Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Research design/methods'
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Ooi, Phillip S. K. "Design methods for deep foundations." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28503.
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Kirstein, Marno Johan. "Exploring conversance with ‘research for design’ methods in communication design companies." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46212.
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The number of research for design methods is increasing every year, but existing literature
reveals very little about the state of research in communication design in the South African
context. It is not clear whether practitioners are implementing the methods, whether the methods
are suitable to the South African context, or even whether practitioners are aware of the methods
in the first place. This study is exploratory in nature and investigates three aspects of
communication design practitioners’ relationship with current research for design methods:
awareness, attitudes and aptitude. These three aspects are collectively referred to as
‘conversance’.
The study briefly covers the etymology of research for design and the literature that is currently
available from the South African industry. The literature review for the study is divided into two
sections, the first investigating what research is and what constitutes acceptable scholarly
research practices.The second part of the literature review establishes what the state of the art in
research for design is and gives some idea of what good research for design practices look like, in
the broader context of acceptable scholarly research practices.
Four heterogeneous case companies are investigated in terms of their conversance with research
for design methods, using a mixed methods embedded design. The field research data for these
case studies is discussed separately, whereafter a cross-case analysis is conducted, to help
guide the lines of inquiry in future research projects investigating research practices in the South
African communication design industry. The study ends by making recommendations for further
research, based on the outcomes.Mini-dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
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Strouse, Emily Elizabeth. "Collective Creativity through Enacting: A Comparison of Generative Design Research Methods." The Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1374072488.
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Burrows, Timothy. "A Preliminary Rubric Design to Evaluate Mixed Methods Research." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19324.
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With the increase in frequency of the use of mixed methods, both in research publications and in externally funded grants there are increasing calls for a set of standards to assess the quality of mixed methods research. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to conduct a multi-phase analysis to create a preliminary rubric to evaluate mixed methods research articles. This study included four research questions:1. What are the common evaluation criteria found in the contemporary methodological literature pertaining to the design of mixed methods research?
2. What evaluation criteria do experts in the field of mixed methods research perceive as the most important when distinguishing top-quality research in mixed methods?
3. What differences are there in the outcome of the rubric for evaluating mixed methods research identified from the literature compared to those advocated most uniformly by a panel of mixed methods research experts?
4. What are disciplinary differences between the use of mixed methods and views about evaluating it, including the role of paradigms in mixed methods research?
In the first phase of this multi-phase mixed methods study I used an inductive qualitative process to identify the quality criteria endorsed by 12 methodologists with a long-term involvement in mixed methods research. In the second phase of this study I conducted a quantitative analysis to pilot test a set of criteria identified in the qualitative phases. The sample for both phases of this study was comprised of the same eight males
and four females from multiple nationalities. Respondents to the on-line survey rated all 14 items as being important, with 11 of the 14 items being rated as very important or higher.
When considered together, findings from the two phases of this study provide a interesting view of attitudes about the use and application of quality standards to the mixed methods literature. While there was agreement about what elements were important to evaluate, there was not an agreement about the idea that one set of standards could be applied to all mixed methods studies.
Ph. D.
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AKSAKALLI, VURAL. "Heuristic Methods for Gang-Rip Saw Arbor Design and Scheduling." NCSU, 1999. http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-19991102-031914.
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AKSAKALLI, VURAL. Heuristic Methods for Gang-Rip Saw Arbor Design and Scheduling. (Under the direction of Dr. Yahya Fathi).This research considers the problem of designing and scheduling arbors for gang-rip saw systems. Such systems are typically used within the furniture manufacturing industry for processing lumber, where lumber boards are first ripped lengthwise into strips of different widths, and then, cut to the required lengths to be used in manufacturing.A saw with multiple cutting channels is used to perform this operation. This saw has fixed blades at specific positions on a rotating shaft which rips incoming lumber boards into required finished widths. The pattern of cutting channels (i.e., the setting of the blades) along the saw shaft is referred to as an ''arbor''.A typical instance of the problem consists of (1) a set of required finished widths and their corresponding demands, (2) a frequency distribution of lumber boards in the uncut stock, (3) a shaft length, and (4) a blade width. The objective is to design a set of (one or more) arbors and the corresponding quantity of lumber to run through each arbor, such that the total amount of waste generated is minimized while the demand is satisfied.In the research, we focus on solving the problem using only one arbor. First, we discuss the computational complexity of the problem and propose a total enumeration procedure which can be used to solve relatively small instances. Then, we develop algorithms based on heuristic approaches such as local improvement procedures, simulated annealing, and genetic algorithms. Our computational experiments indicate that a local improvement procedure with two nested loops, performing local search with a different neighborhood structure within each loop, gives very high quality solutions to the problem within very short execution times.
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Purwanto, Alex. "User research and opportunities for innovation : Exploring methods and tools." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Avdelningen för visuell information och interaktion, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-296643.
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First-class software engineering is no longer enough for an information system product to gain success on a market. Developing successful information system products has become a challenging practice that requires an understanding of those who are going to use the products. As product innovation has become the lifeblood of companies competing in the fast- paced IT industry, the end users have ultimately become those who determine the success of these type of products. User research is conducted to gather insights of users’ contexts, behaviors and feelings when using products. It can be practiced to explore how to create products and features that end users will find useful. This thesis examines how methods and tools used in user research can expose opportunities for innovation. The study was conducted by a literature study and a case study, where user research methods were put to practice to discover opportunities for creating a concept for a new product. Emphasis was also put on studying how to provide utility when developing a new product. The case study was performed over a four month period at an e- commerce company called Swiss Clinic in Stockholm, Sweden. The study shows that opportunities for innovation in user research occur in the interplay between business, user research discoveries and iterative design and that effective communication and artifacts play essential parts for innovating successfully.
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Colino, Juan. "Audience engagement for presentations via interactive methods." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-22447.
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Keeping the audience engaged when presenting a topic in a conventional setting (a class presentation or a keynote in a conference) can be challenging. Often, presenta- tions tend to be linear and non-engaging. It was my intention to research how the ex- perience can be improved by using different methods to engage the audience.In this thesis the reader will find the results of my exploration and research on how to make presentations more engaging for the audience via interactive methods.After some background information, I go through the process of developing concepts that could improve the presenting experience. I describe different contexts where peo- ple deliver presentations and research about these environments to discuss the context of the thesis. I also discuss the concept of audience engagement.After selecting one of these concepts I describe the development of a prototype that il- lustrates the concept and discuss it after a series of user testing procedures.Finally some conclusions and comments are discussed in the final part of the docu- ment.
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Mueller, Nei Edison. "Design and implementation of an automated flexible assembly cell for research purposes." Master's thesis, This resource online, 1992. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12232009-020030/.
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Clark, Monica, and Ryan Burgess. "Evaluating Research Designs of Clinical Pharmacy Services." The University of Arizona, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/623556.
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Class of 2011 AbstractOBJECTIVES: To design a tool to assess for bias in studies for pharmacy services. METHODS: This study will involve reviewing published reports of studies comparing pharmacists’ services to usual services to identify the key study design components and methods for addressing study design limitations. We will then design a tool to assess further such studies for bias. RESULTS: The aspects of a good pharmacy services study that can be controlled include: large study population, equivalence of population at baseline, experimental mortality, multi-centered study, adequate adherence to treatment, and independence from study staff/manufacturer influence. If these things are controlled and/or accounted for it increases the strength of the study. CONCLUSION: The tool we have designed can successfully evaluate the quality of studies of pharmacy services.
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Lee, Jaewoo. "Efficient inverse methods for supersonic and hypersonic body design, with low wave drag analysis." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/37406.
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With the renewed interest in the supersonic and hypersonic flight vehicles, new inverse Euler methods are developed in these flow regimes where a space marching numerical technique is valid. In order to get a general understanding for the specification of target pressure distributions, a study of minimum drag body shapes was conducted over a Mach number range from 3 to 12. Numerical results show that the power law bodies result in low drag shapes, where the n=.69 (l/d = 3) or n=.70 (l/d = 5) shapes have lower drag than the previous theoretical results (n=.75 or n=.66 depending on the particular form of the theory). To validate the results, a numerical analysis was made including viscous effects and the effect of gas model. From a detailed numerical examination for the nose regions of the minimum drag bodies, aerodynamic bluntness and sharpness are newly defined.
Numerous surface pressure-body geometry rules are examined to obtain an inverse procedure which is robust, yet demonstrates fast convergence. Each rule is analyzed and examined numerically within the inverse calculation routine for supersonic (M∞ = 3) and hypersonic (M∞ = 6.28) speeds. Based on this analysis, an inverse method for fully three dimensional supersonic and hypersonic bodies is developed using the Euler equations. The method is designed to be easily incorporated into existing analysis codes, and provides the aerodynamic designer with a powerful tool for design of aerodynamic shapes of arbitrary cross section. These shapes can correspond to either "wing like" pressure distributions or to "body like" pressure distributions. Examples are presented illustrating the method for a non-axisymmetric fuselage type pressure distribution and a cambered wing type application. The method performs equally well for both nonlifting and lifting cases. For the three dimensional inverse procedure, the inverse solution existence and uniqueness problem are discussed. Sample calculations demonstrating this problem are also presented.Ph. D.
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Fendl, Monika, and Heinzpeter Schmieg. "Planning and Design Methods in Architecture." Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2001. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:swb:14-996672196000-10732.
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Hudson, Roland. "Strategies for parametric design in architecture : an application of practice led research." Thesis, University of Bath, 2010. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.524059.
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A new specialist design role is emerging in the construction industry. The primary task related to this role is focused on the control, development and sharing of geometric information with members of the design team in order to develop a design solution. Individuals engaged in this role can be described as a parametric designers. Parametric design involves the exploration of multiple solutions to architectural design problems using parametric models. In the past these models have been defined by computer programs, nowcommercially available parametric software provides a simpler means of creating these models. It is anticipated that the emergence of parametric designers will spread and a deeper understanding of the role is required. This thesis is aimed at establishing a detailed understanding of the tasks related to this new specialism and to develop a set of considerations that should be made when undertaking these tasks. The position of the parametric designer in architectural practice presents new opportunities in the design process this thesis also aims to capture these. Developments in this field of design are driven by practice. It is proposed that a generalised understanding of applied parametric design is primarily developed through the study of practical experience. Two bodies of work inform this study. First, a detailed analytical review of published work that focuses on the application of parametric technology and originatesfrompractice. This material concentrates on the documentation of case studies from a limited number of practices. Second, a series of case studies involving the author as participant and observer in the context of contemporary practice. This primary research of applied use of parametric tools is documented in detail and generalised findings are extracted. Analysis of the literature from practice and generalisations based on case studies is contrasted with a review of relevant design theory. Based on this, a series of strategies for the parametric designer are identified and discussed.
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White, Amanda. "Camp Adventure; user based research and application in design." Manhattan, Kan. : Kansas State University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/4085.
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Hällgren, Nina. "Designing with Urban Sound : Exploring methods for qualitative sound analysis of the built environment." Licentiate thesis, KTH, Arkitektur, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-240078.
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The licentiate thesis Designing with Urban Sound explores the constitution and qualitative characteristics of urban sonic space from a design-oriented and practice-based perspective. The act of lifting forth and illuminating the interaction between architecture, the creation of sound and a sonic experience aims to examine and develop useful tools and methods for the representation, communication and analysis of the exterior sonic environment in complex architectural spaces. The objective is to generate theoretical and practical knowledge within the field of urban sound planning and design by showing examples of different and complementary ways of communicating and analyzing sound than those which are commonly recognized.Licentiatavhandlingen Designa med stadens ljud undersöker det urbana ljudrummets konstitution och kvalitativa egenskaper utifrån ett designorienterat och praktiknära perspektiv. Avsikten med arbetet är att utveckla verktyg och metoder för representation, kommunikation och analys av stadens exteriöra ljudmiljö genom att synliggöra interaktionen mellan arkitektur, ljudbildning och upplevelse. Genom att visa exempel på andra sätt att kommunicera och analysera ljud i staden än dagens vedertagna metoder, är syftet är att bidra till kunskapsutvecklingen inom fältet för urban ljudplanering- och design.
QC 20181211
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Ward, Stephen James Safety Science Faculty of Science UNSW. "Designers and users: a survey of user research methods employed by Australian industrial designers." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Safety Science, 2006. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/26206.
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Designers of mass produced products require knowledge about anticipated users of their designs in order to make reasonable predictions about how users will interact with a product and how that product will satisfy users??? needs. However, there is little reported study of how industrial designers get the information they need about users, or to what extent they adapt and use information available from fields of study such as ergonomics or market research. Study in this area is important, in order to have a knowledge base that will support development of methods and data sources that may help designers and others bring a better understanding of users into the product design process. In this study, group interviews and a questionnaire were used to ask industrial designers how and where they get information about users, and about their perceptions of the role and value of user research in design. The group discussions involved a total of 45 participants from nine companies in Sydney. A questionnaire that followed was completed by 35 respondents representing at least 15 different design consultancy companies throughout Australia. Results showed that the designers surveyed used many of the methods promoted in the literature of ergonomics, design and market research, but often in a cut-down form. For example, there was widespread use of work colleagues and family members as test subjects. Designers used quantitative information where it was applicable but often sought qualitative information that would provide insights or enable them to develop empathic understanding of the users. Time and cost constraints limited the extent to which designers could engage in user research activity but there was general agreement that user research was a necessary part of design and that in the future designers will require a stronger capability in user research. Further research could focus on the evaluation of user research methods used in design and the potential for further collaboration between designers and other specialists in this area.
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Green, Julia. "Design Thinking for Conceptualization." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1495806959554678.
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Torrens, George. "An evaluation of the potential order and priority of research methods, design methods and design heuristics within an Assistive Technology new product development process." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2015. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/18588.
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This commentary reflects on a series of published research articles, 1996-2013, that form a PhD thesis by publication. The articles offer evidence of research into best practice relating to Assistive Technology (AT) product design as a specialist section of Industrial Design (ID). The aim of the research has been to provide AT product developers with a methodology that ordered and prioritised the application of proven research methods, design methods and design heuristics; as well as, to highlight the fundamental concepts that underpin the methodology. This commentary provides a review of the methods applied and discussion of their efficacy within each case study. The series of articles, evaluated at a meta-analysis level in the second part of the commentary, address the following research questions: 1) What is the optimum order and priority of conventional design methods, heuristics and research methods when applied within a new product development process for assistive technology products?, 2) Through a meta-analysis of case studies, are there key aspects that underpin an optimum AT-ID process? From the review, 61 research methods, design methods and heuristics were defined. An order of methods and heuristics identified some methods that were used throughout all phases of a NPD process that included literature review, benchmarking, mixed methods and participatory research. The methods and heuristics used in all phases highlighted a user-centred approach and the close collaboration with end users and stakeholders. There was also a focus of methods and heuristics around phase 2 of the 5 design process phases defined by Martin and Hannington. The critical review also highlighted key underpinning aspects that helped optimise an Industrial Design approach to ID-AT NPD. These were 1) creating a format for dialogue within the constraints of perception and 2) previous experience and the application of ethically sound protocols for the whole process. Lastly the change of terminology and attitudes of those working the Assistive Technology industry highlighted the need for more research into social acceptance of all aspects of Assistive Technology and the perception of disability from those living with impairment and by UK society as a whole.
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Aguilera, Alderete Paulina. "Food Stories: A Design Method for Understanding Meaning Through Identity, Emotion, and Experience." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin153563433451446.
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Newhart, Daniel W. "“Smart” Mixed Methods: The Interaction of Philosophy and Research Design in Higher Education Inquiry." The Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306863023.
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Garabedian, Laura Faden. "Quasi-Experimental Health Policy Research: Evaluation of Universal Health Insurance and Methods for Comparative Effectiveness Research." Thesis, Harvard University, 2013. http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:10764.
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This dissertation consists of two empirical papers and one methods paper. The first two papers use quasi-experimental methods to evaluate the impact of universal health insurance reform in Massachusetts (MA) and Thailand and the third paper evaluates the validity of a quasi-experimental method used in comparative effectiveness research (CER).
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Mullaney, Tara. "Thinking beyond the Cure : a constructive design research investigation into the patient experience of radiotherapy." Doctoral thesis, Umeå universitet, Designhögskolan vid Umeå universitet, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-116989.
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This constructive design research dissertation aims to understand how design can be used as part of a composite research approach to generate knowledge about how complex phenomena are composed through their interactions and relationships with various actors, both human and non-human. It has done this by investigating a single phenomenon, the patient experience of radiotherapy. Through the purposeful selection and application of methods, theories, and existing research from design, nursing, and STS, this thesis utilizes a mixed-method approach comprised of qualitative, quantitative methods, and design experimentation, across multiple research sites and patient populations, in three research projects – PERT, DUMBO, and POIS – to generate rich and layered knowledge of the patient experience. Experience prototypes are used to challenge, through intervention or provocation, the relationships between the various radiotherapy actors identified through the empirical methods. Together, the research generated in PERT, DUMBO, and POIS construct a map of the networked, interdependent actors which shape the patient’s emotional experience of radiotherapy: the staff, technology, information, environment, and institutions. It also calls attention to the problematic relationship between radiotherapy patients and the technologies used to treat them, which can lead to anxiety, worry, and fear. This thesis offers contributions related to both improving patient experience and designing for complex social issues. First, this research suggests that individuals, other than primary users, need to be acknowledged in the design of medical technologies. It proposes calling attention to patients by naming them as interactors in their relationships with the aforementioned technologies, removing them from the role of implicated actor. Second, this thesis problematizes treating the actors within a network as independent entities, which medical research and user-centered design often does, and calls for a new type of design practice which attends to these networked relationships. Third, this thesis suggests two ways in which design research practice should be shifted methodologically if it wants to engage with and design for complex social issues like patient experience; widening the researcher’s perspective on the issue through the use of a composite methodology, and having the researcher maintain this scope by remaining closely connected to their research context. The implications of this work concern how design research, design education, and design practice might shift their approaches to fully acknowledge and attend to the complexity of systems like healthcare.
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Tinker, John Andrew. "Development of an Ultra-Lightweight Buckling-Restrained Brace Using Analytical and Numerical Methods." PDXScholar, 2011. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/447.
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An ultra-lightweight buckling-restrained brace (ULWBRB) is developed using a highly ductile aluminum core and FRP restrainer. Utilization of lightweight materials results in a BRB that is 25% the weight of traditional mortar-filled tube varieties allowing easy installation in small to medium sized buildings requiring seismic retrofit without the need for heavy equipment. Construction utilizes commonly stocked materials able to be customized for required strength, drift, and geometry limitations. Analytical single degree of freedom (SDOF) and Euler buckling models are compared with published equations to determine the required restrainer stiffness (RRS). SDOF models yield RRS values 200% higher than the Euler model. Applied end moments due to frame deformation are incorporated into a modified design method that gives RRS values 50% higher than Euler model without eccentricity. RRS is provided using a bundled and wrapped FRP tube configuration using a developed shear flow method considering composite action. Uniaxial low-cycle fatigue (LCF) testing of a 6061-T6 candidate alloy provides data for a constitutive model using combined kinematic-isotropic hardening. LCF testing of round short gage coupons indicates the candidate alloy is capable of stable cycling to 2%, 3%, and 4% total strain with excellent ductility. Early fracture of specimens at 24, 18, and 11 cycles, respectively, also indicates that other candidate alloys should be examined for improved fatigue life. However, inconsistency is noted between similar tests of 6061-T6 that were able to achieve up to 76 cycles at 2.5% total strain. ULWBRB FEA models loaded monotonically consistently give higher RRS values as compared to the analytical methods. This is due to assignment of initial imperfections, longer more realistic unbraced length, higher axial loads achieved through the post-yield region, and plastic hinging potential. Cyclic simulations of braces with the same RRS values are also able to achieve reliable and stable hysteretic behavior through 21 cycles. If a less stiff restrainer is used, cumulative energy dissipation potential is reduced considerably due to pinched hysteresis loops and strain ratcheting. Applied end moments are found to have a linear effect on the RRS that can be modeled by superposition of the buckling effect plus end moment.
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Fan, Xin. "Industrial Design: Contrasting the United States and Chinese Methods - From the perspective of an industrial designer who has both studied and worked in the U.S. and China." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1311692580.
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Wium, Anna-Marie, and Brenda Louw. "Mixed-Methods Research: A Tutorial for Speech-Language Therapists and Audiologists in South Africa." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2593.
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Background: Mixed-methods research (MMR) offers much to healthcare professions on clinical and research levels. Speech-language therapists and audiologists work in both educational and health settings where they deal with real-world problems. Through the nature of their work, they are confronted with multifaceted questions arising from their efforts to provide evidence-based services to individuals of all ages with communication disorders. MMR methods research is eminently suited to addressing such questions.
Objective: The aim of this tutorial is to increase awareness of the value of MMR, especially for readers less familiar with this research approach.
Method: A literature review was conducted to provide an overview of the key issues in MMR. The tutorial discusses the various issues to be considered in the critical appraisal of MMR, followed by an explanation of the process of conducting MMR. A critical review describes the strengths and challenges in MMR.
Results: MMR is less commonly used or published in the fields of speech-language therapy and audiology.
Conclusion: Researchers working in teams can draw on the strengths of different disciples and their research approaches. Such collaborative enterprises will contribute to capacity building. Researchers, SLTs and audiologists are encouraged to make use of MMR to address the complex research issues in the multicultural, multifaceted South African context. MMR makes an important contribution to the understanding of individuals with communication disorders, and in turn, researchers in the two disciplinary fields of speech-language therapy and audiology can contribute to the development of this research approach. MMR is well suited to the complexity of South African contexts and its populations, as it can provide multiple perspectives of a topic.
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Dreser, Melanie. "Design, Fun and Sustainability: Utilizing Design Research Methods to Develop an Application to Inform and Motivate Students to Make Sustainable Consumer Choices." The Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1322669294.
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Landahl, Karin. "On form thinking in knitwear design." Licentiate thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Textilhögskolan, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-3663.
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This licentiate thesis presents and discusses experimental explorations in search for new methods of form-thinking within the knitwear design process. The position of textile knitting techniques is somewhat ambiguous. This is because they are not only concerned with creating the textile material, but also with the form of the garment as these two are created in the same process. Consequently, the common perception of form and material as two separate design parameters can be questioned when it comes to knitting. Instead, we may view it as a design process that has a single design parameter; a design process in which the notion of form provides the conceptual foundation. Through conducting a series of design experiments using knitting and crochet techniques, the notion of form was explored from the perspective of the way in which we make a garment. The outcome of the experiments showed that there are possibilities for development of alternative working methods in knitwear design by viewing form in terms of topological invariants rather than as abstract geometrical silhouettes. If such a notion, i.e. a notion of a more concrete geometry, were to be implemented in the design process for knitwear, it would provide another link between action and expression that could deepen our understanding of the design potential of knitting techniques and provide the field with new expressions and gestalts.
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Persson, Oskar, and Samuel Svensson. "Exploring methods for dependency management in multi-repositories : Design science research at Saab Training and simulation." Thesis, Jönköping University, JTH, Avdelningen för datavetenskap, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-54102.
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Dependency problems for developers are like sneezing for people with pollen allergies during the spring, an everyday problem. This is especially true when working in multi-repositories. The dependency problems that occur do so as a byproduct of enabling developers to work on different components of a project in smaller teams, where everything is version controlled.Nearly all developers use version control systems, such as Git, Mercurial, or Subversion. While version control systems have helped developers for nearly 40 years and are constantly getting updated, there are still functionalities that do not exist. One example of that is having a good way of managing dependencies and allowing developers to download projects without having to handle dependency problems manually. The solutions that version control systems offer to help manage dependencies (e.g., Git’s submodules or Mercurial’s subrepositories), do not enable developers a fail-safe download or build the project if it contains dependency problems.In this study, a case study was conducted at Saab Training and Simulation to explore methods for dependency management as well as discuss and highlight some of the problems that emerge when working with dependencies in multi-repositories.An argument can be made that the functionality of dependency management systems, both package managers and version control systems’ solutions are not up to date on how dependencies are used in the development, during this time.In this paper, a novel approach to dependency management is introduced with the possibility to describe the dependencies dynamically by providing the utility to describes usages of a repository (such as simulation of hardware or the main project). As well as discussing the necessary functionalities that are required to handle such a system.By re-opening the dialog about dependency management as well as describing problems that arise in such environments, the goal is to inspire further research within these areas.
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Harrison, John Buckley. "Sense of Community in a Blended Technology Integration Course: A Design-Based Research Study." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2014. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4404.
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This design-based research study explored whether Sense of Community was maintained while flexibility in the course was increased through an adoption of a unique blended learning model. Data collected in this study show a significant drop in the sense of connectedness score from a mean of 50.8 out of 66 to a mean of 39.68 in the first iteration. The score then began to gradually increase, reaching 50.65 in the third iteration. Results indicate that transitioning to a blended learning environment may be a suitable option to increase flexibility while maintaining a Sense of Community in a project-based course. Future research into specific aspects of course design such as maturity of design, age-level of participants, and context would further develop understanding in this area.
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Jääskeläinen, Petra Pauliina. "Conversation Analysis as a Design Research Method for Designing Socioculturally Contextual Conversational Agents." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Människa-datorinteraktion, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-414120.
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This research paper presents a study exploring if using the Conversational Analysis (CA) method in design research could result in designing more socioculturally contextual conversational agents. The research specifically focused on understanding the 1) effect on the design outcome and 2) the role in the design process. This was studied through practice-based design research, participant evaluation of the design outcome, and expert interviews on the design method. The findings were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively and showed, that socioculturally contextual design could potentially be a data-rich field of study with connections to design concepts such as inclusive design, affective design, design ethics, increased user experience, and further studies are therefore recommended. Furthermore, the study provided an understanding of the contexts in which the CA method may be useful in design, how it can potentially impact the design, and how to apply it to the design process and showed a positive effect on the design outcome in terms of socioculturally contextual design.
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Miller, Michael Chad. "Global Resource Management of Response Surface Methodology." PDXScholar, 2014. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1621.
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Statistical research can be more difficult to plan than other kinds of projects, since the research must adapt as knowledge is gained. This dissertation establishes a formal language and methodology for designing experimental research strategies with limited resources. It is a mathematically rigorous extension of a sequential and adaptive form of statistical research called response surface methodology. It uses sponsor-given information, conditions, and resource constraints to decompose an overall project into individual stages. At each stage, a "parent" decision-maker determines what design of experimentation to do for its stage of research, and adapts to the feedback from that research's potential "children", each of whom deal with a different possible state of knowledge resulting from the experimentation of the "parent". The research of this dissertation extends the real-world rigor of the statistical field of design of experiments to develop an deterministic, adaptive algorithm that produces deterministically generated, reproducible, testable, defendable, adaptive, resource-constrained multi-stage experimental schedules without having to spend physical resource.
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Wright, Robert Demmon. "Students' Attitudes Towards Rapport-building Traits and Practices in Online Learning Environments." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2012. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc177265/.
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This research was a triangulated study of student attitudes towards instructors' rapport-building traits and their preferences amongst instructors' rapport-building practices in online learning environments. Participants were undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in courses within an educational technology program at a central Texas university. The study employed a mixed-methods approach involving the Likert-item assessment of learners' attitudes, the identification and prioritization of learner preferences through pairwise comparisons, and semi-structured interviews that provided richer, more detailed information. Findings indicated a strong preference for instructor-based traits and practices over pedagogically-based ones. These traits and practices loaded into the components of social presence, enjoyable interaction, and personal connection.
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Lewis, Erin. "Radiant Textiles : A framework for designing with electromagnetic phenomena." Licentiate thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-26256.
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The design of smart, interactive, computational, and electronic textiles involves working with unknown variables that expand the tangible dimensions of textiles. Non-visual concepts such as electromagnetic fields, electrical current, computational code, and the temporal attributes of materials that exhibit dynamic qualities require that textile designers be able to perceive and manipulate domains of the textile that extend beyond its conventional forms of expression. Through these qualities, the textile becomes an interface to otherwise imperceptible phenomena of electromagnetism and thereby opens up to new textile design expressions. However, to do so requires a shift in the understanding of how fundamental textile concepts such as material, form, and expression interrelate to affect the expressive domain of the textile itself. This research aims to describe the material attributes, characteristics, and expressions of electromagnetic phenomena as explored through experimental research methods and suggests ways in which electromagnetic phenomena can be worked with as a design material for smart textiles. Further, it seeks to expand upon conventional design variables of textiles to include its electromagnetic domain. The experiments presented in this thesis suggest a framework for working with magnetic, dielectric, and conductive materials through textile techniques of weaving and knitting. The experiments point to the interrelationship between the textile material, structure, and form, identifying this triad as the key influencers that determine how textile expressions can embrace electromagnetic phenomena. The results of the experimental work are methods that show accessible ways for textile designers to visualize and perceive electromagnetic fields in textiles, such as sensing the impressions of textile structures on the magnetic field using a method of scanned-surface imaging; perceiving electromagnetic fields using textile antennas and spatial exploration, resulting in sonic expression; and kinetic textile behaviours at the yarn level through magnetic interactions. Furthermore, the design possibilities of the materials, methods and tools suggested in this thesis are demonstrated through examples of interactive artefacts, e.g., in the form of ambient energy harvesting forest mobiles and radio-frequency (RF) body extensions. The results suggest the variety of electromagnetic textile expressions that can be created when methods and tools to perceive and manipulate electromagnetic phenomena in textiles are consciously utilized.
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Du, Toit Jacques Louis. "A typology of designs for social research in the built environment." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/5142.
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Thesis (PhD (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this metamethodological study was to construct a typology of designs for social research in the built environment, i.e., architecture, urban design and planning. Currently there is no such typology, while the notion of “research design” is relatively unknown in methodological literature in the built environment field. An outline of the dimensions of social research provided a theoretical lens for methodological analysis, and identified six methodological considerations as classification criteria, including (1) research context, (2) research aim, (3) research purpose, (4) methodological paradigm, (5) methodological approach, and (6) source of data. Exploratory interviews and a survey and methodological content analysis of built environment theses provided a better understanding of methodological issues in conducting social research in the built environment and the potential relevance of a typology of designs. A review of methodological literature identified 25 research design subtypes that can be clustered into 10 prototypical designs for inclusion in the typology, namely: (1) surveys, (2) experiments, (3) modelling, simulation, mapping and visualization, (4) textual and narrative studies, (5) field studies, (6) case studies, (7) intervention research, (8) evaluation research, (9) participatory action research, and (10) metaresearch. A survey and methodological content analysis of journal articles determined the extent to which these designs feature in social research in the built environment. Although all the designs and subtypes feature, metaresearch, case studies, evaluation research and surveys predominate. An initial typology classified the 10 prototypical designs in terms of the six methodological considerations. The typology was tested to see how well it classified the designs of actual studies and revised accordingly. Possible benefits of the typology include greater clarification, improved teaching and decision-making, and methodological reflection. Thus, the typology may support lecturers, students, supervisors, researchers, peer-reviewers and practitioners to have a more articulate, reflexive, and critical orientation with regard to research design to maximize the validity of findings and advance theory, methodology and practice in built environment disciplines. The study concludes that the typology may also mitigate post-modern criticisms against social research in the built environment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie metametodologiese studie was om `n tipologie van ontwerpe vir sosiale navorsing in die bou-omgewing (d.w.s. argitektuur, stadsontwerp en beplanning) te konstrueer. Tans is daar geen so tipologie nie, terwyl die nosie van “navorsingsontwerp” relatief onbekend is in metodologiese literatuur in die bou-omgewing veld. `n Uiteensetting van die dimensies van sosiale navorsing het `n teoretiese lens vir metodologiese analises verskaf en ses metodologiese konsiderasies as klassifikasie kriteria geïdentifiseer, insluitend (1) navorsingskonteks, (2) navorsingsoogmerk, (3) navorsingsdoelwit, (4) metodologiese paradigma, (5) metodologiese benadering, en (6) data bron. Verkennende onderhoude en `n opname en metodologiese inhoudsanalise van bou-omgewing tesisse het `n beter begrip van metodologiese kwessies in sosiale navorsing in die bou-omgewing en die moontlike relevansie van `n tipologie van ontwerpe verskaf. `n Oorsig van metodologiese literatuur het 25 navorsingsontwerp subtipes geïdentifiseer wat in 10 prototipe ontwerpe gegroepeer kan word vir insluiting in die tipologie, naamlik (1) opnames, (2) eksperimente, (3) modellering, simulasie, kartering en visualisering, (4) tekstuele en narratiewe studies, (5) veldstudies, (6) gevallestudies, (7) intervensie navorsing, (8) evaluasie navorsing, (9) deelnemende aksie navorsing, en (10) metanavorsing. `n Opname en metodologiese inhoudsanalise van joernaal artikels het die mate waartoe hierdie ontwerpe in sosiale navorsing in die bou-omgewing voorkom bepaal. Alhoewel al die ontwerpe en subtipes voorkom, is metanavorsing, gevallestudies, evaluasie navorsing en opnames predominant. `n Aanvanklike tipologie het die 10 prototipe ontwerpe in terme van die ses metodologiese konsiderasies geklassifiseer. Die tipologie is getoets om te sien hoe goed dit die ontwerpe van werklike studies klassifiseer en dienooreenkomstig gewysig. Moontlike voordele van die tipologie sluit in verbeterde klarifikasie, onderrig, besluitneming en metodologiese refleksie. Die tipologie kan dus dosente, studente, studieleiers, navorsers, beoordelaars en praktisyns ondersteun om `n meer geartikuleerde, refleksiewe en kritiese oriëntasie ten opsigte van navorsingsontwerp te hê om die geldigheid van bevindinge te maksimeer en teorie, metodologie en praktyk in bou-omgewing dissiplines te bevorder. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die tipologie ook postmoderne kritiek teen sosiale navorsing in die bou-omgewing kan mitigeer.
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Hákonardóttir, Halla. "The Role of the Hole." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-519.
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The design project presented here explores the relation between body and a garment. It is concerned simultaneously with the fundamental notion of a garment and the act of dressing. The project can be contextualized as a constructive design research since the aim does not involve analysis of the material world nor rational problem solving. Rather, the aim is to create new imaginary realities, and visualize them. As a startup method to construct a theory, workshops were set up using life size vertical action collages, in order to integrate the act of dressing with the aim to develop a new construction method. Two actors, one of them myself, were used to provide a greater diversity of perspectives and interpretations. A method of dressing which involved interlocking the body - limbs and waist - with vertically hanging textiles, was developed through the search for the holes, that constitute the infrastructure of a garment. The results are both artefacts, that visualize the new garment construction as well as a new routine of dressing through the novel method of garment construction. Dressing a body in textiles through interlocking which results in an intimate connection between body and the garment as the body reacts to the garment and vice versa. The motivation for exploring the act of dressing is an urge to reflect upon the fast evolving society of today which tends to emphasize a static relationship between body and a garment.
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Reed, DesJardins Robin. "Social Design, Field Studies, Sustainable Development: How Design Research Methods have been Applied to Fieldwork Study and Enable Sustainable Community Development in Three Case Studies." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1356646012.
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Yu, Jingting. "Methods to Evaluate the Effects of Chromatin Organization in eQTL Mapping and the Effects of Design Factors in Cancer Single-cell Studies." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1554463507829716.
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Gutica, Mirela. "Emotional design : an investigation into designers' perceptions of incorporating emotions in software." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/2863.
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In my teaching and software development practice, I realized that most applications with human-computer
interaction do not respond to usersâ emotional needs. The dualism of reason and emotion as two
fairly opposite entities that dominated Western philosophy was also reflected in software design.
Computing was originally intended to provide applications for military and industrial activities and was
primarily associated with cognition and rationality. Today, more and more computer applications interact
with users in very complex and sophisticated ways. In human-computer interaction, attention is given to
issues of usability and user modeling, but techniques to emotionally engage users or respond to their
emotional needs have not been fully developed, even as specialists like Klein, Norman and Picard argued
that machines that recognize and express emotions respond better and more appropriately to user
interaction (Picard, 1997; Picard & Klein, 2002; Norman, 2004). This study investigated emotion from
designersâ perspectives and tentatively concludes that there is little awareness and involvement in
emotional design in the IT community. By contrast, participants in this study (36 IT specialists from
various fields) strongly supported the idea of emotional design and confirmed the need for methodologies
and theoretical models to research emotional design. Based on a review of theory, surveys and interviews,
I identified a set of themes for heuristics of emotional design and recommended future research
directions. Attention was given to consequences; participants in this study raised issues of manipulation,
ethical responsibilities of designers, and the need for regulations, and recommended that emotional design
should carry standard ethical guidelines for games and any other applications. The research design
utilized a mixed QUAN-qual methodological model proposed by Creswell (2003) and Gay, Mills, and
Airasian (2006), which was modified to equally emphasize both quantitative and qualitative stages. An
instrument in the form of a questionnaire was designed, tested and piloted in this study and will be
improved and used in future research.
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Cash, Philip. "Characterising the relationship between practice and laboratory-based studies of designers for critical design situations." Thesis, University of Bath, 2012. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.557814.
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Experimental study of the designer plays a critical role in design research. However laboratory based study is often poorly compared and contrasted to practice, leading to a lack of uptake and subsequent research impact. The importance of addressing this issue is highlighted by its significant influence on design research and many related fields. As such the main aim of this work is to improve empirical design research by characterising the relationship between practice and laboratory-based studies for critical design situations. A review of the state of the art methods in design research and key related fields is reported. This highlights the importance and commonality of a set or core issues connected to the failure to effectively link study of practice and study in the laboratory. Further to this a technical review and scoping was carried out to establish the most efective capture strategy to be used when studying the designer empirically. Subsequently three studies are reported, forming a three point comparison between practice the laboratory (with student practitioners) and an intermediary case (a laboratory with practitioners) . Results from these studies contextualise the critical situations in practice and develop a detailed multi-level comparison between practice and the laboratory which was then validated with respect to a number of existing studies. The primary contribution of this thesis is the development of a detailed multi-level relationship between practice and the laboratory for critical design situations: information seeking, ideation and design review. The second key contribution is the development of a generic method for the empirical study of designers in varying contexts - allowing researchers to build on this work and more effectively link diverse studies together. The final key contribution of this work is the identification of a number of core methodological issues and mitigating techniques affecting both design research and its related fields.
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Wölfel, Christian. "Designwissen." Doctoral thesis, Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2016. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-191230.
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Es besteht weitgehender Konsens darüber, dass Designer mit anderen Beteiligten gemeinsam bereits in frühe Phasen von Innovations- und Entwicklungsprozessen eingebunden werden müssen. Unterschiedliche Ausbildungsformen, Begriffe, Methoden und Fachkulturen von Designern und den traditionell in Technologieentwicklung involvierten Ingenieuren und Naturwissenschaftlern erschweren oder verhindern in der Praxis oftmals eine effektive Zusammenarbeit.
Dieses Buch widmet sich in diesem Kontext dem bislang nur unzureichend gelösten Problem der Akquise des für den Designentwurf relevanten Wissens aus dem individuell verfügbaren Repertoire: Während diese bei Experten weitgehend intuitiv abläuft ist, stellt sie insbesondere für ingenieurwissenschaftlich vorgebildete Designnovizen ohne spezifische methodische Unterstützung ein Problem dar.
Um geeignete Methoden auswählen und entwickeln zu können, wird in einem umfangreichen theoretischen Teil untersucht, wie dieses individuelle Designwissen charakterisiert ist. Auf Grundlage einer umfassenden Definition von Designwissen werden potenziell geeignete Methoden zur Unterstützung dessen Akquise dargestellt und bewertet.
Reflexive Methoden auf der Basis generischer Fragelisten sowie narrative Methoden auf Basis von Nutzer-Archetypen (Personas) und normativen Szenarien bilden dabei den Schwerpunkt. Der empirische Teil umfasst vier Untersuchungen. Der tatsächliche Effekt von spezifischen reflexiven und narrativen Methoden bei der individuellen Wissensakquise wird in drei Studien mit experimentellem Charakter nachgewiesen und diskutiert. Eine vergleichende explorative Feldstudie zum Einsatz von Methoden in der beruflichen Praxis von Designern und Konstrukteuren ergänzt die Erkenntnisse und hilft, diese in einen breiteren Kontext einzuordnen.
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Alazemi, Sami. "Evaluation of the effects of participatory methods in the teaching of ecological thinking in design in Kuwait." Thesis, University of Dundee, 2017. https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/54490bc5-da20-4a15-9688-37f46c1021a1.
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In a world that faces global warming and other major environmental challenges, it is essential that students learn about the principles of sustainability so that they can apply these principles in their future lives and careers. This is particularly so in fields such as interior architecture and design, which will impact how well humans can move toward a sustainable way of life. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a participatory teaching approach for students of interior design that incorporates ecological thinking. It is particularly intended for use at universities and other places of higher education where such contexts are not currently available and, furthermore, where the teaching has been primarily of a didactic, teacher-centred form. The teaching approach was developed and tested through the involvement of students and staff at a technical institute in Kuwait – a country with severe environmental problems in which teaching at all levels has traditionally been rigidly didactic. A review was carried out of literature on learning theories, design principles, and sustainability paradigms that bore upon the research aim. Following this, a method was chosen, based on action research that involved running different types of workshops, in order to measure the impact of the teaching styles that are ideal to deliver ecological knowledge.
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Helsel, Sand, and n/a. "A Search For Common Pleasures: CURATING THE CITY." RMIT University. Architecture and Design, 2009. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20091216.141950.
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The project-based research questions how professionals working in the built environment can engage a broader range of 'others' (students, client, users) in ways of seeing and acting in a meaningful way. It challenges the role of the expert in architecture and urban design and in particular their use of the masterplan, which is often an oversimplified reductive response, laden with generalisations and the ill-considered overlay of inappropriate models. Design methods are designed to enable us to see afresh and respond accordingly. These are demonstrated in three suites of projects that include urban installations such as Five Walks for the Melbourne International Arts Festival, war memorials, lectures, photographs and teaching practice such as Taipei Operations, a student workshop, architectural exhibition, and book. The design research is situated within an expanded field of cross-disciplinary practice that includes art, landscape architecture, urban design, architecture and geography. Tools are developed to enable us to understand the city at many spatial and temporal scales; observations made at a micro scale reveal systems at a macro scale - a bottom-up approach. The application of the methods explored implies that
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Albassam, Waleed. "Corporate governance, voluntary disclosure and financial performance : an empirical analysis of Saudi listed firms using a mixed-methods research design." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2014. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5280/.
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This thesis empirically analyses corporate governance reforms in Saudi Arabia using a mixed-methods research design. Saudi Arabia has recently pursued corporate governance reforms; the establishment of the Capital Market Authority (CMA) in 2003 and the publication of the Saudi Corporate Governance Code (SCGC) in 2006 constitute a central part of these reforms. This study attempts to provide new insights by exploring the corporate governance reforms pursued. In particular, by using an integrated research design framework, the study seeks to: (i) examine the level of compliance with, and disclosure of, the governance provisions contained in the SCGC by Saudi listed firms; (ii) ascertain whether the introduction of the SCGC has helped improve corporate governance standards in the Saudi corporate context; (iii) investigate the factors affecting voluntary corporate governance disclosure among Saudi listed firms; (iv) examine the association between a number of individual corporate governance mechanisms (i.e., equilibrium-variable model) and financial performance in Saudi listed firms; (v) analyse the relationship between voluntary compliance with the SCGC and firm financial performance by employing a broad composite corporate governance index (i.e., compliance-index model); and (vi) explore the level of awareness and appreciation of good corporate governance practices among key internal and external stakeholders in Saudi Arabia. The first five objectives outlined above are examined using a quantitative methodology, whereas the sixth objective is investigated by employing a qualitative research design. Efforts have been made to achieve integration between the two different research designs by applying the Explanatory Sequential Design (two sequential stages) proposed by Creswell and Clark (2011) within a multi-theoretical framework that incorporates insights from agency, managerial signalling, stakeholder, stewardship and resource dependence theories. The decision to employ a mixed-methods research design is motivated by the relative lack of, and recent calls for, mixed-methods approaches in corporate governance research. The mixed-methods approach seeks to provide a more complete understanding of the effects of corporate governance reforms on corporate disclosure and performance. In addition to the quantitative analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five different groups of key stakeholders. The interview data offers further scope to: (ii) explore the corporate governance reforms; (ii) examine the impact of such reforms on actual governance practices; and (iii) provide a unique opportunity to further understand and explain the quantitative findings. Through the quantitative approach, the study examined balanced panel data of 80 Saudi listed firms from 2004 to 2010. This generated a total of 560 firm-year observations that were collected manually from the sampled firms’ annual reports. First, the constructed Saudi Corporate Governance Index (SCGI) showed that the introduction of the SCGC has helped improve voluntary corporate governance disclosure among Saudi listed firms. Second, this study found that board size, audit firm size, the presence of a corporate governance committee, government ownership, institutional ownership and director ownership have a positive influence on the level of compliance with the SCGC. In contrast, the analysis showed that the proportion of independent directors and block ownership are negatively correlated with the level of voluntary corporate governance disclosure. Third, the findings obtained from the compliance-index model suggest that good corporate governance practices, proxied by the SCGI, are positively related to return on assets (ROA), but have no significant relationship with firm value, as measured by Tobin’s Q (Q-ratio). Similarly, the results from the equilibrium-variable model are by and large mixed. Whereas CEO duality, proportion of independent directors, board sub-committees and director ownership are positively related to ROA, board size is negatively associated with ROA. On the other hand, the proportion of independent directors, board size, frequency of board meetings and director ownership are positively related to firm value, while CEO duality and the presence of board sub-committees have no significant relationship with firm value. The results from the quantitative analysis are robust to controlling for a number of potential endogeneity problems. Finally, the findings obtained from the interview data generally suggest that the regulatory authorities and the CMA in particular need to further strengthen efforts to enhance the level of awareness and appreciation of good corporate governance practices among key internal and external stakeholders of corporate governance in Saudi Arabia.
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Beccue-Barnes, Wendy Davis. "War brides: a practice-based examination of translating women’s voices into textile art." Diss., Kansas State University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/13632.
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Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design
Sherry J. Haar
Research about military wives has been limited. In academia, most research centers on the soldier and/or the family as a unit. When literature does address only the wife’s perspective it rarely presents a positive portrayal of her life. However, it is not just literature that shows a gap in exposing the voice of the military wife. Art-based works rarely focus on her perspective; and methodologies, such as practice-based research, rarely utilize actual voices as inspiration. The aim of the current study was to discover the voice of the military wife, examine it through a feminist lens, and then translate those voices into artwork that represented the collective, lived experience of the women interviewed. Three methodologies were utilized to analyze and translate the voices of military wives into textile art. These three methodologies: practice-based research, phenomenology, and feminist inquiry provided a suitable structure for shaping the study to fulfill the project aim. Interviews conducted with 22 military wives revealed two overarching themes: militarization and marriage; as well as multiple subthemes. Three subthemes were recognized as being the most prominent: relationships, separation, and collective experience. These themes were used as the inspiration for the creation and installation of three textile art pieces. The current study serves to fill the gaps in both the literature and the artistic process by presenting both the positive and negative aspects of the military wife’s lived experience and using that lived experience as inspiration for textile art.
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Hagen, Clinton Ernest. "Comparing the performance of four calculation methods for estimating the sample size in repeated measures clinical trials where difference in treatment groups means is of interest." Oklahoma City : [s.n.], 2008.
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Beisecker, Elise K. "Framework for robust design: a forecast environment using intelligent discrete event simulation." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/43678.
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The US Navy is shifting to power projection from the sea which stresses the capabilities of its current fleet and exposes a need for a new surface connector. The design of complex systems in the presence of changing requirements, rapidly evolving technologies, and operational uncertainty continues to be a challenge. Furthermore, the design of future naval platforms must take into account the interoperability of a variety of heterogeneous systems and their role in a larger system-of-systems context. To date, methodologies to address these complex interactions and optimize the system at the macro-level have lacked a clear direction and structure and have largely been conducted in an ad-hoc fashion. Traditional optimization has centered around individual vehicles with little regard for the impact on the overall system. A key enabler in designing a future connector is the ability to rapidly analyze technologies and perform trade studies using a system-of-systems level approach.
The objective of this work is a process that can quantitatively assess the impacts of new capabilities and vessels at the systems-of-systems level. This new methodology must be able to investigate diverse, disruptive technologies acting on multiple elements within the system-of-systems architecture. Illustrated through a test case for a Medium Exploratory Connector (MEC), the method must be capable of capturing the complex interactions between elements and the architecture and must be able to assess the impacts of new systems). Following a review of current methods, six gaps were identified, including the need to break the problem into subproblems in order to incorporate a heterogeneous, interacting fleet, dynamic loading, and dynamic routing. For the robust selection of design requirements, analysis must be performed across multiple scenarios, which requires the method to include parametric scenario definition.
The identified gaps are investigated and methods recommended to address these gaps to enable overall operational analysis across scenarios. Scenarios are fully defined by a scheduled set of demands, distances between locations, and physical characteristics that can be treated as input variables. Introducing matrix manipulation into discrete event simulations enables the abstraction of sub-processes at an object level and reduces the effort required to integrate new assets. Incorporating these linear algebra principles enables resource management for individual elements and abstraction of decision processes. Although the run time is slightly greater than traditional if-then formulations, the gain in data handling abilities enables the abstraction of loading and routing algorithms.
The loading and routing problems are abstracted and solution options are developed and compared. Realistic loading of vessels and other assets is needed to capture the cargo delivery capability of the modeled mission. The dynamic loading algorithm is based on the traditional knapsack formulation where a linear program is formulated using the lift and area of the connector as constraints. The schedule of demands from the scenarios represents additional constraints and the reward equation. Cargo available is distributed between cargo sources thus an assignment problem formulation is added to the linear program, requiring the cargo selected to load on a single connector to be available from a single load point.
Dynamic routing allows a reconfigurable supply chain to maintain a robust and flexible operation in response to changing customer demands and operating environment. Algorithms based on vehicle routing and computer packet routing are compared across five operational scenarios, testing the algorithms ability to route connectors without introducing additional wait time. Predicting the wait times of interfaces based on connectors en route and incorporating reconsideration of interface to use upon arrival performed consistently, especially when stochastic load times are introduced, is expandable to a large scale application. This algorithm selects the quickest load-unload location pairing based on the connectors routed to those locations and the interfaces selected for those connectors. A future connector could have the ability to unload at multiple locations if a single load exceeds the demand at an unload location. The capability for multiple unload locations is considered a special case in the calculation of the unload location in the routing. To determine the unload location to visit, a traveling salesman formulation is added to the dynamic loading algorithm. Using the cost to travel and unload at locations balanced against the additional cargo that could be delivered, the order and locations to visit are selected. Predicting the workload at load and unload locations to route vessels with reconsideration to handle disturbances can include multiple unload locations and creates a robust and flexible routing algorithm.
The incorporation of matrix manipulation, dynamic loading, and dynamic routing enables the robust investigation of the design requirements for a new connector. The robust process will use shortfall, capturing the delay and lack of cargo delivered, and fuel usage as measures of performance. The design parameters for the MEC, including the number available and vessel characteristics such as speed and size were analyzed across four ways of testing the noise space. The four testing methods are: a single scenario, a selected number of scenarios, full coverage of the noise space, and feasible noise space. The feasible noise space is defined using uncertainty around scenarios of interest. The number available, maximum lift, maximum area, and SES speed were consistently design drivers. There was a trade-off in the number available and size along with speed. When looking at the feasible space, the relationship between size and number available was strong enough to reverse the number available, to desiring fewer and larger ships. The secondary design impacts come from factors that directly impacted the time per trip, such as the time between repairs and time to repair. As the noise sampling moved from four scenario to full coverage to feasible space, the option to use interfaces were replaced with the time to load at these locations and the time to unload at the beach gained importance. The change in impact can be attributed to the reduction in the number of needed trips with the feasible space. The four scenarios had higher average demand than the feasible space sampling, leading to loading options being more important. The selection of the noise sampling had an impact of the design requirements selected for the MEC, indicating the importance of developing a method to investigate the future Naval assets across multiple scenarios at a system-of-systems level.
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Headley, Marcia Gail. "What is Symbolic Mathematics Language Literacy? A Multilevel Mixed Methods Study of Adolescents in a Middle School." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1470045155.
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Iqbal, Fowad. "Generate light with wind power." Thesis, Tekniska Högskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping, JTH. Forskningsmiljö Produktutveckling - Simulering och optimering, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-21124.
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The report explain the steps taken to improve a product (SOLVINDEN), which uses sun and wind energy to generate light and is used for outdoor decoration. The research involves improvements in both designas well function. As the form follows function in the product functionality of the form is very important in selection of the form. Some of important topics which are considered are different way of using wind to charge batteries, blades profiles and shape, way of optimizing generator, ratio of the optimal solution between of how much wind power is needed tostart charging and charging efficiency. The report also includes differentway of manufacturing, testing and finalizing the right form afteroptimizing. The solar power and the batteries are not in the scope of theproject.
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Grohowski, Mariana. "At War with Words: Understanding U.S. Service-Personnel's Literate Practices for a Universal Design for Learning Worldview." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1421692543.
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Fu, Xing-Yuan. "A study of the outdoor environmental design of high-rise residential area (HRFRAs), China : application and investigation of the environmental-behaviour theories and research methods for landscape design." Thesis, Heriot-Watt University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/32235.
Full textAbstract:
Designers often believe that environmental design improves quality of life. Preference as an index of motivation has influences on many aspects of people. Based on a study of the relationship between actual uses and preferred outdoor environments, this research aims to deepen our understanding of place via public input and to improve the design quality of the central community garden (CCG) of high-rise flat residential areas (HRFRAs) in China. With a total of 902 respondents from six HRFRAs, the investigation was carried out in three major Chinese cities, Beijing, Shenzhen and Hangzhou, in September 2006. Analysis at a general level reveals the preferred environmental patterns and significant predictors of the respondents' actual use. The comparisons at the city level indicate the territorial differences and characteristics of each city, respectively. Analysis of the results indicated that a quiet, green environment in an informal design style was the preferred environment which would improve residents' frequency of use. Of the environmental elements, waterscape and evergreens were particularly important to users. Although both of them are important to people's actual use, the effect of the prospect indicator (perspective of the CCG looking from a resident's window) was relatively weaker than the indicator of affordances, such as exercise facilities and children's playgrounds, etc. On the other hand, the results of the study explain the gap which often occurs between landscape architects' intentions and the manner in which the elements of the design actually work, in users' opinion. Landscape designers of the HRFRAs in China need to reorder the emphasis of the design aspects and adjust the contents of the environment to satisfy users' social, functional and psychological needs.
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Smith-Forbes, Enrique V. "EXPLORATION OF FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PATIENT ADHERENCE IN UPPER EXTREMITY REHABILITATION: A MIXED-METHODS EMBEDDED DESIGN." UKnowledge, 2015. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/rehabsci_etds/27.
Full textAbstract:
Adherence is considered a prerequisite for the success of exercise programs for musculoskeletal disorders. The negative effects of non-adherence to exercise recommendations impact the cost of care, and also treatment effectiveness, treatment duration, the therapeutic relationship, waiting times, the efficiency of personnel and use of equipment. Adherence to therapeutic exercise intervention is a multifaceted problem.
The World Health Organization (WHO) established the multidimensional adherence model (MAM). The MAM describes five interactive dimensions (socioeconomic, healthcare team and system, condition-related, therapy-related, and patient-related factors) that have an effect on patient adherence.
The first purpose of this dissertation was to explore the MAM dimension of condition-related factors to determine the Quick Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand (QDASH) minimal clinical important difference (MCID) for three distal upper extremity conditions. The second purpose was to explore the MAM dimension of personal factors to learn from individuals who expressed incongruence between their QDASH and GROC scores; how they described their perceived change in therapy. The third purpose was to explore the MAM dimension of therapy-related factors to examine the effect of patient-therapist collaborative goal setting on patient adherence to treatment and QDASH outcomes.
Results demonstrated in the first study that diagnosis specific MCID’s differed from the global MCID using multiple diagnoses. In the second study results demonstrated that patients expect to have a dedicated therapist who they can trust to work collaboratively with them to establish goals and spend time with them to achieve these goals. In the third study, our first hypothesis was not supported for all three measures of adherence. The median for home exercise program diary adherence was found to trend towards significance by 8.7 percent favoring the experimental group Mann-Whitney U (p < .100). Our second hypothesis was not supported. The experimental group receiving collaborative goal setting intervention had similar QDASH mean change scores 45.9±27.6 compared to the control group 46.1±23.8, Mann-Whitney U (p < .859).