<p>When discussing the value of an information technology (IT) system, the most common approach is to take on the perspective of either the organization introducing the IT system or the end users. The purpose of this thesis has been to study the values of both stakeholder groups in order to define what system characteristics are the most desirable from a dual-stakeholder point of view.</p><p>Through a series of contextual inquiries, interviews and questionnaires, the value perceptions of end users and IT managers at a large European rail operator were investigated. The results of the study point to a high degree of similarity in the value perceptions of end users and IT managers, although the former were generally focused on short-term value while the latter also were concerned about long-term, sustaining value.</p><p>The findings are applicable to practitioners wishing to take a dual perspective on IT value as well as academics looking to find touch points between usability and business strategy. In the context of end users and IT managers, the most important system characteristics that maximize value for both stakeholder groups were found to be Availability, Recoverability, Efficiency, Reliability and Future Proofness.</p>

When discussing the value of an information technology (IT) system, the most common approach is to take on the perspective of either the organization introducing the IT system or the end users. The purpose of this thesis has been to study the values of both stakeholder groups in order to define what system characteristics are the most desirable from a dual-stakeholder point of view. Through a series of contextual inquiries, interviews and questionnaires, the value perceptions of end users and IT managers at a large European rail operator were investigated. The results of the study point to a high degree of similarity in the value perceptions of end users and IT managers, although the former were generally focused on short-term value while the latter also were concerned about long-term, sustaining value. The findings are applicable to practitioners wishing to take a dual perspective on IT value as well as academics looking to find touch points between usability and business strategy. In the context of end users and IT managers, the most important system characteristics that maximize value for both stakeholder groups were found to be Availability, Recoverability, Efficiency, Reliability and Future Proofness.

This doctoral thesis deals with the type of architecture that materializes when age-related problems become a long-term condition (LTC) and gradually restrain the individual’s ability to perform activities in daily life (ADL). Their life situation necessitates a support from relatives or municipal eldercare staff in order for them to continue to participate in everyday living. In addition, the architectural space requires a close adjustment to the personal panorama of cognitive or functional impairments. The habitat can be a flat appropriated many years previously or in a residential care home for dependent and frail seniors. Architecture for ageing with dependency demonstrates how space can be used either to affirm or oppress the older person’s attempts to maintain an independent life style. By use of design theory, case study methodology and a heterogeneous research strategy, this study uses a threefold approach—a retrospective, a contemporaneous, and a future-oriented approach—to explore frail older people’s interaction with the architectural space of residential care homes. This has resulted in seven papers that focus on aspects of these human interactions with the built environment. Based on twelve exemplary models, the research paper I concludes that national guidelines result in a homelike, a hotel-like or a hospital-like environment. Research paper II is a retrospective study that examines the use of architecture competitions as a socio-political instrument to define architectural guidelines. Research paper III focuses on dependent seniors’ spatial appropriation of the communally shared space of a ward in a residential care home. Research paper IV employs two environmental assessment methods from the architecture profession and gerontological research (TESS-NH) in order to evaluate the use of interior colouring when refurbishing two residential care homes while the residents remained in place. Research paper V displays a municipal organizer’s considerations to opt for an architecture competition as a means of renewing architecture for the ageing population. Research paper VI examines competition documentation of three municipal architecture competitions organized during the period of 2006 to 2009. Research paper VII, the final study, explores notions concerning the appropriate space for ageing found among a group of municipal representatives, and people from organizations defending older people’s right. It supplies a model for understanding the appropriate space for ageing. This study illustrates the absence of older people with frailties in the public discussion about appropriate architecture for ageing. During the 20th century, the multi-dimensional idea of an architectural space with a homelike appearance has been used to contrast the negatively charged opposite—the complete and austere institution. The overarching conclusion of this study is that architecture for dependent and frail seniors constitutes a particular type of built space that requires an extended dialogue involving dependent seniors, architects, building contractors and care planners in order to conceive appropriate architecture for the ageing society. / QC 20110921

[pt] Valores de usuário são um fator importante no design de software, mas nem sempre são considerados de forma explícita no processo de design. Ao tomar decisões de design, valores de usuários podem se perder junto aos viéses dos designers relacionados a seus próprios valores. Para evitar esse problema, este trabalho estuda a integração de valores de usuários com técnicas de design rationale, especificamente Questões, Opções e Critérios (QOC), e como essa integração é refletida em um artefato de design resultante (um diagrama de interação usando MoLIC). Conduzimos dois estudos separados com estudantes de Ciência da Computação no Rio de Janeiro. No primeiro estudo, vimos que valores de usuários podem ser integrados com design rationale usando notações informais, como circulando ou sublinhando as opções ou critérios associados a valores de usuários. As decisões tomadas com o método QOC usando valores de usuário resultaram em impactos relevantes nos diagramas MoLIC. Participantes que realizaram as atividades para usuários com valores bem definidos tiveram resultados mais ricos do que aqueles com usuários mais genéricos. No segundo estudo, vimos que designers conseguem reconhecer quando valores de usuários são incorporados em artefatos de design. Esses resultados são estimulantes para continuar a pesquisar valores de usuários, com possibilidades de desenvolver novos métodos ou de atualizar técnicas e notações existentes, como QOC ou MoLIC, para dar suporte a valores de usuários. / [en] User values are a significant part of designing software, but are not always considered explicitly in the design process. When making design decisions, user values can get lost among the designers own biases regarding their values. To avoid this pitfall, this work studies the integration of user values with design rationale techniques, namely Questions, Options, and Criteria (QOC), and how this integration reflects on a resulting design artifact (in particular, an interaction diagram using MoLIC). We performed two separate studies with Computer Science students in Rio de Janeiro. In the first study, we found that user values can be integrated into design rationale using informal notations, such as circling or underlining the options or criteria related to user values. The decisions made with the QOC method using user values did result in relevant impacts on MoLIC diagrams. Participants who performed activities for users with strong values had richer results than those for more generic users. In a second study, we found that designers can recognize when user values are embedded into design artifacts. These results are encouraging to continue research regarding user values, with possibilities of developing new methods or updating existing techniques and notations such as QOC or MoLIC to explicitly support user values.