File sharing is a significant activity of enterprise computer use. In organizations, files are usually shared using e-mail attachments. However, large media files cannot be shared using e-mail, due to file size limitations. Instead, different external file sharing systems are used to share large files. The use and size of media files will continue to increase, which requires file sharing mechanisms that can handle this. For organizations today, it is difficult to find a file sharing application that fulfills all requirements and needs of the users. Especially for large media rich organizations, where the file sharing scenarios are many and files can be shared internally and externally with dissimilar feature and security requirements. An example of such an organization is Baggie, a fashion company where large media files are shared daily, using various file sharing systems. The inconsistency of what system to use, leads to confusion and frustration among its users. Additionally, their current file sharing systems do not fulfill all of Baggie’s users’ requirements and no system is integrated with their media asset management system. This master thesis aims to solve the challenges of file sharing within large organizations, particularly media rich organizations such as Baggie by centralize file sharing to one application. By performing a theoretical study and user studies, thirteen design guidelines for file sharing applications have been established. The guidelines focuses on usability, security and users’ requirements regarding media file sharing. Based on the studies, a prototype have been designed for a new file sharing application: BShare. BShare aims to replace Baggie’s current file sharing systems and the application fulfills all requirements of Baggie users. The BShare prototype can be seen as a reference design for file sharing applications.

Procedures are standardized lists of instructions that designate the safe and accepted way of accomplishing a task. This study intended to develop and compare the usability of paper-based industrial operating procedures. Two procedures at a plant were redesigned with evidence-based guidelines and human factors input. 16 operators of varying experience were asked to read through and assess the new and old procedures. The new procedures were rated significantly or moderately better than their predecessors for efficiency, effectiveness, and subjective satisfaction. On average, inexperienced operators reported fewer inaccuracies, more confusion, and higher workload ratings than their experienced counterparts, regardless of procedure type or area. For satisfaction, experienced and inexperienced operators reported similar ratings across both procedure types and areas. Future studies should attempt to discern which particular change in the procedures contributed the most to increased usability, and whether operator experience significantly correlates with usability ratings.

Procedures are standardized lists of instructions that designate the safe and accepted way of accomplishing a task. This study intended to develop and compare the usability of paper-based industrial operating procedures. Two procedures at a plant were redesigned with evidence-based guidelines and human factors input. 16 operators of varying experience were asked to read through and assess the new and old procedures. The new procedures were rated significantly or moderately better than their predecessors for efficiency, effectiveness, and subjective satisfaction. On average, inexperienced operators reported fewer inaccuracies, more confusion, and higher workload ratings than their experienced counterparts, regardless of procedure type or area. For satisfaction, experienced and inexperienced operators reported similar ratings across both procedure types and areas. Future studies should attempt to discern which particular change in the procedures contributed the most to increased usability, and whether operator experience significantly correlates with usability ratings.

This thesis contributes to developing an evidence-based toolkit for designers when designing products based on theoretical inputs from human-factors study. Theoretical and developmental knowledge, relevant to the design of warning and risk communications and the area of design for child safety, is translated into support for reflections to practitioners. The risk management framework derived from this study aims to increase awareness of the implications of the aspects involved and as a reference point for groups involved in design for child safety. The thesis covers a shift from risk communications with children to information about children (including physical dimensions etc.) for designers. The final output is a collation of this knowledge base and some conceptual tools that can be applied to a specific design context whether that context be in risk communications or the area of general safety design considerations. Designers with little experience in managing design for children can benefit from this study when deciding on their design strategies. This reflective support is the result of a study of risk communication as a complex and unique activity in which various groups and domains are involved. The process of building an understanding started with an analysis of the literature in the field and with the direct experience of the researcher, who worked directly within ergonomics as part of a design-innovation team. The framework presented in this thesis follows a more structured approach to risk communications. It is conceived as an aid to help practitioners reflect on the implications each stage of the development process has on the experience of developing appropriate risk communications and appropriate products. In this way, it is thought of as a dynamic and flexible reference that can be adapted by design researchers when planning and coordinating design to suit different design situations. The use of this tool in the childsafety, design, and study communities would provide validation of the effectiveness of the framework and its continuous improvement. The purpose of this study is twofold: to contribute to study and practice with the aim of providing fundamental guidance to designers. The research detailed in this thesis brings readers up-to-date with the current literature on theories of risk communications. It then highlights methodologies, tools, guidelines and requirements for risk communication advances in study and practice. A framework for risk communication for young children has been developed out of a resource review based on previous work in the area by McLaughlin and Mayhorn, (2014). The information accumulated in this study has been used to develop initial prototype tools for designers who are considering young children. The developed platform supports practitioners from two different angles: theoretical and practical. Designers engaged in the core activity of design for child safety need methods that support the consideration of ergonomics and other product requirements, such as risk communications. This study contributes to developing methods and tools that can be used by designers and other relevant groups when designing risk communications for young children. Available knowledge is collated and integrated into the framework with the intention that it will be developed further throughout the thesis to consider effective use within the design cycle. This study aims to contribute to child safety by providing the first development of tools/decision supports aimed at designers who are designing for young children and are accordingly evaluating human-factors methods in design for child safety. The aim of this study is to gather the requirements of a collaborative design tool for use by industrial designers, engineers and other groups involved in design for child safety. This thesis aims to address these needs. When considering the needs, limitations and capabilities, ( mental model ) of the intended users (i.e., children), important aspects such as safety have been considered. The general need for support methods are addressed through a review of the safety, design and ergonomics literature. After this, empirical study through interviews and observations is used to outline some problem areas: the development and implementation of human-factors methods in design, lack of available resources and inaccessibility of data. Three empirical studies were conducted to meet the requirements of this study: Study 1 in Chapter 4 involves documentary analysis of existing models and methods, Study 2 in Chapter 5 involves formal interviews with designers (N = 30), and Study 3 in Chapter 7 involves an online survey for initial feedback about the prototype-persona (N = 50) respondents. The first section outlines the study questions. It discusses the outputs of the three main studies contained within this thesis.

The aims of this dissertation study are 1) to examine how the interplay of motivation, artifacts, and task interconnectedness affect users' flow experience, 2) to understand users' multitasking patterns by analyzing approaches and strategies in multitasking environments through a participatory design session, and 3) to come up with design insights and implications for desired multitasking environments based on findings from the quantitative and qualitative data analysis and synthesis. This dissertation employed the PAT (Person-Artifact-Task) model to examine factors that affect users' flow experience in computer-mediated multitasking environments. Particularly, this study focused on users' flow experience - sense of control, focused attention, curiosity, intrinsic interest and interactivity - in the context of multitasking. The dissertation begins with perspectives on human multitasking research from various disciplines. Emphasis is placed on how researchers have defined the term multitasking and the scope of previous multitasking research. In addition, this study provides definitions of the term task switching, which also has been used to describe human multitasking. The second section of this dissertation focuses on the literature, which characterizes factors and theoretical frameworks of human multitasking research. In this section, human multitasking factors were classified into internal and external factors to analyze factors from the micro to the macro perspective. More detailed definitions and comparisons are also addressed. To summarize and conclude the literature review, this study provides a synthesis framework of internal and external factors of human multitasking contexts. In section III, this dissertation introduces theoretical frameworks that include the constructs of the PAT (Person-Artifact-Task) model and flow model. The next three sections present the research design and two research methods - the experiment and participatory design. The results and discussion section includes the implications of interpreting people's flow experience with motivation, artifact (technology affordance type), and task interconnectedness through the PAT model. The study findings and implications should extend our understanding of multitasking behaviors and contexts and how the interplay of person, artifact, and task factors affects humans' flow experience. A concluding chapter explores future work and design implications on how researchers and designers can take contextual factors into consideration to identify the most effective multitasking in computer-mediated environments. / text

Many Canadian cities are faced with the challenge of contaminated lands that remain vacant due to high remediation costs. Redevelopment of these lots to green space enhances the character of our cities and improves human and environmental health. Phytoremediation, the process of treating contaminated soil and water with plants, was explored as a plausible design application towards the re-use of contaminated vacant lands. Based on an integrative literature review synthesis and a phytoremediation example, design guidelines were formulated and then applied to three Canadian municipal sites. An expert panel, including phytoremediation specialists and municipal staff involved with open space planning and development, provided an evaluation of the guidelines. The results demonstrated that the design guidelines are an appropriate foundation for the application of phytoremediation as an interim strategy for transforming contaminated lands into usable green space within Canadian municipalities. / LACF (Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation), Latornell Graduate Travel Scholarship

As large displays become more affordable, researchers investigate their productivity impacts and try to develop techniques for making the large display user experience more effective. Studies show that large displays enable users to create and manage more windows and engage in more complex multitasking behavior. Although recent work demonstrates significant productivity benefits of large shared displays, it shows numerous usability issues because current software design is not scaling well. Therefore, we took steps towards developing two user interface design guidelines for large shared displays. Specifically, empirical studies have been conducted to compare the effects of large shared display and personal display use. When each of them is used as a secondary display, large shared displays impose increased interruption and comprehension. Empirical and qualitative studies are designed to develop two user interface design guidelines for large shared displays. We designed a system called SuperTrack that uses a large shared display and the proposed guidelines to further enhance team efficiency and productivity in collaborative software development environments. Finally, an in-situ evaluation assesses the benefits of SuperTrack. Results show that exposing software development team members to a large shared display through SuperTrack leads to more communication among the members and improved group awareness — leading to increased productivity and efficiency. / Master of Science

The use of in-stream flow control structures for channel stabilization has become increasingly popular due to its potential cost-effectiveness and ecological benefits. These structures help to protect the bank from erosion and lateral migration. However, a large number of these projects fail due to inadequate design guidelines. This study aims to create authoritative design guidelines which are based on hydraulic and physical criteria attributed to the channel reach. In this report, some of the most common types of in-stream structures have been reviewed and results from a practitioner experience survey have been analyzed. This research has allowed for the selection of the most promising structures which will be studied later in the project. / Master of Science

As large displays become more affordable, researchers investigate their effects on productivity and try to develop techniques for making the large display user experience more effective. Recent work has demonstrated significant productivity benefits, but has also identified numerous usability issues with current software design not scaling well. Studies show that large displays enable users to create and manage more windows, as well as to engage in more complex multitasking behavior. In this thesis, we developed some user interface design guidelines for large shared displays. Specifically, empirical studies to compare the effects of using large shared displays against personal displays when each of them is used as a secondary display are presented, showing that large shared display impose higher interruption and comprehension to the user. Empirical and qualitative studies are designed to develop two user interface design guidelines for large shared displays. We designed a system called SuperTrack that uses LSD along with the guidelines to further enhance and improve team efficiency and productivity in collaborative software development environments. Finally, an in-situ evaluation assesses the benefits of SuperTrack based on our developed design guidelines in terms of improving software development efficiency and productivity. Results show that by exposing software development team members to a large shared display, a system that follows our developed user interface guidelines leads to higher communication among the team members and improved group awareness, leading to higher productivity and efficiency. / Master of Science

New developments often lack regional identity and distinctiveness of place. Before the industrial revolution, landscapes were the result of social, cultural and environmental constraints. Currently, a strong sense of place is lacking in many American cities. Santa Fe, New Mexico, as an example, faces the challenge of integrating new development with existing historic areas. While the downtown central core of Santa Fe has a distinctive and unique character, the outlying fringes of Santa Fe County are being developed in ways that undermine the sense of place that is valued by its residents and visitors. Current county development patterns do not meld with the intimate, small-scale character of the older neighborhoods in the downtown central core areas of the city. To address this issue, this thesis uses theory related to sense of place to identify distinctive characteristics that can be adapted for projects outside Santa Fe's central core. The study uses a mixed method approach, including a literature review and field study methods to assess Santa Fe's distinctive physical characteristics. The results are a set of contemporary community design guidelines for the Santa Fe, New Mexico region that address sense of place in the following categories: (a) Spatial Planning and Architecture: street design characteristics and their physical relationship to architecture; (b) Environmentally Responsive Architecture: architecture design characteristics that respond to the regional environment and Santa Fe Style; (c) Decorative Architectural Details: architectural detail design characteristics that respond to the regional vernacular and the Santa Fe Style; (d) Integration of Architecture and Landscape: open space design the physical relationship between the local landscape and architecture; and, (e) Landscape and Cultural Character: regional landscape and art design characteristics that respond to Santa Fe's environment and culture. The resulting design principles are expressed as guidelines to support sense of place and their application to new development in Santa Fe County. / Master of Landscape Architecture / Many 21st century communities in the United States are being planned to look alike. Before the industrial revolution and the advances in railroad, freight transport and increased mechanization; landscapes were built with local materials and governed by regionally limited social, cultural, environmental and physical characteristics. Currently, a meaningful and distinctive physical appearance of a place (termed “sense of place”) is lacking in many American cities. <i>Santa Fe, New Mexico</i>, as an example, faces the challenge of designing current suburban communities to meld with the existing historic character of older downtown centers. While the historic downtown of <i>Santa Fe</i> has a distinctive personal scale and unique architectural style; the outlying suburban settlements of <i>Santa Fe County</i> are being developed in ways that promote a sameness and monotony that is uncharacteristic of the city’s core and not valued by its residents and visitors. Current county development codes and plans do not match the intimate, small-scale character of older neighborhoods in the downtown central core areas of the city. To address this issue, this thesis researches and studies the concept of sense of place; to identify distinctive characteristics that can be adapted to design new communities incorporating these characteristics in Santa Fe County. The study uses a <b>literature review;</b> research of the history of Santa Fe and sense of place and a <b>field survey;</b> photographs, sketches and a recording of Santa Fe’s physical qualities - to analyze <i>Santa Fe's</i> distinctive physical characteristics. The results are a set of current community design guidelines for the <i>Santa Fe, New Mexico</i> region that address sense of place by noting the following: <b>overall planning, architecture, street design, architectural details, open space design and Santa Fe’s native environment and culture.</b> This thesis adds to the body of knowledge in the field of landscape architecture by establishing a method to design for sense of place, through guidelines, that can be applied to new community development in <i>Santa Fe County</i>.