to support decision making in many other areas of marine management. IMOS has become the cornerstone of Australia’s contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System and plays a leading role in the development of observing systems in the Southern Hemisphere. This article will outline how IMOS works, with an emphasis on the key principles of (i) national, science-driven planning and (ii) delivery of data streams as research infrastructure. It will also highlight recent achievements and challenges for the future. Although it is still in its “early days,” indications are that IMOS is revolutionizing ocean observing in Australia and is laying a platform for the delivery of sustained observations over the very long term.
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Laka, Mah, Adriana Milazzo, Drew Carter, and Tracy Merlin. "OP199 From Pilot Studies To System-Wide Innovation: Challenges And Opportunities For Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) Implementation In Australia." International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 37, S1 (December 2021): 5–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462321000775.
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IntroductionThe clinical data is increasing at a considerably higher rate than the capacity of the healthcare system and clinicians to manage this data. Digital tools such as clinical decision support systems (CDSS) provide opportunities for evidence-based patient care by intelligently filtering and presenting the information required for clinical decision making at the point of care. Despite the success of pilot projects, CDSS have had limited implementation in broader health systems. We aimed to identify challenges faced by policymakers for CDSS implementation and to provide policy recommendations.MethodsWe conducted eleven semi-structured interviews with Australian policymakers from state and national committees involved in digital health activities. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify policy priorities.ResultsOur findings indicate that fragmentation of care processes and structures in the digital health ecosystem is one of the main impediments to delivering coordinated care using CDSS. Five themes for policy action were identified: (i) establishing a shared conceptual framework for user-centered design of CDSS that is aligned with stakeholders’ priorities, (ii) maintaining the right balance between the customization and standardization of systems, (iii) developing mutually agreed semantic interoperability standards at the local, state and national level, allowing generation and exchange of information across the health system without changing its context and meaning, (iv) reorienting organizational structures to build capacity to foster change, and (v) developing collaborative care models to avoid conflicting interests between stakeholders.ConclusionsFindings highlight the importance of developing system-wide guidance to establish a clear vision for CDSS implementation and alignment of organizational processes across all levels of health care. There is a need to build a shared policy framework for modelling the innovative activities such as CDSS implementation across the digital health landscape which minimizes the operational and strategic fragmentation of different organizations.
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Bajwa, Deepinder S., L. Floyd Lewis, Graham Pervan, and Vincent S. Lai. "The Adoption and use of Collaboration Information Technologies: International Comparisons." Journal of Information Technology 20, no. 2 (June 2005): 130–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jit.2000037.
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Information technology (IT) applications to support group decision processes have been of considerable interest over the years. With the emergence of virtual team arrangements and the advent of emerging information and networking technologies, an increasing amount of attention is now being aimed at understanding collaboration among group members, as they make decisions to accomplish tasks. Effective and efficient collaboration is critical from a decision quality and decision timeliness standpoint. Commonly known as collaborative information technologies (CITs), many technology solutions have the capability to enhance collaboration and facilitate group decisions in task accomplishment by enabling better communication, sharing of information, ideas, expertise, and evaluating alternatives, irrespective of time and distance barriers. Many studies have investigated such individual CIT solutions in different regional settings. However, despite the fact that no single medium can support collaboration in different types of tasks, there is a scarcity of research investigating the adoption and use of multiple CIT options across regions. This paper builds upon innovation diffusion theory and tests a research model to validate five antecedents of collective adoption and use of seven CITs in the US, Australia, and Hong Kong. Sub-sample analyses of data collected from 344 organizations in these three regions suggest that not only do adoption and use patterns of some CIT solutions vary across regions but so do the antecedents that explain their proliferation. Implications of our findings are discussed for practitioners and researchers.
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Lokuge, Weena, Nirdosha Gamage, and Sujeeva Setunge. "Fault tree analysis method for deterioration of timber bridges using an Australian case study." Built Environment Project and Asset Management 6, no. 3 (July 4, 2016): 332–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/bepam-01-2016-0001.
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Purpose – Deterioration of timber bridges can often be related to a number of deficiencies in the bridge elements, connectors and/or as a result of been in aggressive environments which they are exposed to. The maintenance cost of timber bridges is affected significantly by a number of deterioration mechanisms which require a systematic approach for diagnosis and treatment. Evaluating the risk of failure of these bridges is of importance in bridge performance assessment and decision making to optimize rehabilitation options. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies common causes for timber bridge deterioration and demonstrates an integrated approach based on fault tree analysis to obtain qualitative or quantitative estimation of the risk of failure of timber bridge sub-systems. Level 2 inspection report for a timber bridge in Queensland, Australia has been utilized as a case study in this research to identify the failure modes of the bridge. Findings – A diagnostic tool for timber bridge deterioration will benefit asset inspectors, managers, and engineers to identify the type, size and the distress mechanisms in order to recognize the proper corrective measures either to prevent or to reduce further deterioration. Timber bridge maintenance is a major issue in Queensland, Australia. If a decision support tool can be developed, it will benefit road authorities and local councils. Originality/value – Timber bridge maintenance is a major issue in Queensland, Australia. If a decision support tool can be developed as initiated in this research paper it will benefit road authorities and local councils.
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Grain, Heather. "Information systems in the new world: an emerging national approach." Australian Health Review 29, no. 3 (2005): 292. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah050292.
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AUSTRALIA IS ONE OF MANY countries around the world wanting to take advantage of clinical decision support systems to reduce misadventure, improve quality of care and enhance health outcomes. Policy and infrastructure developments that could remove many of the barriers to the implementation of these systems are being considered by the Australian Health Ministers? Advisory Council (AHMAC) over the next few months. These initiatives include processes for national identification of health care recipients; common approaches to consent to information sharing and access control in the electronic health care environment; secure messaging infrastructure; a national medicines directory and agreement on national terminology.1 These considerations are taking place in a context of jurisdictional cost sharing, with mutual benefits being sought. Detailed business cases have been developed, and supporting policy and practical pathways forward are actively sought. This joint policy and infrastructure development approach will seek to build consistent, shared formats and risk management, as well as shared financial responsibility. This approach is seen as more likely to lead to system change and implementation, where previously almost every advancement has succeeded in identifying more obstacles. The kind of objectives outlined above are a major underpinning of HealthConnect and state-based health information system initiatives across the country. These initiatives are extremely expensive, require significant infrastructure investment to achieve the benefits they promise, and none can be successfully implemented solely by information technology or information system professionals. It is vital that health care managers at all levels and domains of health care appreciate the success factors when making decisions about the introduction and management of these systems. The information world itself is changing for us all. These changes don?t just affect the information managers or the information technology (IT) enthusiasts found in many clinical areas of our health care organisations. As in other areas of our lives, IT has invasive effects on the clinical workplace, administration and government offices. Managers in health care are often frustrated by what is seen as a failure of IT to deliver on its promise of better decision support systems, sharing of clinical information between organisations and faster access to patient information and clinical knowledge. Nevertheless, these systems are already changing the method of collecting and using clinical information in the workplace, and are having an impact on the skills needed by all health professionals, including the health administrator.
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Rozario, Venkatraman, Chu, and Abbas. "Dominant Factors for an Effective Selection System: An Australian Education Sector Perspective." Systems 7, no. 4 (November 1, 2019): 50. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/systems7040050.
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With the latest advancements in information technologies, many organisations expect systems to provide effective support in the recruitment process and decision making. However, there is a lack of clarity on the dominant factors required for an effective recruitment system which can influence business outcomes. This paper aimed to identify the predominant factors in the employee selection process and the use of a management system for decision support. The empirical study consisted of a qualitative survey of 74 samples and a quantitative survey of 204 individual participants from 17 organisations coming from technical and further education (TAFE)/dual education (higher education and vocational education) sector members of the Victorian TAFE Association in Australia. Using commonly adopted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of 38 variables, the data triangulation of the qualitative and quantitative analysis resulted in conformance of five dominant factors under three themes. We believe the results of the study offer actionable suggestions in developing an effective recruitment system and furthers the research in this field of study.
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Richardson, Brian. "Vegetation management practices in plantation forests of Australia and New Zealand." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 23, no. 10 (October 1, 1993): 1989–2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x93-250.
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Radiata pine (Pinusradiata D. Don) is the predominant species in plantation forests of Australia and New Zealand. Removal or suppression of noncrop vegetation is often carried out to enhance crop growth and survival by reducing competition for water, light, and nutrients. Other reasons for vegetation removal include microclimate modification, providing access into stands, and fire hazard reduction. Many studies have demonstrated large increases in crop growth from removing noncrop vegetation. Vegetation management can also mean introducing noncrop species to improve site quality, to suppress unwanted species, or to provide fodder for grazing. While herbicides are still the most widely used weed control tool, nonchemical methods are of increasing importance. The role of machinery is likely to increase in both countries as the use of fire for vegetation management and general site preparation declines. To calculate the long-term cost–benefit of vegetation management, a better understanding of the crop growth response to these treatments is essential. This requires experiments that focus on the role of both crop and noncrop species in hydrological and nutrient cycles. Personal computer based decision support systems are likely to play an increasing role as an aid to cost-effective vegetation management decision making.
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DeSilva, D., S. Burn, G. Tjandraatmadja, M. Moglia, P. Davis, L. Wolf, I. Held, J. Vollertsen, W. Williams, and L. Hafskjold. "Sustainable management of leakage from wastewater pipelines." Water Science and Technology 52, no. 12 (December 1, 2005): 189–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2005.0459.
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Wastewater pipeline leakage is an emerging concern in Europe, especially with regards to the potential effect of leaking effluent on groundwater contamination and the effects infiltration has on the management of sewer reticulation systems. This paper describes efforts by Australia, in association with several European partners, towards the development of decision support tools to prioritize proactive rehabilitation of wastewater pipe networks to account for leakage. In the fundamental models for the decision support system, leakage is viewed as a function of pipeline system deterioration. The models rely on soil type identification across the service area to determine the aggressiveness of the pipe environment and for division of the area into zones based on pipe properties and operational conditions. By understanding the interaction between pipe materials, operating conditions, and the pipe environment in the mechanisms leading to pipe deterioration, the models allow the prediction of leakage rates in different zones across a network. The decision support system utilizes these models to predict the condition of pipes in individual zones, and to optimize the utilization of rehabilitation resources by targeting the areas with the highest leakage rates.
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Bange, M. P., S. A. Deutscher, D. Larsen, D. Linsley, and S. Whiteside. "A handheld decision support system to facilitate improved insect pest management in Australian cotton systems." Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 43, no. 2 (May 2004): 131–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2003.12.003.
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Peverill, KI. "Soil testing and plant analysis in Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, no. 8 (1993): 963. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9930963.
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During the past 3 4 decades, there has been a modest growth in the demand for soil amd plant testing services in Australia. Such development reflects an increasing awareness by farmers that there are tangible benefits from the regular use of soil and plant analysis. Concomitant with these changes, there has been an increasing breadth and sophistication in the range of available services, instrumental advances that permit more rapid analytical throughput, evolution of computer management systems (including computer-generated reports), and a general decrease in reporting time to primary producers. These developments have not always been matched with adequate quality control and uniformity in sampling, analysis, interpretation, and fertiliser advice procedures. There is need for further research and method development leading to the introduction of universal reagents or ion exchange resin extractions, or new test procedures into laboratory routines, to enhance laboratory capacities and turnaround times or to improve interpretation skills. Advances in decision support software are also required in order to refine fertiliser advice to primary producers. The challenge for the future is the standardisation of procedures and maintenance of adequate quality control by the various agencies offering soil and plant testing services. The Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Council (ASPAC) will play a pivotal role in this process.
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Moss, Robert, Alexander Zarebski, Sandra Carlson, and James McCaw. "Accounting for Healthcare-Seeking Behaviours and Testing Practices in Real-Time Influenza Forecasts." Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 4, no. 1 (January 11, 2019): 12. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed4010012.
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For diseases such as influenza, where the majority of infected persons experience mild (if any) symptoms, surveillance systems are sensitive to changes in healthcare-seeking and clinical decision-making behaviours. This presents a challenge when trying to interpret surveillance data in near-real-time (e.g., to provide public health decision-support). Australia experienced a particularly large and severe influenza season in 2017, perhaps in part due to: (a) mild cases being more likely to seek healthcare; and (b) clinicians being more likely to collect specimens for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) influenza tests. In this study, we used weekly Flutracking surveillance data to estimate the probability that a person with influenza-like illness (ILI) would seek healthcare and have a specimen collected. We then used this estimated probability to calibrate near-real-time seasonal influenza forecasts at each week of the 2017 season, to see whether predictive skill could be improved. While the number of self-reported influenza tests in the weekly surveys are typically very low, we were able to detect a substantial change in healthcare seeking behaviour and clinician testing behaviour prior to the high epidemic peak. Adjusting for these changes in behaviour in the forecasting framework improved predictive skill. Our analysis demonstrates a unique value of community-level surveillance systems, such as Flutracking, when interpreting traditional surveillance data. These methods are also applicable beyond the Australian context, as similar community-level surveillance systems operate in other countries.
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Vacher, Catherine, Nicholas Ho, Adam Skinner, Jo Robinson, Louise Freebairn, Grace Yeeun Lee, Frank Iorfino, et al. "Optimizing Strategies for Improving Mental Health in Victoria, Australia during the COVID-19 Era: A System Dynamics Modelling Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 11 (May 26, 2022): 6470. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116470.
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of populations and highlighted the limitations of mental health care systems. As the trajectory of the pandemic and the economic recovery are still uncertain, decision tools are needed to help evaluate the best interventions to improve mental health outcomes. We developed a system dynamics model that captures causal relationships among population, demographics, post-secondary education, health services, COVID-19 impact, and mental health outcomes. The study was conducted in the Australian state of Victoria. The model was calibrated using historical data and was stratified by age group and by geographic remoteness. Findings demonstrate that the most effective intervention combination includes economic, social, and health sector initiatives. Assertive post-suicide attempt care is the most impactful health sector intervention, but delaying implementation reduces the potency of its impact. Some evidence-based interventions, such as population-wide community awareness campaigns, are projected to worsen mental health outcomes when implemented on their own. Systems modelling offers a powerful decision-support tool to test alternative strategies for improving mental health outcomes in the Victorian context.
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Antille, Diogenes L., John McL Bennett, and Troy A. Jensen. "Soil compaction and controlled traffic considerations in Australian cotton-farming systems." Crop and Pasture Science 67, no. 1 (2016): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp15097.
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A literature review was conducted to collate best practice techniques for soil compaction management within cotton-farming systems in Australia. Universally negative effects of traffic-induced soil compaction on the whole-farm system and the wider environment include: (i) increased gap between attainable and potential yields, (ii) increased costs of energy and labour, (iii) reduced fertiliser-use efficiency, (iv) reduced water use efficiency (irrigation and rainfall), (v) increased tillage intensity. Knowledge gaps that merit research priority, and research strategies, are suggested. These include: (i) identifying wider impacts on farm economics to guide decision-making and development of decision support systems that capture the effects of compaction on fertiliser, water, and energy use efficiency; (ii) predicting risks at the field or subfield scale and implementing precision management of traffic compaction; (iii) canopy management at terminal stages of the crop cycle to manipulate soil-moisture deficits before crop harvest, thereby optimising trafficability for harvesting equipment; (iv) the role of controlled traffic farming (CTF) in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and loss of soil organic carbon, and in enhancing fertiliser and water-use efficiencies; (v) recent developments in tyre technology, such as low ground-pressure tyres, require investigation to assess their cost-effectiveness compared with other available options; and (vi) catchment-scale modelling incorporating changes in arable land-use, such as increased area under CTF coupled with no- or minimum-tillage, and variable rate technology is suggested. Such modelling should assess the potential of CTF and allied technologies to reduce sediment and nutrient losses, and improve water quality in intensively managed arable catchments. Resources must be efficiently managed within increasingly sophisticated farming systems to enable long-term economic viability of cotton production. Agronomic and environmental performance of cotton farming systems could be improved with a few changes, and possibly, at a reasonable cost. Key to managing soil compaction appears to be encouraging increased adoption of CTF. This process may benefit from financial support to growers, such as agri-environmental stewardships, and it would be assisted by product customisation from machinery manufacturers.
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McCown, R. L., P. S. Carberry, Z. Hochman, N. P. Dalgliesh, and M. A. Foale. "Re-inventing model-based decision support with Australian dryland farmers. 1. Changing intervention concepts during 17 years of action research." Crop and Pasture Science 60, no. 11 (2009): 1017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp08455.
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The idea that simulation models of agricultural production can serve as tools for farmers remains a compelling idea even after 3 decades of mostly disappointing development efforts. This paper is the first in a series that reports on 17 years of systems research that used models differently from the Decision Support System idea that has dominated the field. The starting point of FARMSCAPE (Farmers’, Advisers’, Researchers’, Monitoring, Simulation, Communication And Performance Evaluation) was finding whether farmers could value simulation when conditions for appreciation were improved by (a) specifying the simulator for individual paddocks in question and (b) delivering customised simulation to decision makers as a supporting service rather than software as a decision support product. The first aim of the program has been to learn how to effectively intervene in farm management practice using complex, abstract models of croplands, specified with local soil, climate, and management data. The second aim has been to learn how a resulting service that farmers value can be delivered cost effectively by a third party. This first paper deals with an aspect of the first aim, i.e. valued decision support intervention. In the terms used by Checkland (1981), the activities that served this systems practice aim were guided by ‘what we thought we were doing’ in intervening in farmers’ practice, i.e. our systems thinking. This first paper concerns FARMSCAPE systems thinking and how it evolved over 17 years as we learned successively through discovery of a new concept or representation in the literature to overcome limitations of the then-current conceptual framework. Subsequent papers deal with customising scientific monitoring and simulation for farmers, communication as engagement in situations of practice, understanding decision support intervention as facilitation of personal knowledge construction, and piloting commercial delivery of a simulation-based service to farmers and their advisers.
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Jalali, Ali, Phillip B. Roös, Murray Herron, Paras Sidiqui, Beau Beza, and Emma Duncan. "Modelling Coastal Development and Environmental Impacts: A Case Study Across Two Regional Towns in Australia." International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics 17, no. 4 (August 31, 2022): 491–501. http://dx.doi.org/10.18280/ijdne.170402.
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Globally there has been an increasing trend in urban growth with cities expanding rapidly, indicating a requirement for more sustainable development of cities to minimize human impacts on the environment. In Australia, urban development continues to target areas adjacent to the coastal capital and regional cities such as the Greater Geelong region in Victoria, experiencing the fastest rates of growth in the country in the last decade. This project demonstrates the ability of modelling techniques to model current and future directions in urban development across two adjacent coastal towns, Anglesea and Torquay, in Victoria. The analysis utilized Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the CommunityViz decision support tool using a variety of assets, environmental and climatic data. The models indicated an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage and population growth, and the area was found to be highly vulnerable to the impacts of environmental changes including the potential loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and sea level rise. The modelling approach described here can aid planners and decision makers in the future coastal urban development as well as to mitigate climate change impacts.
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Laka, Mah, Drew Carter, Adriana Milazzo, and Tracy Merlin. "Challenges and opportunities in implementing clinical decision support systems (CDSS) at scale: Interviews with Australian policymakers." Health Policy and Technology 11, no. 3 (September 2022): 100652. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hlpt.2022.100652.
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Fam, Dena, Cynthia Mitchell, Kumi Abeysuriya, and Toni Meek. "Facilitating organisational learning to support decision making and planning for sustainability in the water sector." Water Policy 15, no. 6 (September 7, 2013): 1094–108. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wp.2013.178.
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This paper investigates the process of organisational learning in decision making and planning for sustainability in the water sector. A Melbourne water utility (Yarra Valley Water) trialling sustainable systems of service provision utilised multi-stakeholder experiences to facilitate learning within the organisation. Diverse perspectives of the trial were sought through 50 interviews with staff managing/operating/maintaining the system and household residents using the system. Outcomes from interviews were shared with the project team in a social learning workshop and translated into recommendations for trialling innovation within the water utility and more broadly within the Australian water sector. The facilitated process of organisational learning highlighted the importance of cross-departmental communication and co-operation, reflective processes of management and the value of a ‘transdisciplinary’ approach to planning and implementing novel systems of service provision. The outcome was the development of new procedures to support integrated knowledge development in trialling innovation within Yarra Valley Water.
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Somerville, Mary M., and Niki Chatzipanagiotou. "Informed Systems: Enabling Collaborative Evidence Based Organizational Learning." Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 10, no. 4 (December 13, 2015): 24. http://dx.doi.org/10.18438/b8vp4x.
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Abstract
Objective – In response to unrelenting disruptions in academic publishing and higher education ecosystems, the Informed Systems approach supports evidence based professional activities to make decisions and take actions. This conceptual paper presents two core models, Informed Systems Leadership Model and Collaborative Evidence-Based Information Process Model, whereby co-workers learn to make informed decisions by identifying the decisions to be made and the information required for those decisions. This is accomplished through collaborative design and iterative evaluation of workplace systems, relationships, and practices. Over time, increasingly effective and efficient structures and processes for using information to learn further organizational renewal and advance nimble responsiveness amidst dynamically changing circumstances.
Methods – The integrated Informed Systems approach to fostering persistent workplace inquiry has its genesis in three theories that together activate and enable robust information usage and organizational learning. The information- and learning-intensive theories of Peter Checkland in England, which advance systems design, stimulate participants’ appreciation during the design process of the potential for using information to learn. Within a co-designed environment, intentional social practices continue workplace learning, described by Christine Bruce in Australia as informed learning enacted through information experiences. In addition, in Japan, Ikujiro Nonaka’s theories foster information exchange processes and knowledge creation activities within and across organizational units. In combination, these theories promote the kind of learning made possible through evolving and transferable capacity to use information to learn through design and usage of collaborative communication systems with associated professional practices. Informed Systems therein draws from three antecedent theories to create an original theoretical approach.
Results – Over time and with practice, as co-workers design and enact information-focused and evidence based learning experiences, they learn the way to decision-making and action-taking. Increasingly more complex experiences of information exchange, sense making, and knowledge creation, well supported by workplace communication systems and professional practices, further dialogue and reflection and thereby enrich analysis and interpretation of complexities and interdependencies.
Conclusions - Research projects and evaluation studies conducted since 2003 demonstrate the transformative potential of the holistic Informed Systems approach to creating robust workplace learning environments. Leaders are responsible for design of workplace environments supportive of well contextualized, information-rich conversations. Co-workers revisit both the nature of organizational information and the purpose of organizational work. As colleagues better understand the complexities of the organization and its situation, they learn to diagnose problems and identify consequences, guided by Informed Systems models. Systemic activity and process models activate collaborative evidence based information processes within enabling conditions for thought leadership and workplace learning that recognize learning is social. Enabling communication systems and professional practices therefore intentionally catalyze and support collegial inquiry to co-create information experiences and organizational knowledge through evidence based practice to enliven capacity, inform decisions, produce improvements, and sustain relationships. The Informed Systems approach is thereby a contribution to professional practice and workplace renewal through evidence based decision-making and action-taking in contemporary organizations.
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Lacoste, Myrtille, and Stephen Powles. "RIM: Anatomy of a Weed Management Decision Support System for Adaptation and Wider Application." Weed Science 63, no. 3 (September 2015): 676–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/ws-d-14-00163.1.
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RIM, or “Ryegrass Integrated Management,” is a model-based software allowing users to conveniently test and compare the long-term performance and profitability of numerous ryegrass control options used in Australian cropping systems. As a user-friendly decision support system that can be used by farmers, advisers, and industry professionals, RIM can aid the delivery of key recommendations among the agricultural community for broadacre cropping systems threatened by herbicide resistance. This paper provides advanced users and future developers with the keys to modify the latest version of RIM in order to facilitate future updates, modifications, and adaptations to other situations. The various components of RIM are mapped and explained, and the key principles underlying the construction of the model are explained. The implementation of RIM into a Microsoft Excel® software format is also documented, with details on how user inputs are coded and parameterized. An overview of the biological, agronomic, and economic components of the model is provided, with emphasis on the ryegrass biological characteristics most critical for its effective management. The extreme variability of these parameters and the subsequent limits of RIM are discussed. The necessary compromises were achieved by emphasizing the primary end-use of the program as a decision support system for farmers and advisors.
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Moylan, Emily, Sai Chand, and S. Travis Waller. "Framework for Estimating the Impact of Camera-Based Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Technology on Incident Duration." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2672, no. 19 (May 22, 2018): 25–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0361198118775870.
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Safety is a major motivator of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) projects, and most efforts have addressed the potential to avoid incidents. Managing and reducing the duration of incidents is another key application for ITS despite challenges in distinguishing the true versus the reported duration of an incident. This paper presents a framework for modeling the impact of camera-based (closed-circuit television or CCTV) ITS technology on incident duration including an increase in the reported duration and a reduction in the true duration. The framework is validated against a data set of 121,793 accidents in New South Wales, Australia, covering 4.5 years. The results demonstrate that the use of CCTVs for incident duration contributes a 4.5 min reduction in average duration (as earlier detection can lead to more efficient clearance) and a 9% reduction in variance in the duration (as a uniform detection method supports standardized response procedures). These impacts are only visible when the 8.5 min median detection delay (the difference between the recorded duration and the true duration) is modeled and accounted for. These results offer a quantitative support tool for decision makers wishing to assess the value of incident-detection ITS projects.
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Hung, Patrick, and Graham Cedric Low. "Factors Affecting the Buy vs Build Decision in Large Australian Organisations." Journal of Information Technology 23, no. 2 (June 2008): 118–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jit.2000098.
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When developing an information system, organisations are faced with a fundamental choice: to buy a pre-developed package (potentially customise it or redesign/reengineer the business processes of the company concerned to fit the package), or to build the system in-house. Past literature has indicated the importance of the buy vs build decision to the organisation even suggesting that correctly managing the choice could be the key to managing IT. This research aims to identify the factors that an organisation should consider when making an information systems buy vs build decision. Interviews were conducted with 10 organisations across a spread of industries, involving key strategic IT decision-making personnel at the senior IT executive level. By examining the operational approaches adopted in each of these organisations and the key drivers behind these approaches, we identify the core factors that affect real-world buy vs build decisions in large Australian organisations with a turnover in excess of $750 million. We found that a number of core factors - strategy, commodity and competitive advantage, maturity, cost and requirements fit - critically affect buy vs build, while peripheral factors - risk, time and timing, political factors, and ongoing support - are secondary considerations.
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Height, Kaitlyn, Sonia Graham, Rebecca Campbell, Gina Hawkes, Silja Schrader, Louise Blessington, and Scott McKinnon. "Opportunities to Manage Herbicide Resistance through Area-Wide Management: Lessons from Australian Cropping Regions." Sustainability 14, no. 3 (February 4, 2022): 1793. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14031793.
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Herbicide resistance management is often understood as a decision for individual land managers, but their decisions have far-reaching impacts for social-ecological systems. Area-wide management can reduce these impacts by supporting many land managers to cooperatively work towards a shared goal of reducing the spread of resistance. The aim of this research is to identify what support is needed for area-wide herbicide resistance management in cropping systems. Data was collected from 84 interviews with growers, public land managers and weed management advisors. Sixty-five interviews were conducted across three cropping regions of eastern Australia—Darling Downs (Queensland), Riverina (New South Wales) and Sunraysia (Victoria)—and 19 interviews were conducted with stakeholders beyond these regions. The majority (51%) of interviewees expressed concern about the spread of herbicide resistance, but only 14% described involvement in area-wide resistance management programs. Area-wide management was mostly reported to involve sharing information among stakeholders, rather than coordination or joint activities. Key barriers to participation were perceived to be the diverse agricultural industries in each region and the costs of participation. Future area-wide management program designs need to build working relationships among diverse stakeholders, clearly define the boundaries of the program and demonstrate the benefits that accrue from participation.
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Pettit, C. J., S. Glackin, R. Trubka, T. Ngo, O. Lade, P. Newton, and P. Newman. "A co-design prototyping approach for building a Precinct Planning Tool." ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences II-2 (November 11, 2014): 47–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprsannals-ii-2-47-2014.
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As the world is becoming increasingly urbanized there is a need for more sustainability-oriented planning of our cities. Policy and decision-makers are interested in the use of evidenced based approaches and tools that will support collaborative planning. There are a number of tools in the domain of spatial planning and decision support systems that have been built over the last few decades but the uptake and use of these tools is somewhat limited. <br><br> In the context of Australia there is significant urban growth occurring across the major cities and a need to provision planners and developers with precinct planning tools to assist in managing infill and the densification of the existing urban fabric in a carbon constrained economy. In this paper we describe the development of a new precinct planning tool known as the Envision Scenario Planner (ESP), which is being applied initially in two cities, Melbourne and Perth to assist in the urban design and planning of Greyfield sites. <br><br> To set the scene in this paper we firstly provide a brief review of the existing state of play of visualization and modelling tools available to urban planners in Australia. The focus on the paper will be to introduce an iterative co-design prototyping approach for developing a best practice precinct planning support tool (ESP) from an earlier tool known as ENVISION. The first step of the approach is an exposure workshop with experts to refine the proposed tool workflow and its functionality. Subsequent iterations of the prototype are then exposed to larger audiences for validation and testing. In this paper we will describe the process and the preliminary findings in implementing the first phase of this iterative co-design prototype approach.
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Hirsch, KG, and DL Martell. "A Review of Initial Attack Fire Crew Productivity and Effectiveness." International Journal of Wildland Fire 6, no. 4 (1996): 199. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wf9960199.
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Information regarding the productivity and effectiveness of initial attack fire crews is essential to a wide variety of forest fire management activities. This paper provides a selective review of crew productivity research conducted in Australia, Canada, and the United States and a cursory overview of how such information is used in computer-based fire management decision support systems. A description of several widely used rules-of-thumb that relate suppression effectiveness to fire intensity is presented as well as our understanding of how these guidelines may have evolved. This is followed by an example of some of the difficulties associated with transferring productivity and effectiveness information between fire management organizations and fire environments. The paper concludes with a discussion of strategies for investigating initial attack crew performance.
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Tingey-Holyoak, Joanne L., John Pisaniello, Peter Buss, and Ben Wiersma. "Water productivity accounting in Australian agriculture: The need for cost-informed decision-making." Outlook on Agriculture 49, no. 2 (October 2, 2019): 172–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0030727019879938.
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Primary producers need strategies and tools to assist in monitoring water use with a view to improving physical and financial productivity. The purpose of this research is to integrate farmer financial accounting data with soil moisture and climate data to better account for water use on farm. Farm-accounting systems, if present, lack the sophistication to allow growers to analyze use, loss, and productivity of water. Water-accounting technologies, if present, do not readily link to business systems to provide the optimal real-time financial decision-making data, nor the necessary context for new technologies to support a broader integrated approach to water management. Findings of desk-based technology benchmarking suggest elements required include real-time sensory data integration that allows for strategic allocation to the full suite of direct and indirect water costs. Key actor interview and producer surveys highlight demand for a farm business integrated water productivity tool and findings from field data collected in a potato case study provide demonstration of how irrigation decision-making can be supported by the crucial link between producers’ business systems and sensing technology.
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McLean, Errol J., and Jon B. Hinwood. "APPLICATION OF A SIMPLE HYDRODYNAMIC MODEL TO ESTUARY ENTRANCE." Coastal Engineering Proceedings 1, no. 32 (January 30, 2011): 42. http://dx.doi.org/10.9753/icce.v32.management.42.
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Tidal inlets which link a tidal basin to the sea via a constricted entrance are common on the south-east Australian coast. Closure, or even significant constriction, raises water levels but restricts tidal range within the basin, while open entrances provide regular and significant tidal exchange with the ocean. A rapid assessment procedure with minimal data requirements has been shown to be informative for monitoring and a useful component of any Decision Support System set up as part of a management structure. Such a system is presented in this paper. It is based on one permanent water level gauge inside the inlet plus the use of a simple, first-order hydrodynamic model to relate the tide range, mean water level and river flow to the inlet cross sectional area. The method is tested against data from the
Snowy River Estuary in south-eastern Australia but would be suitable over a range of estuaries. In addition, the framework presented can also provide a mechanism to explore conditions over the range of expected data, thus allowing better selection of model schematization and runs in estuarine systems where the use of 2 or 3D modeling can be justified.
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Blokzijl, Johan, Rachael H. Dodd, Tessa Copp, Sweekriti Sharma, Elise Tcharkhedian, Christiane Klinner, Chris G. Maher, and Adrian C. Traeger. "Understanding overuse of diagnostic imaging for patients with low back pain in the Emergency Department: a qualitative study." Emergency Medicine Journal 38, no. 7 (May 27, 2021): 529–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2020-210345.
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BackgroundOveruse of lumbar imaging in the Emergency Department is a well-recognised healthcare challenge. Studies to date have not provided robust evidence that available interventions can reduce overuse. For an intervention aimed at reducing imaging to be effective, insight into how both patients and clinicians view lumbar imaging tests is essential.AimTo explore factors that might influence overuse of lumbar imaging in the Emergency Department.MethodsParticipants were recruited from three hospitals in Sydney, Australia between April and August 2019. We conducted focus groups and/or interviews with 14 patients and 12 clinicians. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using framework analysis by a team of four researchers with diverse backgrounds.ResultsPatients described feeling that the decision about lumbar imaging was made by their Emergency Department clinician and reported little involvement in the decision-making process. Other potential drivers of lumbar imaging overuse from the patients’ perspective were strong expectations for lumbar imaging, a reluctance to delay receiving a diagnosis, and requirements from third parties (eg, insurance companies) to have imaging. Emergency Department clinicians suggested that the absence of an ongoing therapeutic relationship, and the inability to manage perceived patient pressure could drive overuse of lumbar imaging. Suggested protective factors included: involving patients in the decision, ensuring clinicians have the ability to explain the reasons to avoid imaging and collaborative approaches to care both within the Emergency Department and with primary care.Conclusion and key findingsWe found several factors that could contribute to overuse of lumbar imaging in the Emergency Department. Solutions to overuse of lumbar imaging in the Emergency Department could include: (1) strategies to involve patients in decisions about imaging; (2) training and support to provide thorough and well explained clinical assessment for low back pain; and (3) systems that support collaborative approaches to care.
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Carr, Robert Anthony. "Political Economy and the Australian Government’s CCTV Programme: An Exploration of State-Sponsored Street Cameras and the Cultivation of Consent and Business in Local Communities." Surveillance & Society 14, no. 1 (May 9, 2016): 90–112. http://dx.doi.org/10.24908/ss.v14i1.5372.
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This article explores the political economy of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) in Australia, providing new insights into the relationship between government policy and its economic implications. I have rationalised state-sponsored street cameras as a component in the cultivation of consent between the state and local communities; a mechanism for government to facilitate the flow of public funds to business through arrangements that are virtually unchecked and non-evidence based; a mechanism for government to facilitate profitable opportunities in and beyond the security technologies industry; and, a mechanism to normalise hegemonic social and political relations at the level of discourse. This article explores how government has assisted growth in the security industry in Australia. I draw on a case study about Kiama Municipal Council’s decision in 2014 to accept funding from the Abbott Government to install CCTV cameras through the Safer Streets Programme. This is despite historically low crime rates in Kiama and an inability to demonstrate broad support for the programme in the local community. This study reveals how politicians have cultivated support for CCTV at the local level and pressured councils to install these systems despite a lack of evidence they reduce, deter or prevent crime. Examined is how the footage captured on local council CCTV has been distributed and its meanings mediated by political and commercial groups. I argue that the politics of CCTV dissemination in Australia is entwined with the imperatives of electoral success and commercial opportunity—a coalescent relationship evident in the Safer Streets Programme. Furthermore, the efficacy of CCTV as an electoral tool in Australia is explained via the proposition that street cameras perform a central role in the discourses and political economy of the state.