Thesis MTech(Electrical Engineering)--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 1996 / The development of the 8051 Evaluation and Training Board was in response to fulfill a need to have a training board available for students at the start of a micro-controller course. This board must be used to get hands-on experience in the internal architecture, programming and operation of the controller through the testing of sample programs and exercises. It can act as an example of a practical micro-controller application board, and also as part of, or as an aid in the design and application of own projects. The board had to be cheap enough so that each student can be issued with a personal board for the duration of the course. It had to be adequately selfsufficient to be portable and to operate independent of a host PC. In addition, it had to contain adequate "intelligence" to guide the student in the use of the board: have a quick re-programming turn-around cycle; and it must be possible to use the board for user program testing and debugging. After drawing up an initial set of objectives and investigating the economic viability of similar systems in industry, an outline of the required design was made. This included the selection of suitable communication between the onboard Operating System and a user; the easiest way to load user programs into the board memory; and methods to test and debug this program. All the normal support circuitry required by a micro-controller to accommodate a minimum system for operation was included into a single Field Programmable Gate Array. The execution of the project was therefore divided into three distinct sections, the hardware, the firmware (Programmable Array configuration) and the software. In the design, the harmony between these sections had to be consolidated to yield a successful final product. The simplicity and ergonomics of the operation and application from a user's point of view, had to be accentuated and kept in mind throughout. In a design of the complexity such as this, careful planning and the investigation of various methods of approach were essential. The use of many computer-aided design and other relevant computer packages was incorporated. Interaction between the user and the Operating System on the board was done through a standard 16-character by 1-line LCD Display Module and a 32-key keyboard. The main feature of the Operating System was to enable the inspection and editing of all the memory locations on the micro-processor.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for degree Master of Technology: Graphic Design In the Faculty of Informatics and Design At the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / The current studio based approach in design education is not enough to keep the “new age” design students’ attention and a blended learning environment is needed to facilitate student engagement. Multiple learning preferences exist within the design classroom and design educators must consider this when designing a curriculum. The research asked what the considerations were when designing the online component of a blended learning environment to enhance the learning experience of and engage design students? The areas of investigation included: • The learning preferences in a specific group of graphic design students to see if there are any predominant preferences, • Whether the web-based learning environment enriched the learning experience and whether students gained understanding of the dynamics of the intervention • Whether there were links between learning preferences, online performance and in-class performance and how we could use these links to design blended learning materials that: o Incorporate collaborative problem solving (Vygotsky, 1978) o Encourage the building of design knowledge (Schon and Wiggins 1992) o Help students move from the periphery of the community of practice to the core (Wenger 1998) o Simulate the world of work (Jonassen et. Al 1998) o Consider the individual learning preferences of students and engages them on multiple levels (Cazden et al 1996) This research concluded that a blended learning environment is necessary in order for design education to move forward and be inclusive. The new generation design curriculum needs to stimulate at many different levels using multiple ways and media. This multimodal stance in design education will afford students the opportunity to become reflective knowledge builders who are able to solve problems collaboratively and transfer existing knowledge to new contexts.

As atividades de projeto e planejamento de sistemas de produção na indústria da construção civil tendem a ser mais complexas em relação à manufatura pelo fato de que o produto (edificação) é fixo no espaço enquanto os recursos transformadores movimentam-se. Além disso, à medida que o empreendimento vai sendo construído, o leiaute é alterado, contribuindo para aumentar a complexidade destas atividades. O presente trabalho propõe o uso de modelagem 4D para a visualização espacial e temporal de empreendimentos de construção, pela introdução de BIM (Building Information Modelling) no projeto e planejamento de sistemas de produção. Em geral, os estudos prévios sobre modelagem 4D com o uso de BIM tiveram como foco decisões de planejamento de forma isolada, limitadas a processos construtivos específicos. Entretanto, pouco tem sido investigado sobre a implementação de modelos BIM 4D no projeto e na gestão de sistemas de produção no contexto organizacional de empresas de construção. Desta forma, este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um método para o projeto e planejamento de sistemas de produção em empreendimentos de construção, com uso da modelagem BIM 4D. Esta pesquisa enquadra-se no modo de produção de conhecimento denominado de pesquisa construtiva (constructive research), que consiste em produzir construções inovadoras, com intenção de resolver problemas encontrados no mundo real, assim como contribuir com avanços teóricos sobre o tema em estudo. A pesquisa foi divida em quatro etapas: revisão bibliográfica, fase exploratória, fase de desenvolvimento e fase de consolidação. As principais contribuições do trabalho são o próprio método proposto, uma discussão sobre os possíveis papéis da modelagem BIM 4D na tomada de decisão do projeto e planejamento de sistemas produção, e a identificação das principais dificuldades para a sua implementação. / The activities of designing and planning production systems in construction tend to be more complex than in manufacturing due to the fact that the product (building) is stationary, while the transforming resources move around. Moreover, as the project is being built, the site layout changes over time, contributing to increase the complexity of those activities. This research work proposes the use of 4D models for spatial and temporal visualization of construction projects, by introducing BIM (Building Information Modeling) in the design and planning of production systems. In general, previous studies on the use of BIM for 4D modeling in construction have focused on isolated planning decisions, limited to specific construction processes. However, not much research has been made on the implementation of BIM 4D models in the design and planning of production systems in the organizational context of construction companies. Therefore, the aim of this research study is to devise a method for designing and planning production systems in construction projects, with the use of BIM 4D modeling. This research fits into the mode of knowledge production named constructive research which consists of producing innovative constructions, intended to solve problems found in the real world, as well as to contribute to theoretical developments in the theme being investigated. The study was divided into four stages: literature review, exploratory phase, development phase, and consolidation phase. The main contributions of the investigation are the proposed method, a discussion on the possible roles of BIM 4D in the decision making process involved in the design and planning of production systems, and the identification of the main difficulties in terms of implementation.

O trabalho apresenta os recursos oferecidos ao usuario do ambiente de projeto AMPLO para o controle e gerencia do processo de simulação de sistemas digitais. O ambiente de simulação proposto a constituído por diversas ferramentas baseadas em recursos gráficos- interativos. As ferramentas do ambiente permitem executar funções como : construir modelos de simulação a partir das descrições de sistemas armazenadas na base de dados, gerar estados iniciais para os modelos de simulação através de estratégias de inicialização pré-definidas, criar estímulos a serem aplicados aos modelos de simulação utilizando linguagens gráficas e textuais dedicadas, vincular estímulos as entradas primarias dos modelos de simulação, controlar a simulação através dos comandos de simulação disponíveis na sessão de simulação, analisar os resultados das simulações já, realizadas através de recursos gráficos de visualização e criar uma sequência de comandos que devem ser executados dentro de uma sessão de simulação. O ambiente de simulação integra todos os dados gerados durante o processo de simulação em uma base de dados única. Para isto, os objetos manipulados pelas diversas ferramentas do ambiente e as relações existentes entre eles foram definidos de acordo com um modelo de dados uniforme que e a base para a implementação de uma base de dados íntegra e não redundante. A interface de acesso a esta base de dados a constituída por funções primitivas que realizam o acesso a cada um dos objetos. Estas primitivas de acesso a base de dados permitem a criação, alteração e remoção dos objetos mantendo a consistência geral dos mesmos, bem como vários tipos de consultas. O processo de simulação propriamente dito a controlado por um conjunto de funções próprias para a simulação disponíveis na sessão de simulação. A sessão de simulação apresenta uma linguagem de comandos que através de recursos de visualização gráfico-interativos permite ao usuário, entre outros recursos, alterar e monitorar valores de sinais do modelo de simulação e controlar o avanço do tempo de simulação. A sessão de simulação realiza a comunicação com os simuladores através de um sistema de troca de mensagens onde para cada comando fornecido durante a sessão de simulação, uma mensagem é acrescentada ao conjunto de mensagens enviadas ao simulador. / This work describes the facilities that are available to the user of the AMPLO design environment for controlling and managing the process of digital systems simulation. The proposed simulation environment is composed by several tools that are of graphical-interactive nature. These tools support tasks like: building simulation models from system descriptions stored in the data base, generating initial states for the models according to various initialization strategies, creating stimuli to be applied to the models by using dedicated graphical and textual languages, associating stimuli to the primary inputs of the models, controlling the simulation run through a specialized command language, and analyzing results of already executed simulation runs. The environment integrates all data that is generated during the simulation process in a unique data base. Therefore, objects that are manipulated by the several tools of the environment, as well as relationships between them, have been defined according to a uniform data model which is the basis for the implementation of a consistent and non-redundant data base. The access interface to this data base is composed by primitive functions that implement the access to the objects. These functions allow the creation, modification, and removal of objects, while maintaining their overall consistency, as well as several queries. The process of simulation itself is controlled by a command language. These commands are available during the simulation session, which integrates the environment with the AMPLO simulators through a message system. The command language, through graphical-interactive visualization facilities, allow the user to modify and monitor signals values of the model and to control the simulation time advancement. Each command issue adds a new message to a message queue to be sent to the simulator.

As atividades de projeto e planejamento de sistemas de produção na indústria da construção civil tendem a ser mais complexas em relação à manufatura pelo fato de que o produto (edificação) é fixo no espaço enquanto os recursos transformadores movimentam-se. Além disso, à medida que o empreendimento vai sendo construído, o leiaute é alterado, contribuindo para aumentar a complexidade destas atividades. O presente trabalho propõe o uso de modelagem 4D para a visualização espacial e temporal de empreendimentos de construção, pela introdução de BIM (Building Information Modelling) no projeto e planejamento de sistemas de produção. Em geral, os estudos prévios sobre modelagem 4D com o uso de BIM tiveram como foco decisões de planejamento de forma isolada, limitadas a processos construtivos específicos. Entretanto, pouco tem sido investigado sobre a implementação de modelos BIM 4D no projeto e na gestão de sistemas de produção no contexto organizacional de empresas de construção. Desta forma, este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um método para o projeto e planejamento de sistemas de produção em empreendimentos de construção, com uso da modelagem BIM 4D. Esta pesquisa enquadra-se no modo de produção de conhecimento denominado de pesquisa construtiva (constructive research), que consiste em produzir construções inovadoras, com intenção de resolver problemas encontrados no mundo real, assim como contribuir com avanços teóricos sobre o tema em estudo. A pesquisa foi divida em quatro etapas: revisão bibliográfica, fase exploratória, fase de desenvolvimento e fase de consolidação. As principais contribuições do trabalho são o próprio método proposto, uma discussão sobre os possíveis papéis da modelagem BIM 4D na tomada de decisão do projeto e planejamento de sistemas produção, e a identificação das principais dificuldades para a sua implementação. / The activities of designing and planning production systems in construction tend to be more complex than in manufacturing due to the fact that the product (building) is stationary, while the transforming resources move around. Moreover, as the project is being built, the site layout changes over time, contributing to increase the complexity of those activities. This research work proposes the use of 4D models for spatial and temporal visualization of construction projects, by introducing BIM (Building Information Modeling) in the design and planning of production systems. In general, previous studies on the use of BIM for 4D modeling in construction have focused on isolated planning decisions, limited to specific construction processes. However, not much research has been made on the implementation of BIM 4D models in the design and planning of production systems in the organizational context of construction companies. Therefore, the aim of this research study is to devise a method for designing and planning production systems in construction projects, with the use of BIM 4D modeling. This research fits into the mode of knowledge production named constructive research which consists of producing innovative constructions, intended to solve problems found in the real world, as well as to contribute to theoretical developments in the theme being investigated. The study was divided into four stages: literature review, exploratory phase, development phase, and consolidation phase. The main contributions of the investigation are the proposed method, a discussion on the possible roles of BIM 4D in the decision making process involved in the design and planning of production systems, and the identification of the main difficulties in terms of implementation.

M.Ed. / Die doel van hierdie studie is om te bepaal hoe effektief ’n interaktiewe leersisteem gedurende die Meesterskursus in Rekenaar gebaseerde onderrig te RAU, is. Ten einde hierdie navorsingsdoel te bereik, is die volgende doelwitte as riglyn vir die navorsing geformuleer: • om ’n literêre oorsig te verkry ten einde vas te stel hoe die effektiwiteit van leer bepaal kan word; • om ’n evalueringsinstrument op te stel wat die effektiwiteit van leer bepaal deur die gebruik van die Kirckpatrick-model vir leerevaluering; en • om te bepaal, deur middel van ’n evaluerings- gevallestudie, hoe effektief studente in hierdie ondersoek geleer het om ’n onderrigplan te ontwerp deur middel van ’n interaktiewe leersisteem. Die rasionaal van die studie het tot die volgende navorsingsvraag, gelei: “Hoe effektief het Meestergraad-studente in rekenaargebaseerde die ontwerp van ’n onderrigplan onder die knie gekry deur gebruik te maak van ’n interaktiewe leersisteem?” ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg. Die navorsingsmetode wat vir hierdie studie gebruik is, is ’n gevallestudie wat ’n in-diepte begrip van die leerderondervinding en effektiwiteit van leer, geskep het deur gebruik te maak van WebCT. Metodes om data te versamel, om hierdie spesifieke navorsing uit te voer, bestaan uit ’n literatuurstudie (vir die daarstelling van die begrips- en teoretiese raamwerk) asook; en ’n gemengde data-versamelingsmetode wat insluit: waarnemings, vraelyste, onderhoude en die dokument-analise. ’n Kort inleiding van die data-analise, die strategieё wat gevolg is om die betroubaarheid van die studie te waarborg, en ’n beknopte beskrywing van die etiese aspekte wat in ag geneem is vir hierdie studie, is ingesluit. ’n Wye oorsig van die toepaslike literatuur vir hierdie navorsingsondersoek word voorsien. Om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord, is die begrip leer, eerstens verken en verduidelik deur gebruik te maak van drie leerteorieё, naamlik, Gedragsteorie, Kognitiewe Teorie en Konstruksie-teorie. Tweedens, deur te fokus op die ondersoek van “hoe om die effektiwiteit van leer te meet”, is vier paradigmas en verskeie evalueringsmodelle bestudeer en bespreek. Laastens is Kirckpatrick se viervlak-evalueringsmodel ook bestudeer en bespreek. Hierdie model is gekies as ’n gepaste evalueringsmodel vir die betrokke studie. ’n Oorsig van die Meesterskursus en die onderrigprogram WebCT is gegee. Die werking en samestellende dele van WebCT, wat gebruik is vir hierdie kursus, word kortliks beskryf. Die gekose tema (Tema 5 - Die teorie oor die ontwerp van ’n onderrigprogram) wat gebruik is vir hierdie studie, is ook beskryf en bespreek. Die bevindinge van Vlak Een - Reaksie-evaluering wys dat die kursus se doelwitte bereik is en dat studente die verlangde leeruitkomste ten opsigte van Tema 5 bereik het. Die studente se oorsigtelike evaluering van die onderrigprogram, WebCT was oor die algemeen goed. Volgens die evaluering van die toepaslikheid van die inhoud van Tema 5, wys die bevindinge egter dat die ontwerp van ’n onderrigplan nie heeltemal van toepassing was op elke student se werk nie. Die bevindinge van Vlak Twee - Leerevaluering wys dat na die onderrig van Tema 5, die kennis en vaardighede van die studente oor die ontwerp van ’n onderrigplan aansienlik vermeerder het. Die meerderheid van die studente het ’n positiewe uitkyk gehad oor wat hulle geleer het uit Tema 5. Die bevindinge van Vlak Drie - Gedragsveranderings-/Oordrag van leer-evaluering wys dat die meerderheid studente hulle gedrag op ’n positiewe manier, ten opsigte van Tema 5, verander het. Die bevindinge van hierdie Vlakevaluering wys egter uit dat dit nodig is om die kennis en vaardighede wat gedurende die onderrig verkry is, deur gebruik in die werksplek te versterk. Die bevindinge van Vlak Vier - Resultate-/Organisatoriese invloed- evaluering wys dat die onderrig van Tema 5 nie ’n sterk invloed op die organisasie van studente gehad het nie.

The use of embedded Internet systems is growing rapidly in the manufacturing sector. These systems allow the monitoring and controlling of plant machinery and manufactured items from a remote location via a standard Web interface. In a manufacturing environment, it is inevitable that long running processes will require support for dynamic reconfiguration because, for example, machines may fail, services may be moved or withdrawn and user requirements may change. In such an environment it is essential that the operation and architecture of such processes can be modified to reflect such changes. This research project will present methods and ideas for establishing a reconfigurable remote system by using standard 8-bit microcontrollers and reconfigurable hardware. It will allow a manufacturing process to be modified and changed within minutes without even having to be physically present at the location where the process is running.

In the area of information systems design it is important to select an appropriate methodology in order to get an information system that functions as expected. The perspective behind the methodology is seldom stated explicitly. The epistemology that a methodology is based on has impacts on the design of the system. Therefore, the process of selecting an appropriate methodology is important. The aim of this work is to study how the process of metamodelling or metathinking is considered in the area of information systems design. Interviews and a study of the literature have been performed in order to investigate the awareness of metamodelling thinking in the area of information systems design.In the literature we found that only a small part dealt with the process of metamodelling. The method engineering (ME) approach was found as a way of thinking that seems to consider metamodelling thinking. We have evaluated ME according to a synthesis of the works by van Gigch, Churchman, and Flood and Carson. The evaluation has shown that ME deals with metamodelling thinking. In order to improve the metamodelling thinking in ME, it is important to explicitly define how ME considers the aspect of participation of motivated actors and the iterative process. The interviews have shown that information systems designers use some kind of metamodelling thinking, but they do not seem to be aware of the process. In an information system design process, it is important to shift perspectives from reality to modelling, and to the metamodelling level, in order to apply metamodelling thinking. Further work should be performed with the purpose of making the information systems designers aware of the importance of applying metamodelling thinking.

Customer relationship management (CRM) is gaining momentum around the world and a majority of the organizations view customer experience provided by contact-centers as a competitive differentiator. Thus is the importance of understanding these systems very big. The purpose of the thesis is to create a cohesive solution, a prototype, to gather, aggregate and present viable business reports for a number of channels in such a system. The CRM-platform handled in this thesis is called Genesys InfoMart, which is developed by Genesys Telecommunications. The thesis defines the use-cases and reports to be compiled. It does also give a description of how data is cross- correlated across the database and how it was gathered. By involving domain-experts and using a scenario based- approach, requirements have been derived and reports have been developed. It is concluded that the conceptual scenarios were feasible. There are no limitations within the InfoMart data mart with respect to the functionality that the domain-experts demand. A cooperative-evaluation session showed that the conceptual design was approved and that it provided the functionality that the evaluation group requested. Thus concluded that the methodological approach was overall successful and that the requirements were met. It is however recommended to continue the development process by exposing the prototype to end-users evaluation. This can provide insights and information that can be very useful when developing the final product.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Since there was a need for an Educational Management Information System (EMIS) in the Ministry of Education in Afghanistan, we designed and implemented a prototype for use in the ministry and investigated the appropriateness of using Agile methods for producing the EMIS. The prototype consisted of a database containing data about schools and a Dari interface which was used by educational planners, managers and policy makers of the ministry for decision making and planning. Agile methods are relatively new in software engineering and have an approach and development guidelines which strive for user satisfaction and early incremental delivery of software. We adapt them to local conditions due to their collaborative client-developer approach. The interface, a key component, is easy to use and efficient. The key research result is an evaluation concerning the appropriateness of using Agile Methods for developing the EMIS. Focus groups and surveys were used to develop the prototype and accomplish the study. / South Africa