User Research ist eine wichtige und in vielen Ansätzen die erste Phase eines iterativen Designprozesses. Aber wie kann eine valide User Research für eine in die weite Zukunft gerichtete Produktgestaltung durchgeführt werden? User Research erfordert die Einbindung zukünftiger NutzerInnen oder potentieller KundInnen. Diese können aber überwiegend keine plausible Auskunft über die eigenen Bedürfnisse der (fernen) Zukunft geben. Auch können sie ausgehend vom individuellen Ist-Zustand nicht zwischen realisierbaren und utopischen Produktkonzepten unterscheiden. In diesem Beitrag diskutieren wir die Herausforderungen von User Research speziell für mittel- und langfristige Zielsetzungen und stellen einen Lösungsansatz vor: Wir empfehlen daher den Designprozess mit einem Szenarioverfahren zu initiieren, welcher eine Trendanalyse und eine Expertenbefragung beinhaltet. Aufbauend auf den Ergebnissen aus der Szenarioarbeit werden die NutzerInnen in einer späteren Phase des Designprozesses zur Evaluierung von Nutzungsszenarien eingebunden. Anhand von zwei aktuellen transdisziplinären Projekten „Elektrifizierung von landwirtschaftlichen Betrieben“ und „Sustainable Energy-Efficient Aviation“, in denen der angenommene Status zukünftiger sozialer, wirtschaftlicher und politischer Trends die Perspektive und das Konsumverhalten fiktiver NutzerInnen kontinuierlich prägen wird, zeigen wir, wie wir Nutzerforschung in strategischen Designprozessen mit hoher Vorhersagegüte einsetzen.

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Inclusive public dialogue about issues of concern to science and society can democratise and widen the knowledge base for decision-making so scientific research and developments are made accountable to citizens’ priorities. This participatory model of science communication is not yet widely practiced. More research is needed into how to make such communication effective. Formative audience research can inform a communication strategy’s design to meet its objectives effectively and enhance its relevance to participants’ needs and communication preferences. However, audience research designs based on transmission models are inadequate for the participatory objectives of public dialogue. They must therefore be adapted. This dissertation proposes how audience research should be designed and conducted when the objective of communication is public dialogue about science, such as biotechnology. The methodology involves building an evaluation framework from the literature and applying this to a case of applied research. Four sub-questions are addressed. First, audience research and participatory development communication literature is reviewed to propose how audience research should be designed and conducted for public dialogue broadly. Second, literature on public engagement about science is analysed for the challenges in public dialogue about science and the implications for audience research. Third, a set of guidelines is presented for evaluating the appropriateness of audience research for public dialogue about science. Finally, these guidelines are used to evaluate a case of qualitative audience research commissioned by the Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) programme, judging the appropriateness of its design to the communication objectives and extracting further lessons for audience research. The findings present a “double-dialogical” approach to audience research, where the research methods and the information elicited reflect dialogical objectives. This approach emphasises listening over telling, building relationships over interrogating targets, and optimising inclusivity and diversity in identifying participants, framing issues, and selecting channels and spaces for deliberative dialogue, wherein participation and information dissemination play complementary roles. Following these principles, audience research can build democratic foundations for public dialogue about science while recognizing the following challenges: the specialized and technical nature of science, the complexity of issues, the power of commercial interests, the need for social accountability, low motivation and interest amongst publics, and the resistance of technical experts and decision-makers towards dialogue. A framework of guidelines is offered for designing and evaluating audience research for public dialogue about science, structured around 5 interrelated elements: WHY – clarifying the objectives of communication and audience research; GENERAL – overall research design considerations; WHO – conceptualizing and investigating dialogue participants; WHAT – framing issues from multiple perspectives; and HOW – identifying spaces and channels for public dialogue. Applying the framework to the case study demonstrates the guidelines’ usefulness for evaluation purposes, grounds the study in an actual case of audience research and extracts lessons for future applications. The framework succeeds in judging the appropriateness of the study’s design for its purpose. The study contributes to the search for effective means of public engagement by proposing practical guidelines for the first steps of such a process, a methodological praxis for audience research that can be useful in scholarly and practitioner communities and can be refined and adapted for various contexts. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Information Science / unrestricted

This diploma thesis deals with the issue of sociological research on animal abuse. It identifies the basic problems that this research has to deal with, these problems are described in detail and a solution is proposed in the form of the construction of a new research tool. Subsequently, an attempt is made to validate this newly created research tool, its weaknesses and strengths are summed up and further possible research in this area is discussed. In the theoretical part of the thesis, the problem of animal abuse is introduced in the historical context first, and then a summary of basic problems of sociological exploration of this phenomenon is presented. The final chapter of this section addresses the issue of ethical aspects of animal abuse research. The methodological part presents the design of the research, the process of construction of a new research tool and the methods and approaches used. The analytical part summarizes the knowledge obtained during the cognitive interviews that were conducted in order to validate the newly created research tool. The benefits and limitations of the new instrument are discussed and proposals are made to continue the research on this issue.

This study is unique considering the location (Africa) and the industrial setting (Gold Mining) from which the research was studied as reward systems had mostly been studied in the North-American and European settings. Thus, the study  considered  rewards from the perspective of the African and its natural resource industries such as the gold mining industry.   The methodology employed in the study was based on a case study approach at Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) Limited (GSB/PL) with a population size of 1029 employees combining both qualitative and quantitative data obtained through a questionnaire survey of a 278 sample size and structured interview with the Human Resources and Administration Manager. Thus, the method of data collection represents methodological triangulation and the data obtained from the study represents a primary source of data.   The study revealed that all the three generational groups (Baby Boomers, GEN Xers and   GEN Yers) places higher emphasis or priority on financial incentives (high salary and bonuses) over any other incentives when respondents were asked to indicate the reward they prefer most. But when rewards were considered as a total package profile, greater number of  the baby boomers placed more emphasis or priority on packages with highly flexible pension benefits, long term job security and high internal promotions eventhough the salary and bonus components of the packages (profile) were not that attract. The GEN X and GEN Y groups still maintained their reward package profile preferences based on  high financial incentives, training and learning opportunities, personal growth and career advancement.   The study revealed that aside the high preferences for financial incentives such as high salary and bonuses by all the generational groups, few of the  GEN X and GEN Y also exhibited other preferences such as high personal growth, flexible work schedule, attractive company policy and administration, career advancement, working environment, job security and praises and recognition of which the baby boomers did not indicate any preferences or interest.   The study revealed that all the three generational groups (Baby Boomers, GEN X and GEN Y) consider high salary and bonuses as factor which causes employee dissatisfaction when not satisfied or available but when they are satisfied or available also do not motivate or cause satisfaction and thus  confirming Herzberg Two-Factor theory that  factors such as salary or remuneration, job security, working conditions and company policies  only prevent employee dissatisfaction.   The study revealed that all generational groups (baby boomers, GEN X and GEN Y) consider high salaries and bonuses as factor which could lead to lack of satisfaction and motivation of the employee in his current role or position when not available or satisfied and thus this finding confirm the traditional belief that pay is prime, or in some cases the only source of motivation but contradict Herzberg claim that  pay (high salaries and bonuses) is only an extrinsic factor and that when is available or satisfied, pay does not bring satisfaction and motivation but rather prevents dissatisfaction.   The study revealed that GSB/PL rewards systems basically comprises of extrinsic rewards such as high salary levels (pay increases), a bonus scheme,  training  and learning opportunities, job security, Stock options, Retirement/Pension benefits such as social security and provident fund,  promotions,  attractive company policies and administration, praises and recognition, good working environment, flexible work schedule,  Long service awards and benefits such as housing, Health insurance, Vacation/Annual leave benefits, transportation/bussing service, messing (provision of meals to employees only when at work), and educational benefits (for employees dependants).   The study also revealed that the design and implementation of GSB/PL reward systems involves four distinct phases: assessment, design, execution and evaluation phases.   In the end, a suitable conclusion was drawn and a number of recommendations proposed to be implemented by the mining company in safeguarding the interest of both employees and the employer.

This study seeks to explore anorexia nervosa as experienced within the South African coloured community in the specific. It represents an examination of themes within the participants’ depictions, discovering those themes that concur with existent literature, as well as discerning novel themes within the target group. Literature proves to yield varied results with regard to anorexia as presented in diverse cultures. Sufficient awareness is lacking within the South African context, where a scarcity of available literature that explores the experiences of the coloured anorexic individual necessitates the need for the current study. The contributing factors are viewed to involve societal, cultural, and familial aspects, all of which are situated within a systemic frame of reference. Systems theory provides the foundation within which these factors are explored, aiming to provide the reader with in-depth knowledge as to the functioning of the anorectic patient. It should be noted that these factors are interconnected, influencing each other in a circular manner. Attention is awarded to not only larger systems of societal and cultural influences, but also serves to encompass the functioning of the anorectic within the familial system. The reciprocity that exists within and between sub-systems is investigated, with the focus being the interrelatedness between members. Recursive feedback and associated processes are examined as they relate to the development and maintenance of anorexia. A qualitative research design was applied, where semi-structured interviews served as the chosen data collection strategy. Interviews were conducted at the hospital where they received treatment, and aimed to extract the meanings inherent in the participants’ experiences. A limited availability of diagnosed coloured anorexic individuals resulted in two willing participants partaking in the study. Thematic networks enabled the researcher to explore their representations in depth, leading to the subsequent organising of themes for further analysis. Two global themes emerged upon examination, the first of which was identified as “familial impact and patterns”, consisting of organising themes of relational positioning and interactional processes. Organising themes of expectations and internal emotional states constitute the second global theme of “control”. These themes are supported by a variety of basic themes, all of which serve to enhance the understanding of the organising themes, contributing to the respective global themes. Extensive exploration of the discovered themes followed, with the investigation proceeding within a systems theory framework. A conclusive discussion serves the purpose of bringing the exploration to a close. Relevant literature is incorporated into the discussion, providing the reader with an integrated understanding of the findings of the study within the broader field of anorexia nervosa. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

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