The main objective of this diploma thesis is to design and develop a cloud hosted service that allows developers of games for Windows Phone 7 platform to extend their products with social and competitive aspect using Platform as a Service solution Windows Azure for hosting the backend of this system. The first part of the thesis analyses systems that are available on the market and that are providing similar services for the target platform. Based on this analysis, functional and general requirements for the future application are specified in the second part. Based on these requirements, use case analysis is made. The third part of the thesis is dedicated to description of the most important features, APIs and specifics of the Windows Phone 7 software platform. The fourth part is dedicated to Windows Azure as a Cloud platform both in terms of most important services, their characteristics and APIs used to utilise them and in terms of their business and pricing conditions. The fifth part addresses the architecture and the most important implementation details of the application. The final part contains the user guide for both the Windows Phone 7 application and for developers interested in using the library containing the API during the development of their game. The output of this thesis is the designed and implemented application with client-server architecture ready to have its backend deployed in Windows Azure environment and to have its frontend deployed on Windows Phone 7 devices. The client part of the system is comprised of a library intended for developers of games, which encapsulates the API needed to access the backend on the Internet, and a graphic frontend intended for end users. The server part, which contains most of the application logic, has REST interface. The applications architecture allows future development in terms of new functionality and expansion on more client platforms.

No description available.

The thesis deals with setting of a system of social housing in the municipalities of the Czech Republic. It is based in particular on the Concept of Social Housing of the Czech Republic 2015-2025, as the legislation on social housing in the Czech Republic has not yet been approved by the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The system is very fragmented for the above reason, there is no consensus in the definition, not even in determining to whom and under what conditions social housing should be allocated. The thesis builds on Schneider and Ingram public policy theory, the theory of social construction of target populations ("TSKCP"). The two main concepts of TSCTP - target population and policy design are the optics and subject of analysis. The most important research activity could be described as an analysis of the availability of social housing in 2nd level municipalities, which was implemented in the form of survey of 388 municipal webpages in order to find out the mention and methodology of providing social housing. Additional interviews with social and housing commissioners took place within one region of the Czech Republic, where we can presume similar socio-economic conditions, but due to anonymity, it cannot be specified more precisely. From the methodological...

[pt] O presente trabalho relaciona três eixos temáticos, sob a ótica do Design Social: (1) relações intergeracionais; (2) atividades complementares em instituições de ensino superior; e (3) promoção da longevidade com qualidade. Nele, se considera o crescente e acelerado fenômeno do envelhecimento e o fato de que os universitários dos dias de hoje vão atuar profissionalmente para uma população predominantemente idosa. Seu objetivo é contribuir com métodos e estudos que possibilitem a criação de projetos, que possam atender às necessidades e anseios dos maiores de 60 anos, através de atividades complementares intergeracionais nas universidades, tendo em vista a obrigatoriedade dessas atividades complementares nos cursos de graduação –prevista na legislação brasileira (Parecer número 67 do CNE/CES) –bem como a aceitação e valorização do público sênior frente ao ambiente universitário. Para tanto, o percurso metodológico foi orientado pela etapa de exploração do design de serviços, considerando os processos de revisão bibliográfica relacionada aos eixos temáticos, assim como a aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas e questionários elaborados para identificação dos pontos de interseção entre idosos e jovens universitários. Com os resultados obtidos foram criadas personas, e idealizadas possíveis atividades complementares nos cursos de Design, Psicologia e Comunicação. A pesquisa indicou a pertinência dessas ações, na medida em que aproximam os estudantes de uma questão social latente e de grande valia para seu futuro profissional, auxiliando, ainda, a integração social em prol da troca de conhecimentos e da quebra de preconceitos, resultando, por fim, em novos estudos, possibilidades e caminhos capazes de trazer soluções para algumas das demandas do público sênior. / [en] The present work lists three thematic axes, from the perspective of social design: (1) intergenerational relationships; (2) complementary activities in higher education institutions; and (3) promoting longevity with quality. It considers the growing and accelerated aging phenomenon and the fact that today s university students will work professionally for a predominantly elderly population. Its objective is to contribute with solutions to meet the needs and desires of those over 60 years of age through complementary intergenerational activities at universities, in view of the mandatory nature of these activities in undergraduate courses, provided for in Brazilian legislation (Parecer number 67 of the CNE / CES) and the acceptance and appreciation of the senior public in the university environment. To achieve it, the methodological path was guided by the service design exploration stage and considers as methods the bibliographic review related to the thematic axes, as well as the application of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires designed to identify the points of intersection between elderly and young university students. With the results obtained, complementary activities were devised in the courses of Design, Psychology and Communication. The research proved the relevance of these actions to the extent that it brings students closer to a latent social issue that is of great value to their professional future, also helping social integration in favor of the exchange of knowledge and the breaking of prejudices, resulting, finally, in the increase of self-esteem of those over 60 years.

[pt] Este trabalho se insere no campo do design social e do design emocional, abordagens voltadas para questões globais complexas e de ordem subjetiva, respectivamente. Ele compreende que o envelhecimento populacional demanda ações para contribuir com a participação social e a qualidade de vida dos idosos. Nesse sentido, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo refletir e aprimorar atividade nomeada Livro Criativo (LC), idealizada pelo autor para idosos e com comprovados benefícios, com vistas a transformá-la em serviço a ser oferecido em maior escala. O LC consiste em encontros mediados por diários gráficos, nos quais os idosos são orientados a expressar seus sentimentos e ideias com base em temas propostos pelo tutor com participação do grupo. Para facilitar a autoexpressão prioriza-se o uso de imagens e de recursos como colagem, desenho, pintura e escrita. Esse trabalho apresenta relato da origem e desenvolvimento do LC; dados e reflexões sobre envelhecimento populacional, práticas diarísticas e a filosofia do diálogo de Martin Buber, buscando enfatizar a importância das relações pessoais na velhice; e relato de oficina intensiva realizada para ensaio de sistematização do LC com participação de cinco pessoas. Concluiu-se que o LC se apresenta como suporte físico de histórias de vida, valores, sentimentos, atitudes e perspectivas diante da vida, contribuindo, assim, para a exploração da identidade e a renovação da sociabilidade do público sênior. Apresenta-se ainda como suporte de memória e importante fonte de investigação sobre longevidade sob a perspectiva dos idosos. / [en] This work is inserted in the field of social design and emotional design that address complex and subjective global issues respectively. It comprehends that population aging demands actions to contribute to the social participation and quality of life of the elderly. In this sense, this research aimed to reflect and improve an activity called Creative Book (CB), idealized by the author for the elderly and with proven benefits, with a view to transforming it into a service to be offered on a larger scale. The CB consists of meetings mediated by graphic diaries, in which the elderlies are instructed to express their feelings and ideas based on themes proposed by the tutor with the participation of the group. To facilitate self-expression, the use of images and resources such as collage, drawing, painting and writing is prioritized. This work presents an account of the origin and development of the CB; data and reflections on population aging, diary practices and Martin Buber s philosophy of dialogue, seeking to emphasize the importance of personal relationships in old age; and report of an intensive workshop held for the systematization of the CB with the participation of five people. It was concluded that the CB presents itself as a physical support of life stories, values, feelings, attitudes and perspectives regarding life, thus contributing to the exploration of identity and the renewal of sociability of the senior public. It also presents itself as a memory support and an important source of research on longevity from the perspective of the elderly.

This study is a critique of Aso Ebi in Owambe social uniform and social performance phenomena of the Yoruba culture of Nigeria in West Africa. The Aso Ebi phenomenon is a social uniform that is inextricable from the Owambe spectacle of the Yoruba culture, which, in itself, is a social performance. Aso Ebi is a fabric that is selected, made into garments and worn by groups of people who are related to one another in various ways such as family, friends or comrades. The uniforms are worn for social gatherings, especially celebrations, which are popularly called Owambe. These celebrations are very elaborate and loud, much like a grand spectacle put on to show wealth, unity and flamboyance. The research is the explanation of how the Aso Ebi and Owambe social uniforms manifest themselves and this manifestation is presented through a body of artworks. The artworks seek to expose the unseen actualities involved in participating in these social performances and issues of social survival within these cultural phenomena. The analysis addresses the impacts and influence of conformity in cooperative behaviour by an individual within his/her social identity and relationships. The main question this study addresses is whether the positive factors of unity, social order and expressive visual flamboyance of the social phenomena outweigh the negative impacts particularly on the individuals who participate in these social performances. This is done by acknowledging the experiences of the participating individuals in the conformity and transmission modes of these phenomena in this culture. The visual productions of the concepts in the research are achieved through performance, collages, photography and a sculptural installation. The significance of these emergent visual productions is that they shift the focus from the impression of the group to the conformity by the individual. This highlights the problems faced by the participating individuals in the pursuit and participation of this cultural phenomenon. / Department of Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / M.A. (Visual Arts)

Ce travail de recherche s’est déroulé au Carrefour jeunesse-emploi des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière auprès de l’équipe d’intervention d’un projet d’insertion socioprofessionnelle : le plateau de travail. L’élément déclencheur a été le besoin de réflexion manifesté par les intervenantes, alors qu’elles tentaient de résoudre une problématique complexe liée au projet. C’est dans ce contexte que nous avons pu accompagner les intervenantes dans le développement de leur processus de design, qu’elles ont nommé la démarche créative. Évaluer un projet social avec l’aide d’indicateurs est communément utilisée dans le cadre du Nouveau management public (NMP). Cette forme de gestion impose une coordination « en plan » qui ne favorise pas la « conversation avec la situation » dans la conduite d’un projet, qui selon Schön (1996), est une caractéristique essentielle des pratiques liées à la conception. Nous émettons donc l’hypothèse qu’il est possible de sortir des impasses de la réalisation du plan en tentant d’introduire des modalités de projet propres au design. Comme nous étions impliquée dans la situation en tant qu’agente de développement, nous avons privilégié une approche méthodologique de recherche-projet. Pour rendre compte de cette démarche, nous avons utilisé un journal de bord, la retranscription d’enregistrements vidéo de rencontres et l’analyse des contenus discursifs (codage). L’analyse des données nous a permis d’observer les conditions ayant favorisé la pratique réflexive de l’équipe d’intervention. D’abord, le désir de changer la situation a amené l’équipe à initier son processus de design et à procéder à une première définition de la problématique. Ensuite, la dynamique de l’équipe s’est développée au cours des rencontres en s’appuyant sur une compréhension mutuelle, des rapports égalitaires (Boutinet, 2005) et des interventions renforçant la cohésion du groupe. L’aménagement d’un espace pour converser avec la situation a permis aux intervenantes de mettre en commun leurs repères familiers (Thévenot, 2006), de mettre en œuvre leur pensée analogique et leur imagination narrative et de développer leur processus réflexif (Schön, 1994). Enfin, elles ont persévéré dans la démarche créative en acceptant l’existence de problèmes pernicieux (Rittel & Webber, 1973) et en considérant l’incertitude comme une alliée. / This research project took place at Carrefour jeunesse-emploi des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière with a team of social workers from a socioprofessional integration project: le plateau de travail (the work platform). What launched this project was the social workers’ need to reflect, as they were attempting to resolve a complex issue relating to the project. It is within this context that we were able to assist these social workers in developing their design process, which they named the creative process. Evaluating a social project using indicators is often utilized within the framework of New Public Management (NPM). This type of management requires a “planned” coordination that does’nt favour a “conversation with the situation” within the carrying out of a project, which, according to Schön (1996), is an essential characteristic of practices having to do with conception. Thus we put forth the hypothesis that it is possible to break free of the deadlocks of plan conception by attempting to introduce project modalities which belong to design. Since we were involved in the situation as development officers, we opted for a methodological research-project approach. In order to be able to review this process, we utilized a journal, transcriptions of video recordings and analyzed discursive contents (coding). Analyzing the data has allowed us to observe the conditions which support the reflective pratice of the intervention team. First of all, the will to change the situation has lead the team to begin its design process and to an initial definition of the problem. Afterwards, the dynamic of the team has developped throughout our encounters based on mutual understanding, egalitarian rapport (Boutinet, 2005) and interventions which reinforced the group’s cohesion. Setting up a space to converse with the situation has allowed the social workers to put their familiar references in common (Thévenot, 2006), to apply their analogical thinking and narrative imagination and to develop their reflective practice (Schön, 1994). Finally, they have persisted in the process by accepting the existence of wicked problems (Rittel & Webber, 1973) and by considering uncertainty as an ally.

Les défis associés au phénomène du vieillissement démographique de la population se manifestent sous plusieurs formes et à de nombreux égards. Il y a des questions générales comme celles qui touchent l’économique et d’autres, plus spécifiques et situées, comme celles des modalités assurant des services et des soins adéquats aux personnes vulnérables. Par exemple, le colloque « La qualité de l’expérience des usagers et des proches : vers la personnalisation des soins et des services sociaux », programmé dans le cadre des Entretiens Jacques Cartier à l’automne 2014, s’était donné comme objectif d’examiner l’expérience personnelle des usagers relativement aux prestations de soins de santé et à l’organisation des services sociaux. L’origine de ces réflexions réside dans la nécessité de trouver un meilleur équilibre des pouvoirs dans les relations d’aide ou la prestation de soin. Cette problématique sous-entend l’idée de rendre les usagers capables d’un certain contrôle par l’adoption d’approches permettant aux professionnels de faire des ajustements personnalisés. Cette thèse de doctorat s’inscrit directement dans le prolongement de cette problématique. La recherche vise à examiner les conditions en mesure de rendre possible, dans les Centres d’hébergement et de soins de longue durée (CHSLD), un rapport au monde catégorisé par ce que le sociologue Laurent Thévenot nomme le régime de la familiarité. Le régime de la familiarité fait référence aux réalités où l’engagement des personnes se déploie dans l’aisance. Autrement dit, ce régime d’engagement correspond à un rapport au milieu où la personne est en mesure de déployer ses habitudes, d’habiter le moment et de se sentir chez elle. Comme le montre Thévenot, ce type d’engagement commande la conception d’un monde qui offre aux personnes la possibilité d’articuler les modalités de leurs actions sur des repères qui font sens personnellement pour eux. Ainsi, l’objet de la recherche consiste à mieux comprendre la participation du design à la conception d’un milieu d’hébergement capable d’accueillir ce type d’engagement pragmatique. Les orientations associées à la conception de milieux d’hébergement capables de satisfaire de telles exigences correspondent largement aux ambitions qui accompagnent le développement des approches du design centrées sur l’usager, du design d’expériences et plus récemment du design empathique. Cela dit, malgré les efforts investis en ce sens, les capacités d’appropriation des usagers restent un problème pour lequel les réponses sont précaires. La thèse interroge ainsi le fait que les développements des approches de design, qui ont fait de l’expérience des usagers une préoccupation de premier plan, sont trop souvent restreints par des questions de méthodes et de procédures. Le développement de ces connaissances se serait fait au détriment de l’examen précis des savoir-être également nécessaires pour rendre les designers capables de prendre au sérieux les enjeux associés aux aspirations de ces approches. Plus spécifiquement, la recherche précise les qualités de l’expérience des établissements dont le design permet l’engagement en familiarité. L’enquête s’appuie sur une analyse des jugements posés par des équipes d’évaluation de la qualité du milieu de vie des CHSLD présents sur le territoire Montréalais. L’analyse a mené à la caractérisation de cinq qualités : l’accueillance, la convivialité, la flexibilité, la prévenance et la stabilité. Finalement, sous la forme d’un essai réflexif, un tableau de savoir-être est suggéré comme manière de rendre les designers capables de mettre en œuvre des milieux d’hébergement présentant les qualités identifiées. Cet essai est également l’occasion du développement d’un outil réflexif pour une pédagogie et une pratique vertueuse du design. / The phenomenon of an aging population brings with it a whole host of diverse challenges. Some of these challenges are of a general nature, such as those related to economics, while others are much more specific, such as the conditions and procedures needed to ensure that vulnerable individuals receive adequate care and services. For instance, a symposium entitled “Providing a quality experience for users and loved ones: personalization of care and social services,” held during the fall 2014 Entretiens Jacques-Cartier, aimed to examine personal user experiences pertaining to the delivery of health care services and the organization of social services. This meeting’s initial hypothesis underscored the need for a more balanced power dynamic with caregivers or in the delivery of care. This hypothesis is based on the concept of user capabilities, achieved through the adoption of practices which enable professionals to provide personalized care. Further exploration of this particular issue is at the core of this doctoral thesis. This research aims to examine the conditions which would allow people living in long-term care facilities to engage with their environment in a way the sociologist Laurent Thévenot categorized as “familiar engagement.” Familiar engagement refers to realities in which people are able to rest on an accustomed dependency with the things and people that surround them. In other words, this type of engagement refers to a relationship with one’s environment which allows individuals to take part in their usual habits, and where they feel at home and at ease in their surroundings. As Thévenot’s analysis shows, this type of engagement requires the conception of a world which allows people to frame their actions around reference points which are personally relevant to them. Thus, this research aims to better understand the role of designers in the conception of nursing homes where this type of pragmatic engagement is made possible. The guidelines for the development of residential facilities able to satisfy these criteria are largely in line with the expectations surrounding the development of user-centered design, experience design, and empathic design. That being said, despite the efforts put forth towards this initiative, self-identification with one’s environment remains an unresolved problem. Our hypothesis is that the evolution of user-centered design is too often restricted by methodological or procedural issues. Development in this direction has been done to the detriment of the precise examination of the virtues needed by designers in order to be able to seriously take on the issues associated with the goals of this design approach. More specifically, this research identifies the qualities of long-term care facilities’ experience whose design allows for familiar engagement. For our study, we analyzed the findings and judgments of living environment evaluation teams concerning the quality of living environments of the long-term care facilities in the Montreal area. Through this survey, five qualities have been identified: welcomeness, conviviality, flexibility, thoughtfulness and stability. Finally, as a reflective essay, a portrait of virtues is suggested as a way for designers to implement facilities that share those qualities. The dissertation also presented a reflexive tool for a virtuous design practice and pedagogy.

This study is a critique of Aso Ebi in Owambe social uniform and social performance phenomena of the Yoruba culture of Nigeria in West Africa. The Aso Ebi phenomenon is a social uniform that is inextricable from the Owambe spectacle of the Yoruba culture, which, in itself, is a social performance. Aso Ebi is a fabric that is selected, made into garments and worn by groups of people who are related to one another in various ways such as family, friends or comrades. The uniforms are worn for social gatherings, especially celebrations, which are popularly called Owambe. These celebrations are very elaborate and loud, much like a grand spectacle put on to show wealth, unity and flamboyance. The research is the explanation of how the Aso Ebi and Owambe social uniforms manifest themselves and this manifestation is presented through a body of artworks. The artworks seek to expose the unseen actualities involved in participating in these social performances and issues of social survival within these cultural phenomena. The analysis addresses the impacts and influence of conformity in cooperative behaviour by an individual within his/her social identity and relationships. The main question this study addresses is whether the positive factors of unity, social order and expressive visual flamboyance of the social phenomena outweigh the negative impacts particularly on the individuals who participate in these social performances. This is done by acknowledging the experiences of the participating individuals in the conformity and transmission modes of these phenomena in this culture. The visual productions of the concepts in the research are achieved through performance, collages, photography and a sculptural installation. The significance of these emergent visual productions is that they shift the focus from the impression of the group to the conformity by the individual. This highlights the problems faced by the participating individuals in the pursuit and participation of this cultural phenomenon. / Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M. A. (Visual Arts)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Pesquisas do Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais (INEP), Censo da Educação Superior, Teses e Dissertações, apontam que os cursos de graduação na área de Computação são os com menor número de mulheres matriculadas. Assim, para compreender quais os fatores para esta disparidade, foram propostas, nesta pesquisa, três oficinas com estudantes e egressas de cursos da área de computação de uma universidade federal: a primeira foi uma atividade presencial com estudantes da área de Computação para entender as percepções e memórias destas pessoas; a segunda também foi uma atividade presencial com este mesmo intuito, porém, com egressas de Bacharelado em Sistemas de Informação (BSI) e Engenharia de Computação (EC); e a terceira, um espaço virtual para promover a participação e discussão sobre as memórias das egressas. Para essas três oficinas, utilizou-se uma prática de Design Participativo (DP), a Oficina de Futuro. O Design Participativo proporcionou que cada uma das atividades tivesse o desenvolvimento conduzido de forma diferente, pois a proposta de DP permitiu que as práticas fossem organizadas colaborativamente pelos participantes, o que difere dos dados obtidos por questionários, por exemplo. Os resultados destas aproximações trazem as percepções e memórias de estudantes e egressas sobre a participação de mulheres na área de Computação. Estes resultados encaminham que cabe à sociedade e à comunidade acadêmica promover discussões para a implementação de política de cotas para gêneros, promover mudanças, apontando para a igualdade de gênero, no ambiente escolar, no mercado de trabalho e nos papéis sociais. / In researches of National Institute for Educational Studies and Research (NIES), Higher Education Census, Theses and Dissertation, it was observed that undergraduate courses in Computing are those with fewer women enrolled. Accessing such information identifies that quantify data about women participation in Computing area is insufficient. Thus, to comprehend which factors to this disparity has proposed three workshops: first face-to-face workshop with students of Computing area; second also a workshop, however, with recent grads of Bachelor of Information Systems and Computer Engineering; and third a virtual space for collaboration on topics that involve the women participation in Computing, remote mode, in corais.org plataform, three workshops were with students and recent grads from the same Institution – Federal Technological University of Paraná – in Curitiba. The three workshops used Participatory Design (PD) practice - future workshop, however in each of them the development was different, because (PD) allowed that participants organized the approach collaboratively. The results bring perceptions and memories of students and recent grad about women participation in Computing, and these results point out that is up to society and to University, to promote discussions to implementing genre quotas, changes since childhood, at school, and the participation of parents and all the society; it is necessary to point to gender equality; labor market; opportunities; destruction of gender categories and the development of public policy for equity.