Football is the world’s biggest sport, and every match requires a referee who is responsible for interpreting and enforcing the Laws of the Game. In Sweden, an area for improvement for referees is the user experience of the administration tool used to collect data about matches. By enhancing existing tools and systems, there is potential for greater efficiency and ease of use in administrative tasks performed by the referee. By following the Double Diamond Model of Design, this study investigated a suitable way to design an interface for referees covering the activities they perform in conjunction with a match, including the administrative part of match reporting. In the first phase, Discover, information about the referee’s activities, pain points, and wants was collected through interviews and an observation. The data was then organised and analysed in the Define phase, through affinity diagramming and by creating a current state map. In the Develop phase, different interface solutions to the identified activities and issues were explored through a Crazy 8 session. Lastly, the final Deliver phase consisted of three iterations of creating prototypes, which were evaluated through usability testing, a design critique, and a final user test.  The major pain point that was identified during the study’s first two phases was filling out the referee match report in the administrative system after each match based on the notes taken during it. Additional activities and aspects were also discovered that had an impact on the design concept for a smartphone. The design proposal consisted of three parts: (1) a referee feed, including information that might be relevant to the referee when preparing for a match; (2) a reporting tool for reporting events, in which it would be possible to report them live during the match instead of after it; and (3) the option to give feedback on the players, coaches, and supporters. While the reporting of penalty misses was discovered to need further consideration, testing mainly resulted in positive feedback about the concept and design, specifically because it removed a major pain point in their work after the match, thus indicating that it serves its purpose and could be used in a first launch of the product. One interesting finding was the perception of the mobile device and how it affects the overall solution. Although the screen size of a smartphone offers more potential design solutions and functionalities, referees feel it might be unprofessional to carry a phone onto the pitch. / Fotboll är världens största sport, och varje match kräver en domare som ansvarar för att tolka och upprätthålla spelreglerna. Ett förbättringsområde för domare i Sverige är användarupplevelsen i det administreringsverktyg som används för att samla in data om matcher. Genom att förbättra befintliga verktyg och system finns det potential för större effektivitet och användarvänlighet i de administrativa uppgifter som domaren utför. Genom att följa metoden Double Diamond undersöktes i denna studie ett lämpligt sätt att designa ett gränssnitt för domare, som täcker de aktiviteter de behöver utföra i samband med match, inklusive den administrativa delen av matchrapporteringen. I den första fasen, Discover, samlades data in om domarens aktiviteter, behov och önskemål, genom intervjuer och en observation. Informationen organiserades och analyserades sedan i Define-fasen, genom affinity diagramming och skapandet av en current state map. I Develop-fasen utforskades olika gränssnittslösningar för de identifierade aktiviteterna och problemen genom en Crazy 8-session. Slutligen bestod den sista Deliver-fasen av tre iterationer med skapande av prototyper, som utvärderades genom användbarhetstester, en design critique och ett slutligt användartest. Det största problemet som identifierades under studiens två första faser var att fylla i matchrapporten i administreringsverktyget efter varje match, baserat på anteckningarna som skrivits under den. Fler aktiviteter och aspekter identifierades också som hade en inverkan på designförslaget för smartphone. Det framtagna designförslaget bestod av tre delar: (1) ett domarflöde innehållande information som kan vara relevant för domaren när hen förbereder sig för en match, (2) ett domarverktyg för att rapportera händelser, i vilket det är möjligt att rapportera dessa live under matchen i stället för efter den, och (3) möjligheten att ge feedback om spelarna, tränarna och supportrarna. Medan hanteringen för att rapportera in straffmissar behöver utredas mer, resulterade testerna främst i positiv feedback gällande konceptet och designen, framför allt då det underlättade arbetet med matchrapporten efter matchen, vilket tyder på att den tjänar sitt syfte och kan användas vid en första lansering av produkten. En intressant iakttagelse var uppfattningen och synen av mobilenheten och hur den påverkar den övergripande lösningen. Även om skärmstorleken på en smartphone erbjuder fler potentiella designlösningar och funktioner, kan domare tycka att det känns oprofessionellt att bära med sig en telefon på planen.

The aim of the study wa s to investigate how referees are portrayed in the media, as participants in refereeing scandals. A study I conducted through examining how hockey referees are portrayed and represented in match texts from both local and national Swedish sports journalism, written in connection to refereeing scandals. I used the method of critical discourse analysis t o examine the question . Through the method I performed an in - depth analysis of how hockey referees are portrayed and represented in eight match texts , written in con nection to different refereeing scandals, from both local and nat ional Swedish sp orts journ alism. The result of the critical discourse analysis showed that the media depicts referees as scapegoats in refereeing scandals. It also showed that referees are portrayed as the ”b ad guys” and abusers of power. Further, my study showed that t hrough melodramatic journalistic descriptions and critical comments from players and coaches, referees are portrayed as unprofessional practicioners in the media match texts written in connection to different refereeing scandals.

The Blue Bulls Rugby Referees’ Society has experienced difficulty identifying the competencies required for individuals to become successful referees at national and international levels. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to identify the generic competencies required by a referee to become successful at the highest level. Competencies therefore, according to this study, are a prerequisite for successful rugby union refereeing. The two main research strategies used are the quantitative and qualitative research methods. In this study quantitative research is predominant, but qualitative research was also used to identify the competencies employed in the questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with the management of the Blue Bulls Rugby Referees’ Society, and with the players to gather input based upon their knowledge. Interviews with approximately ten senior coaches were also conducted to obtain their views. The information gathered from these interviews, together with personal experience and inputs from De Beer (2003: unpublished interview) were utilised to draw up a list of competencies. In this study survey research was used, using the Delphi technique to determine what the Blue Bulls referees’ opinions are about the required competencies of a successful referee, and to ensure that important competencies were not excluded. The Blue Bulls referees’ inputs were incorporated and a final questionnaire compiled. This questionnaire consisted of 36 competencies, which could be rated on a 5 point Likert scale. The total population for the study was 223, with 181 referees and 42 Currie Cup players. A weighted competency index was determined from these responses and the ten most important generic competencies, required to be a successful referee, from these responses are: Objectivity / Impartiality (being able to treat both sides the same) Consistency (consistency in the way rules are applied during a match) Concentration / Focus (ability to stay focused during a match and not allow the mind to fluctuate) Honesty / Integrity (the ability to be honest with players, on and off the field) Commitment (dedication to do the best when preparing for games, know the rules, and always giving the best when refereeing a match) Judgement (ability to evaluate and judge situations during a match correctly) Fitness (fitness in terms of physical ability to keep up with play during a match) Trustworthiness (ability to make the players trust you and know that you will apply the laws consistently and fairly) Decisiveness (ability to reach quick and firm decisions) Composure (to be calm during difficult situations) / Dissertation (MCom(Human Resources Management))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Uma área de intensa atividade de pesquisa em nanotecnologia está relacionada à restauração de imagens obtidas através dos microscópios de força atômica (AFM). Durante o processo de aquisição as imagens de AFM estão sujeitas às limitações impostas pela instrumentação utilizada e costumam apresentar pobres relações sinal/ruído, bem como a manifestação dos efeitos degenerativos relacionados à interação entre o tip e a amostra. Buscando tratar imagens obtidas de estruturas biológicas, tem sido propostos e testados diversos algoritmos de restauração, e nesta dissertação é utilizado um método baseado na Regularização de Tikhonov. Ao longo do desenvolvimento de diversos algoritmos de restauração foi observado que os indicadores matemáticos usuais para avaliação de desempenho não correspondiam à percepção visual relativa às imagens restauradas. Este trabalho propõe e avalia diferentes indicadores de desempenho para algoritmos de restauração utilizados no pósprocessamento de imagens obtidas em escala nanométrica por microscopia de força atômica e imagens artificiais criadas especialmente para testar o indicador de desempenho utilizado. São investigados indicadores usuais empregados em restauração de imagens, sendo também proposta a implementação de indicadores baseado nas distâncias de Bregman. O trabalho foi dividido em duas partes. Primeiramente foi gerado e restaurado um conjunto de imagens utilizando o funcional de regularização de Tikhonov, sendo distribuídas entre 50 pessoas que foram chamadas de avaliadores humanos. A tarefa consistia em avaliar as imagens, procurando identificar o quanto as imagens restauradas se aproximavam das imagens originais, no que se relaciona à visão humana. A segunda parte consistiu na implementação de uma rotina computacional para o cálculo de vários indicadores matemáticos. Posteriormente foi realizada a comparação dos resultados obtidos através dos indicadores matemáticos com a percepção visual dos avaliadores humanos, sendo esta última essencialmente qualitativa, sendo então transformada em uma escala numérica para permitir então a comparação com os indicadores matemáticos. Observou-se que dependendo dos parâmetros utilizados no algoritmo de restauração baseado no funcional de regularização de Tikhonov e dos tipos de imagens restauradas, os indicadores baseados nas Distâncias de Bregman apresentam melhores resultados do que aqueles obtidos com indicadores tradicionais, como por exemplo o erro médio quadrático (MSE Mean Square Error), levando a uma concordância maior destes resultados quando comparados com a avaliação feita pelos avaliadores humanos. / The restoration of images acquired with Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) consists on a very intense research area in nanotechnology. During the acquisition process the AFM images are subjected to the constraints imposed by the experimental apparatus usually presenting poor signal to noise ratios as well as the effects of tip-sample interaction. In order to process images related to biological structures, several restoration algorithms have been proposed and tested, and in the present dissertation is used a method based in Tikhonovs regularization. Throughout the development of several restoration algorithms it has been observed that the usual performance measures did not correspond to the human visual perception of the restored images. In the present dissertation are proposed and evaluated several performance measures for restoration algorithms used in the post-processing of images acquired in nanoscale with AFM as well as artificial images created in order to test the performance measure used. Usually used performance measures are investigated as well as measures based on Bregman distances. The research was conducted in two parts. First a set of images was generated and restored using Tikhonovs regularization functional, being then distributed to 50 human referees. Their task consisted in evaluating the images in order to grade how close the restored images were to the original images, in respect to human visual perception. The second part of the research consisted in the implementation of a computational program to perform the computation of the mathematical performance measures. Afterwards a comparison was performed of the mathematical performance measures with respect to the visual perception of the human referees, being the latter essentially qualitative which was then transformed in a numerical scale in order to allow the comparison with the mathematical measures. It was observed that depending on the parameters used in the restoration algorithm based in Tikhonovs regularization functional and the type of the restored image, the mathematical performance measures based on Bregman distances present better results than those obtained with other usual performance measures such as the Mean Square Error (MSE) yielding to a better agreement with the evaluation performed by the human referees.

Uma área de intensa atividade de pesquisa em nanotecnologia está relacionada à restauração de imagens obtidas através dos microscópios de força atômica (AFM). Durante o processo de aquisição as imagens de AFM estão sujeitas às limitações impostas pela instrumentação utilizada e costumam apresentar pobres relações sinal/ruído, bem como a manifestação dos efeitos degenerativos relacionados à interação entre o tip e a amostra. Buscando tratar imagens obtidas de estruturas biológicas, tem sido propostos e testados diversos algoritmos de restauração, e nesta dissertação é utilizado um método baseado na Regularização de Tikhonov. Ao longo do desenvolvimento de diversos algoritmos de restauração foi observado que os indicadores matemáticos usuais para avaliação de desempenho não correspondiam à percepção visual relativa às imagens restauradas. Este trabalho propõe e avalia diferentes indicadores de desempenho para algoritmos de restauração utilizados no pósprocessamento de imagens obtidas em escala nanométrica por microscopia de força atômica e imagens artificiais criadas especialmente para testar o indicador de desempenho utilizado. São investigados indicadores usuais empregados em restauração de imagens, sendo também proposta a implementação de indicadores baseado nas distâncias de Bregman. O trabalho foi dividido em duas partes. Primeiramente foi gerado e restaurado um conjunto de imagens utilizando o funcional de regularização de Tikhonov, sendo distribuídas entre 50 pessoas que foram chamadas de avaliadores humanos. A tarefa consistia em avaliar as imagens, procurando identificar o quanto as imagens restauradas se aproximavam das imagens originais, no que se relaciona à visão humana. A segunda parte consistiu na implementação de uma rotina computacional para o cálculo de vários indicadores matemáticos. Posteriormente foi realizada a comparação dos resultados obtidos através dos indicadores matemáticos com a percepção visual dos avaliadores humanos, sendo esta última essencialmente qualitativa, sendo então transformada em uma escala numérica para permitir então a comparação com os indicadores matemáticos. Observou-se que dependendo dos parâmetros utilizados no algoritmo de restauração baseado no funcional de regularização de Tikhonov e dos tipos de imagens restauradas, os indicadores baseados nas Distâncias de Bregman apresentam melhores resultados do que aqueles obtidos com indicadores tradicionais, como por exemplo o erro médio quadrático (MSE Mean Square Error), levando a uma concordância maior destes resultados quando comparados com a avaliação feita pelos avaliadores humanos. / The restoration of images acquired with Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) consists on a very intense research area in nanotechnology. During the acquisition process the AFM images are subjected to the constraints imposed by the experimental apparatus usually presenting poor signal to noise ratios as well as the effects of tip-sample interaction. In order to process images related to biological structures, several restoration algorithms have been proposed and tested, and in the present dissertation is used a method based in Tikhonovs regularization. Throughout the development of several restoration algorithms it has been observed that the usual performance measures did not correspond to the human visual perception of the restored images. In the present dissertation are proposed and evaluated several performance measures for restoration algorithms used in the post-processing of images acquired in nanoscale with AFM as well as artificial images created in order to test the performance measure used. Usually used performance measures are investigated as well as measures based on Bregman distances. The research was conducted in two parts. First a set of images was generated and restored using Tikhonovs regularization functional, being then distributed to 50 human referees. Their task consisted in evaluating the images in order to grade how close the restored images were to the original images, in respect to human visual perception. The second part of the research consisted in the implementation of a computational program to perform the computation of the mathematical performance measures. Afterwards a comparison was performed of the mathematical performance measures with respect to the visual perception of the human referees, being the latter essentially qualitative which was then transformed in a numerical scale in order to allow the comparison with the mathematical measures. It was observed that depending on the parameters used in the restoration algorithm based in Tikhonovs regularization functional and the type of the restored image, the mathematical performance measures based on Bregman distances present better results than those obtained with other usual performance measures such as the Mean Square Error (MSE) yielding to a better agreement with the evaluation performed by the human referees.