The work deals with the optimization of the production system in the engineering company Prodia s.r.o. There is a review of technological design in the introduction, the methods of analysis, design methods and capacity calculations are introduced. Subsequently, using these methods, the current state of material flows are analysed, the critical points in the production defined and design of new solution options to eliminate the main weaknesses identified during the analysis. Finally, an evaluation of the best variant and its economic profitability is introduced.

Sharing one’s emotions is the first step in taking care of one’s mental health and well-being. Teenagers struggle to open up and share their feelings, making them more vulnerable to mental health conditions extending into adulthood. Researchers and designers have been looking for new solutions to support users' health. One solution is wearables. These technologies need to be explored to better understand users’ needs and their behavioral changes to create a more beneficial user experience. One way to deal with emotions for teenagers is through conversation, however, it can be difficult to start these conversations. In this paper, the potential of a wearable as a tool for triggering communication about emotions is investigated. This study was based on a Research through Design (RtD) methodology and was carried out through a user-centered approach by using participatory design. The case study was conducted with a family of two parents and their two teenage children. By using the methods of cultural probes, interviews, and a co-design workshop, a concept named EmoWri was created. The concept consists of a prototype with a wristband connected to a mobile application. Qualitative data was collected from user tests, interviews, and a questionnaire and was thematically analyzed. The results show that wearables can be used to trigger sensitive conversations between parents and their teenage children. The results show that seven design qualities were considered to be important: visibility, accessibility, flexibility, expressiveness, actability, motivating, and aesthetic. The main contribution of this study is starting a discussion about designing wearables as a tool that focuses on improving the users’ mental well-being.

This thesis project explores how communication technology can foster the sense of togetherness to maintain the feeling of social connectedness during physical distancing. The current global pandemic COVID-19 is causing billions of people across the world to live in isolation or by physical distancing regulations. The elimination of almost all in-person interactions is affecting people’s mental health and has resulted in many people turning to communication technology to feel a sense of social connectedness.The project builds upon three main areas of theory: the social and mental effects of physical distancing, designing for crises and design theories about togetherness within communication technology. The design process is guided by a research through design methodological approach, with the aim find out how people who are living in isolation and by physical distancing regulations are using existing forms of communication technology to feel a sense of social connectedness with others and what they need from it. The project addresses two key problematic areas which were identified during the fieldwork and literature review and are explored through prototypes. The prototypes focus on how to create a hang out feeling within online group interactions and how to create the in-the- moment feeling during shared online live experiences.The outcome of this project includes in a problem framing, design process knowledge, research insights and prototypes that explore how to foster the sense of togetherness within communication technology. The findings from this project intend to contribute knowledge to the research and design community on how to design new or alternative forms of communication technology that foster social connectedness during physical distancing.

Malgré la présence d’un sol et de plantes, l’impact des toitures végétalisées sur la qualité des eaux est mitigé, celles-ci n’étant pas conçues pour retenir les polluants. Afin d’améliorer cette fonction, il est important de mieux comprendre les flux de polluants dans ces structures. Dédiée aux métaux, cette thèse est basée sur deux étapes : - le suivi de six toitures végétalisées construites en 2010 (Nancy), via des prélèvements d’eaux de pluie et toitures, plantes et matériaux. - Une caractérisation en laboratoire des matériaux via des observations à l’échelle miscroscopique, des essais de sorption et lixiviation. Les caractéristiques des matériaux sont globalement favorables au stockage de métaux mais plusieurs en émettent également par lessivage de particules fines ou lixiviation d’ions. Même si elles n’ont pas de capacité de stockage particulière, les plantes peuvent avoir un impact direct et indirect sur la rétention des métaux. Des suggestions techniques sont tirées de ces résultats / Despite the presence of a soil and plants, green roof impact on water quality has proven to be mixed, mainly because there are not designed to purify rainwater. To make suggestions for green roofs suitable for water treatment, it is important to better understand pollutant fluxes in these structures. Dedicated to metals, this thesis is based on two complementary steps : - the study of six green roofs built in 2010 (Nancy, France), thanks to rain and roof waters, plants and materials samplings. - a laboratory characterization of these materials via microscopic scale observations, sorption and lixiviation tests. Material characteristics are mostly favorable to metal storing but several of them have been identified as sources of metals via leaching of fine particles or lixiviation of available ions. Even if they have no specific ability to store metals, plants can have direct and indirect impacts on metal retention. Several technical suggestions are drawn from these scientific results

När konkurrensen mellan produktutvecklingsföretag växer, blir det allt viktigare att öka ansträngningen för att erhålla bättre kundinsikt (CI). Kundinsikt är essentiellt för att försäkra att företagets produkter utvecklas i linje med kundens behov och samtidigt minimera risken för att utveckla egenskaper hos produkten som saknar värde för kunden. Trots att kundinsikt är en grundläggande del i produktutveckling så har företag ofta svårt att implementera ett effektivt sätt att samla information ifrån kunden och öka sin kundinsikt. Syftet med detta arbete har därför varit att sammanställa och analysera befintliga metoder och verktyg som används i kundinsiktsprocesser samt att sammanställa rekommendationer kring vad som bör tas hänsyn till vid design av en kundinsikts process. Vidare ämnar studien att designa samt applicera en CI process på vindkraftsindustrin, med inriktning mot turbinbladsinspektion (WTBI), för att dels testa rekommendationerna samt att leverera kundinsikt till Case-företaget FLIR Systems. Metoden för detta masterarbete består dels av en fallstudie åt FLIR Systems i Täby vilket innefattar intervjuer med anställda och en fördjupad litteraturstudie. Detta denoteras i rapporten som steg ett. Baserat på rekommendationerna ifrån steg ett så designas och appliceras en CI process på WTBI industrin vilket utgör steg 2. Studien resulterade i att ett antal barriärer relaterade till företagets CI process identifierades. Vidare presenterades rekommendationer gällande vad som bör tas hänsyn till vid skapandet av en kundinsiktsprocess för att bemästra de identifierade barriärerna. Initialt rekommenderas tydliga mål och avgränsningar kring ett företags CI projekt. Vidare rekommenderas ett ramverk för att skapa kundvärdekedjor vilket möjliggöra ett strukturerat sätt prioritera kunder. För att underlätta valet av lämpliga kundinsiktsverktyg för olika projekt utvecklades också vad som i studien har denoteras som en "Design guide". Det kan ses som ett ramverk ämnat för att ge en överblick av vilka verktyg som finns samt dess olika styrkor och svagheter. Vidare resulterade den praktiska kundinsiktsprocessen som applicerades på WTBI industrin dels i värdefull kundinsikt för det givna segmentet. Resultaten tyder också på att sociala nätverk, så som LinkedIn, med fördel kan användas som verktyg i CI processen för att överkomma ett flertal barriärer. / As the competition is getting tougher it becomes important for product development companies to increase their efforts of collecting customer insight (CI). This is essential to ensure that products are developed in coherence with the customer’s needs in order to decrease the risk of developing products that does not add value to the customer. However, despite customer insight being crucial for product development, companies appear to struggle with implementing a suitable way to collect customer insight. The purpose of this master thesis has been to compile and analyse existing methods and tools used in the CI process in order to provide recommendations on what to consider when designing such a process. Further, the study aims to design and apply a CI process, targeting the wind turbine blade inspection (WTBI) industry, both in order to test the recommendations as well as deliver customer insight requested by the case company FLIR Systems. The methodology of this master thesis was partly the case study at FLIR, consisting of interviews with the employees and an extensive literature review. This has been denoted as stage one. Based on the recommendations derived from stage one, a CI process was designed and applied targeting the WTBI industry, denoted staged two. The result was a set of identified barriers related to the company’s CI process. Further, recommendations of what to consider when designing the CI process was derived, aiming to help the company overcome the barriers. It was proposed that the company needed to clearly state the scope for their CI projects. Also, it was recommended to adopt the customer value chain framework in order to gain a more structured approach when assessing which customers to target. Further, what have been denoted as the design guide was provided to the company in order to encourage an active evaluation of which tools to include in their CI process. An additional outcome from the test was that the use of a social network channel, such as LinkedIn, seems to reduce several of the barriers. In terms of customer insight for the WTBI industry, the study managed to derive valuable information for the case company which was perceived as useful for further research

Over the last decades, there has been a decline in the recognition and prevalence of communication and interaction between people of different age groups. This change can be perceived as a loss of value in societies on several different levels while this societal segregation continues to create larger divisions within societies. These divisions in generations may have different causes such as different interests, lifestyles, values, technological developments, politics and so forth.  This dissertation focuses on exploring the social dynamics, connections and interactions between older and younger generations and the project is situated in Sweden. The project adopts a user-centred design approach with several participatory design methods such as omnipresent workshops with focus groups, anecdotes and interviews with participants from different age groups. It proposes urStory, a platform that enables individuals to share life experiences, stories and memories with their voices only. The concept also discovers the accessibility and usability of such tools across generations.      Findings from the workshops and interviews indicated the awareness and the recognised value of intergenerational interactions are limited. Addressing the reacquaintance between generations and mutual respect were requirements to foster meaningful connections. Results from the testing sessions and the follow-up discussions provided valuable insights including the aspects from alternative use cases and accesibility to moderation and safety of the platform.

In the realm of architecture there is a space between the architect and the project. The thesis weaves together a collection of singular encounters with architecture, whether through reading, traveling, or designing, as if they were lines on a drawing, edges on a model, or tones on a photograph. It is in these lineaments one discovers the choreography of architecture. The project is a guesthouse for strangers located in the heart of an imagined Tokyo. The program consists of a place to arrive, guest rooms, courtyards, common areas, and a contemporary onsen. The various studies attempt to find the architecture of stillness for a stranger in an otherwise turbulent city. The drawings were rendered as representations, the models were made as explorations, and the photographs were taken as graphic confirmations. In these representations, explorations, and confirmations, there is a continuous search to establish tranquillity. It is the same tranquillity that may occupy the space between the architect and the project. / Master of Architecture

近年來，國內有不少公私立大專校院相繼進行圖書館的新建或改建工程，反應出學校對於圖書資訊資源的重視性。大學圖書館於規劃時應注意空間的配置，如各區域的設計；注意空間中物理因素的規劃，如燈光、聲音、溫濕度、地點的選擇與其他考量因素，且大學圖書館的空間規劃應視每一所大學的教育目標、藏書量或座位數，再作彈性的調整。為了讓大學圖書館發揮更完善的功能，更符合使用者需求，必須以用後評估（Post Occupancy Evaluation）的觀點探討大學圖書館建築設計與規劃之實行成效，並檢視大學圖書館建築與使用者需求間的落差，如能結合圖書館使用者行為之調查結果，將可以幫助圖書館及建築師，日後在規劃設計做出最佳之判斷。 本研究旨在瞭解成功大學圖書館近年來努力的成果，可藉由用後評估來探討成功大學圖書館的建築空間與設施使用成效的各種因素，並發現問題、提出建議，以供現在及未來圖書館的管理者在建築規劃與設計工作的參考，作為未來設計者與研究者在規劃大學圖書館建築與設計之參考。 本研究首先透過文獻分析法，探討目前國內外圖書館建築及用後評估相關理論，並輔以個案探討。透過問卷調查法，探討目前成功大學圖書館的空間使用情況與滿意度。接著進行深度訪談法，以進一步瞭解成功大學圖書館，並探討相關人員對用後評估結果的看法及建議。最後結合文獻分析與上述研究發現進行分析與歸納，提出成功大學圖書館實施用後評估之具體建議。 研究發現：一、成功大學圖書館規劃乃依人文、科學及藝術不同空間需求設計；二、成功大學圖書館特色為模矩式設計、動線規劃清楚、多元化閱覽空間及設置電動密集書架；三、成功大學圖書館歷經長久研究、多方參與及審慎整合而成；四、藝文空間滿意度最高；五、服務空間滿意度最低；六、公共空間完整體現成功大學圖書館建築規劃設計理念；七、討論空間有效整合教學與研究需求；八、物理環境及設備尚待加強；九、具傳統與現代之美的圖書館建築；十、成功大學精神與象徵意義之建築。 最後，提出下列建議：一、建築規劃書是圖書館加強監督設計、管理和發展的資料；二、圖書館建築規劃設計應循專業與合理原則並告知限制條件；三、成立建築規劃小組與諮詢顧問；四、圖書館建築需配合校園整體發展；五、審慎評估物理環境；六、建立指標系統識別空間；七、空間規劃及管理應具有彈性；八、定期進行用後評估工作。 / In the past years, there have been a number of new college library buildings or reconstructing current libraries. This reflect the emphasis of these schools on the library and information resources. When mapping out college libraries, space allocation such as design of each area has to be focused on. One also has to pay attention to planning of physical elements in space such as lighting, sounds, temperature, moisture, selection of locations and others. Moreover, space planning has to be adjusted in accordance with education goals, size of collection and seats of each college. To fully develop the functions of college libraries to meet users’ needs, we need to adopt post occupancy evaluation to discuss the architecture design and practice performances of college libraries as well as reviewing the gap between college library construction and users’ needs. The combination of survey on library users’ behaviors will assist libraries and architects in making the best judgment in planning. The study aims to understand the results of the efforts of National Cheng Kung University Library in the past years. Post Occupancy Evaluation is adopted to discuss the elements such as architecture space and facilities performances of National Cheng Kung University Library, give questions and offer suggestions to serve as reference for library manager in construction planning and researchers when planning and designing college libraries. Literature is reviewed used with case study to discuss theories on architecture and post occupancy of domestic and foreign libraries. With questionnaire survey, space occupancy satisfaction is explored. In-depth interview serves to further understand National Cheng Kung University Library and explore comments and suggestions of related personnel after occupancy. At last, analysis and generalization is made to offer concrete suggestions to National Cheng Kung University Library on post occupancy evaluation. Based on the research findings, the conclusions include planning of National Cheng Kung University Library is based on the different needs of humanist, scientist and artists; 2) characteristics of National Cheng Kung University Library are matrix design, clear route arrangements, diverse reading space and establishment of compact bookshelves; 3) National Cheng Kung University Library is considered under long study, full participation and careful integration; 4) the art space enjoys the highest satisfaction; 5) the service space experiences the lowest satisfaction; 6) the public space completely expresses the design concept of National Cheng Kung University Library; 7) the discussion space effectively integrates the needs of education and research; 8) physical environment and facilities require improvement; 9) National Cheng Kung University Library has the building of beauty of modernity and tradition; and 10) the building expresses the spiritual and symbolic meanings of National Cheng Kung University. Based on the above results, we offer the suggestions: 1) Construction Planning is the material for the Library to enhance supervision on design, management and development; 2) Planning and design of the Library shall be made in the principle of professionalism and rationality with information of limitation conditions; 3) Construction Planning and Consultation Team shall be established; 4) Construction of the Library shall be in line with overall campus development; 5) Physical environment has to be cautiously evaluated; 6) Indicator system identification space has to be established; 7) Space planning and management shall be flexible and 8) Post occupancy evaluation has to be conducted periodically.

The issue of successful implementation of strategic organizational change is not sufficiently addressed in the literature of organizational change even though there is unanimity in reporting a high rate of failure. Moreover, attempts to provide supportive guidelines that enhance implementation success are meager and their validity in nonwestern contexts is disputed. Thus, the present study tried to address the question of how a strategic organizational change can be successfully implemented by developing an implementation model within the context of Ethiopian commercial banks. In Ethiopia, commercial banking is exclusively reserved for nationals. This makes the setting a typical national context from where two commercial banks were included in the present study through maintaining maximum variation in ownership structure. Embedded in each bank, cases of teams which were established to redesign a specific type of business process were identified to theoretically sample participants for the indepth interviews. Applying an inductive multiple case study strategy, a combination of within-case and cross-case analyses were employed with the support of the ATLAS.ti software. As a result, theoretical propositions were made and an implementation model for strategic organizational change was developed by taking the context of commercial banks in Ethiopia into consideration. The findings indicate that national and organizational contexts demand contextualized approaches to implement strategic organizational change. Although several concepts which are documented in the extant literature were confirmed, original propositions are also made by the present study. A triple helix of initiating, designing, and implementing were emerged as inseparable components of the proposed implementation model for strategic organizational change in a context where cognitive and technical readiness is ensured. / Business Management / DBL

Everything around us that is not a simple untouched piece of nature has been designed by someone. Human society has found a great refuge in these designed objects or the artefacts, and thus has adapted vociferously to their inclusion into everyday life. From the early conception as art and then lately as scientific activity, now during the last few decades, designing has been understood as a fundamental aspect of human life. This understanding has become a motivating force in the last four decades for design research community. Remarkable theories, methods, models and approaches for designing have been propounded during this period by various active design researchers. Yet a comprehensive design theory remains largely an elusive dream, and usage of proposed methods in practice unimpressive. The dominant paradigms in design theory, though rich in description seem to lack interconnection. The thesis explores and questions the very foundations on which design theories have been built. Theoretical contemplation over designing is sought through asking why question, which brings in context to the forefront. Thus understanding context in designing is the central theme to this dissertation. Incidentally it is the context that holds key to the enhanced usage of design methods in practice. The thesis presents a basis to thaw the development of design theory, and provides a pragmatic approach to augment usage of design methods in practice. These objectives have been achieved through the approach outlined below. • An extensive discussion on the notion of context is presented, underpinned by the detailed survey of definitions and world views held in by various domains of studies in regard to context. The salient characteristics of context identified through this discussion have been used to articulate a concise definition of context. • A comprehensive dialogue, supplemented by the literature in design, incorporating dyv of design, designing, artifacts, and context has been put forth. The theoretical insight obtained has been abstracted into an elemental model of context in designing, that is then elaborated at length. • Definitions of context in designing, context of designing, and that of designing in context have been formulated, using the definition of context and the elemental model of context in designing. • The empirical validation of the proposed model of context in designing has been carried out, which runs across six design projects, accounts for academic; controlled; and industrial environment, as well as focuses on both individual and team designing. Four methods for data collection and analysis - Questionnaire survey, design protocol analysis study, replication protocol analysis, and participant observation study were employed in this exercise. • A detailed prescriptive study for development of aid to designers; in selection process of design methods has been carried out. Based on the issues identified in the literature and survey with designers, a measure to assess contextual usability of design methods (MACUM) was formulated. A web-based software tool based on MACUM has been developed for supporting design method selection process. The thesis concludes that the dominating paradigms in design theory only represent the partial perspective of designing. It is argued that, the proposed model of context in designing provides a sound basis to coherently redress the disjunctions between paradigms of design and progress towards a holistic design theory. And further on the practical end, the thesis underlines the contribution of MACUM towards sustained usage of design methods in practice.