Det finns idag ett stort behov för IT-verksamheter att arbeta med ständiga förbättringar för att hålla sig konkurrenskraftiga på marknaden. En viktig del i arbetet med ständiga förbättringar är att bedöma och utvärdera den befintliga situationen i syfte att skapa bra åtgärder. För att möjliggöra denna bedömning kan verksamheter använda sig av standarder och modeller för processbedömning. I IT-sektorn anstränger sig många företag med att förbättra arbetsprocesserna och brygga samman sina utvecklings- (eng. Development) och driftsavdelningar (eng. Operations). Arbetet med denna sammanlänkning benämns ofta som DevOps. Problemet som vi adresserar är att det saknas enkla digitala verktyg som är kontextualiserade för verksamheter som vill förbättra sitt samarbete mellan dessa avdelningar. Den befintliga klassen av system för DevOps-bedömning innehåller modeller som är otillräckliga och stödjer därmed inte utvecklings- och driftsaktörer i deras arbete att bedöma sin verksamhet för att ge beslutsunderlag för förbättring. I syfte att förbättra möjligheterna för DevOps-verksamheter och samtidigt skapa ny kunskap har vi designat och utvärderat en digital bedömningsmodell som kan användas i praktiken. För att uppfylla syftet har vi använt oss av forskningsmetoden Action Design Research som är särskilt lämplig metod vid skapande av IT-relaterade modeller i en verklig kontext. Resultatet bekräftar att befintliga bedömningsmodeller inte är tillräckliga och att problemet är generaliserbart som en klass av problem. En operativ digital modell kommer även presenteras med syfte att bedöma verksamheter ur ett DevOps-kontext. Vid utveckling av artefakten har även tre generella designprinciper identifierats vilka utvecklare och praktiker bör följa vid design av framtida bedömningsmodeller för DevOps. Principerna innebär att vid skapandet av en bedömningsmodell för DevOps i en IT-kontext bör det (i) användas en betygsskala uppdelad på fyra kapacitetsnivåer, (ii) påståenden som används i modellen bör vara förändrings- och anpassningsbara då verksamheter är unika, samt att (iii) modellen bör utvecklas så att development och operations kan utföra utvärderingen tillsammans. / Today, there is a great need for IT businesses to work with continuous improvement to keep competitive on the market. An important part of the work of continuous improvement is to assess and evaluate the existing situation with a view for creating profitable actions. To enable this assessment, businesses can use standards and models for process assessment. In the IT sector, many companies try to improve their work processes and combine development and operations. The work of this interconnection is often referred to as DevOps. The problem we address is that there are no simple digital tools that are contextualized for activities that want to improve collaboration between these departments. The existing class of DevOps assessment systems contains inadequate models, thus not support development and operational players in their work to assess their business to provide a basis for improvements. In order to improve the opportunities for DevOps operations while creating new knowledge, we have designed and evaluated a digital assessment model that can be used in practice. To fulfill the purpose, we have used the research method Action Design Research, which is a particularly suitable method of creating IT-related models in a real context. The result confirms that existing assessment models are not sufficient and that the problem is generalizable as a class of problems. An operating digital model will also be presented with the purpose of assessing activities from a DevOps context. In developing the artifact, three general design principles have also been identified which developers and practitioners should follow for design of future assessment models for DevOps. The principles imply that, in the creation of a DevOps assessment model in an IT context, (i) a grading scale should be divided into four capacity levels, (ii) statements used in the model should be changeable and adaptable as organizations are unique and (iii) should be developed so that development and operation can perform the evaluation together.

Os sistemas supervisÃrios estÃo cada vez mais presentes no cotidiano da indÃstria, pois a garantia de se ter informaÃÃo sobre os processos de produÃÃo em diversos locais simultaneamente à essencial para um bom monitoramento e controle. Contudo, a maioria dos desenvolvedores destas ferramentas nÃo utilizam modelos de desenvolvimento, tampouco mÃtodos de avaliaÃÃo da qualidade de softwares, tornando os projetos mais dispendiosos, devido ao retrabalho, e causando insatisfaÃÃo aos clientes devido ao nÃo cumprimento aos requisitos fundamentais. Portanto, existe uma necessidade de organizaÃÃo do processo de desenvolvimento e avaliaÃÃo de supervisÃrios. As normas ISO/IEC 9126 e 14598 sÃo utilizadas na metodologia proposta, pois fornecem um bom suporte para a identificaÃÃo das caracterÃsticas essenciais de um supervisÃrio, para a criaÃÃo de um padrÃo de qualidade e para o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de avaliaÃÃo. Este trabalho apresenta uma proposta de modelo para o desenvolvimento de softwares supervisÃrios, acompanhado por um mÃtodo de avaliaÃÃo da qualidade baseado em lÃgica fuzzy para analisar as opiniÃes subjetivas de especialistas da Ãrea a respeito de requisitos de supervisÃrios. A eficiÃncia do uso do modelo foi verificada em Ãmbito educacional atravÃs de um projeto realizado por estudantes. A avaliaÃÃo revelou a qualidade de cada requisito e mostrou que o software completo atendeu a 69% do padrÃo de qualidade. Os atributos que estavam com ou sem falhas foram identificados e a avaliaÃÃo mostra quais erros precisam ser sanados para que o software seja entregue ao cliente. / The supervisory systems are increasingly present in everyday industry, because the guarantee of having information about production processes in diverse locations simultaneously is essential to good monitoring and control. However, developers these tools do not utilize development models, nor methods for assessing software quality, making projects more expensive, due to rework, and causing client dissatisfaction for not meeting fundamental requirements. Therefore, there is a need to organize the process of development and evaluation for supervision softwares. ISO / IEC 9126 and 14598 are used in methodology, as they provide good support to identify essential characteristics of supervisory software, to create quality standard and to development of evaluation methodology. This research proposes model for development of supervisory software, accompanied by method of quality assessment based on fuzzy logic to analyze subjective opinions of specialists about supervisory requirements. The efficiency to use model was verified in educational field through a project realized by students. The assessment revealed quality of each requirement and showed that the complete software attended 69% of the standard of quality. The attributes that were with or without failures were identified, and the evaluation shows errors that need to be solved for software can be delivered for client.

La presente tesis tiene como objetivo la elaboración de una Propuesta de Transformación Digital sobre el proceso de registro de identificación, la cual toma como base la mejora de los procesos de TI a través de los lineamientos de COBIT PAM para el organismo estatal encargado de la identificación de los peruanos. Para lograr este propósito se identificarán los objetivos estratégicos de la institución y su relación con los procesos de TI. Posteriormente, se determinarán los procesos que serán revisados bajo el Modelo de Evaluación de Procesos de COBIT 5. A partir de los resultados obtenidos se elaborará un plan de mejora cuyo objetivo será cumplir con los criterios necesarios para lograr que los procesos de TI estén consolidados. Finalmente, teniendo un buen soporte de TI, se hará una propuesta de transformación digital para el proceso de registro de identificación que con la ayuda de un asistente virtual, basado en inteligencia artificial, brindará un servicio omnicanal a los ciudadanos. / This thesis aims to develop a Digital Transformation Proposal on the identification registration process, which is based on the improvement of IT processes through the COBIT PAM guidelines for the state body responsible for identification of the Peruvians. To achieve this purpose, the institution's strategic objectives and its relationship with IT processes will be identified. Subsequently, the processes that will be reviewed under the COBIT Process Evaluation Model 5 will be determined. Based on the results obtained, an improvement plan will be developed whose objective will be to meet the criteria necessary to ensure that the IT processes are consolidated. Finally, having a good IT support, a digital transformation proposal will be made for the identification registration process that, with the help of a virtual assistant, based on artificial intelligence, will provide an omnichannel service to citizens. / Tesis

Budget cuts at a California community college prompted stakeholders to consider dropping the college's general education information literacy (IL) requirement. Broad institutional outcomes data showed learning gains, but no targeted assessment existed regarding the IL requirement's impact on those gains. This quantitative study used Astin and Antonio's Inputs-Environment-Outcomes (I-E-O) assessment model to address relationships among student characteristics of demographic and prior preparation (Inputs), the IL requirement (Environment), and student reports of information critical analysis behavior and confidence (Outcomes). Study participants were 525 students aged 18 years and older who had completed the IL course with a grade of 2.0 or better and volunteered to complete an anonymous survey. The majority of participants reported the IL requirement had a positive impact upon subsequent coursework, with 87% stating that taking it in the first or second term would be most helpful. Less preparedness for information critical analysis prior to the IL course was significantly correlated (r = -.35, r = -.38, p < .001) with higher reported frequency of 2 measures of information evaluation changes following completion of the course. The 3 hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the predictors of student demographic characteristics, prior student preparation, and IL course format contributed significantly to reported information critical analysis and confidence. The study's outcome was a white paper with recommendations to support completion of the IL course requirement early, continue the IL requirement, and repeat the study's survey in the future. Effective IL education promotes information evaluation behaviors essential to informed members of society.

Cette thèse met en perspective un ensemble d’éléments des scénarios socio-économiques sous l’angle de la modélisation du climat. Ces éléments contribuent à améliorer la compréhension de l’état actuel des sciences du climat en ce qui concerne les scénarios. En parallèle, ces éléments montrent le potentiel du récent modèle compact du système Terre OSCAR v2.2.Le premier élément concerne l’incertitude des émissions. Bien que les inventaires d’émissions soient incertains, nous ignorons dans quelle mesure ces incertitudes affectent les projections climatiques. Nous quantifions cet impact pour les émissions des énergies fossiles, la principale cause du changement climatique. Nous montrons que ces incertitudes dans les émissions sont amenées à augmenter avec l’utilisation des énergies fossiles non-conventionnelles, mais qu’elles n’augmentent pas de manière significative l’incertitude dans les projections climatiques. Ceci est vrai pour la majeure partie des variables, comme l’augmentation de la température moyenne de surface, mais pas pour certaines qui sont d’intérêt pour la qualité de l’air.Le second élément est une analyse climatique des récents scénarios Shared Socio-Economic Pathways. Nous identifions des failles dans la base de données, que nous comblons. Sur cette base, nous calculons les projections climatiques des scénarios SSP. Nous montrons la présence d’incohérence dans l’utilisation des émissions CO2 dues à l’utilisation des terres (LUC) calculées par les modèles intégrés (IAMs) et des variables associées à l’utilisation des terres. Nous identifions des compromis dans les réductions d’émissions pour l’atténuation du changement climatique. Nous réévaluons de manière plus robuste les budgets carbone. Les incertitudes dans les élévations de températures sont examinées en détail.Le troisième élément concerne les émissions négatives. La plupart des scénarios qui limitent le changement climatique bien en dessous de 2°C par rapport au préindustriel, respectant ainsi l’Accord de Paris, utilisent des émissions négatives. A l’aide d’une version développée de OSCAR v2.2, nous calculons les implications pour le système Terre de plusieurs aspects des techniques d’absorption de dioxyde de carbone (CDR). Nous identifions les réversibilités des différentes parties du système terre, et évaluons le potentiel de refroidissement de ces techniques. Nous montrons aussi que la reforestation pourrait être moins apte à atténuer le changement climatique, du fait du changement dans l’albedo de surface. Par ailleurs, le potentiel d’alcalinisation des eaux de surfaces pour atténuer le changement climatique pourrait être inférieur à celui initialement estimé.Dans l’ensemble, cette thèse identifie des défauts dans le développement actuel des scénarios. Certains ne constituent pas un problème pour les projections climatiques, comme les incertitudes dans le calcul des émissions. D’autres nécessitent une attention particulière, comme le calcul des émissions CO2 dues au LUC par les IAMs ou l’éventuelle surestimation des capacités des techniques de CDR. Ce travail renforce l’urgence du besoin d’atténuation du changement climatique. / This thesis puts into perspective different elements of socio-economic scenarios from a climate change modelling point of view. These elements contribute at improving the comprehension of the current state of climate sciences regarding the scenarios. In the meantime, these elements demonstrate the potential of the recent reduced-form Earth System Model OSCAR v2.2.The first element concerns the uncertainty of emissions. Although emission inventories are uncertain, we ignore what impact on climate change have these uncertainties. We quantify this impact for fossil-fuel emissions, the major contributor to climate change. We show that the uncertainties in emissions are expected to increase with the use of non-conventional fuels, but that they do not increase significantly the uncertainty from Earth system modelling in variables, such as the increase in global surface temperature.The second element is a climate assessment of the recent Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSP) scenarios. We identify loopholes in the SSP database, and we complete it to calculate the climate projections under these scenarios. Our conclusions suggest inconsistencies in CO2 emissions from Land Use Change (LUC) calculated by the Integrated Assessment Models and in the associated land variables. We identify trade-offs between greenhouse gases in the mitigation of climate change. Using a robust assessment, new carbon budgets are proposed. The uncertainties in increases in global surface temperature are discussed.The third element concerns the negative emissions. Most climate scenarios limiting global warming well below 2°C above preindustrial levels, thus respecting the Paris Agreement, use negative emissions. Using a developed version of OSCAR v2.2, we evaluate the implications for the Earth system of different aspects of different Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies. We identify the reversibility in the different components of the Earth system and calculate the cooling potential of carbon dioxide removal technologies. We also show that the potential of afforestation/reforestation techniques may be impeded by the change in albedo, and that the potential of oceanic enhanced weathering may be lower than expected.Overall, this thesis identifies loopholes in the current development of scenarios. Some do not hinder current conclusions regarding climate change, such as the uncertainties in emission inventories. Others call for further analysis, such as the inconsistencies in the use of CO2 emissions from LUC or the eventual overestimation of the potential of some CDR technologies. It emphasizes the need for an urgent mitigation of climate change.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this feasibility study was to explore the use of a nurse-centered intervention, the Critical Caring Program, with family members of critically ill adults. The intervention was a series of therapeutic conversations with a family member, beginning in the ICU and following patient discharge from the ICU. FRAMEWORK: The Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response Model (Patterson, 1988) provided the conceptual framework; the intervention was adapted from the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Model. DESIGN: A randomized, controlled design with two groups (usual care and intervention) was used to assess the feasibility of the intervention. A convenience sample of 19 adult family members were recruited from an 18-bed ICU from October 2021–January 2022. RESULTS: 151 family members were screened for participation; 40 who were eligible and 19 were enrolled. Overall retention was 58% for the intervention group; 62% for the usual care group. Outcomes revealed no statistically significant differences between groups or changes within groups. The nurses viewed the training and conversations as positive but identified incorporating the visits into routine practice as challenging. CONCLUSION: The Calgary Family Intervention Model is a useful model for addressing families’ need for communication and support. Additional research is needed on incorporating therapeutic conversations into critical care nursing practice.

Risk assessment models developed from administrative and clinical databases are used for clinical decision making. Since these models are derived from a database, they have an inherent limitation of being as good as the data they are derived from. Many of these models under or overestimate certain clinical outcomes particularly mortality in certain group of patients. Undeniably, there is significant variability in all these models on account of patient population studied, the statistical analysis used to develop the model and the period during which these models were developed. This review aims to shed light on development and application of risk assessment models for cardiac surgery with special emphasis on risk stratification in severe aortic stenosis to select patients for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

In den letzten Jahren hat die Rolle naturbasierter Lösungen (Nature-based Solutions, NbS) –Aktivitäten, die in und mit der Natur arbeiten, um globale gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen zu bewältigen – bei der Abschwächung und Anpassung an den Klimawandel, dem Schutz der Artenvielfalt und der Verbesserung des menschlichen Wohlbefindens an Bedeutung gewonnen. Die Einführung von NbS verläuft jedoch weiterhin schleppend, und es besteht nach wie vor eine deutliche Kluft zwischen den langsamen Maßnahmen in großem Maßstab und den vielversprechenden Forschungsergebnissen und politischen Aussagen. Dies zeigt, dass es dringend notwendig ist, die Umsetzungsbedingungen für NbS besser zu verstehen. Derzeit ist die Evidenzbasis zu NbS noch unvollständig, insbesondere wenn es um die systematische Bewertung der Wirksamkeit und der Umsetzungsanforderungen geht. Insbesondere fehlen bei groß angelegten Bewertungen wichtige kontextbezogene Informationen über Kultur, Verhalten und andere soziale und institutionelle Faktoren. Auch die vielfältigen Vorteile von NbS werden nach wie vor unterschätzt oder in einigen Fällen überhaupt nicht gewürdigt. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es daher, politikrelevante Forschung zu betreiben, die dazu beitragen kann, die Lücke zwischen dem großen Potenzial naturbasierter Lösungen zur Bewältigung globaler Herausforderungen, insbesondere der Eindämmung des Klimawandels, und der langsamen Umsetzung in der Praxis zu schließen. Ausgehend von der vorhandenen Literatur zu NbS argumentiere ich, dass drei Bausteine für die erfolgreiche Umsetzung jeder NbS-Aktivität, insbesondere in großem Maßstab, wesentlich sind: (1) Wissenssynthese; (2) Planung und Entscheidungsfindung; (3) Politik und Finanzierungsmechanismen. In dieser Arbeit untersuche ich diese Bereiche, indem ich Nachweise und Überlegungen zu theoretischen und methodischen Lücken in ihrer Bewertung sowie neue Perspektiven beisteuere. / Recent years have seen increased attention to the role that nature-based solutions (NbS) – activities that work in and with nature to address global societal challenges – can play in mitigating and adapting to climate change, protecting biodiversity, and improving human well-being. Natural climate solutions (NCS) – a subset of NbS – can contribute up to a third of the cost-effective carbon dioxide mitigation needed to hold global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. To have the biggest effect on reducing global temperatures, however, NbS must be scaled up now and designed for the long-term. Yet, uptake of NbS continues to be slow and there remains a clear gap between the lagging action at scale and the promising research and policy narratives. This demonstrates an urgent need to better understand the implementation conditions for NbS. Currently, the evidence base on NbS remains incomplete, especially when it comes to systematically assessing effectiveness and implementation requirements. In particular, important contextual information on culture, behavior, and other social and institutional factors are lacking in large-scale assessments. The multiple benefits of NbS also remain undervalued, or in some cases are not valued at all. As such, the objective of this thesis is to conduct policy-relevant research that can contribute to closing the gap between the high potential for nature-based solutions to address global challenges, particularly climate change mitigation, and the realities of slow implementation in practice. Drawing on the existing literature on NbS, I argue that three building blocks are essential to driving successful implementation of any NbS activity, in particular at scale: (1) knowledge synthesis; (2) planning & decision-making; (3) policy & financing mechanisms. I explore these in this thesis, contributing evidence and reflection on theoretical and methodological gaps in their assessment, as well as new perspectives.

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / This study addresses the problem of the lack of an assessment model for the reception year that is theoretically grounded and can be implemented in practice by developing an outcomes-based assessment model. Assessment in an outcomes-based approach moves from an evaluative model to a model designed to appraise the learner's development and learning. Learners are assessed continuously and in an holistic manner by means of multiple methods that are part of the daily facilitation of learning. Following an introductory orientation (chapter 1), it is indicated that despite the radical transformation in education there are as yet few signs of any direct impact on assessment practices in the reception year. The importance of assessment in an outcomes-based model is firmly rooted in official policies but its implementation in practice is problematic. Assessment in the reception year is also complicated by problems in teaching practice. The unique nature of outcomes-based teaching is analysed in depth in chapter 2 in order to draw up theoretical guidelines on which to base the assessment model. The theoretical reflection in chapter 3 provides answers to the question: "Why should assessment take place?" The question is answered after considering the distinctive nature of and main reasons for reception year teaching. In an outcomes-based teaching approach it is particularly important to answer this question because assessment is more than simply evaluating the extent to which demarcated contents have been mastered. Chapter 4 explores authentic assessment methods that accommodate the unique nature of reception year teaching and an outcomes-based approach. Methods such as parent interviews, portfolios of learners' work and observation by means of incident records, checklists and participation charts are appropriate assessment methods. The points at which assessment information is collected and how it is interpreted and communicated are also examined. The proposed model, based on the theoretical findings, was presented to experts in the field of early childhood development for their input on its practical implementability. It was found that the model can be implemented in practice, provided in-service training is provided. The final chapter of the study consists of a summary, findings and recommendations regarding the practical implementation of the assessment model in the reception year. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Teacher Education)

The aim of this quantitative study was to develop and validate a model to measure the organisational effectiveness of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa. The literature review phase explored the concept of organisational effectiveness and the assessment thereof in both the Public and Private Sectors. The literature review indicated that there is a clear distinction between business performance (operational and financial performance) and the larger concept of organisational effectiveness, and also that the measurement of organisational effectiveness in the Public Sector differed from the measurement thereof in the Private Sector. The literature review also indicated that measures of Public Sector effectiveness could not be directly applied to measure the effectiveness of Private Sector organisations. From the literature review a proposed theoretical model for measuring the organisational effectiveness of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa was proposed. This proposed model included organisational and behavioural variables contained in traditional approaches to organisational effectiveness, variables that were identified in previous organisational effectiveness studies, as well as variables contained in existing assessment models of organisational effectiveness. This model was then validated during the empirical phase by conducting a survey of an existing metropolitan municipality in South Africa (n = 6514) and exposing the results of the survey to Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The confirmatory factor analysis conducted as part of SEM subsequently identified three main and 10 secondary statistically significant organisational and behavioural variables that could be used to measure the effectiveness of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa. The three main variables identified were (1) Healthy Systems, (2) Goal Achievement and (3) Service Delivery, while the 10 secondary variables identified were (1) Diversity, (2) Training & Development, (3) Rewards & Recognition, (4) Management Practices, (5) Internal Functioning, (6) Work Environment, (7) Interpersonal Relations, (8) Workforce Equity, (9) Customer Satisfaction and (10) Vision & Mission. It was thus recommended that metropolitan municipalities in South Africa could use this validated model as an assessment framework to measure their current organisational effectiveness, to identify aspects which need to be rectified to improve effectiveness, and to compare and benchmark their municipality in order to learn from other metropolitan municipalities to improve their effectiveness. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / D. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)