Agila arbetssätt och den agila filosofin har över de två senaste decennierna blivit ett självklart element I det flesta IT-systemutvecklingsprojekt. Fördelarna som följer med den agila filosofin (exempelvis ökad kundanpassning och snabbare leveranser) har bidragit till att större företag börjat att införa agila arbetssätt i hela organisationen – det vill säga inte bara i enskilda projekt. Denna idé har lett till att olika generella ramverk som benämns för Skalade agila ramverk (Scaled Agile Framework) har introducerats på marknaden. Ett par exempel på befintliga ramverk är Scrum of Scrums, LeSS, Scaled Agile Framework och Lean Scalable Agility. Av existerande ramverk är “Scaled Agile Framework” (SAFe) den mest implementerade och väletablerade. Det finns emellertid flera utmaningar med att införa SAfe i stora verksamheter. En utmaning är att skalade agila ramverk är komplexa och tar lång tid att införa. En annan utmaning är att det saknas verktyg som stöttar organisationer i deras försök att implementera ramverket. Detta är problematiskt eftersom det kan leda till en ineffektiv implementeringsprocess, högre kostnader och att vinsterna med den agila filosofin reduceras. Detta har lett oss till det problem som vi adresserar i studien; det saknas kunskap om hur bedömningsmodeller för SAFe skall designas. Problemet har sporrat oss att utföra en studie där vi, tillsammans med en organisation i näringslivet, har designat och utvärderat ett användbart och icke-komplext verktyg för bedömning av skalade agila ramverk. Syftet är med verktyget är att det skall effektivisera implementeringsprocessen av SAFe. Problemet har också legat till grund för vår forskningsfråga som lyder: Hur bör ett verktyg för bedömning av SAFe implementationer designas? För att finna svar på forskningsfrågan har vi valt att följa forskningsmetoden Action Design Research (ADR). ADR metoden vill bidra IS-forskning genom att 1) den adresserar ett problem i en specifik organisatorisk kontext genom design av en IT-artefakt samtidigt som den 2) stödjer identifiering av designprinciper. Studiens resultat visar att bedömningsmodellen fungerar, att den bidrar till att lösa det adresserade problemet samt att de designprinciper som presenteras är korrekta. / Agile methods and the agile manifesto has been for the last two decades a central focus point of software development in the world. The benefits that come with the usage of the agile philosophy (for example, increased customer adaptation and quicker deliveries) has led larger companies to try to adopt the principles on their entire organization - not only on smaller projects. This adoption has translated to the emergence of various frameworks that are generally labeled as Scaled agile frameworks. A few examples of these frameworks are Scrum of Scrums, LeSS, Scaled Agile Framework and Lean Scalable Agility. These frameworks are being widely adopted by large companies, with SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) being the most adopted on the market. However, these frameworks have become a pinnacle of complexity due to the large size of the frameworks which proves to be a challenge for the company that is using them. This is problematic because there are no real tools to evaluate the implementation of scaled agile frameworks. With no tools to use, there is a risk of having an inefficient implementation process which constitutes to higher costs and that the general benefits of Agile manifesto are lost on the way. This has led us to the problem that we’re addressing in this study: There is a lack of knowledge on how to design assessment models for the SAFe framework. This problem has spurred us into conduct a study where we, together with an organization within the IT-industry, have designed and evaluated a tool that effectively assesses the implementation of SAFe. The problem set the groundwork for our science and the question we seek to answer in this study is: How should a tool for assessment of SAFe implementation be designed? Consequently, to find answers to this question, we have chosen to use the research method Action Design Research (ADR). The method of ADR wants to contribute to IS-research by 1) To design an uncomplex tool that can help IT industry to evaluate their scaled agile framework implementation and 2) provide theoretical knowledge translated into design principles that will contribute to other design efforts in similar contexts. The result provided in this study will help show that the design knowledge works, provide rigor to the study, help solve the given problem of the study and show that the design knowledge is correct

In der vorliegenden Dissertation werden die vielfältigen Einsatzmöglichkeiten von Planspielen in der beruflichen Bildung aufgezeigt. Zudem wird unter Berücksichtigung wissenschaftlicher und praktischer Anforderungen die Entwicklung eines Planspiels nach dem Design Science Research Ansatz vorgestellt. Um die Wirksamkeit von Planspielen sowohl kurzfristig als auch langfristig nachzuweisen, bedarf es empirischer Daten und differenzierter Aussagen, welche erfolgs- oder lernwirksame Faktoren in Planspielen implementiert sein müssen. Hierfür wurde ein Mixed Methods Untersuchungsdesign eingesetzt und durch Verwendung von Fragebögen, Storytelling- und Bild-Interviews untersucht, welche Einflussgrößen auf die Lerneffekte und die Akzeptanz von Planspielen wirken. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass in Abhängigkeit des Untersuchungszeitraumes und der Untersuchungspersonen unterschiedliche Einflussgrößen auf die Lerneffekte und die Akzeptanz wirken. Im Rahmen der Dissertation ist somit ein evaluiertes produktionsnahes Planspiel entstanden, dass die Elemente und Prozesse eines soziotechnischen Systems simuliert und in der beruflichen Bildung für verschiedene Lernende anwendbar ist. Die Arbeit bietet überdies einen Beitrag zur Überprüfung von Kausal- und Wirkungszusammenhängen in Planspielen. So werden die eingesetzten Methoden für die Planspielevaluation erweitert und die bisherigen Untersuchungen in der Planspielforschung ergänzt.:1 Einleitung 2 Stand der Wissenschaft und Technik 3 Iterative Entwicklung des Artefakts Planspiel 4 Evaluation der Einflussgrößen des Planspiels 5 Ergebnisse der empirischen Untersuchungen 6 Diskussion 7 Schlussbetrachtung Anlage A Ergänzendes Material zur theoretischen Fundierung Anlage B Ergänzendes Material zur iterativen Entwicklung und Evaluation Anlage C Ergänzendes Material der quantitativen Untersuchung Anlage D Ergänzendes Material zu den Storytelling-Interviews Anlage E Ergänzendes Material zu den Bild-Interviews Anlage F Zusammenfassende Übersichten / In this dissertation various application possibilities of business games in vocational education are shown. In addition, the development of a business game according to the Design Science Research approach is presented, considering scientific and practical requirements. In order to prove the effectiveness of business games in short-term as well as in long-term, empirical data and differentiated statements are needed, which success- or learning-effective aspects have to be implemented in business games. For this purpose, a mixed methods research design was employed using questionnaires, storytelling and picture interviews to examine which influencing variables have an effect on the learning effects and acceptance of business games. The results show that different variables influence the learning effects and the acceptance of business games depending on the time period and the participants. Within the framework of the dissertation, an evaluated production-related business game has been developed that simulates the elements and processes of a socio-technical system and can be used in vocational training for different learners. Moreover, the work offers a contribution to the assessment of causal and cause-effect relationships in business games. Thus, the methods used for business game evaluation are extended and previous studies in business game research are complemented.:1 Einleitung 2 Stand der Wissenschaft und Technik 3 Iterative Entwicklung des Artefakts Planspiel 4 Evaluation der Einflussgrößen des Planspiels 5 Ergebnisse der empirischen Untersuchungen 6 Diskussion 7 Schlussbetrachtung Anlage A Ergänzendes Material zur theoretischen Fundierung Anlage B Ergänzendes Material zur iterativen Entwicklung und Evaluation Anlage C Ergänzendes Material der quantitativen Untersuchung Anlage D Ergänzendes Material zu den Storytelling-Interviews Anlage E Ergänzendes Material zu den Bild-Interviews Anlage F Zusammenfassende Übersichten

In today’s market, digitization and automation are crucial for the survival of most companies due to the high level of software already present. The need to adapt to the demands of the day, forces a big mechanical company to perform a paradigm shift towards becoming a software producing company as well. However, the current systems are limited, they are not developed for such a change. Machines in the construction industry are complicated vehicles that require careful configuration by the operators. Each operator may have their own personal preference of how the settings of a construction machine should be configured in order to get full utilization. The problem for the operators revolves around the current situation of frequently having to configure these settings each time operating a machine, requiring time. Consequently, creating the risk of operators neglecting the configuration. Therefore, the problem of the thesis is that there is no existing system of how to facilitate this reoccurring activity. The purpose of this thesis is to prove the usefulness of introducing a mobile application as the missing system for when operators switch machines, through a proof of concept. The proof of concept suggests a quality approach towards the first steps in automating the work environment of operators for construction machines. The objective is to improve the efficiency of the workflow by saving the operators machine settings in a profile, in order to transfer the settings between the machines. The goal is to investigate and deliver a proof of concept for how to store and transfer the personal settings in a useful manner. Due to the limited time of the thesis, the starting focus is placed on wheel loaders with the research limited to one specific type of machine. The thesis consists of a qualitative study, analysing inductively from details to produce abstractions and hypotheses. The agile design science research method applied to the research, was evaluated continuously in the different phases and iterations of the thesis plan to adjust to improvements reviewed as necessary. The observational research includes an explorative and evaluative aspect, first to form an idea and consequently to prove the idea. A design of an user interface of a mobile application served as a method to support the evaluation. The result for the thesis is the proof of concept of a useful mobile application system to automate the personal settings of the construction machines. The evidence is supported by information gathered during the pre-study and the demonstration of a small prototype tested by engineers as well as the intended users, the operators. The questionnaires prove the prototype to be a useful improvement in the operators daily work environment. The documentation and suggested system construction are approved by the target audience to be viable and of value. / På dagens marknad är digitalisering och automatisering avgörande för de flesta företags överlevnad på grund av den höga nivån av mjukvara som redan finns. Behovet av att anpassa sig till dagens krav tvingar ett stort mekaniskt företag att utföra ett paradigmskifte mot att också bli ett mjukvaruproducerande företag. De nuvarande systemen är dock begränsade, de är inte utvecklade för en sådan förändring. Maskiner inom byggbranschen är komplicerade fordon som kräver noggrann konfiguration av operatörerna. Varje operatör kan ha sina egna personliga preferenser för hur inställningarna för en entreprenadmaskin ska konfigureras för att få fullt utnyttjande. Problemet för operatörerna kretsar kring den nuvarande situationen att ofta behöva konfigurera dessa inställningar varje gång man använder en maskin, vilket kräver tid. Följaktligen skapar risken för att operatorer försummar konfigurationen. Därför är problemet med avhandlingen att det inte finns något befintligt system för hur man kan underlätta denna återkommande aktivitet. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att bevisa användbarheten av att introducera en mobilapplikation som det saknade systemet för när operatörer byter maskin, genom ett proof of concept. proof of concept antyder ett kvalitetstänkande mot de första stegen i att automatisera arbetsmiljön för operatörer för entreprenadmaskiner. Målet är att förbättra effektiviteten i arbetsflödet genom att spara operatörens maskininställningar i en profil, för att överföra inställningarna mellan maskinerna. Målet är att undersöka och leverera ett proof of concept för hur man lagrar och överför de personliga inställningarna på ett användbart sätt. På grund av projektets begränsade tid läggs startfokus på hjullastare med forskningen begränsad till en specifik maskintyp. Projektet består av en kvalitativ studie, som induktivt analyserar från detaljer för att producera abstraktioner och hypoteser. Den agila designvetenskapliga forskningsmetoden som tillämpades på projektet utvärderades kontinuerligt i de olika faserna och iterationerna av projektplanen för att anpassa sig till förbättringar som granskades vid behov. Observationsforskningen innefattar en utforskande och utvärderande aspekt, först för att bilda en idé och följaktligen för att bevisa idén. En design av ett användargränssnitt för en mobilapplikation fungerade som en metod för att stödja utvärderingen. Resultatet för avhandlingen är ett bevis på konceptet för användbarheten av det mobila applikationssystemet för att automatisera entreprenadmaskinernas personliga inställningar. Bevisen stöds av information som samlats in under förstudien och demonstrationen av en liten prototyp som testats av ingenjörer såväl som de tilltänkta användarna, operatörerna. Enkäterna visar att prototypen är en användbar förbättring i operatörens dagliga arbetsmiljö. Dokumentationen och den föreslagna systemkonstruktionen godkänns av målgruppen för att vara lönsam och av värde.

Evidence of the interest in enterprise architecture (EA) is seen in the number of enterprise architecture frameworks (EAF) in existence. An EAF is responsible for the realisation of an EA, and therefore acts as a container for the terminology of EA. The lack of acceptance of terms and definitions, coupled with the phenomenon of the large number of EAFs, indicate a silo type understanding of what EA is, which leads to a lack of clarity in the conceptual foundations of EA. By following a design science research (DSR) approach, a conceptual artefact (an enterprise architectonic (EAt)) is created to address the lack of clarity in the conceptual foundations of EA thinking and practice. The EAt serves as a conceptual device to represent the fundamental understanding of EA in terms of concepts and their relationships. The content of the EAt is derived from applying a structured interpretation method (SIM) to three prominent EAFs (The Open Group Architecture Framework, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework and the Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture). The SIM’s results are an EA understanding that consists of an EA claim: EA is similar in intent to the enterprise as a worldview is to the world. It is supported by six EA propositions:  Proposition 1: EA’s underlying theoretical knowledge is in a pre-suppositional state.  Proposition 2: EA is a description of the structure of the systems of an enterprise.  Proposition 3: EA represents the enterprise in time-oriented architectures such as an as-is, to-be and has-been architecture.  Proposition 4: EA translates the values/strategy of the enterprise into operational systems appropriate to the information society.  Proposition 5: EA provides a means to manage decisions about the IT/IS management and implementation in the enterprise.  Proposition 6: EA captures a representation of the enterprise in the form of a model or set of models. The six EA propositions are analysed through the lens of Heidegger's equipment analysis, to produce a set of architectonic elements. These elements are arranged in the EAt to create a conceptual device to support the fundamental understanding of EA. / Centre for Applied Information and Communication / Ph.D. (Information Systems)

This thesis investigates large private companies in Sweden that have outsourced their information technology (IT). A considerable proportion of IT outsourcing (ITO) is unsuccessful. For IT service buyers, this could cause IT that does not fully work, entailing problems with the network, application, infrastructure and security, with serious consequences such as a loss of customers’ confidence and significantly increased costs. Therefore, the main research goal was to analyse and define ways to improve ITO for buyer organizations. This main research goal was accomplished through three research goals that are the followings: 1) To develop a method for risk assessment in IT outsourcing; 2) To identify the important factors in IT outsourcing relationship; and 3) To identify the success factors in IT outsourcing.                       The research strategies applied in conducting this research were design science research and survey research. To achieve the first research goal, a method was developed for assessing the ITO risks, including support for mitigating these risks. This method could help both researchers and practitioners in estimating the ITO risks and in this way improve ITO. An application based on the developed method was used to facilitate the testing of this method by several ITO decision makers in large companies concerning its usability, correctness and functionality. Moreover, a study was performed to explore ITO decision makers’ acceptance of the developed method and their use of it for assessing the ITO risks.             The second research goal investigated how to improve service buyers’ ITO relationship with their providers. A well-working ITO relationship is a critical determinant of successful ITO and is relevant to the whole ITO life cycle. This research goal was achieved by identifying and analysing the most important factors in ITO relationships, including a prioritized list of those factors that are highly recommended for use in creating and maintaining a good ITO relationship.                       The third research goal examined how to improve ITO by identifying and prioritizing the success factors (SFs) in ITO. This research identified the ITO SFs in large companies and provided a prioritized list of them to be applied in these companies with a description of the value that they could create from implementation during the ITO life cycle. Moreover, the SFs identified in large companies were compared with those identified in medium-sized companies, which could give an indication to the researchers in this field that company size matters in regard to the implementation order of the identified SFs.               In summary, the research presented in this thesis contributes with: 1) a method for assessing the risks of outsourcing IT and, in the case that IT has been outsourced, suggested ways to mitigate them; 2) the important factors that could improve ITO relationships and 3) a prioritized list of success factors that could improve IT outsourcing. / Denna avhandling undersöker stora privata företag i Sverige som har outsourcat sin IT verksamhet. Som vi uppmärksammade har en stor del av IT-outsourcingen (ITO) misslyckats. För köparen av IT-tjänsten kan det leda till bristande IT funktionalitet med allvarliga konsekvenser som i värsta fall leder till förlorade kunder och betydande kostnadsökningar. Därför är det övergripande forskningsmålet är att analysera och fastställa hur ITO:n för köparen av IT tjänsten kan förbättras. För att lösa det övergripande forskningsmålet forskningen undersökte: 1) Utvecklingen av en metod för att bedöma riskerna med IT-outsourcing; 2) Identifiering av de viktiga faktorerna inom IT-outsourcingsrelationer; och 3) Identifiering av en lista över framgångsfaktorer i IT-outsourcing. De använda forskningsstrategierna för att genomföra forskningen var ”design science research" och kartläggning. För att uppnå först huvudforskningsmålet, har en metod tagits fram för att bedöma riskerna och vägleda hur man kan minska dem. Den här metoden kan hjälpa både forskare och de som utövar IT-outsourcing med att bedöma ITO-riskerna och på så sätt förbättra sina IT-outsourcing.  En programvara baserad på den metoden har utvecklats för att underlätta testningen av metoden vilket har genomförts med IT beslutsfattare på stora organisationer, beträffande användbarhet, korrekthet och funktionalitet. Dessutom har en studie utförts för att bedöma om programvaran kan accepteras av IT beslutsfattare och få reda på om de skulle använda metoden för att bedöma ITO riskerna. Det andra forskningsmålet har undersökt hur köparna av den outsourcade IT-tjänsten kan förbättra relationen med sina leverantörer. En bra ITO-relation är en avgörande faktor för en framgångsrik ITO och den är viktig för hela livscykeln. Forskningsmålet har uppnåtts genom analys för att hitta de viktigaste faktorerna ITO-relationsfaktorer, som studien rekommenderar för att skapa och underhålla en bra ITO relation. Det tredje forskningsmålet har undersökt hur ITO kan förbättras genom att identifiera och prioritera framgångsfaktorerna i ITO. Studien har identifierat framgångsfaktorerna i stora företag och tagit fram en lista med prioriterade framgångsfaktorer som bör implementeras i de undersökta företagen. Dessutom så har nyttan av dessa framgångsfaktorer beskrivits under ITO livscykeln. Dessutom har de identifierade framgångsfaktorerna från stora företag jämförts med framgångsfaktorerna som har identifierats för medelstora företag. Denna jämförelse ger en indikation till forskarna på det här området att prioriteringen av framgångsfaktorerna är beroende av företagsstorlek. Sammanfattningsvis, den beskrivna forskningen i den här uppsatsen bidrar med: 1) En metod för att bedöma risker och förslag på hur minska dessa risker; 2) En lista med de viktiga faktorerna för att förbättra ITO relationen inom IT-outsourcing och; 3) En prioriterad lista av framgångsfaktorer som kan förbättra IT outsourcing.

Evidence of the interest in enterprise architecture (EA) is seen in the number of enterprise architecture frameworks (EAF) in existence. An EAF is responsible for the realisation of an EA, and therefore acts as a container for the terminology of EA. The lack of acceptance of terms and definitions, coupled with the phenomenon of the large number of EAFs, indicate a silo type understanding of what EA is, which leads to a lack of clarity in the conceptual foundations of EA. By following a design science research (DSR) approach, a conceptual artefact (an enterprise architectonic (EAt)) is created to address the lack of clarity in the conceptual foundations of EA thinking and practice. The EAt serves as a conceptual device to represent the fundamental understanding of EA in terms of concepts and their relationships. The content of the EAt is derived from applying a structured interpretation method (SIM) to three prominent EAFs (The Open Group Architecture Framework, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework and the Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture). The SIM’s results are an EA understanding that consists of an EA claim: EA is similar in intent to the enterprise as a worldview is to the world. It is supported by six EA propositions:  Proposition 1: EA’s underlying theoretical knowledge is in a pre-suppositional state.  Proposition 2: EA is a description of the structure of the systems of an enterprise.  Proposition 3: EA represents the enterprise in time-oriented architectures such as an as-is, to-be and has-been architecture.  Proposition 4: EA translates the values/strategy of the enterprise into operational systems appropriate to the information society.  Proposition 5: EA provides a means to manage decisions about the IT/IS management and implementation in the enterprise.  Proposition 6: EA captures a representation of the enterprise in the form of a model or set of models. The six EA propositions are analysed through the lens of Heidegger's equipment analysis, to produce a set of architectonic elements. These elements are arranged in the EAt to create a conceptual device to support the fundamental understanding of EA. / Centre for Applied Information and Communication / Ph. D. (Information Systems)

Dans le domaine du projet de conception-construction architecturale, la gestion de la collaboration entre les différents acteurs d'un projet est un enjeu important. D'un projet à un autre, en fonction du projet, mais aussi des acteurs qui y interviennent, les pratiques de travail varient. Parallèlement, de nombreux services sont proposés et utilisés pour assister la collaboration, certains sur un modèle « grand public » et d'autres plus orientés vers un usage professionnel. L'expérience CRTI-weB est un projet de développement d'un collecticiel mené avec et pour les professionnels du secteur au Luxembourg. Malgré l'étude des besoins métiers menée en amont du développement, l'outil présente cependant des manques d'adaptation. Ce constat d'inadaptation n'est pas un cas isolé, il reflète une lacune générale de ce genre d'outils à satisfaire pleinement les attentes des professionnels. C'est pourquoi ce travail doctoral propose un cadre d'analyse supporté par la modélisation des comportements des utilisateurs. Nous adoptons alors plusieurs points de vue relatifs à différents champs de recherches : le génie logiciel, la conception d'interfaces homme-machine, l'entreprise orientée services et la conception de système d'information, et enfin le travail collaboratif assisté par ordinateur (TCAO). Nous proposons la méthode PUSH (Practices and Usages based Services enHancement) qui orchestre ces différents points de vue et permet de générer un ensemble d'exigences pour le développement de services dits « adaptés ». Communication et traçabilité sont les maitres mots de cette méthode de conception. Le contexte d'étude à la fois orienté recherche et développement nous a permis d'évaluer et d'améliorer la définition des concepts mis en avant ainsi que la mise en place de la méthode PUSH à travers trois expérimentations / In the sector of the architectural design-construction project, the management of the collaboration between the different actors of a project is an important issue. From a project to another, considering the project type and also the actors involved, business practices vary. In parallel, many services are proposed and used to assist the collaboration, some of them being generic and others more specific to professional usage. The CRTI-weB experience is a groupware development project lead with and for professionals of the Luxembourgish sector. Despite the analysis of business needs lead before development, the tool has some lacks of adaptation. This statement isn't isolated; in general, this type of tools doesn't fully satisfy professionals' expectations. This doctoral work proposes an analysis framework supported by users' behaviors modeling. We adopt several viewpoints related to several research fields: software engineering, human-computer interactions design, service-oriented enterprise and information system design, and finally computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW We propose the PUSH method (Practice and Usages based Service enhancement) that orchestrates the different viewpoints to generate an amount of requirements for the development of adapted services. The communication and the traceability are supported by this design method. The context of study, both research and development-oriented (through the collaboration of the MAP-CRAI laboratory in Nancy and the CRP Henri Tudor in Luxembourg) allows us evaluating and enhancing the definition of our concepts and the applicability of the PUSH method through three experimentations

Digital Health relates to “health information systems which enable the merging of social-care and healthcare systems. This would impact on the organisation, service delivery as well as the technological infrastructure” (Herselman & Botha, 2016, p.10). However, with relatively sparse research publications emanating from within the Namibian Health domain, and the concept of Namibian Digital Health as an emergent phenomenon, a Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework would provide a start to conceptualising, developing and implementing such an ecosystem for Namibia and thus unlocking the potential of Digital Health in this country. The purpose of this study is to develop a Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework based on literature reviews and the feedback from knowledgeable professionals (KPs) in Namibia, as well as global experts. The methodology which was applied in this study to address the purpose, and to answer the research questions, was Design Science Research Methodology and the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) process of Peffers, Tuunanen, Rothenberger and Chatterjee (2008), was adopted. Pragmatism is the overall philosophy guiding the study, as proposed by Ackoff’s theory regarding the hierarchy of human understanding (1989) and Shneiderman’s visual information seeking mantra (1996). During Phases 2 and 3 of the study interpretivism and positivism were applied as philosophies, guided by hermeneutics and triangulation, towards understanding the feedback of Knowledgeable Professionals (KPs) in Namibia, as well as the global experts. The study was divided into three phases. The first phase entailed a literature study which identified the components of Digital Health, Innovation and Digital Ecosystems as well as related research of Digital health, Innovation and Digital Ecosystems in developed and developing countries. This process led to the compilation of the initial Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework using a conceptual approach. In the second phase of the study, the initial Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem was evaluated by KPs in Namibia using the Delphi method and interviews. Phase 2 adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings from Phase 2 resulted in the development of the intermediate Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework. In Phase 3 of the study, the intermediate framework was validated by global experts. Feedback was collected from global experts through questionnaires which were analysed through qualitative content analysis. The findings, from Phase 3 led to the development of the final Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystems Framework. The guidelines, which can be used by the Namibian government to implement the suggested digital health innovation ecosystem framework, were also provided. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Systems)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:24:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 WilliamCR_DISSERT.pdf: 4883592 bytes, checksum: 04d9390c77e3944f5982c4f2de3366cd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-10-29 / Among the numerous policy changes that the world has experienced in recent years, occupies a prominent place in the quest for greater transparency of public agencies. Transparency has been an important tool in the accountability of the State to promote greater participation of the society by providing information that was previously restricted knowledge of public agencies. Brazil, following this trend, promulgated in May 2012 the Access to Information Act that seeks to disclose the actions of the State at all levels, in all public administration agencies. On the same day of the enactment of the law is provided society with a site that is empowering citizens to make their requests for information to government agencies. The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, which at that time had no a tool to assist them in managing this demand. This project has the objective to describe, build and implement a solution to solve this problem using Design Science Research as methodology. As result, the solution built in this research became a new module of the institution s ERP became it capable to control the entire process, and will be helpful to others partners which use our system ERP / Entre as in?meras mudan?as pol?ticas as quais o mundo tem passado nos ?ltimos anos, ocupa um lugar de destaque a busca pela maior transpar?ncia dos ?rg?os p?blicos. Esta tem se mostrado uma ferramenta importante no accountability do Estado por promover uma maior participa??o da sociedade atrav?s da disponibiliza??o da informa??o que antes era de conhecimento restrito aos ?rg?os p?blicos. Acompanhando essa tend?ncia, o Brasil promulga, em maio de 2012, a Lei de Acesso a Informa??o (LAI) que busca dar publicidade das a??es do Estado em todos os n?veis e ?rg?os da administra??o p?blica. No mesmo dia da promulga??o dessa lei, ? disponibilizado ? sociedade o portal de Servi?o de Informa??o ao Cidad?o (e-SIC), cujo objetivo ? prover um meio do cidad?o fazer seus pedidos de informa??o a qualquer institui??o do setor p?blico. A Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) at? o momento n?o possu?a uma ferramenta capaz de auxili?-la no gerenciamento dessa demanda. Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo descrever, construir e implantar uma solu??o informatizada que resolveu esse problema do gerenciamento dos pedidos de informa??o endere?ados ? UFRN a partir do Servi?o de Informa??es ao Cidad?o. A metodologia escolhida para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa ? a Design Science Research (DSR), pois leva em considera??o a cria??o de artefatos e regras para a cria??o de modelos e m?todos. Como resultado, o Sistema de Acesso ? Informa??o para Transpar?ncia (SAIT), desenvolvido nesta pesquisa, tornou-se um m?dulo do sistema administrativo preexistente na institui??o, o qual poder? ser de grande valia tanto internamente quanto para outras institui??es p?blicas que adotam os nossos sistemas informatizados

This thesis focuses on the adaptation of formal education to people’s technology- use patterns, their technology-in-practice, where the ubiquitous use of mobile technologies is central. The research question is: How can language learning practices occuring in informal learning environments be effectively integrated with formal education through the use of mobile technology? The study investigates the technical, pedagogical, social and cultural challenges involved in a design science approach. The thesis consists of four studies. The first study systematises MALL (mobile-assisted language learning) research. The second investigates Swedish and Chinese students’ attitudes towards the use of mobile technology in education. The third examines students’ use of technology in an online language course, with a specific focus on their learning practices in informal learning contexts and their understanding of how this use guides their learning. Based on the findings, a specifically designed MALL application was built and used in two courses. Study four analyses the app use in terms of students’ perceived level of self-regulation and structuration. The studies show that technology itself plays a very important role in reshaping peoples’ attitudes and that new learning methods are coconstructed in a sociotechnical system. Technology’s influence on student practices is equally strong across borders. Students’ established technologies-in-practice guide the ways they approach learning. Hence, designing effective online distance education involves three interrelated elements: technology, information, and social arrangements. This thesis contributes to mobile learning research by offering empirically and theoretically grounded insights that shift the focus from technology design to design of information systems.