Tillage erosion is the dominant soil erosion process in hummocky landscapes. The topsoil lost from the convex upper slope positions (i.e., hilltops knolls, ridges) gradually makes its way to the concave lower slope positions (i.e., foot slopes, toe slopes/depressions), while reducing yield capability in the knolls. The accumulation of topsoil in the concave lower slope positions does not increase yield potential. Landscape restoration is a process by which organic-rich topsoil is removed from lower slope positions and is moved to the knoll positions where it is applied and incorporated as additional topsoil. Field studies on this matter have shown increases in crop yield productivity due to land restoration on the convex upper slope positions. Using a model developed in STELLA ®, this research examines the net monetary benefit of landscape restoration in specific landscape scenarios modeled after areas in Manitoba which are prone to tillage erosion. This study demonstrates that farming operations in hummocky landscapes, experiencing topsoil loss at knolls benefit from landscape restoration as it can lead to positive net returns. In this study, the research shows that landscape restoration, in the Rural Municipality of Lorne (South Western Manitoba), led to revenues greater than restoration costs for arable land used for agricultural purposes. Depending on soil conditions and tillage choices the payback period for landscape restoration ranged from 8 to 18 years.

Usability testing is a branch of usability engineering that focuses on analyzing and improving user interactions with computer systems. This testing technique has been used in different industries for years and has proven to be very useful in determining major issues with applications before they are released, however the use of this technique has been slow to gain widespread acceptance in testing health information systems. This study was designed to determine if a specific form of usability testing, Low-Cost Rapid Usability Testing, can be introduced as a standard part of the system development lifecycle (SDLC) for health information systems in a cost effective manner. To determine if this was possible a full cost-benefit analysis of Low-Cost Rapid Usability Testing was performed on a health information system, the BC Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Toolkit, tracking all of the costs involved in the testing process and comparing them against the possible costs that may have been incurred if this testing was not performed. It was found that by introducing this technique into the system development lifecycle to allow for earlier detection of errors in a health information system it is possible to achieve an estimated 36.5% to 78.5% cost saving compared to the impact of errors going undetected and causing a technology-induced error. Overall it was found that Low-Cost Rapid Usability Testing can be implemented in conjunction with other testing techniques in a cost effective manner to develop health information systems, and computer systems in general, which will have a lower incidence of technology-induced errors. / Graduate

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2002. / Härtill 5 uppsatser. År 2005 tilldelat nummer i serien Linköping studies in arts and science.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2005. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.