Retail is shifting from physical shopping experience to a more online experience. However, the transition is not happening without pains and both consumers and companies alike face challenges when it comes to utilizing all the benefits that the flexibility brings. One of the biggest issues that the online fashion industry is facing, is product evaluation and the resulting high returns rate. Customers are unable to fully evaluate the products due to, for example, insufficient information, faulty information and the fact that size guides are not reliable, which are incentives for the customers to send the products back. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to investigate and determine what the key challenges that the online fashion companies face related to their most common product evaluation tools and what effects those challenges have on the companies. Further, this thesis evaluates how implementing an augmented reality tool, the Augment app would affect those challenges. Finally, this study investigates how implementing the Augment app would affect the Swedish online fashion retailers’ competitiveness. To answer these questions, a qualitative multi-case study was conducted with three Swedish online fashion retailers. Conducting an embedded multi-case study allowed for meaningful and generalizable findings as it allowed for both within-case analysis as well as cross-case analysis. The results of the study found that companies face challenges in regards to providing quality customer service, ensuring e-satisfaction as well as reducing the high percentage of customer product returns for the Swedish online retailers. Further, the study found that the Augment app could not automatically solve all of the challenges on its own. Rather, the Augment app would act as a complement to the current product evaluation tools and be a most welcome addition. Further, by implementing it, a company could build sustainable competitive advantage.

O sistema público de saúde brasileiro tem sido convocado a dar resposta a um cenário ao qual se observa transição epidemiológica composta por um emergente aumento de condições crônicas de saúde. Em oposição ao sistema fragmentado, com foco nas condições agudas, voltado para o atendimento individual e isolado, que age de forma reativa e episódica em relação à demanda das pessoas usuárias, surge a Rede de Atenção à Saúde (RAS) com o objetivo de prestar a atenção certa, no lugar certo, com o custo certo e no tempo certo. Para tanto a RAS baseia-se na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) como eixo estrutural, esta sendo o centro de comunição das RAS e a porta de entrada do sistema. Assim, cabe a APS a função de coordenação do cuidado e da ordenação da RAS de acordo com as necessidades de saúde das pessoas. Objetivo: Verificar a presença e extensão dos elementos de coordenação do cuidado e de ordenação da rede de atenção pela APS em diferentes tipos de serviços públicos de APS em Porto Alegre. Método: É um estudo transversal de base populacional em adultos adscritos à rede pública de APS de Porto Alegre (Unidade Básica de Saúde, Estratégia Saúde da Família, Centro de Saúde Escola Murialdo e Serviço de Saúde do Grupo Hospitalar Conceição). A análise consiste em questões do PCATool-Brasil, as quais, segundo os autores relacionam-se com as funções de coordenação e ordenação. Resultados: Observa-se que o escore médio de Coordenação e Ordenação pela APS geral é de 5,7 (5,5: 5,9). Quanto aos tipos de serviço, o GHC com escore médio de 6,78 (0,12) foi o único que ficou com valor ligeiramente superior ao valor do ponto de corte (6,6) da escala arbitrária para Coordenação e Ordenação. Os escores médios de coordenação e ordenação da UBS foi 4,85 (0,17); do CSEM 5,48 (0,17) e do ESF foi 5,95 (0,09). Conclusões: Observase que, na experiência dos usuários entrevistados, os serviços públicos de APS de Porto Alegre ainda são incipientes quanto ao desempenho das funções de Coordenação do Cuidado e Ordenação das RAS. / The Brazilian public health system has been called to respond to a scenario where the observed epidemiological transition consists of an emergent increase in chronic health conditions. In contrast to the fragmented system, focusing on acute conditions facing individual care and isolated, which acts in a reactive and episodic in relation to people's demand users, there is the Health Care Network (HCN) with the objective of providing the right attention at the right place, at the right cost and at the right time. For both the RAS is based on Primary Health Care (PHC) as a structural axis, this being the communication center of the HCN and the gateway system. Thus, it is the function of the PHC care coordination and ordering of HCN according to the health needs of the people. Objective: To determine the presence and extent of the elements of care coordination and ordering of the care network by PHC in different types of public PHC in Porto Alegre. Method: It is a population-based cross-sectional study in adults ascribed to public PHC of Porto Alegre (Basic Health Unit, Family Health Strategy, Health Centre Murialdo and Health Service of the Conceição Hospital). The analysis consists of questions PCATool-Brazil, which, according to the authors relate to the functions of coordination and ordering. Results: It was observed that the mean score for the Coordination and Ordination by PHC overall is 5.7 (5.5: 5.9). As for the types of service, the GHC with a mean score of 6.78 (0.12) was the only one who got slightly higher than the cutoff value (6.6) of arbitrary scale for Coordination and Sorting. Mean scores of coordination and ordenation of UBS was 4.85 (0.17), the CSEM 5.48 (0.17) and FHS was 5.95 (0,09). Conclusions: We observed that, in the opinion of the users interviewed, utilities PHC Porto Alegre are still incipient as the performance of functions of the Care Coordination and Ordination of HCN. / Telemedicina

Submitted by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2017-08-25T18:13:09Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Luis J. E. R. Cabrejos.pdf: 5126285 bytes, checksum: b667aa9fb7c3b14f995507bb4a821f1e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2017-08-25T18:13:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Luis J. E. R. Cabrejos.pdf: 5126285 bytes, checksum: b667aa9fb7c3b14f995507bb4a821f1e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2017-08-25T18:13:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Luis J. E. R. Cabrejos.pdf: 5126285 bytes, checksum: b667aa9fb7c3b14f995507bb4a821f1e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-25T18:13:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Luis J. E. R. Cabrejos.pdf: 5126285 bytes, checksum: b667aa9fb7c3b14f995507bb4a821f1e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-08 / CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / User eXperience (UX) refers to a holistic perspective and an enrichment of traditional quality models with non-utilitarian concepts, such as fun, joy, pleasure, hedonic value or ludic value. In order to evaluate UX in software applications, several technologies (tools, methods, techniques) have been proposed that range from using questionnaires to employing biometrics to gather quantitative and qualitative data on users’ experience. However, there is a need for research in the development of specific UX evaluation technologies that are easy and comfortable to use from the point of view of users, while supporting software engineers in the correction of the aspects that cause poor experiences. Additionally, new UX approaches should be proposed for evaluating mobile applications, as there is still a shortage of methods for this type of applications, which is rising in demand. This doctoral dissertation proposes an alternative approach for evaluating mobile applications called Redesigning for EXperience (REX), which intends to be less intrusive for users when extracting UX data, while generating reports containing design suggestions for improving the UX. We assessed the acceptance of the initial versions of the REX approach from the point of view of users and software engineers in two studies. When compared to 3E, a qualitative UX evaluation method, the results showed that REX was perceived as more fun, useful and more interactive. Additionally, software engineers considered REX useful and easy to understand, while suggesting improving its report to facilitate its understanding and increase its use. After working on the improvements opportunities from the empirical studies, we developed a tool support for the REX approach called the REX report generator. Also, we carried out an observational study to verify to which extent the REX approach could be applied in a real software development project. Thus, REX was employed by users to evaluate a mobile educational application and a discussion meeting was held with the software development team to discuss the improvement suggestions provided by REX to support the redesign process. The findings from the observational study indicated the satisfaction of users to report their experience with the REX approach, while the members of the development team agreed with the usefulness of the REX report and its improvement suggestions. By providing design suggestions, we aim to support software engineers in improving the UX of the developed mobile applications, thus increasing their quality and acceptance in the market. / .

Závěrečná diplomová práce se zabývá problematikou Evaluace řízení vzdělávacího na vysoké škole. Cílem diplomové práce je zmapování současného stavu problematiky řízení vysokých školách z odborné literatury světových i domácích autorů a zejména z šetření provedeného okých školách. Práce je zaměřena na zjištění současného stavu evaluace kvality vzdělávacího procesu. Práce přináší přehled doporučovaného obsahu, kterému by měla být věnována pozornost při zpracování plánu na řízení evaluace kvality vzdělávacího procesu a měla by tak pomoci manažerům škol a sloužit jako praktický návod při vlastním zpracování části literární rešerše jsou teoreticky shrnuty požadavky, které jsou potřebné vybranému tématu. Výsledkem vlastní práce je analýza dokumentů týkajících se řízení kvality na vybraných vysokých školách a analýza vlastního šetření.

(in English): The topic of my dissertation was to create and verify the self-evaluation tool according to the real request of the concrete elementary school. The tool had to assess the satisfaction of the parents of the pupils, which attend the first school. The analysis showed that the existing self-evaluation tools are very complicated, time-consuming and use inadequate software solutions. Moreover they do not reflect the recent change of the criteria that are now used for school evaluation by the Czech School Inspectorate (the Quality School Model). As a result I tried to create the new self-evaluation tool that would fulfil the above mentioned requirements. First of all I designed the online questionnaire with the questions linked to the criteria of the Czech School Inspectorate. The close attention was paid on the data processing to validate whether the questionnaire serves as an self-evaluation tool. In addition the possibilities for improvement of questionnaire design were searched during the data processing. Furthermore I proposed the framework measures for each criterion of Quality School Model and developed simple method of using them for school improvements. Finally I presented the tool to the school management which considered it suitable and useful. In my opinion the results of...

O sistema público de saúde brasileiro tem sido convocado a dar resposta a um cenário ao qual se observa transição epidemiológica composta por um emergente aumento de condições crônicas de saúde. Em oposição ao sistema fragmentado, com foco nas condições agudas, voltado para o atendimento individual e isolado, que age de forma reativa e episódica em relação à demanda das pessoas usuárias, surge a Rede de Atenção à Saúde (RAS) com o objetivo de prestar a atenção certa, no lugar certo, com o custo certo e no tempo certo. Para tanto a RAS baseia-se na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) como eixo estrutural, esta sendo o centro de comunição das RAS e a porta de entrada do sistema. Assim, cabe a APS a função de coordenação do cuidado e da ordenação da RAS de acordo com as necessidades de saúde das pessoas. Objetivo: Verificar a presença e extensão dos elementos de coordenação do cuidado e de ordenação da rede de atenção pela APS em diferentes tipos de serviços públicos de APS em Porto Alegre. Método: É um estudo transversal de base populacional em adultos adscritos à rede pública de APS de Porto Alegre (Unidade Básica de Saúde, Estratégia Saúde da Família, Centro de Saúde Escola Murialdo e Serviço de Saúde do Grupo Hospitalar Conceição). A análise consiste em questões do PCATool-Brasil, as quais, segundo os autores relacionam-se com as funções de coordenação e ordenação. Resultados: Observa-se que o escore médio de Coordenação e Ordenação pela APS geral é de 5,7 (5,5: 5,9). Quanto aos tipos de serviço, o GHC com escore médio de 6,78 (0,12) foi o único que ficou com valor ligeiramente superior ao valor do ponto de corte (6,6) da escala arbitrária para Coordenação e Ordenação. Os escores médios de coordenação e ordenação da UBS foi 4,85 (0,17); do CSEM 5,48 (0,17) e do ESF foi 5,95 (0,09). Conclusões: Observase que, na experiência dos usuários entrevistados, os serviços públicos de APS de Porto Alegre ainda são incipientes quanto ao desempenho das funções de Coordenação do Cuidado e Ordenação das RAS. / The Brazilian public health system has been called to respond to a scenario where the observed epidemiological transition consists of an emergent increase in chronic health conditions. In contrast to the fragmented system, focusing on acute conditions facing individual care and isolated, which acts in a reactive and episodic in relation to people's demand users, there is the Health Care Network (HCN) with the objective of providing the right attention at the right place, at the right cost and at the right time. For both the RAS is based on Primary Health Care (PHC) as a structural axis, this being the communication center of the HCN and the gateway system. Thus, it is the function of the PHC care coordination and ordering of HCN according to the health needs of the people. Objective: To determine the presence and extent of the elements of care coordination and ordering of the care network by PHC in different types of public PHC in Porto Alegre. Method: It is a population-based cross-sectional study in adults ascribed to public PHC of Porto Alegre (Basic Health Unit, Family Health Strategy, Health Centre Murialdo and Health Service of the Conceição Hospital). The analysis consists of questions PCATool-Brazil, which, according to the authors relate to the functions of coordination and ordering. Results: It was observed that the mean score for the Coordination and Ordination by PHC overall is 5.7 (5.5: 5.9). As for the types of service, the GHC with a mean score of 6.78 (0.12) was the only one who got slightly higher than the cutoff value (6.6) of arbitrary scale for Coordination and Sorting. Mean scores of coordination and ordenation of UBS was 4.85 (0.17), the CSEM 5.48 (0.17) and FHS was 5.95 (0,09). Conclusions: We observed that, in the opinion of the users interviewed, utilities PHC Porto Alegre are still incipient as the performance of functions of the Care Coordination and Ordination of HCN. / Telemedicina

No description available.

Dentre as fontes renováveis de energia, os biocombustíveis têm apresentado amplo destaque como alternativa sustentável e potenciais substitutos aos combustíveis fósseis, e são vistos por muitos decisores políticos e cientistas como recursos de baixo impacto ambiental e de boa rentabilidade econômica. No Brasil o biocombustível que tem apresentado maior destaque tem sido o etanol da cana-de-açúcar. Entretanto, existem questionamentos sobre sua produção e consumo. De um lado ocorrem ganhos pelo fato desta ser uma atividade energética renovável, mas por outro lado, observa-se a ocorrência de degradações sociais e ambientais, derivadas da monocultura extensiva, bem como, problemas econômicos de instabilidade de mercado. Ademais, é importante considerar a existência de uma rede de atores políticos, técnicos e de consumidores relacionados ao processo de tomada de decisão, processos econômicos e às questões sociais e ambientais. Estes agentes podem influenciar de forma direta e/ou indireta no futuro da cana-de-açúcar no Brasil. A interação entre estes vários elementos torna complexa a realidade do setor e potencializa as várias preocupações sobre a evolução da atividade. Desse modo, postular a sustentabilidade como uma característica fundamental para a atividade, tem se apresentado como um difícil, porém importante desafio. Um dos aspectos essenciais para responder a estes desafios, é a avaliação de sustentabilidade. Porém muitas das ferramentas de avaliação possuem limitações em contemplar critérios de sustentabilidade de maneira sistêmica. Com a gama de opções existentes, a decisão pela adoção de métodos de avaliação de sustentabilidade também se apresenta complexa, já que cada ferramenta \"abraça\" uma visão especifica de mundo, de sustentabilidade, de valores, de acordo com suas teorias, abordagens e conceitos. Nesse sentido, esta tese se concentrou na pergunta sobre como estas questões de complexidade são consideradas no processo de seleção dos modelos de avaliação, bem como, de que forma estes modelos são escolhidos e, assim propôs, por meio da elaboração de procedimentos e critérios sistêmicos, uma estrutura analítica de seleção de modelos e/ou ferramentas de avaliação de sustentabilidade. Para tanto, a pesquisa: utilizou-se do arcabouço teórico da teoria geral de sistemas e da avaliação de sustentabilidade; realizou uma análise contextual e identificou pontos de intervenção para o sistema e a complexidade envolvida na temática do etanol de cana-de-açúcar; identificou pontos críticos envolvidos nos processos de operacionalização do conceito de sustentabilidade e sua avaliação e, levantou atributos necessários a elaboração dos critérios sistêmicos. Por fim, a pesquisa concluiu que não se observa uma adequada aderência entre os modelos de análise e sua seleção, prejudicando a operacionalidade da sustentabilidade e sua avaliação. Com tal estrutura é possível fornecer subsídios ao processo de tomada de decisão e à formulação e/ou avaliação de políticas públicas voltadas à para a sustentabilidade do setor. / Amongst the renewable energy sources, the biofuels have presented extent prominence as a sustainable alternative, ever since they present themselves as potential substitutes to fossil fuels and have been considered, by many policy makers and scientists, as low environmental impact and good economic profitability resources. In Brazil, the sugarcane ethanol is the biofuel which has had greater highlighting. However, there are some discussions about its production and consumption. On the one hand gains occur since the pollution decline and on account of ethanol is a renewable energy. On the other, it is observed the occurrence of social and environmental degeneration derived from extensive monoculture, as well, market instability. Furthermore, it is important to consider the existence of political, technical and consumer\'s network related to the decision making process, and economic, social and environmental issues. These agents can influence directly and /or indirectly in the future of sugarcane in Brazil. The interaction among this range of elements complicates the ethanol industry\'s reality and enhances the concerns about the activity evolution. Thus, postulating sustainability as a essential feature for the activity has emerged as a difficult but important challenge. One of the key aspects to respond to these challenges is the sustainability assessment. But many of assessment tools have limitations in contemplating systemically sustainability criteria. With the range of options available, the adoption decision of sustainability assessment methods also affords complexity, seeing that each tool \"embraces\" a world vision, sustainability, values, according to their theories, approaches and concepts. In this sense, this thesis focused on the question of how these complex issues are considered in the selection of valuation models process as well as how these models are chosen and proposed, by the development of systemic procedures and criteria, composing an analytical framework for model selection and/or sustainability assessment tools. Hence, for the search: were used the theoretical framework of the general theory of systems and evaluation of sustainability; was conducted a contextual analysis and identified intervention points for the system and complexity of sugarcane ethanol, identified critical issues involved in the implementation process of the sustainability concept and its assessment, and was ranked attributes required to systemic criteria. Finally, the research concluded that there hasn´t been an adequate linkage between the analysis models and their selection, harming the operational sustainability and evaluation. By such a structure can provide input and contribute to the decision-making process and the formulation and/or evaluation of public policies aimed for the sector\'s sustainability.

Increasing enrollment of students and declining availability of qualified and experienced faculty are leading to increased assessment loads of the existing faculty. Moreover, the assessment techniques are changing drastically due to the ever-increasing demand of new knowledge and abilities from the students. The tools offered by information technology can now be effectively used in enhancing the productivity of a teacher. This thesis proposes a mechanism for creating both summative and formative assessment instruments for a course in an engineering program. The assessment instruments will vary widely in nature depending on the subject. With increasing prevalence of digital devices in all walks of life a first level knowledge of digital systems is considered necessary for all engineers especially under electrical and computer engineering curricula. The first level course ‘Basics of Digital Systems’ is chosen for developing a framework of computer assisted evaluation. Creation of assessment instruments is best done in the context of an instructional system design (ISD) model. ADDIE, a generic model is chosen for the study. Bloom’s classification of levels of cognition, Vincenti’s categorization of engineering knowledge, and ‘Gronlund 2-level’ method for writing the learning objectives are integrated to create a ‘Bloom-Vincenti–Gronlund’(BVG)framework for preparing the learning objectives/assessment instruments. Developing tools for evaluation of performance of students in the assessment tests requires consideration of many issues: analysis of problems and their solution methods, errors normally committed by students, grading preferences of the instructor and feedback to students. A set of tools are developed that are able to evaluate the truth tables, state tables, excitation tables, timing diagram and VHDL codes. The developed tools are validated. The submission of the assignment and the integration of all the tools for evaluation will be more effective if they can be integrated in a learning management system (LMS). ‘MOODLE’, an open source LMS, is identified for the integration of the tools. The developed tools execute the files submitted by the students, evaluate them, and provide feedback to the students. In summary, the thesis addressed some key issues related to “assessment and evaluation of students’ performance” and proposed an integrated computer assisted system for the evaluation of students’ performance in the course ‘Basics of Digital Systems’.

Η παρούσα διατριβή πραγματεύεται το πρόβλημα της αποτελεσματικής αξιολόγησης ευχρηστίας φορητών εφαρμογών. Με τον όρο “φορητές εφαρμογές” περιγράφονται οι ηλεκτρονικές υπηρεσίες που είναι σχεδιασμένες να παρέχονται μέσω φορητών συσκευών και έχουν ως στόχο να βοηθήσουν τον άνθρωπο στις καθημερινές του προσωπικές ή επαγγελματικές δραστηριότητες. Η αλληλεπίδραση ενός χρήστη με μία τέτοια ηλεκτρονική υπηρεσία είναι μια διαδικασία πολύπλοκη που δεν υποστηρίζεται από μία μεμονωμένη εφαρμογή και δεν περιορίζεται πλέον στα στενά όρια ενός γραφείου. Αντίθετα, επιτυγχάνεται με διαμεσολάβηση σύγχρονων και συχνά πολυχρηστικών υπολογιστικών μονάδων (φορητές συσκευές, υπολογιστές) και επιμέρους συσκευών και λαμβάνει χώρα σε διάφορα φυσικά περιβάλλοντα. Σε πολλές περιπτώσεις εμπλέκει περισσότερους από έναν χρήστες οι οποίοι μπορεί να συνεργάζονται είτε εκ του σύνεγγυς είτε εξ αποστάσεως προκειμένου να εκτελέσουν μια εργασία. Η μελέτη αυτής της αλληλεπίδρασης μπορεί να δώσει πολύτιμα συμπεράσματα τόσο για την ευκολία χρήσης των σύγχρονων υπολογιστικών συστημάτων όσο και για τη χρησιμότητά τους και αποτελεί μια σημαντική ερευνητική πρόκληση του επιστημονικού πεδίου Αλληλεπίδρασης Ανθρώπου Υπολογιστή και ιδιαίτερα της Τεχνολογίας Ευχρηστίας. Οι κλασσικές μέθοδοι ευχρηστίας καλούνται να αντιμετωπίσουν την πρόκληση της επιτυχούς αξιολόγησης των φορητών εφαρμογών, δηλαδή της αποτίμησης των χαρακτηριστικών ποιότητάς τους που επηρεάζουν την εμπειρία χρήσης τους. Τόσο τα χαρακτηριστικά των χρησιμοποιούμενων συσκευών όσο και το περιβάλλον χρήσης των εφαρμογών αυτών, τις διαφοροποιούν κατά πολύ από τις εφαρμογές επιτραπέζιου υπολογιστή. Καθώς η διείσδυσή τους στις καθημερινές δραστηριότητες του ανθρώπου είναι ολοένα και αυξανόμενη, η ανάγκη για μεθοδολογίες και εργαλεία που μπορούν να βοηθήσουν την αξιολόγηση της χρήσης τους κρίνεται επιτακτική. Στην παρούσα εργασία καταρχήν περιγράφονται οι κλασσικές μέθοδοι αξιολόγησης υπολογιστικών συστημάτων και στη συνέχεια αξιολογούνται ως προς την επάρκεια των δεδομένων που μπορούν να συλλέξουν και την πληρότητα των αποτελεσμάτων που μπορούν να δώσουν στην περίπτωση χρήσης τους για αξιολόγηση ευχρηστίας φορητών εφαρμογών. Παράλληλα γίνεται επισκόπηση της βιβλιογραφίας που Περίληψη 12 Διδακτορική διατριβή αφορά την αξιολόγηση ευχρηστίας των φορητών εφαρμογών και εξετάζονται τα κυριότερα ζητήματα της μεθόδου αξιολόγησης, περιλαμβάνοντας μεταξύ άλλων την επιλογή του χώρου αξιολόγησης και τα δεδομένα που πρέπει να συλλεγούν και αναλυθούν. Στη συνέχεια προτείνεται η μεθοδολογία αξιολόγησης ευχρηστίας φορητών εφαρμογών MOBELIC (MOBile Evaluation Life Cycle methodology). Η MOBELIC υποστηρίζει την αξιολόγηση ευχρηστίας μιας φορητής εφαρμογής σε όλο τον κύκλο ανάπτυξής της. Αποτελεί συνδυασμό από υπάρχουσες μεθόδους αξιολόγησης λαμβάνοντας όμως υπόψη τη φάση ανάπτυξης στην οποία βρίσκεται η υπό αξιολόγηση φορητή εφαρμογή, την ποιότητα των αποτελεσμάτων που προκύπτουν από κάθε μέθοδο, το χρόνο και τους πόρους που απαιτούνται για τη διεξαγωγή καθεμιάς από αυτές, καθώς και το χρόνο για την ανάλυση των δεδομένων τους και την εξαγωγή πολύτιμων συμπερασμάτων. Η συνεισφορά της μεθοδολογίας MOBELIC έγκειται στο γεγονός ότι βελτιστοποιεί τη διαδικασία αξιολόγησης μιας φορητής εφαρμογής υποστηρίζοντάς την από τις αρχικές φάσεις ανάπτυξης μέχρι τα τελευταία στάδια ολοκλήρωσής της. Προκειμένου να υποστηριχθεί η μεθοδολογία ΜOBELIC, σχεδιάστηκε και αναπτύχθηκε το εργαλείο ActivityLens. Αποτελεί ένα εργαλείο παρατήρησης και ανάλυσης των δεδομένων που συλλέγονται κατά τη διάρκεια μελετών της αλληλεπίδρασης χρηστών με φορητές εφαρμογές. Το εργαλείο παρέχει τη δυνατότητα παρακολούθησης των διακριτών φάσεων ανάπτυξης μιας φορητής εφαρμογής και επιτρέπει τη σύγκριση των προβλημάτων ευχρηστίας που παρατηρούνται σε αυτές, χρησιμοποιώντας κοινό σχήμα κωδικοποίησης των προβλημάτων. Παράλληλα, ενσωματώνοντας κατάλληλα σχεδιασμένες λειτουργίες, βοηθάει τον αναλυτή να απομονώσει συγκεκριμένους τύπους δράσεων που υποδεικνύουν πρόβλημα στη χρήση των εξεταζόμενων εφαρμογών. Τέλος στα πλαίσια της παρούσας διατριβής, εξετάζεται η εφαρμοσιμότητα της προτεινόμενης μεθοδολογίας καθώς και η αποτελεσματικότητα του εργαλείου ανάλυσης, μέσα από μία μελέτη περίπτωσης που περιλαμβάνει τη διενέργεια 3 διακριτών πειραμάτων. Η αξιολόγηση αφορά μία συνεργατική εκπαιδευτική φορητή εφαρμογή προορισμένη να πληροφορεί μαθητές για τα εκθέματα ενός Μουσείου. / This thesis deals with the problem of effective usability evaluation of mobile applications. The term “mobile applications” describes the electronic services that are designed to operate under mobile devices in order to meet the everyday needs of people. There are special characteristics of mobile applications, compared to established desktop applications. Thus, the dynamic context of use and the small size of mediating mobile devices differentiate their use and increase the complexity of their usability evaluation. There are various established methods that have been extensively used in traditional human-computer interaction research in order to evaluate the use of desktop applications. This thesis, firstly examines the suitability of such methods in usability evaluation of mobile applications. The survey indicated that all these methods can be effective. However their application produces different types of data and requires different amount and kind of resources. In the frame of this thesis, MOBELIC, a new methodology for the usability evaluation of mobile applications, is proposed. The goal of MOBELIC is the optimization of evaluation process due to the short life-cycle of mobile applications. It is an effective combination of selected established methods supporting the redesign of a mobile application during its development life-cycle. The main characteristic of this methodology is that it proposes the iterative application of each evaluation method, depending on certain factors, such as the mobile application implementation phase, the quality of the expected method results and the required resources. Subsequently, the design and the implementation of a usability evaluation tool, the ActivityLens, that support the proposed methodology, are described in this thesis. ActivityLens integrates and synchronizes multiple heterogeneous data that describe the interaction of real users with mobile applications. Furthermore, the tool incorporates especially designed mechanisms for annotation and analysis of collected data in order to facilitate usability experts to extract meaningful information. The applicability of the proposed methodology and the effectiveness of the ActivityLens are examined through an extended case study in which the usability of an educational mobile application is evaluated. The case study consists of three discrete experiments including the use of different evaluation methods according to the proposed methodology.