1 |
Elicito: An ontology-based quality driven requriements engineering framework and toolBalushi, Taiseera Hazeem Al January 2008 (has links)
Successful development of software systems depends on the quality of the requirements engineering process. Users oftoday's software systems expect systems to execute tasks on time, assure secure transactions, provide accurate results, and have low down-times. Therefore, capturing, representing, and addressing not only the functional requirements but also the non-functional requirements (NFRs) or quality requirements during software systems development is a pre-requisite to the development of effective and efficient software systems. Despite the critical importance of quality requirements, there is a considerable gap in the breadth and depth of quality engineering support in most Requirements Engineering (RE) methods. In practice, quality concerns are frequently considered only as an afterthought in the systems development process. Whilst there is a wealth of modelling formalisms and process models for functional requirements, there is very limited support for quality factors in requirements engineering. The objective of this research was therefore to investigate the use of quality ontologies to efficiently and effectively address quality requirements during the RE activities. The main contributions of this thesis are an ontology-based quality driven requirements engineering approach: the ElicitO framework and tool. The ElicitO framework consists of processes and guidelines on how to conduct RE stages supported by ontologies (domain and quality) implemented in the ElicitO tool. The framework and the tool are aimed at empowering requirements analysts with a knowledge repository that helps to capture precise non-functional requirements. Finally the ElicitO tool was evaluated in a University Web Project at the University of Manchester. The results of the case study indicate that quality requirements can be better understood, negotiated about, precisely captured and documented early in requirements engineering activities.
|
2 |
Decision audit: a methodology and applicationsPark, Jaeshin January 2001 (has links)
No description available.
|
3 |
Online computer-mediated decision-making for sustainable environmental managementHossack, Iain Donald January 2009 (has links)
This thesis describes emerging European Union challenges for environmental justice: public participation with transparent decision-making; and knowledge transfer of complex scientific information. It describes the Delphi technique, a pen-and-paper decision support framework developed during the late 1950s and 1960s and its potential to meet environmental justice challenges, if coupled with internet-based computer technologies; online computer mediated decision making (OCMDM). Through various case studies, mainly with one group of soil experts, a long term assessment of OCMDM is presented. This thesis argues that OCMDM provides a technologically flexible, relatively inclusive and efficient framework for discourse capture. However, from a social perspective, OCMDM is far from universally popular, mirroring long-held views of traditional pen-and-paper-based Delphis. At this time, the tool could not be recommended as a transferable panacea for public consultation. Nevertheless, a long-term study of user group engagement with the tool identifies significant utility for conflict resolution, with scope for application within contentious decision-making arenas, if utilised sparingly and thoughtfully. Criteria for successful 'real-world' acceptance of application and research with the tool are provided, together with examples of real-world decision-making arenas that meet them. Through analysis of participants' perceptions, a tantalising glimpse of potentially complex fractal-based decision processes is offered: honing and spiraling towards an ever-refining definition of a truth. This study suggests that this singular decision is itself only part of other archetypal honing-spiraling mechanisms of decision-making, either objectively or metaphorically; each of differing attractions and repulsion to an end user. By identifying some of these fundamental rules of participation, this study provides an opportunity to explore human interaction and decision-making with greater accuracy. There is considerable potential to eliminate most, if not all, OCMDM participant concerns.
|
4 |
Opportunistic plan execution monitoring and controlGough, Jonathan January 2007 (has links)
When executing a plan, the traditional assumption of complete certainty is rarely valid; in real-world situations, actions may fail to complete, or may take much longer than initially anticipated. Because of this, layers of robustness are required that allow flexibility during execution. There are two aspects of an executive that need addressing to provide the ability to deal with uncertainties: monitoring and control. This thesis examines both of these aspects and shows how these may be used during execution. For monitoring, the use of Hidden Markov Models is proposed. Tracing the execution of a task through a model allows the executive to detect its current state, even when this is not directly observable from within the system. The trajectory of states through the model can reveal execution irregularities, which can be flagged and identified as failure. This work explores the use of learnt models, evaluating their performance in various contexts. For control, the use of opportunistic plans is examined. These can be used after failure has occurred, or when an action successfully finishes early. The definition of opportunistic plans is expanded to include extra structures that may be of use during the creation of these. Execution issues surrounding opportunistic plans are addressed, including how to decide when to execute an opportunity. The logical requirements for this are discussed, and several opportunity insertion strategies are developed. This is followed by a technique for deciding if resources should be conserved for later opportunities with the prospect of greater reward.
|
5 |
A study into situation management applied to time-critical decision-making in aviation securityKolle, Rainer January 2012 (has links)
This thesis addresses technological support to decision-making in time-critical environments. In particular, I develop and apply an information-theoretic approach to situation management in aviation security. This thesis investigates the factors affecting situation management and addresses the challenges of establishing timely situation awareness to support the 'course of action' selection. In order to efficiently manage an aviation security incident, a situation management approach can provide the required technological capability in this dynamic and complex environment. Situation management research is still in its infancy and more research concerning underlying methodologies and techniques is required. This work therefore models situation management as a collaborative information problem and explores the factors from a macro-perspective modelling the problem as a multi-agent system. The goal of the research is to explore and develop an information-theoretic framework for decision support systems in situation management contexts. This thesis presents the approach to design and develop a situation management framework within the aviation security context. The modelling work and experiments were implemented with an agent-based simulation software tool (Repast version 2.0). The framework and its implementation has been validated based on use case studies. The performance of the proposed agent model in comparison to two recent European live trial scenarios has been tested to emulate real-time constraints and requirements. The results obtained indicate that automation support for time-critical decision-making in aviation security supports the early identification of incidents and increases the situational awareness during the management of an incident. This allows decision-makers to select from a wider range of options, as the time-window for the deployment of responses increases. Next to the validation of the concept and framework developed, an initial situation management capability for aviation security in SESAR is defined. The work reported in this thesis demonstrates that the situation management concept and framework is applicable for multi-agency coordination and collaboration in aviation security incident management.
|
6 |
Project interactions and emergent portfolio attributes in multi-criteria portfolio selectionMalyon, Brett Edwin January 2005 (has links)
No description available.
|
7 |
A framework for decision support, capture and re-useAdelmann, Holger Georg January 2008 (has links)
Pharmaceutical Research and Development (R&D) is a 'knowledge intensive' business, requiring frequent and comprehensive knowledge transactions. One necessary class of knowledge transactions concerns the constant evaluation of incoming data from experiments, discussion of the data amongst scientists and physicians and the ability to make informed operational and strategic decisions amidst some uncertainty, particularly in the early phase of development. Because of these uncertainties, it is important to constantly review decisions to verify their validity as a drug development project moves on. As the decision-making is inextricably bound to appropriate risk awareness and risk management, the consideration of options and appropriate scenario planning, the application of past experience to present information should help provide a balanced assessment of risks prior to decision making. Experienced employees often immediately apply what they remember of their past experience to present problems. This past experience, together with the ability to abstract from past solutions in order to be able to apply them to new problems may be the key to robust sustainable decisions. The author's research has used a combination of pilot studies, brainstorming sessions, review meetings and surveys combined with actual working practice in an iterative manner, which has been proven useful to address the specific aims and objectives for the development, implementation and testing of a decision support framework for clinical drug development called EPISTEME. All the aims and objectives set at the outset of this research have been achieved. AstraZeneca top management has also recently used the EPISTEME decision support framework successfully to assess the impact of restructuring scenarios. This and the endorsement and adoption of the final information model and decision support framework by the AstraZeneca company, means that this research project was successful, and can now provide the basis for many further research projects on related topics at AstraZeneca and elsewhere.
|
8 |
Exploring whole system designColey, F. J. S. January 2008 (has links)
The emergence of increasingly complex problems, combined with growing concerns for the environment, is fuelling the demand for more innovative and sustainable products, services and systems. Whole system design is one approach that aims to integrate social, economic and environmental phenomena into a comprehensive design solution. The approach encourages the development of partnerships between actors from a variety of different backgrounds, disciplines and sectors to develop an innovative, sustainable and optimised solution at a whole system level. However, there is limited research concerning the integrative process that actors are required to follow in order to reach such a solution. The aim of this study was to gain improved knowledge and understanding surrounding the process of whole system design and to identify those factors that influence its success. This was achieved in two phases; firstly a longitudinal case study was undertaken which followed the process of whole system design from beginning to end. 22 design and progress meetings were observed, 18 interviews were carried out and a multitude of relevant documentation was analysed. This resulted in the identification of 10 themes. The second phase of the research aimed to validate initial findings by conducting 5 smaller cases and interviewing 11 individually selected experts. The study ultimately produced 8 confirmed themes, 68 individual findings and 37 factors that enable and inhibit the process of whole system design. As a result of this study, an improved knowledge and understanding surrounding the process of whole system design has been presented. In particular, findings have been provided concerning: the development of partnerships, the pertinence of human and non-human interaction, the requirement of individual characteristics, enhanced understanding of purpose and process, the necessary alignment of individual and organisational motivation, the necessity of sense making activities, the role of a facilitator and the need for integration, each of these within the context of whole system design. The framework of these findings provides a novel contribution to knowledge within the context of whole system design.
|
9 |
Directed Schema-based ReasoningClarke, Jonathan M. January 2006 (has links)
This work examines Schema-based Reasoning (SBR) (Turner 1994), a general-purpose problem solver that provides context-centric mediation ofsolutions in open domains~ This thesis will argue that Turner's SBR requires augmentation in commercial and critical applications, in order to obtain a principled adherence to domain-specific, behavioural constraints. An approach is required that balances the preservation ofdomain-specific solution trajectories and context-mediated, opportunistic problem solving found within Turner's SBR. The Directed-SBR model is proposed as the augmentation ofTurner's SBR, with principled extensions that enforce an adherence to such behavioural constraints. The principles augment Turner's SBR by enforcing a further mediation ofthe context-centric p~blem solving, drawing upon a problem domain's viability constraints during solution selection. Furthermore, a problem domain's behavioural constraints are brought into focus as a central consideration during knowledge engineering. This provides focus upon specific domain states, the extraction ofappropriate information from domain ~esources, and at the most appropriate times. The resultant Directed-SBR model establishes a balance between the selection ofthe most appropriate solutions, given the nte~tions ofthe problem solving, while preserving the tasks already unde$ken. be investigation into the adequacies ofTurner's SBRmodel adopts combinatorial pproaches ofquantitative and qualitative research methods. It demonstrates that 'irected-SBR enables the academic and commercial domains examined to be reinforced ith solution mediation that considers domain integrity, in combination with mtext-mediation. Significantly, Directed-SBR has been tested and evaluated in a large ale, distributed, commercial domain, and is operational in a production environment, :ling problem diagnosis, system testing and autonomous support tasks.
|
10 |
Interaction with rule-bound systems : introducing a new 'ideal type' problem contextClayton, John January 2004 (has links)
This PhD thesis introduces a new ideal-type problem context of rule-bound systems. The thesis has been generated through a belief in the ability of metaphor to make the abstract visible, its capacity to make the unfamiliar familiar, and its effectiveness as a legitimate means of generating insight and organizing knowledge. Metaphorical description remains an integral part of this thesis from beginning to end. It shows how the new context of rule-bound systems provides closure of the ideal problem context grid along the participants access. Following the ideas that created the basis for this closure, insight into a new role for systems practitioners is provided and the ideal problem context grid developed to form of a Torus. Part 1 outlines the theoretical foundations and other inspirations that underpin the thesis. Grounded on a wider definition of rules, including rules in both a formal and informal sense, multiple ways of viewing rules are highlighted. The characteristics of rule-bound systems are identified, drawing comparisons with other 'ideal-types'. Suggestions are also drawn out as to how change might be affected in a rule-bound context. Part II of this thesis is an account of a real world intervention informed by Critical Systems Thinking, carried out under the auspices of Participatory Action Research. A number of systems research methods and concepts were employed to investigate the participation of students in policy making in two contrasting senior schools in the North of England - organizations believed to present many of the characteristics of the rule-bound system. The approach used was one mixing methods, specifically, the creation of a symbiotic relationship between Soft Systems Methodology and Critical Systems Heuristics. Part III describes the process of reflection undertaken and the conclusion to the thesis.
|
Page generated in 0.0711 seconds