Aim and research questions To investigate technical performance in three different tennis competitions (ATP Masters AM, Falu Future, FF & Swedish youth national championships, YNC) by collecting data of point characteristics. Are there any differences or similarities between the competitions analyzed concerning type of shots or shot combinations used, from which hitting zone on the tennis court the shots or shot combinations are hit and the placement of the different shots when scoring points? Are there any differences or similarities between the competitions analyzed concerning number of valid shots over the net in a rally? Are there any differences or similarities between the competitions analyzed concerning number of errors (forced and unforced) and winning shots committed in matches?  Method The sample consisted of a total of 24 matches with 40 different players from three different tournaments which were analyzed using notational analysis software (Dartfish, version 8, Switzerland). Total number of points analyzed were 3154 (AM, n = 968, FF, n = 1068, YNC, n = 1118). Data were compiled in Excel (2013) and descriptive analyses were performed in IBM SPSS Statistics 24. Statistical analyses looking for overall significant differences between the groups were made using Chi square cross tab test. Due to the number of statistical tests that were performed for each domain in the post hoc test, an adjusted significance level of p < 0.001 was used to reduce the risk of Type 1 error. Results Significant differences were observed between groups for serve placement, shot used after hitting a serve, type of 2nd last and last shot used, hitting zone and placement by the point winner on last shots. Rallies of longer duration were significantly more frequent in the AM & FF groups compared to the YNC group. Concerning serve outcome, serve return, return placement, shot after serve placement, shot combinations, length on 2nd last and last shot, unforced, forced errors and winners no statistical differences were observed between groups. Conclusion This study indicates that higher demands are placed on placement accuracy in the ATP masters and Falu Future tournaments, specifically for the serve, but also for groundstrokes compared to the Swedish youth national championships tournament. This knowledge can be used to identify technical skills and physiological abilities that are important to practise in order to improve performance in tennis on different levels.

The purposes of this study were to develop a notational analysis system to evaluate volleyball setting performance independent of the actions of the hitter and to use the data to develop a Markovian transitional matrix that would make known the probabilities of specific outcomes from each setting scenario. Setting performance was analyzed based on the sets distance from the net, height of the set, and position of the set in relation to the hitter as viewed from 13 filmed competitions of a Division I intercollegiate women's volleyball team. Data from the notation of 1353 sets were used to develop a Markovian transitional matrix. The data indicated that 25 different setting scenarios occurred. Overall, sets within 3-5 feet from the net resulted in the highest probability of a point and the lowest probability of a point for the opponent. Low sets, whether inside or outside in relation to the hitter also resulted in a high probability of winning a point. High sets, whether inside or outside in relation to the hitter, resulted in the lowest probability of success and the highest probability of a point for the opponent. A notational analysis system such as described in this study can effectively be used by coaches to evaluate setting performance, provide effective feedback, develop team strategies and style of play, and allocate practice time.

Students’ strategy use is an assessment of their ability to assimilate, synthesize, and actualize knowledge shown to be directly related to success in sight-reading. The purpose of this exploratory, collective case study was to investigate the strategy use, and possible underlying cognitive music processes, of eighth grade middle school choral students when vocally sight-reading. More specifically, the objective of this research was to better understand the relationship between strategy use and accelerated learning in vocal music notation reading. To create a coalesced conceptual lens, I merged the construct of audiation and pertinent findings from cognitive science research, specifically music reading literature in cognitive psychology. Seeing students’ strategy use through this combined lens allowed me to concentrate on the role of cognitive processes (perception, attention, memory, audiation) in the vocal sight-reading process and begin to distill how participants’ strategies improved or reduced sight-reading performance. Fourteen eighth-grade middle school choral students participated (N = 14, 4 males, ages 13 to 14). Students participated in research activities individually, in one 30-minute session, in a nearby practice room at their middle school. I collected two types of quantitative data. First, I tallied scores from a sight-reading instrument, the Vocal Sight-Reading Inventory (Henry, 1999). Second, I categorized data from a researcher-designed Sophistication of Strategy Use Index (an accumulation of scores in five music cognition-based categories: looking behavior, chunking, long-term memory, auditory representations, and audiation). Furthermore, I gathered qualitative data through interviews, retrospective think-alouds (Ericsson & Simon, 1993), and video-stimulated recall interviews. All students employed strategies, both cognitive and non-cognitive, singularly and in combination. Three major findings emerged: 1. Students employed strategies in three domains of knowledge, visual-only (most frequent), aural-only (least frequent), and visual-aural, and two underlying systems, self-awareness and music vocabulary. 2. Those who scored in the highest 50% on the sight-reading indicator employed these strategies (two or three times) more frequently than those who scored in the lowest 50% • read in visual chunks and by analogy; • created and manipulated auditory representations; • paired singular pitches with discrete staff placement locations; • employed self-awareness in production and commission of errors; and • remained aurally grounded in the tonality. 3. There was a positive and strong correlation (r = .84, p < .00) between students’ sophistication of strategy use scores and vocal sight-reading scores. Results from the current study have implications for choral music educators in designing and implementing sight-reading curricula, especially with regards to content and pedagogy. Suggestions for sight-reading pedagogy include (a) scaffolding sight-reading instruction to guide sophisticated strategy use, (b) strengthening underlying musical cognitive processes, (c) emphasizing higher order relationships, especially chunking, and (d) increasing students’ meta-cognition surrounding vocal production and commission of errors.

O gerenciamento de processos de negócio (BPM) objetiva a melhor documentação e padronização dos processos de negócio, além do aumento da eficiência e qualidade na execução dos processos. Um processo de negócio pode ser representado graficamente, através da Notação e Modelo de Processo de Negócio – BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation), a qual é um padrão da OMG (Object Management Group) para modelagem de processos. A BPMN provê um extenso conjunto de elementos de modelagem, tais como atividades, eventos e desvios, que possibilitam a representação de uma grande variedade de processos de negócio. É uma notação com alto poder de expressão que permite capturar a relação lógica e temporal entre atividades, objeto de dados e recursos. Contudo, considerando a especificação da BPMN, existem limitações entre a definição dos elementos notacionais e sua respectiva codificação (no formato XML). Por exemplo, não está expresso no XML do elemento fluxo de mensagem alguma definição que permita conectar apenas elementos posicionados em piscinas distintas, tal como descrito na definição conceitual da notação O principal enfoque deste trabalho é o desenvolvimento de uma lógica que permita expressar a definição textual para cada elemento notacional. Tal lógica foi chamada neste trabalho de meta-algoritmo. Para verificar a expressividade dos metaalgoritmos propostos, foi utilizado técnicas de Teste de Software, baseado em tabelas de decisão e grafos de fluxo de controle. Além disso, foi aplicado um questionário com o objetivo de verificar a aceitação perante os usuários. Como resultado, destaca-se que os meta-algoritmos tiveram aceitação de 73,33% dos participantes do questionário. A principal contribuição deste trabalho é prover uma lógica mais aderente às definições textuais dos elementos notacionais, além de evidenciar que os usuários podem ter um maior entendimento, conforme verificado no questionário aplicado. / Business process management (BPM) enables the documentation and standardization of business processes, increasing efficiency and quality in their execution. A business process can be represented graphically by Business Process Model and Notation – BPMN, which is an OMG (Object Management Group) standard for process modeling. BPMN provides an extensive set of modeling elements, such as activities, events and gateways, which enables the representation of a wide variety of business processes. It presents high expression power that captures both temporal and logical relations between activities, data object and resources. However, considering the BPMN specification, there exists a lack of conformity between the conceptual BPMN elements definition and their respective codification (in XML format). For example, it is not expressed in the XML Message Flow element any definition to connect only elements from different pools, as described in the conceptual element definition The main goal of this work is to develop a logic that enables to express the rules described in the conceptual element definition, for each notational element. In this work, meta-algorithm is the term used to refer to this logic. Techniques of Software Testing, such as decision tables and graph coverage were used to check expressiveness of the proposed meta-algorithms. In order to verify the acceptance of users, a survey was applied, to verify the acceptance with users. As result, meta-algorithms had accepted by 73.33% participants. As main contribution this work provides a more adherent logic, compared to conceptual element definition, as well an evidence that users can have an increasing of understanding, like verified in the survey.

Research has indicated that teams who cover greater distance during matches and complete more basic tasks such as passes, tackles and shots are more successful. Identifying means of increasing these physical and technical outputs is therefore a significant opportunity for performance enhancement. There has been limited research performed on hockey, especially at the elite level. An issue that is even more relevant given that in the past 15 years the sport has undergone some significant rule changes including the introduction of unlimited substitutions. With sixteen players able to be used per match and eleven players on the field at any one time the coach can make substitutions as frequently as desired to try and maximise the overall performance of the team. The objectives of this thesis were to use methods of performance analysis to measure the physical and technical outputs of players during elite hockey and to specifically measure the impact of differing substitution strategies on the physical and technical outputs of strikers during match play. Three striker conditions were assessed; three strikers with no substitutions, four strikers with a moderate amount of substitutions; and, five strikers with a large amount of substitutions. Five matches between the New Zealand men’s hockey team and Tasmania state representative team were played over eight days. Physical outputs of players were measured using portable GPS units and heart rate monitors and technical aspects of match play were measured using team performance statistics and a set of technical criteria which awarded points to strikers for each contribution they made to the game based upon a scale of effectiveness. Average total distance covered during 70 minutes by a position was 8160 ± 428m of which 479 ± 108m (6.1%) was performed at speeds greater than 19km.h-1. Within this high intensity distance were 34 ± 12 sprints per player with an average duration of 3.3s. Average match HR was 85.3 ± 2.9% HRmax and average peak HR was 96.3 ± 2.7% HRmax. Distance covered decreased by 6.2% between the 1st and 2nd halves and there was a trend of decreasing distance in both halves when total distance was broken into five-minute time periods. When assessing the impact of substitutions on the performance of strikers it was found that there were no significant differences in physical outputs between conditions with total distance (S5 = 8414 ± 125m, S4 = 8422 + 34m; S3 = 8282m) and distance covered at speeds greater than 19km.h-1(S5 = 701 ± 46m, S4 = 685 ± 28m, S3 = 723m) being similar. Substantial differences were found in technical outputs between the substitution conditions with more strikers and greater substitutions offering a better total output than less strikers and fewer substitutions (S5 = 241 ± 35, S4 = 207 ± 38, S3 = 173) but statistical significance between conditions was also not found. In conclusion, the results suggest that although substitutions are not a means to increase the physical work of strikers they do appear to be a way to enhance the contributions that strikers are making to the game.

Research has indicated that teams who cover greater distance during matches and complete more basic tasks such as passes, tackles and shots are more successful. Identifying means of increasing these physical and technical outputs is therefore a significant opportunity for performance enhancement. There has been limited research performed on hockey, especially at the elite level. An issue that is even more relevant given that in the past 15 years the sport has undergone some significant rule changes including the introduction of unlimited substitutions. With sixteen players able to be used per match and eleven players on the field at any one time the coach can make substitutions as frequently as desired to try and maximise the overall performance of the team. The objectives of this thesis were to use methods of performance analysis to measure the physical and technical outputs of players during elite hockey and to specifically measure the impact of differing substitution strategies on the physical and technical outputs of strikers during match play. Three striker conditions were assessed; three strikers with no substitutions, four strikers with a moderate amount of substitutions; and, five strikers with a large amount of substitutions. Five matches between the New Zealand men’s hockey team and Tasmania state representative team were played over eight days. Physical outputs of players were measured using portable GPS units and heart rate monitors and technical aspects of match play were measured using team performance statistics and a set of technical criteria which awarded points to strikers for each contribution they made to the game based upon a scale of effectiveness. Average total distance covered during 70 minutes by a position was 8160 ± 428m of which 479 ± 108m (6.1%) was performed at speeds greater than 19km.h-1. Within this high intensity distance were 34 ± 12 sprints per player with an average duration of 3.3s. Average match HR was 85.3 ± 2.9% HRmax and average peak HR was 96.3 ± 2.7% HRmax. Distance covered decreased by 6.2% between the 1st and 2nd halves and there was a trend of decreasing distance in both halves when total distance was broken into five-minute time periods. When assessing the impact of substitutions on the performance of strikers it was found that there were no significant differences in physical outputs between conditions with total distance (S5 = 8414 ± 125m, S4 = 8422 + 34m; S3 = 8282m) and distance covered at speeds greater than 19km.h-1(S5 = 701 ± 46m, S4 = 685 ± 28m, S3 = 723m) being similar. Substantial differences were found in technical outputs between the substitution conditions with more strikers and greater substitutions offering a better total output than less strikers and fewer substitutions (S5 = 241 ± 35, S4 = 207 ± 38, S3 = 173) but statistical significance between conditions was also not found. In conclusion, the results suggest that although substitutions are not a means to increase the physical work of strikers they do appear to be a way to enhance the contributions that strikers are making to the game.

Process modeling grammars are used to create models of business processes. In this paper, we discuss how different routing symbol designs affect an individual's ability to comprehend process models. We conduct an experiment with 154 students to ascertain which visual design principles influence process model comprehension. Our findings suggest that design principles related to perceptual discriminability and pop out improve comprehension accuracy. Furthermore, semantic transparency and aesthetic design of symbols lower the perceived difficulty of comprehension. Our results inform important principles about notational design of process modeling grammars and the effective use of process modeling in practice.

O gerenciamento de processos de negócio (BPM) objetiva a melhor documentação e padronização dos processos de negócio, além do aumento da eficiência e qualidade na execução dos processos. Um processo de negócio pode ser representado graficamente, através da Notação e Modelo de Processo de Negócio – BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation), a qual é um padrão da OMG (Object Management Group) para modelagem de processos. A BPMN provê um extenso conjunto de elementos de modelagem, tais como atividades, eventos e desvios, que possibilitam a representação de uma grande variedade de processos de negócio. É uma notação com alto poder de expressão que permite capturar a relação lógica e temporal entre atividades, objeto de dados e recursos. Contudo, considerando a especificação da BPMN, existem limitações entre a definição dos elementos notacionais e sua respectiva codificação (no formato XML). Por exemplo, não está expresso no XML do elemento fluxo de mensagem alguma definição que permita conectar apenas elementos posicionados em piscinas distintas, tal como descrito na definição conceitual da notação O principal enfoque deste trabalho é o desenvolvimento de uma lógica que permita expressar a definição textual para cada elemento notacional. Tal lógica foi chamada neste trabalho de meta-algoritmo. Para verificar a expressividade dos metaalgoritmos propostos, foi utilizado técnicas de Teste de Software, baseado em tabelas de decisão e grafos de fluxo de controle. Além disso, foi aplicado um questionário com o objetivo de verificar a aceitação perante os usuários. Como resultado, destaca-se que os meta-algoritmos tiveram aceitação de 73,33% dos participantes do questionário. A principal contribuição deste trabalho é prover uma lógica mais aderente às definições textuais dos elementos notacionais, além de evidenciar que os usuários podem ter um maior entendimento, conforme verificado no questionário aplicado. / Business process management (BPM) enables the documentation and standardization of business processes, increasing efficiency and quality in their execution. A business process can be represented graphically by Business Process Model and Notation – BPMN, which is an OMG (Object Management Group) standard for process modeling. BPMN provides an extensive set of modeling elements, such as activities, events and gateways, which enables the representation of a wide variety of business processes. It presents high expression power that captures both temporal and logical relations between activities, data object and resources. However, considering the BPMN specification, there exists a lack of conformity between the conceptual BPMN elements definition and their respective codification (in XML format). For example, it is not expressed in the XML Message Flow element any definition to connect only elements from different pools, as described in the conceptual element definition The main goal of this work is to develop a logic that enables to express the rules described in the conceptual element definition, for each notational element. In this work, meta-algorithm is the term used to refer to this logic. Techniques of Software Testing, such as decision tables and graph coverage were used to check expressiveness of the proposed meta-algorithms. In order to verify the acceptance of users, a survey was applied, to verify the acceptance with users. As result, meta-algorithms had accepted by 73.33% participants. As main contribution this work provides a more adherent logic, compared to conceptual element definition, as well an evidence that users can have an increasing of understanding, like verified in the survey.

O gerenciamento de processos de negócio (BPM) objetiva a melhor documentação e padronização dos processos de negócio, além do aumento da eficiência e qualidade na execução dos processos. Um processo de negócio pode ser representado graficamente, através da Notação e Modelo de Processo de Negócio – BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation), a qual é um padrão da OMG (Object Management Group) para modelagem de processos. A BPMN provê um extenso conjunto de elementos de modelagem, tais como atividades, eventos e desvios, que possibilitam a representação de uma grande variedade de processos de negócio. É uma notação com alto poder de expressão que permite capturar a relação lógica e temporal entre atividades, objeto de dados e recursos. Contudo, considerando a especificação da BPMN, existem limitações entre a definição dos elementos notacionais e sua respectiva codificação (no formato XML). Por exemplo, não está expresso no XML do elemento fluxo de mensagem alguma definição que permita conectar apenas elementos posicionados em piscinas distintas, tal como descrito na definição conceitual da notação O principal enfoque deste trabalho é o desenvolvimento de uma lógica que permita expressar a definição textual para cada elemento notacional. Tal lógica foi chamada neste trabalho de meta-algoritmo. Para verificar a expressividade dos metaalgoritmos propostos, foi utilizado técnicas de Teste de Software, baseado em tabelas de decisão e grafos de fluxo de controle. Além disso, foi aplicado um questionário com o objetivo de verificar a aceitação perante os usuários. Como resultado, destaca-se que os meta-algoritmos tiveram aceitação de 73,33% dos participantes do questionário. A principal contribuição deste trabalho é prover uma lógica mais aderente às definições textuais dos elementos notacionais, além de evidenciar que os usuários podem ter um maior entendimento, conforme verificado no questionário aplicado. / Business process management (BPM) enables the documentation and standardization of business processes, increasing efficiency and quality in their execution. A business process can be represented graphically by Business Process Model and Notation – BPMN, which is an OMG (Object Management Group) standard for process modeling. BPMN provides an extensive set of modeling elements, such as activities, events and gateways, which enables the representation of a wide variety of business processes. It presents high expression power that captures both temporal and logical relations between activities, data object and resources. However, considering the BPMN specification, there exists a lack of conformity between the conceptual BPMN elements definition and their respective codification (in XML format). For example, it is not expressed in the XML Message Flow element any definition to connect only elements from different pools, as described in the conceptual element definition The main goal of this work is to develop a logic that enables to express the rules described in the conceptual element definition, for each notational element. In this work, meta-algorithm is the term used to refer to this logic. Techniques of Software Testing, such as decision tables and graph coverage were used to check expressiveness of the proposed meta-algorithms. In order to verify the acceptance of users, a survey was applied, to verify the acceptance with users. As result, meta-algorithms had accepted by 73.33% participants. As main contribution this work provides a more adherent logic, compared to conceptual element definition, as well an evidence that users can have an increasing of understanding, like verified in the survey.

The principal aim of this study was to create longitudinal profiles (1988-2002) for the games of rugby union and rugby league football in order to identify whether changes in time, offence, defence and game action variables, and positional and game performance indicators were a reflection that the two codes of rugby were 'converging'. Anecdotal evidence had suggested that due to certain administrative developments within this time frame many facets of the two games were becoming similar, thereby spawning the notion of a future single, unified game of 'rugby'. This thesis presents the first empirical and objective assessment of whether such convergence has occurred. The data for this study were extracted from 48 video-taped recordings of First Grade rugby league and International rugby union in the Northern hemisphere over the specified time frame. The matches were identifiable by Era (pre-/post-professional) and Period (1988-92, 1993-95, 1997-99 and2000-02). Key aspects of play or performance were distinguished via game models and expert opinion and were scrutinised via a series of specifically designed and validated hand notation systems. Initial analysis considered (and established) the reliability of these systems, thereafter parametric and non-parametric inferential statistical teohniques were employed to identify Era and Period effects within each Code, with the additional analyses to consider the effects of Game Result and Game Quarter Outcomes. The findings from these analyses, particulaily the observed increase in ball in play time, changes at the ruck, maul, and lineout, and alterations in defence patterns of play, have provided a strong argument that the two Codes underwent a discernable degree of convergence over the years being considered. It was concluded that the introduction of professional playing status (rugby union), the summer playing season (rugby league), and law changes were likely causes of the two games being now similar in many respects. Although additional analyses should be encouraged to corroborate the present findings, the case for the development of a single Code of rugby can now be made.