Increasingly, highway transportation projects are tending to involve maintenance and rehabilitation work. The age and the condition of the transportation asset, in addition to funding constraints have been the key drivers of this trend. This implies that construction operations take place in the presence of traffic flows, leading to the creation of construction work zones. This has safety implications for the commuters and construction workers alike. In addition, construction operations also hamper mobility through the work zone. Effective management of the work zone is thus very important from the perspective of construction and mobility. The preferred and mandated method to manage the impacts of the work zone is the Transportation Management Plan, which prescribes a set of coordinated strategies for the same. The strategies used in a TMP range from enforcing lane closures to modifying the construction sequencing. As the choice of particular strategies or a combination of those affects the work zone, assessing TMP strategies is important to inform future decisions. This thesis proposes a framework for the qualitative assessment of TMP strategies and TMP processes using cognitive task analysis methods. The application of the proposed method is demonstrated through two case studies of large highway reconstruction projects, involving significant bridge reconstruction. The knowledge elicitation techniques are discussed and the obtained knowledge is represented using different knowledge representation structures. The benefits and the applicability of CTA methods are explored through the case studies of projects using different contracting strategies. Finally, recommendations are made for the design of decision support tools, based on the insights obtained through the analysis. / text

Increasingly, highway transportation projects are tending to involve maintenance and rehabilitation work. The age and the condition of the transportation asset, in addition to funding constraints have been the key drivers of this trend. This implies that construction operations take place in the presence of traffic flows, leading to the creation of construction work zones. This has safety implications for the commuters and construction workers alike. In addition, construction operations also hamper mobility through the work zone. Effective management of the work zone is thus very important from the perspective of construction and mobility. The preferred and mandated method to manage the impacts of the work zone is the Transportation Management Plan, which prescribes a set of coordinated strategies for the same. The strategies used in a TMP range from enforcing lane closures to modifying the construction sequencing. As the choice of particular strategies or a combination of those affects the work zone, assessing TMP strategies is important to inform future decisions. This thesis proposes a framework for the qualitative assessment of TMP strategies and TMP processes using cognitive task analysis methods. The application of the proposed method is demonstrated through two case studies of large highway reconstruction projects, involving significant bridge reconstruction. The knowledge elicitation techniques are discussed and the obtained knowledge is represented using different knowledge representation structures. The benefits and the applicability of CTA methods are explored through the case studies of projects using different contracting strategies. Finally, recommendations are made for the design of decision support tools, based on the insights obtained through the analysis. / text

Robotic surgery is at the forefront of surgical innovation and presents novel challenges for both postgraduate learners and seasoned specialists. Robotic teaching is underway, often without formalized robotic curricula. Research into robotic surgical steps and surgical decision-making that should be imparted to learners has been neglected. As such, I aimed to determine the knowledge gap of urology residents for a robotic prostatectomy. Further, I also aimed to determine the patterns and cognitive rules used by experienced surgeons to complete a robotic prostatectomy. This master’s thesis included a knowledge gap survey, completed by urology residents, and compared to urologic oncologists, of a robotic prostatectomy and contained both open-ended and rating scale questions. A cognitive task analysis (CTA) was then performed as a series of semi-structured interviews in which incident-probing questions were used to make urologic oncologists explain visual cues and decision-making processes. 42 surveys were administered to urology residents and urologists at The Ottawa Hospital over 10 weeks. There was disagreement between urology resident and urologist responses from the rating scale responses, from the following procedural steps: vesicourethral anastomosis, apical dissection, and seminal vesicle dissection. The open-ended responses found discrepancies between the residents’ and urologists’; understanding of anatomy and surgical decision-making, and of cause-and-consequence cognitive awareness. Subsequently, 16 CTA interviews of four urologic oncologists were completed. After data coding and thematic analysis was performed, CTA grids for each surgeon described a map of a robotic prostatectomy including the steps and goals of the procedure, procedural landmarks, key visual cues for each step, complications and/or error prevention, and management. Specific content not yet described in the literature also includes how the lack of haptic feedback is compensated by robotic surgeons. Additional findings included a gap in urology resident knowledge and understanding of a robotic prostatectomy. The CTA of a robotic prostatectomy documented the surgical decision-making rules, patterns and visual cues urologic oncologists use to avoid errors, and to manage intraoperative surgical complications. This information is key to expanding the understanding of robotic prostatectomy surgical decision-making and training and can be used to produce robust robotic educational curricula.

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Background: Alarm interpretation and management are fundamental to managing critically ill patients. 1 There is little research as to the decision process nurses use to prioritize alarms or manage specific monitor parameters. Objective: The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the intricacy of the intensive care unit (ICU) nurses'critical decision process, using a human performance framework, when responding to monitor alarms. Method: Design: Descriptive design using semi-structured interview. Open-ended questions were developed based on the critical decision method (CDM) to explore ICU nurses' critical decision making process related to monitor alarms. Sixteen ICU nurses at a community hospital were interviewed to elicit perceptions and thought processes related to monitor alarms. Results: Responses to monitor alarms were affected by nursing experience, tones of the alarm, nurses' knowledge of the patient's condition as well as immediate visualization of patient to judge the urgency of an alarm. Both advanced beginner and expert nurses had similar initial response to monitor alarms; however, expert nurses added depth to their immediate assessment process by using previous experiences, intuition, and clinical expertise. Advanced beginner nurses frequently look to expert nurses for advice, guidance, and examples of clinical expertise. The majority of nurses had little or no formal training on the cardiac monitors used by that facility and all felt it would be beneficial in monitor alarm management. Conclusion: Understanding the decision-making process used by nurses can guide the development of policies and learning experiences that are crucial clinical support for alarm management.

The use of monitoring and intrusion detection tools are common in today's network security architecture. The combination of tools generates an abundance of data which can result in cognitive overload of those analyzing the data. ID analysts initially review alerts generated by intrusion detection systems to determine the validity of the alerts. Since a large number of alerts are false positives, analyzing the data can severely reduce the number of unnecessary and unproductive investigations. The problem remains that this process is resource intensive. To date, very little research has been done to clearly determine and document the process of intrusion detection. In order to rectify this problem, research was conducted which involved several phases. Fifteen individuals were selected to participate in a cognitive task analysis. The results of the cognitive task analysis were used to develop a prototype interface which was tested by the participants. A test of the participants' knowledge after the use of the prototype revealed an increase in both effectiveness and efficiency in analyzing alerts. Specifically, the findings revealed an increase in effectiveness as 72% of the participants made better determinations using the prototype interface. The results also showed an increase in efficiency when 72% of the participants analyzed and validated alerts in less time while using the prototype interface. These findings, based on empirical data, showed that the use of the task diagram and prototype interface helped to reduce the amount of time it previously took to analyze alerts generated by intrusion detection systems.

Thesis advisor: Pamela J. Grace / Significance/Background: Surrogate decision-makers (SDMs) take part in 1.5 million end-of-life (EOL) decisions per year. Most find the role burdensome, often do not make decisions concordant with patients' wishes, and many suffer negative psychological aftereffects. Specific Aims: 1) Identify and describe the psychological processes of recent SDMs for adults at EOL in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 2) develop a theoretical model of SDMs' psychological processes. Methods/Analysis: Descriptive, multiple case study research design using a cognitive task analysis (CTA) interviewing approach. Participants completed an in-depth semi-structured CTA interview and a demographic form. Verbatim transcribed interviews were encoded and analyzed until theoretical saturation was met. Results: Nineteen SDMs (female=11) with a mean age of 59 years (± 11) who made decisions for patients (mean age, 67±13 years) who died in the ICU completed interviews. Data analysis yielded 27 psychological processes representing the hypothesized theoretical links amongst 20 individual psychological concepts. The PREDICAMENTS model (Psychology, Reasoning, and Ethics Demonstrated In Choices about the Acceptability of Medical Treatments and Patient Conditions Encountered in Life Threatening Situations) of surrogate decision-making was assembled from these psychological processes and concepts. The model depicts a complex web of psychological processes wherein SDMs ultimately express acceptance or rejection of medical treatments and/or the patient's physical condition based on their perception of the acceptability (or lack thereof) of medical treatments and/or the patient's physical condition. Conclusions: The PREDICAMENTS model offers an initial picture of the underlying psychological processes operating in SDMs decision-making. Implications for Practice and Research: The PREDICAMENTS model can be used to assess and understand SDMs' thought processes, emotions, and ethical concerns. Further research is needed to test and corroborate constructs and linkages in this model with the aim of developing decision support interventions. Ethicists need to discuss the implications of this descriptive theoretical model for the normative ethical standards expected of SDMs. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

This work was possible through the support of my personal and professional families. Personally, my husband Brad was my continual encourager through each phase of this journey. This accomplishment is as much his as mine. Also, through this process I feel I have matured at the hands of the Lord through His careful, peaceful leading within the many nuanced steps of completing the doctoral program. Professionally, the ladies forming my doctoral committee have been more than advisors, but mentors. Their thoughtful counsel helped me feel capable throughout the many phases of becoming a researcher and scholar, yet they offered insight always with attention to the aspects of life that keep us whole outside of our work

Context: Today there are a lot of different kinds of game engines to choose from, but is one of these engines more suitable for a developer with a beginners' experience in game development? Objective: This is something we explore in order to help teachers choose a suitable engine for teaching game development to beginners.In this study, two teams of two persons each compare two of these engines, Godot and Unity. Method: We conducted a study, consisting of six iterations, to observe the development of a prototype game using the two engines. We collected data during the development of the game using a think-aloud protocol and a questionnaire, and after the development using a questionnaire that included the SUS scale for assessing the overall usability of the game engines. Results: The Godot engine have been focused on completing their documentation and the documentation is somewhat directed to more experienced developers. In comparison the Unity engine got more solutions outside of the documentation and also got their own special guides towards beginners.Although Godot engine got a more simpler GUI which will be easier at first but as the tasks became more difficult this became more of a disadvantage and some solutions were not found easily among the documentation. In comparison the Unity engine got more menus and can seem a lot to a beginner but became to be more helpful the harder the tasks became and even though most solutions were not found among the documentation, there were enough information from other sources to solve all problems with an easy search.Neither of the engines provided with a lot of helpful information within the tool, although the Godot engine had some cases where the tool would let the developers know a certain component was needed. Conclusion: Our main conclusion is that Godot is a good entry point into game development but as the tasks gets more difficult students would need the teacher’s help in order to solve the tasks as easy as with Unity. In contrast, Unity starts more difficult but as tasks gets more difficult Unity have more solutions online, which makes it more suitable if students are to develop on their own.\\This study is rather small with only four participants and this limits the results, for future studies it would be best to have more participants. Keywords: Cognitive task analysis, game developer experience, Godot, Unity, game engine, usability

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