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In a changing climate with an increasing risk of flooding, developing a sustainable approach to flood management is paramount. Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) present a change in thinking with regards to drainage; storing water in the urban environment as opposed to rapidly removing it to outflows. The Non-Statutory Standards for SuDS (DEFRA 2015a) presented a requirement for all developments to integrate SuDS in their design to reduce runoff. This research models the impact on water quantity of combining different SuDS devices to demonstrate their success as a flood management system, as compared to conventional pipe based drainage. The research uses MicroDrainage®, the UK industry standard flood modelling tool which has an integrated SuDS function, to simulate the role of SuDS in a management train. As space is often cited as the primary reason for rejecting SuDS, determining the most effective technique at reducing runoff is critical. Detention basins were concluded as being highly effective at reducing peak flow (150 l/s when combined with swales), however Porous Pavement Systems (PPS) was nearly twice as effective per m3, reducing peak flow by up to 0.075 l/s/m3 compared to 0.025 l/s/m3. This therefore suggests that both detention basins and PPS should be high priority devices when developing new sites, but that no matter what combination of modelled SuDS are installed a reduction in runoff in comparison to conventional drainage can be achieved. A SuDS decision support tool was developed to assist design in MicroDrainage® by reducing the time spent determining the number of SuDS required for a site. The tool uses outputs from MicroDrainage® to rapidly predict the minimum and maximum peak flow for a site, in comparison to greenfield runoff, based on the site parameters of area, rainfall rate, infiltration, combined with the planned SuDS. The tool was underpinned by a model analysis for each site parameter and each SuDS device, which produced r2 values >0.8, with 70% above 0.9. This ensured a high level of confidence in the outputs, enabling a regression analysis between runoff and each site parameter and SuDS device at the 99% confidence level, with the outputs combined to create the tool. The final aspect of the research validated MicroDrainage® to analyse the accuracy of the software at predicting runoff. Using field data from Hamilton, Leicester, and laboratory data for PPS and filter drains, a comparison could be made with the output from MicroDrainage®. The field data created a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.88, with filter drains and PPS providing an NSE of 0.98 and 0.94 respectively. This demonstrates the success with which MicroDrainage® predicts runoff and provides credibility to the outputs of the research. Furthermore, it offers SuDS specialists the confidence to use MicroDrainage® to predict runoff when using SuDS.

Climate services, often refers as decision support tools, are developed to provide information with a view to aid in decision making and policy planning for adaptation due to climate variability and change. This study investigated different publicly available climate services and decision support tools based on previously proposed evaluation framework. This evaluation framework originally consists of four design elements which are divided into nine evaluation metrics for this study. These evaluation metrics are: identification of decision making context, discussion of the role of climate information in decision making, discussion of non-climatic factors, uncertainty of the data presented, accessibility of information, discussion on the development process, sustainability/ ongoing process, discussion of funding sources, and evaluation of the tool through survey, modeling or contingent valuation method. Tools were then given "High", "Medium", and "Low" score for each of the criterion. A total of 19 tools were evaluation for this study. Tools performed relatively well in "characteristics, tailoring, and communication of the climate information" and "governance, process, and structure of the climate service" whereas they got average scores in "problem identification and the decision-making context" and "value of the service provided". Additionally, four case study evaluation of tools showed detail evaluation of how the tools performed against each of the criterion. The results of this study showed the relative strengths and weakness of the evaluated tools which can be used to improve existing climate services to aid in adaptation decision needs for climate change. This will also help in better decision making and policy planning for different sectors impacted by the changing climate. / Master of Science / Climate services, often refers as decision support tools, are developed to provide information with a view to aid in decision making and policy planning for adaptation due to the adverse impacts caused by climate variability and change. This study investigated a total of 19 publicly available climate services and decision support tools based on previously proposed evaluation framework. This evaluation framework originally consists of four design elements which further classified into nine evaluation metrics and each of tools were given "High", "Medium", and "Low" score against these criteria. These metrics are: identification of decision making context, discussion of the role of climate information in decision making, discussion of non-climatic factors, uncertainty of the data presented, accessibility of information, discussion on the development process, sustainability/ ongoing process, discussion of funding sources, and evaluation of the tool through survey, modeling or contingent valuation method. Evaluated tools performed better than average in terms of uncertainty of the data presented, accessibility of information, discussion on the development process, sustainability/ ongoing process, discussion of funding sources, and feedback/ evaluation criteria whereas they performed below average in problem identification and decision making context, discussion of the role of climate information in decision making, and discussion of non-climatic factors. Four case study evaluation were also presented in this study for better understanding of how the evaluation process works for the tools. The results of this study provide an insight about the relative strengths and weakness of the evaluated tools and these can be used to improve existing climate services tools. This will also help in better decision making and policy planning for different sectors that are being impacted by the changing climate.

Renewable and alternative energy technologies have become increasingly popular in Ontario over the last few years. Part of this increase has been from the Feed-In-Tariff incentive that pays Ontarians an amount per kWh generated by some of these technologies onto the central electricity grid. Between residential, commercial and agricultural settings, agriculture operations and locations offer an abundance of resources that make renewable energy systems attractive. The big question being asked by Ontario farmers is what renewable or alternative energy technology is best or most economical for their particular location and operation? The solution to that question is the Complimentary Energy Decision Support Tool (CEDST). This application combines Solar Photovoltaic, Wind Turbine, Geothermal, Anaerobic Digester, Solar Thermal and Energy Conservation calculators into one tool that compares the feasibility of each technology. This thesis specifically presents the development of the CEDST platform which is used as the delivery method for each of the individual calculators, the creation of the Solar Photovoltaic calculator and methodology behind determining if a solar photovoltaic system is a feasible solution, as well as, the integration of all the other individual calculators developed by the rest of the CESDT team into the CEDST platform. / Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Poultry Industry Council, Egg Farmers of Canada, and the University of Guelph

The study investigated the feasibility of the Ottawa decision support tool to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. The aim was to explore and describe the feasibility of the Ottawa Decision Support Tool (ODST) in counselling HIV infected pregnant women on decision-making regarding the choice of safe infant feeding. The finding of this study will assist and support HIV positive mothers to be independent decision makers in choosing an infant feeding option for their babies. A descriptive qualitative research approach guided the researcher to explore and describe the feasibility of the ODST to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. This study is based on the Ottawa decision support framework (ODSF). Three focus group that comprised midwives as participants were conducted. The first focus group was conducted in January 2013 and the two subsequent ones in August 2013. Data was analysed using a framework approach. The following themes emerged from data-analysis: • Appropriateness • Receptiveness of intervention • Effectiveness Conclusions were drawn based on the attained objectives of the study. The overall conclusion was that the ODST is feasible to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. Limitations of the study were identified and recommendations were made for nursing practice, nursing education and further research. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The study investigated the feasibility of the Ottawa decision support tool to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. The aim was to explore and describe the feasibility of the Ottawa Decision Support Tool (ODST) in counselling HIV infected pregnant women on decision-making regarding the choice of safe infant feeding. The finding of this study will assist and support HIV positive mothers to be independent decision makers in choosing an infant feeding option for their babies. A descriptive qualitative research approach guided the researcher to explore and describe the feasibility of the ODST to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. This study is based on the Ottawa decision support framework (ODSF). Three focus group that comprised midwives as participants were conducted. The first focus group was conducted in January 2013 and the two subsequent ones in August 2013. Data was analysed using a framework approach. The following themes emerged from data-analysis: • Appropriateness • Receptiveness of intervention • Effectiveness Conclusions were drawn based on the attained objectives of the study. The overall conclusion was that the ODST is feasible to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. Limitations of the study were identified and recommendations were made for nursing practice, nursing education and further research. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

abstract: Public institution facility operations and maintenance is a significant factor enabling an institution to achieve its stated objectives in the delivery of public service. To meet the societal need, Facility Directors must make increasingly complex decisions managing the demands of building infrastructure performance expectations with limited resources. The ability to effectively measure a return-on-investment, specific to facility maintenance indirect expenditures, has, therefore, become progressively more critical given the scale of public institutions, the collective age of existing facilities, and the role these institutions play in society. This research centers on understanding the method of prioritizing routine work in support of indirect institutional facility maintenance expense through the lens of K-12 public education in the state of Arizona. The methodology documented herein utilizes a mixed method approach to understand current facility maintenance practices and assess the influence of human behavior when prioritizing routine work. An evidence-based decision support tool, leveraging prior academic research, was developed to coalesce previously disparate academic studies. The resulting process provides a decision framework for prioritizing decision factors most frequently correlated with academic outcomes. A purposeful sample of K-12 unified districts, representing approximately one-third of the state’s student population and spend, resulted in a moderate to a strong negative correlation between facility operations and student outcomes. Correlation results highlight an opportunity to improve decision making, specific to the academic needs of the student. This research documents a methodology for constructing, validation, and testing of a decision support tool for prioritizing routine work orders. Findings from a repeated measures crossover study suggest the decision support tool significantly influenced decision making specific to certain work orders as well as the Plumbing and Mechanical functional areas. However, the decision support tool was less effective when prioritizing Electrical and General Maintenance work orders. Moreover, as decision making transitioned away from subjective experience-based judgment, the prioritization of work orders became increasingly more consistent. The resulting prioritization, therefore, effectively leveraged prior empirical, evidence-based decision factors when utilizing the tool. The results provide a system for balancing the practical experience of the Facility Director with the objective guidance of the decision support tool. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Construction Management 2019

The planning and implementation of effective water resources management strategies need an assessment of multiple (physical, environmental, and socio-economic) issues, and often requires new research in which knowledge of diverse disciplines are combined in a unified methodological and operational framework. Such integrative research to link different knowledge domains faces several practical challenges. The complexities are further compounded by multiple actors frequently with conflicting interests and multiple uncertainties about the consequences of potential management decisions. This thesis aims to overcome some of these challenges, and to demonstrate how new modeling approaches can provide successful integrative water resources research. It focuses on the development of new integrated modeling approaches which allow integration of not only physical processes but also socio-economic and environmental issues and uncertainties inherent in water resources systems. To achieve this goal, two new approaches are developed in this thesis. At first, a Bayesian network (BN)-based decision support tool is developed to conceptualize hydrological and socio-economic interaction for supporting management decisions of coupled groundwater-agricultural systems. The method demonstrates the value of combining different commonly used integrated modeling approaches. Coupled component models are applied to simulate the nonlinearity and feedbacks of strongly interacting groundwater-agricultural hydrosystems. Afterwards, a BN is used to integrate the coupled component model results with empirical knowledge and stakeholder inputs. In the second part of this thesis, a fuzzy-stochastic multiple criteria decision analysis tool is developed to systematically quantify both probabilistic and fuzzy uncertainties associated with complex hydrosystems management. It integrates physical process-based models, fuzzy logic, expert involvement and stochastic simulation within a general framework. Subsequently, the proposed new approaches are applied to a water-scarce coastal arid region water management problem in northern Oman, where saltwater intrusion into a coastal aquifer due to excessive groundwater extraction for irrigated agriculture has affected the aquifer sustainability, endangering associated socio-economic conditions as well as traditional social structures. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed methods. The first method can aid in the impact assessment of alternative management interventions on sustainability of aquifer systems while accounting for economic (agriculture) and societal interests (employment in agricultural sector) in the study area. Results from the second method have provided key decision alternatives which can serve as a platform for negotiation and further exploration. In addition, this approach suits to systematically quantify both probabilistic and fuzzy uncertainties associated with the decision problem. The new approaches can be applied to address the complexities and uncertainties inherent in water resource systems to support management decisions, while serving as a platform for stakeholder participation.

This thesis presents the development and evaluation of a computerized physician-parent decision support tool for a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), known as Physician and Parent Decision Support (PPADS). The NICU is a specialized hospital unit that treats very-ill neonates. Many difficult care decisions are made daily for this vulnerable population. The PPADS tool aims to augment current NICU decision-making by helping parents and physicians make more informed decisions, improving physician-parent communication, increasing parent decision-making satisfaction, decreasing conflict, and increasing decision efficiency. The development of the PPADS tool followed a five-step methodology: assessing the clinical environment, establishing the design criteria, developing the system design, implementing the system, and performing usability testing. Usability testing of the PPADS tool was performed on neonatologists and on parents of neonates who have graduated (survived) from a tertiary level NICU. The usability testing demonstrated the usefulness and ease of use of the tool.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic and debilitating disease contributing to the rise in healthcare associated costs in the United States (ADA, 2013a; USDHHS, 2013). T2DM management is complex and requires an ongoing multi-system approach (Goderis et al., 2010). In this quality improvement project, the DNP student led a team in a family care practice setting through a systematic quality improvement process, the PDSA cycle, for the improvement of performance rates of quality indicators including A1C testing, LDL testing, and performance of comprehensive foot examinations. The QI team developed a multi-component intervention to include utilization of an electronic type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) decision support tool. The expected outcome was to increase current performance rates of A1C testing, LDL testing, and comprehensive foot examinations at a family care practice by at least 10% within four weeks of implementing the intervention. A1C testing improved from a pre-intervention median of 70.97% to a post-intervention median of 91.38%, an increase of 20.41%. LDL testing improved from a pre-intervention median of 74.19% to a post-intervention median of 91.38%, an increase of 17.19%. Comprehensive foot examinations improved from a pre-intervention median of 58.06% to a post-intervention median of 84.48%, an increase of 26.42%. While results demonstrate a trend of improvement, the duration of the intervention was insufficient for statistical significance. The QI project served as a first systematic change process for the family care practice and a model for future change processes at the clinic. This project highlights the DNP's role in utilizing evidence-based research and applying a systematic change model for quality improvement in the primacy care practice setting.