Is improvisation during collaboration a design choice? What is the difference between responsive inspiration and collaboration? Who is in charge of the artistic end result? And what influences the designer’s mood? These questions come across when investigating how to present wearable technology and the role of performance.

e-Government services are typically developed by internal service providers, often neglecting the service end user. Subsequent delivery of services can be jeopardised without due consideration of the service user, lacking in consideration of their needs and expectations in the design process. However, the service provider when designing e-services for varied users, find it is hard to meet the prospective users’ expectations and needs and involve them in an iterative design processes. To address this issue; a Co-design approach has been applied and focuses on Jordanian Government to Citizens (G2C) e-services. Co-design tools/methods maximize opportunities and provide new possibilities for communicating and collaborating with varied and diverse users. The main aim of this research is to improve the quality and efficiency of G2C e-services by adopting the Co-design approach including its tools/methods to support user participation throughout design process, and how these tools/methods pretend the features of user participation. A novel G2C e-Service Co-Design Framework (G2C-SCOF) is constructed with mechanisms for understanding the stakeholders’ requirements, and granting them an active role throughout design process of G2C e-service design. A wiki-based Co-design prototype (WCP) is developed and introduced as a response to and evaluation of the developed G2C-SCOF. This research also presents results from the case study in Jordan and used to evaluate WCP effectiveness regarding users’ participation role(s) throughout the Co-design process based on standard service design phases. Interestingly, involvement throughout design process as such can be an enriching experience for the users. Offering a channel to uncover their own creativity and provide enjoyment for them as they see their contributions evolve into a viable service. A robust method for uncovering domain concepts is derived that bridges the requirements’ gap between service provider and service user within a G2C e-service design context. A first iteration evaluates the adoption and acceptance of Jordan Government Portal (JGP) based on a model titled Methodology for e-Government Service Adoption and Acceptance Measurement (MEGA-M). MEGA-M is then used to design a survey and subsequently investigate how citizens perceive the quality of the JGP. RepGrid methodology with semi-structured interviews are deployed in the second iteration – with 24 participants from diverse backgrounds contributing to a synthesised cognitive model titled Stakeholder’s requirements map for G2C Service Design’ (SRM-G2C). Finally, a prototype WCP is developed as the third iteration for evaluation purposes. WCP is a platform for facilitating the sharing and expression of ideas and/or assumptions used to improve the effectiveness of G2C e-service design. The conclusions and contributions drawn from this research are expected to benefit researchers, providing insights for future research in the field of e-Government service design, and practitioners, providing a systematic framework for supporting the collaboration among stakeholders in designing G2C e-services.

Traditionally in the Architectural / Engineering / Construction industry, the design and construction phases are conducted by multiple professional and trade disciplines having minimum interaction among them along a rather sequential process. These parties bring their different objectives to the project that are not necessarily aligned with the overall project objectives. Design professionals do not necessarily work together giving little or no consideration for the requirements or constraints of subsequent functions such as construction and operation and maintenance of the facility. Design documentation that communicates the design intent to the builder, contains errors and inconsistencies, are incomplete or are simply difficult to read. This results in poor designs that have to be changed or modified during the construction phase and even during the long-term facility operation, thus increasing total cost and time of execution. It has been established that the decisions made at early stages of the design process have the highest impact on the project lifecycle cost and facility performance. For that reason, new project delivery systems, software tools and lean principles have emerged in the industry enhancing collaboration among project participants and reducing the existing gap between the design and construction phases. The increased use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) allows project participants to generate, manage and share information through a 3D digital model to better collaborate, communicate and understand the design intent. Still, design and construction professionals do not necessarily share their models and collaborate in an integrated fashion to accrue the benefits of an early involvement during design. This research uses the Axiomatic Design (AD) methodology to analyze some essential aspects of the design process to propose an improved process that seeks to produce better designs by adding value and reducing waste. Axiomatic Design is a systems design methodology using matrix methods to systematically analyze the transformation of customer needs into functional requirements, design parameters, and process variables. In AD, design principles or design Axioms govern the analysis and decision making process to develop high quality product or system designs. This research proposes an integrated, BIM-based design approach embracing compliance with the two AD axioms. Axiom one, the Independence axiom, seeks to maintain the design adjustable and controllable, and implements lean principles, BIM processes and tools following the concepts established by a BIM Project Execution Plan. Computer simulation techniques, the development of metrics and the calculation of Axiom two, the Information Axiom, are used to assess the benefits of an improved process.

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<p>The following thesis aim to describe the design process when creating a music video. How does it differ from designing other digital artefacts? And what are the similarities. Our focus has been to work with the band and their song as a brand with a specific market. The conclusion is that the design process is not as regulated when working with a band compared to a company. This made it possible to create a more artistic design. The effects of the video depends on how the fans will react on it. A well-produced video is not necessarily equal to a successful one. In this aspect it does not differ from making a commercial for a brand.</p>

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur digitala nomader utövar sitt yrke som grafiska designers, varför de valde att bli digitala nomader samt vilka fördelar och nackdelar som finns. Totalt intervjuades 10 före detta och nuvarande digitala nomader via email och svaren sammanställdes och analyserades för att finna teman och sammanhang. Resultatet visar att deltagarna valde en digital nomadisk livsstil främst på grund av den frihet det innebär. De är även helt beroende av internet, då det är den grundläggande teknologin som möjliggör distansarbete. Att vara digital nomad verkar inte ha en negativ inverkan på den grafiska designprocessen och alla verktyg som behövs anser de finns tillgängliga digitalt. Den del av det traditionella designyrket på en byrå som deltagarna i studien saknade mest var kreativa diskussioner med kollegor.

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Biodiesel has achieved worldwide recognition for many years due to its renewability, lubricating property, and environmental benefits. The abstract represents a summary of all the chapters of the thesis. The research chapters are defined as research phases in the abstract. The thesis starts with an introduction followed by literature review. In the literature review, all the necessary data were collected reviewing the literature. Then an artificial neural network model (ANN) was built based on the published research data to capture the general trends or to make predictions. Both catalyst properties and reaction conditions were trended and predicted using the network model. The review study revealed that esterification and transesterification required catalysts with slightly different properties. In the first phase of the study, biodiesel production using 12-Tungstophosphric acid (TPA) supported on SBA-15 as a solid acid catalyst was studied. In this phase of the study, a large number of 0-35% TPA on SBA-15 catalysts were synthesized by impregnation method and the effects of various operating conditions such as–catalyst wt.% and methanol to oil molar ratio on the transesterification of model feedstock Triolein were studied. A 25% TPA loading was found to be the optimum. A 4.15 wt.% catalysts (based on Triolein) and 39:1 methanol to Triolein molar ratio was found to be the optimum reaction parameter combination, when the reaction temperature was kept fixed at 200C, stirring speed of 600 rpm and 10 h reaction time. The biodiesel yield obtained using this condition was 97.2%. In the second phase of the study, a 12-Tungstophosphoric acid (TPA) was supported by using organic functional group (i.e. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)) and was incorporated into the SBA-15 structure. A 45 wt.% TPA incorporated SBA-15 produced an ester with biodiesel yield of 97.3 wt.%, when 3 wt.% catalyst (based on the green seed canola (GSC) oil) and 25.8:1 methanol GSC oil molar ratio were used at 2000C for reaction time of 6.2 h. In the third phase, process sustainability (i.e. process economics, process safety, energy efficiency, environmental impact assessment) studies were conducted based on the results obtained in phase three. Based on the study, it was concluded that heterogeneous acid catalyzed process had higher profitability as compared to the homogeneous acid catalyzed process. Additionally, it was obtained that heterogeneous acid catalyzed process was safe, more energy efficient and more environment friendly than homogenous process. In the fourth phase, the catalytic activity of Tungsten oxide (WO3) and TPA supported (by impregnation) on H-Y, H-β and H-ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts were tested for biodiesel production from Green Seed Canola (GSC) oil. In this phase iii of the study, TPA/H-Y and TPA/H- zeolite were proved to be effective catalysts for esterification and transesterification, respectively. A 55% TPA/H- showed balanced catalytic activity for both esterification and transesterification. It yielded 99.3 wt.% ester, when 3.3 wt.% catalyst (based on GSC oil) and 21.3:1 methanol to GSC oil molar ratio were used at 200C, reaction pressure of 4.14 MPa and reaction time of 6.5 h. Additionally, this catalyst (55% TPA/H-) was experimented for etherification of pure glycerol, and maximum conversion of glycerol (100%) was achieved in 5 h at 120C, 1 MPa, 1:5 molar ratio (glycerol: (tert-butanol) TBA), 2.5% (w/v) catalyst loading. Later, these conditions were used to produce glycerol ether successfully from the glycerol derived after transesterification of green seed canola oil. A mixture of GSC derived biodiesel, and glycerol ether was defined as biofuels. In the fifth phase, catalytic activity of H-Y supported TPA (using different impregnation methods) was studied in details further for esterification of free fatty acid (FFA) of GSC oil. From the optimization study, 97.2% FFA (present in the GSC oil) conversion was achieved using 13.3 wt.% catalyst, 26:1 methanol to FFA molar ratio at 120C reaction temperature and 7.5 h of reaction time. In the sixth- and final phase, techno-economic and ecological impacts were compared between biodiesel and combined biofuel production processes based on the results obtained in phase four. Based on the study, it was concluded that, biodiesel production process had higher profitability as compared to that for combined biofuel production process. Additionally, biodiesel production process was more energy efficient than combined biofuel production process. However, combined biofuel production process was more environment-friendly as compared to that for biodiesel production process.

This thesis sets out a theoretical premise for design research into the space of the designer, working inside the design system or context. The designer is understood as actor, as active agency looking inwards in a comprehensive way to examine where ideas are located and then, how these new insights or perspective might be meaningfully introduced. In order to develop this research, personal journal writing is employed as to develop an understanding about how the designer/actor can actively engage with being at once participant, and observer, of their own design practice. A series of design case studies are carried out, where the role of the designer as actor is critically examined through forms of personal journal writing. What this entails is the establishment of a form of autopoetic system for writing in several voices of the self, and self-as-other working in, and through as design project case studies. I critically evaluate these journal case studies to inform my understanding about the design of dialogic visual communication, where multiple perspectives of self, and self-as-other may be interwoven into the visual design artifact. As a result of conducting this research, I propose the existence of what I term the 'conversational self' as a means for developing new knowledge and knowing through conversational story-telling as design research. My research introduces the 'conversational self' as a generalisable theory for design research which addresses the ways in which the designer might effectively engage with the workings of personal tools and patterns of practice, thus building greater objectivity through recognition of local contexts, and the role of the designer as actor and as a situated self within the design process. My research findings describe a space for the 'conversational self' as the coming together of three linked knowledge systems for creation and learning. I describe this theory as 'agency-centred' design for research about design and experiential knowledge contexts through research into the development of project case studies where individual styles and approaches to learning and thinking which are recognised and valued as implicit tools of and for design practice. Firstly, the conversational journal writing format which I develop situates the designer/ researcher as both participant and observer within their design decision-making. As a result of the uses of the journal format as a practice-based research methodology through case studies, I observe the effect of producing what I term an 'autopoetic' (Maturana and Varela) self-producing system, which enables me to introduce both rational and intuitive content that works in my journal through a range of thinking styles and journal forms. My research strategy involves the writing of several concurrent and interacting levels of internal conversation across 'I', 'You', 'Me' and 'We' as parallel and interactive experiential voices of self through uses of a journal format where a range of experiences are documented as design project narratives. The conversational contexts which this approach offers provide a means for introducing multiple perspectives from self, and selfas- other (as designer, author, subject, agent, person) to explore topics and social knowledge themes through a range of creative conversational learning contexts (Pask, Glanville). In the course of developing this approach I draw on theories about personal constructs (Kelly, Thomas and Harri-Augustein); the self as forms as agency (Archer); about experiential learning and knowledge creation through learning conversations (Baker, Jensen and Kolb) ; and social knowledge as networks, flows and exchange processes (Boisot). Secondly, as a finding from my usage of this journal format, I propose the workings of what I describe as my 'unity of self' system construct as an enabling and generative system for working with social knowledge and the 'self' as forms of agency through internal conversations. Margaret Archer's theory describes the social self as forms of causal agency active in everyday social and experiential contexts. In my case studies I trace the internal dynamics and interactions of 'voices' of self in the journal text, which I evaluate as the workings of conversational levels and layers which engage with a range of details and perspectives for each project using written and non-verbal forms. The design case study projects each describes a particular context for design practice; including institutional, corporate, experimental, and personal design projects. In using this methodology for journal writing, I show how I am able to explore the social interplays of personal/public and individual/collective frameworks for design practice contexts. Thirdly, through my evaluations of the design project case study journals, I observe the emergence of topics and themes in each project around my understanding of the role of context for defining the social and experiential 'materials' (Schon) of the situation. The topics noted from conversations in design case inform what I term my 'contextual field' as the third learning system in my findings from this research. This 'contextual field' is a kind of topical map which provides signposts for working with social and experiential contexts, to design 'ecological narratives' (Krippendorff) as forms of language which are crafted as intentional and strategic design approaches, as responses to the research process of internal reflection about the materials of the situation (Schon) Through usage with my journal format, and unity of self construct, my contextual field topical map provides a framework for developing topics and themes for internal conversations to inform my design production in both 'service' and 'hand' craft project contexts. What results are rich use case studies documented as forms of conversational story-telling where new knowledge emerges as questions and possibilities around the design of visual artifacts and service contexts.

Software-Intensive Cyber-Physical Systems (siCPS) are modular, open-ended, networked, large-scale embedded Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems that are increasingly depending on software. They need to be both dependable and flexible to adapt to changes in their dynamic environments. This combination poses challenges in their design and development, as traditional model-driven design and development techniques cannot account for both dependability and self-adaptivity. The thesis proposes (1) a new, model-based design process for siCPS, which comprises both appropriate methods and models and deals with dependability and self-adaptivity, and (2) a mapping of the design models to implementation-level abstractions, which allows for model-driven development and early experimentations in siCPS. Specifically, the thesis delivers (1) by introducing and elaborating on the Invariant Refinement Method (IRM), and its extension for self-adaptivity, for the design of siCPS based on the ensemble paradigm. IRM was integrated into the ensemble development life cycle, a methodology for the development of autonomic ensemble-based systems. Contributing to (2), the thesis provides a mapping of the IRM concepts to the concepts of the DEECo components model. The mapping is supported by prototype...