During the last decades Europe has seen an increase in the number of refugees coming to the region. When arriving in a new country one faces several challenges to overcome. In Sweden, a lot of the services the government provides regarding immigration, social insurance, and health care are digital. This can on some occasions create a situation where the user of these services can not speak or write any of the languages available in the service. This thesis aims to investigate what aspects of user experience design that could support a user completing tasks and understanding context in a digital setting even though the language might not be fully understood. By looking at the aspects of cross-cultural design, design for illiterate users, and understanding icon design, a prototype was developed and tested on users not literate in the language used. The results showed that the users were able to complete the task given, and understand the context.

This thesis contains a study of how sound masking systems can be implemented in existing open-plan offices in order to lower the speech intelligibility. The purpose is to investigate how to optimize the sound pressure level and frequency response for a sound masking system. The aim of the thesis is to produce recommendations regarding the optimum sound pressure level for a sound masking system using a pink noise. This study is initially based on a background study of the acoustical challenges in open-plan offices. Measurements of the background levels in an existing open-plan office are made to analyze the existent audio spectrum, in order to create a customized masking sound. Furthermore, a survey is made, where employees are being exposed to several masking sound environments and get to answer a questionnaire regarding their individual experience of each sound environment. In addition to the pink noise sound environments, a fan sound and a café sound are tested. A simulation is made in CATT-Acoustic to analyze the effect of a masking sound theoretically, in a model based on a small open-plan office. Due to the covid-19 pandemic the test group is limited, and the background levels are most likely underestimated, compared to normal conditions. The results show that the most preferred sound environment among the test group is the café sound. The simulations indicate that the implementation of sound masking has a positive effect on the speech transmission index and distraction distance in the model based on a small open-plan office. / I öppna kontorslandskap upplever många medarbetare ofta att de störs av olika ljud. Detta som en konsekvens av de öppna kontorslandskapens grundläggande syften, vilka är att underlätta utbyte av information mellan medarbetarna och skapa en lättillgänglig arbetsmiljö genom stora och öppna lokaler. Sedan kontorslandskapens begynnelse har dock problem noterats med dessa arbetsplatser och många studier har gjorts under åren för att undersöka vilken påverkan arbete i dessa kontorslandskap har på människor. För att motverka de negativa akustiska effekter som de öppna kontorslandskapen medför har man länge haft idéer kring att tillföra kontrollerade bakgrundsljud i lokalerna, i första hand för att minska uppfattbarheten av det mänskliga talet, vilken är en av de faktorer som många uppfattar som mest störande i ett kontorslandskap. Detta är således grunden till tanken bakom ljudmaskering. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur maskeringssystem skulle kunna optimeras, huvudsakligen i fråga om ljudnivå. Inledningsvis genomförs en litteraturstudie för att undersöka vilka möjligheter och problem som öppna kontorslandskap medför. Därefter genomförs mätningar av bakgrundsljudnivåer i Bjerkings lokaler enligt svensk standard. Dessa mätningar analyseras och tas i beaktande vid filtreringen av de pink noise-maskeringsljud som senare används i lyssningstestet. Dessutom testas även andra ljudmiljöer som fläktljud och caféljud. Utöver dessa test och mätningar görs även en simulering för en lokal baserad på en av testlokalerna med hjälp av mjukvaran CATT-Acoustic, där maskeringsljudens inverkan på taluppfattbarheten undersöks och utvärderas. På grund av covid-19-pandemin är testgruppen i studien mycket begränsad då majoriteten av Bjerkings personal jobbat hemifrån. Detta påverkar sannolikt även mätningarna av bakgrundsljud i lokalerna då nivåerna väntas vara lägre än under normala förhållanden.   Resultaten från lyssningstestet visar på att den ljudmiljö som respondenterna upplevde som mest behaglig och som hade bäst påverkan på arbetsmiljön är caféljudet. Från de simuleringar som utförs kan en tydlig förbättring av den akustiska miljön noteras då STI och distraction distance reduceras då maskeringen applicerats, i enlighet med teorin.

The present work proposes the use of information visualization techniques allied to an Augmented Reality user interface to provide in-formation that helps professionals to analyse data, however spatially situated where it was originally measured. This problem and the proposed solution may be adapted into different professional contexts. Three use case visualizations were designed, implemented and testedin the following task contexts: classroom seat analysis, GPS route following and EMC data extraction. Apart from visualizing the situated data, users may also interact with it to narrow down their search by switching the attributes being displayed, combining them together, applying filters, changing its formatting and extracting data from it. The approaches being proposed in this work were tested against each other in comparable 2D and3D interactive visualizations of the same data in a series of usability and performance assessments with users to validate the solutions. The goal was to ultimately expose whether AR can help users to perform better in different decision-making contexts. Our tests exposed relevant results in a series of the variables measured, such as accuracy, correctness, distance travelled and time taken.

This thesis investigated the development of proficiency in pedagogical integration of emerging technologies amongst educators at Makerere University. Limited educator CoPs focused on pedagogical integration of ETs inhibit educator potential to contribute to quality learning through pedagogical integration of ETs. The general question in this thesis is how social architecture in an educator CoP provides opportunities for enhancing proficiency development in pedagogical integration of ETs. Based on educational design research framework and situated learning theory, a community of practice as an intervention was designed and implemented between 2014 and 2016. Data was collected through observations, focused discussions and interviews from five educators who actively participated. An interpretive thematic analysis was done from which findings indicate that a social architecture in community of practice enables educators to initially accept that they are less experienced and potential members and then, join forces in a community to take charge of their transformation process. A social architecture enables drawing on individual talent and exploiting synergy between individuals with varying experiences; the process also comprises specific actions and engagements, which when shared in a social environment help motivate, inspire and evoke emulation of a practice. A community of practice provides an ideal context that enable educators to be more honest in evaluating their own technology skills and gaining confidence in seeking to develop skills. Pedagogical integration of emerging technologies is a practice highly influenced by individual attitudes in a social environment. In communities of practice faced with resource-constraints, the constantly evolving technologies, limited mentorship capacity, and mind-set are among the inhibitors in the social architecture that contributes to proficiency development in pedagogical integration of emerging technologies. This thesis concludes that social architecture in a community of practice contributes to the process of developing proficiency in pedagogical integration of emerging technologies. The design principles that emphasize configuration of a social architecture like interactions, networks and collaborations among educators are helpful in pedagogical integration of emerging technologies. It is therefore recommended that a social architecture in a community of practice be exploited by educators to enhance pedagogical integration of emerging technologies. The original contribution of this thesis is coming up with new design principles and theoretical insights related to a social architecture in a community of practice focused on pedagogical integration of emerging technologies.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are an integral part of the rural health system, and it is imperative that their voices are accommodated in digital health projects. In the mobile health education project discussed in this thesis (The Bophelo Haeso project), we sought to find ways to amplify CHWs' voices, enabling them to directly influence design and research processes as well as technological outcomes. The Bophelo Haeso (BH) project equips CHWs with health videos on their mobile phones to use for educating and counselling the rural public. We investigated how to best co-design, with CHWs, a feedback mechanism atop the basic BH health education model, thus enabling their voices in the design process and in the process of community education. This thesis chronicles this inclusive design and research process - a 30-month process that spanned three sub-studies: an 18-month process to co-design the feedback mechanism with CHWs, a 12-month deployment study of the feedback mechanism and, overlapping with the feedback deployment study, a 17-month study looking at the consumption patterns of the BH educational videos. This work contributes to the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) in three distinct ways. First, it contributes to the growing knowledge of co-design practice with participants of limited digital experience by introducing a concept we termed co-design readiness. We designed and deployed explorative artefacts and found that by giving CHWs increased technical, contextual, and linguistic capacity to contribute to the design process, they were empowered to unleash their innate creativity, which in turn led to more appropriate and highly-adopted solutions. Secondly, we demonstrate the efficacy of incorporating an effective village-to-clinic feedback mechanism in digital health education programs. We employed two approaches to feedback - asynchronous voice and roleplaying techniques. Both approaches illustrate the combined benefits of implementing creative methods for effective human-to-technology and human-tohuman communication in ways that enable new forms of expression. Finally, based on our longitudinal study of video consumption, we provide empirical evidence of offline video consumption trends in health education settings. We present qualitative and quantitative analyses of video-use patterns as influenced by the CHWs' ways of being and working. Through these analyses, we describe CHWs and their work practices in depth. In addition to the three main contributions, this thesis concludes with critical reflections from the lessons and experiences of the 30-month study. We discuss the introduction of smartphones in rural villages, especially among elderly, low-literate, and non-English-speaking users, and present guidelines for designing relevant and usable smartphones for these populations. The author also reflects on her position as an African-born qualitative researcher in Africa, and how her positionality affected the outcomes of this research.

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I arbetet undersöktes det om KL-trä kan användas ännu mer effektivt än vad som är fallet idag genom sortering och utnyttjande av lamellerna med bäst mekaniska egenskaper i de delar av KL-träelementen där lamellegenskaperna har störst betydelse. Syftet med arbetet var att bidra till ökad kunskap om effektivt materialutnyttjande för skivor och plattor av KL-trä som används i bärande stommar till flerbostadshus. Undersökningen visade att för en bjälklagsplatta bestående av tre eller fem skikt blir deformationskraven dimensionerande. Den dimensionerande egenskapen är elasticitetsmodulen för de yttre längsgående skikten. Rullskjuvmodulen för de tvärgående skikten kan ha en stor inverkan på kapaciteten men dock inte för de höjd-längdförhållanden som är vanligt förekommande i flerbostadshus. Vidare kan den lägsta hållfasthetsklassen användas till de inre skikten utan att kapaciteten påverkas. För en bjälklagsplatta bestående av 5 skikt kan tillgången på virke utnyttjas effektivt om C35 används till yttre längsgående skikt och C18 till resterande skikt. För en väggskiva bestående av tre eller fem skikt är längsskjuvhållfastheten den viktigaste egenskapen för de tvärgående skikten. Detta medför att en högre hållfasthetsklass än C24 inte ökar de tvärgående skiktens kapacitet mot panelskjuvning i planet. För att utifrån parameterstudien kunna visa vilka egenskaper som är dimensionerande behöver fortsatta studier göras. Dessa innefattar att avgöra om böjknäckning- eller panelskjuvningskapaciteten blir begränsande för skivan. / In this work, it was examined whether Cross laminated timber (CLT) can be used even more efficiently with respect to the wood quality of the constituent layers and the availability of wood sorted into different strength classes. The purpose of this work was to contribute to increased knowledge of efficient material utilization for CLT boards and slabs used in load-bearing frames for apartment buildings. The study showed that for CLT floors with three or five layers, the deformation requirements is limiting the capacity. The decisive material property is the modulus of elasticity of the outer longitudinal layers. The rolling shear modulus of the transversal layers can have a large impact on capacity, but not for the height-to-length conditions that are common in apartment buildings. Furthermore, the lowest strength class can apply to the inner layers without affecting the capacity. For CLT floors consisting of five layers, the supply of wood can be utilized effectively if C35 is used for outer longitudinal layers and C18 for the other layers. For CLT walls consisting of three or five layers, the longitudinal shear strength is the most important property of the transverse layers. This means that a higher strength class than C24 does not increase the transverse layers' capacity against panel shear in the plane. In order to be able to show, based on the parametric analysis, the material properties that are decisive for the capacities of wall and floor elements, further studies need to be done. These would include determining if the flexural buckling or panel shear capacity is the limiting factor.

Purpose This study focuses on applicable methods used in the Inventory Management of Fresh Food Products and challenges encountered in their implementation. The area of concentration is the Fresh Food Retailers. Secondly, the challenges encountered in the implementation of fresh food products is also addressed. Methodology The study employs a qualitative research technique with the use of a semi-structured interview for five companies to gather data. Theory The theory section of this study first gives a brief explanation of fresh food retailers’. Secondly, it addresses the keywords of the research questions: Fresh Food Products Inventory Management, highlighting the management of the shelf-life and technological innovations in use in the inventory management of Fresh Food Products. It moves on to address the challenges encountered in the implementation of inventory management systems Empirical This represents the outcome of semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with five companies. It started with a brief description of the company. Analysis and Discussion The analysis portrays the techniques and models used in the inventory management of shelflife and technological innovations and identification and discussion of implementation challenges or drawback of implementation. Conclusion This addresses my contribution and a futuristic approach to the topic.

De svenska byggnadsbestånden står för cirka 40 procent av de totala utsläppen i Sverige. För att minska dessa utsläpp kan innovativa lösningar vara till hjälp. Svenska Aerogel AB har tagit fram en produkt vid namn Quartzene som visar på goda värmeisolerande egenskaper. Genom ett samarbete mellan Svenska Aerogel AB och det taiwanesiska företaget Rayoung Chemtech Inc, har färgsystemet T-RayX APA1401 tagits fram. T-RayX APA1401 består av en blandning av Quartzene och ett bindemedel framtaget av Rayoung Chemtech Inc.T-RayX APA1401 är en ny produkt och dess egenskaper är därför inte fullständigt undersökta i dagsläget. T-RayX APA1401 är främst utvecklad för användning i tropiska klimat. Föreliggande arbete fokuserar på tillämpningar i kalla klimat, med särskilt fokus på färgsystemets förmåga att minska transmissionsförluster hos byggnader. Syftet med examensarbetet är därmed att undersöka T-RayX APA1401 värmeisolerande egenskaper samt studera hur mycket uppvärmningsenergi som besparas hos ett medelvärdigt flerbostadshus, om färgsystemet appliceras på dess ytterväggar. För att svara på examensarbetets syfte genomfördes värmekonduktivitetsmätningar genom Heat flow meter-metoden i en Hot box. För att undersöka besparingen av uppvärmningsenergi genomfördes simuleringar av ett svenskt medelvärdigt flerbostadshus. Detta gjordes genom att ta fram byggnadens primärenergital och byggnadens specifika energianvändning genom BV2, där COMSOL Multiphysics 5.5 användes för att räkna ut de vanligaste linjära köldbryggorna i ett flerbostadshus. Resultaten av värmekonduktivitetsmätningarna visade på ett medelvärde av värmekonduktiviteten för T-RayX APA1401 på 0,103 W/mK med ett temperaturberoende som ges av 𝜆=0,0951+0,0003×𝑇. Simuleringarna i BV2 visade att med ett 25 mm ytskikt av T-RayX APA1401 kunde ett svenskt medelvärdigt flerbostadshus i Sverige sänka energianvändningen med 1,1 procent för både byggnadens primärenergital och byggnadens specifika energianvändning. Genom resultaten dras slutsatsen att färgsystemet ger en positiv effekt på energibesparingen i ett flerbostadshus. Resultaten visar även att färgsystemet ger minskade transmissionsförluster för ytterväggar ju högre U-värde ytterväggarna har. / The Swedish buildings account for some 40 percent of total emissions in Sweden. Innovative solutions can be helpful in order to reduce these emissions. The Swedish company Svenska Aerogel AB has developed a product called Quartzene that shows good thermal insulation properties. Through a collaboration between Svenska Aerogel AB and the Taiwanese company Rayoung Chemtech Inc, a color system called T-RayX APA1401 has been developed. T-RayX APA1401 consists of a mixture of Quartzene and a binder developed by Rayoung Chemtech Inc. T-RayX APA1401 is a new product and its properties have therefore not been fully investigated to date. T-RayX APA1401 is mainly developed for use in tropical climates. The present work focuses on applications in cold climates, specifically on the ability of the color system to reduce transmission losses in buildings. The purpose of the thesis is thus to investigate the T-RayX APA1401 heat insulating properties and to study how much heating energy is saved in an average Swedish apartment building when the paint system is applied to its outer walls. In order to respond to the purpose of the thesis, heat conductivity measurements were carried out by the Heat flow meter method in a Hot box. In order to investigate the savings of heating energy, simulations of a Swedish average apartment building were conducted. This was done by generating the building's primary energy and the building's specific energy use through BV2, where COMSOL Multiphysics 5.5 was used to calculate the most common linear cold bridges in an apartment building. The results of the heat conductivity measurements showed an average of the thermal conductivity of T-RayX APA1401 as 0.103 [W/mK] with a temperature dependence given by λ = 0.0951 + 0.0003 × T. The simulations in BV2 showed that with a 25 mm surface layer of T-RayX APA1401, an average Swedish apartment building could reduce energy use by 1.1 percent for both the building's primary energy and the building's specific energy use. The results conclude that the color system has a positive effect on the energy savings in an apartment house. The results also show that the color system gives reduced transmission losses for outer walls the higher the U-value of the outer walls.

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