A virtual exhibition of open source software for libraries

Frequently the choice of a library management program is conditioned by social, economic and/or political factors that result in the selection of a system that is not altogether suitable for the library’s needs, characteristics and functions. Open source software is quickly becoming a preferred solution, owing to the freedom to copy, modify and distribute it and the freedom from contracts, as well as for greater opportunities for interoperability with other applications. These new trends regarding open source software in libraries are also reflected in LIS studies, as evidenced by the different courses addressing automated programs, repositorymanagement, including the Linux/GNU operating system, among others. The combination of the needs of the centres and the new trends for open source software is the focus of a virtual laboratory for the use of open source software for library applications. It was the result of a project, whose aim was to make a useful contribution to the library community, that was carried out by a group of professors of the School of Library and Information Science of the University of Barcelona, together with a group of students, members of a Working Group on Open Source Software for Information Professionals, of the Professional Library Association of Catalonia.

IMRT credentialing for prospective trials using institutional virtual phantoms: results of a joint European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer and Radiological Physics Center project.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) credentialing for a EORTC study was performed using an anthropomorphic head phantom from the Radiological Physics Center (RPC; RPCPH). Institutions were retrospectively requested to irradiate their institutional phantom (INSTPH) using the same treatment plan in the framework of a Virtual Phantom Project (VPP) for IMRT credentialing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT data set of the institutional phantom and measured 2D dose matrices were requested from centers and sent to a dedicated secure EORTC uploader. Data from the RPCPH and INSTPH were thereafter centrally analyzed and inter-compared by the QA team using commercially available software (RIT; ver.5.2; Colorado Springs, USA). RESULTS: Eighteen institutions participated to the VPP. The measurements of 6 (33%) institutions could not be analyzed centrally. All other centers passed both the VPP and the RPC ±7%/4 mm credentialing criteria. At the 5%/5 mm gamma criteria (90% of pixels passing), 11(92%) as compared to 12 (100%) centers pass the credentialing process with RPCPH and INSTPH (p = 0.29), respectively. The corresponding pass rate for the 3%/3 mm gamma criteria (90% of pixels passing) was 2 (17%) and 9 (75%; p = 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: IMRT dosimetry gamma evaluations in a single plane for a H&N prospective trial using the INSTPH measurements showed agreement at the gamma index criteria of ±5%/5 mm (90% of pixels passing) for a small number of VPP measurements. Using more stringent, criteria, the RPCPH and INSTPH comparison showed disagreement. More data is warranted and urgently required within the framework of prospective studies.

A Multi-Project Scheduling Procedure for Transportation Projects, Part II, HR-339, 1994

The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) has been requiring Critical Path Method (CPM) schedules on some larger or more schedule sensitive projects. The Office of Construction's expectations for enhanced project control and improved communication of project objectives have not been fully met by the use of CPM. Recognizing that the current procedures might not be adequate for all projects, IDOT sponsored a research project to explore the state-of-the-art in transportation scheduling and identify opportunities for improvement. The first phase of this project identified a technique known as the Linear Scheduling Method (LSM) as an alternative to CPM on certain highway construction projects. LSM graphically displays the construction process with respect to the location and the time in which each activity occurs. The current phase of this project was implemented to allow the research team the opportunity to evaluate LSM on all small groups of diverse projects. Unlike the first phase of the project, the research team was closely involved in the project from early in the planning phase throughout the completion of the projects. The research strongly suggests that the linear scheduling technique has great potential as a project management tool for both contractors and IDOT personnel. However, before this technique can become a viable weapon in the project management arsenal, a software application needs to be developed. This application should bring to linear scheduling a degree of functionality as rich and as comprehensive as that found in microcomputer based CPM software on the market today. The research team recommends that the IDOT extend this research effort to include the development of a linear scheduling application.

Evaluación y optimización de los servicios de un taller de mantenimiento mediante el software de simulación ARENA

Debido a la necesidad de diferenciarse y hacer frente a la competencia, las empresas han apostado por desarrollar operaciones que den valor al cliente, por eso muchas de ellas han visto en las herramientas lean la oportunidad para mejorar sus operaciones. Esta mejora implica la reducción de dinero, personas, equipos grandes, inventario y espacio, con dos objetivos: eliminar despilfarro y reducir la variabilidad. Para conseguir los objetivos estratégicos de la empresa es imprescindible qué éstos estén alineados con los planes de la gerencia a nivel medio y a su vez con el trabajo realizado por los empleados para asegurar que cada persona está alineada en la misma dirección y al mismo tiempo. Ésta es la filosofía de la planificación estratégica. Por ello uno de los objetivos de este proyecto será el desarrollar una herramienta que facilite la exposición de los objetivos de la empresa y la comunicación de los mismos a todos los niveles de la organización para a partir de ellos y tomando como referencia la necesidad de reducir inventarios en la cadena de suministro se realizará un estudio de la producción de un componente de control del aerogenerador para conseguir nivelarla y reducir su inventario de producto terminado. Los objetivos particulares en este apartado serán reducir el inventario en un 28%, nivelar la producción reduciendo la variabilidad del 31% al 24%, mantener un stock máximo de 24 unidades garantizando el suministro ante una demanda variable, incrementar la rotación del inventario en un 10% y establecer un plan de acción para reducir el lead time entre un 40-50%. Todo ello será posible gracias a la realización del mapa de valor presente y futuro para eliminar desperdicios y crear un flujo continuo y el cálculo de un supermercado que mantenga el stock en un nivel óptimo.

Smart antennas in software radio base stations

The application of adaptive antenna techniques to fixed-architecture base stations has been shown to offer wide-ranging benefits, including interference rejection capabilities or increased coverage and spectral efficiency.Unfortunately, the actual implementation ofthese techniques to mobile communication scenarios has traditionally been set back by two fundamental reasons. On one hand, the lack of flexibility of current transceiver architectures does not allow for the introduction of advanced add-on functionalities. On the other hand, theoften oversimplified models for the spatiotemporal characteristics of the radio communications channel generally give rise toperformance predictions that are, in practice, too optimistic. The advent of software radio architectures represents a big step toward theintroduction of advanced receive/transmitcapabilities. Thanks to their inherent flexibilityand robustness, software radio architecturesare the appropriate enabling technology for theimplementation of array processing techniques.Moreover, given the exponential progression ofcommunication standards in coexistence andtheir constant evolution, software reconfigurabilitywill probably soon become the only costefficientalternative for the transceiverupgrade. This article analyzes the requirementsfor the introduction of software radio techniquesand array processing architectures inmultistandard scenarios. It basically summarizesthe conclusions and results obtained withinthe ACTS project SUNBEAM,1 proposingalgorithms and analyzing the feasibility ofimplementation of innovative and softwarereconfigurablearray processing architectures inmultistandard settings.

Software Process Modeling with Eclipse Process Framework

The software development industry is constantly evolving. The rise of the agile methodologies in the late 1990s, and new development tools and technologies require growing attention for everybody working within this industry. The organizations have, however, had a mixture of various processes and different process languages since a standard software development process language has not been available. A promising process meta-model called Software & Systems Process Engineering Meta- Model (SPEM) 2.0 has been released recently. This is applied by tools such as Eclipse Process Framework Composer, which is designed for implementing and maintaining processes and method content. Its aim is to support a broad variety of project types and development styles. This thesis presents the concepts of software processes, models, traditional and agile approaches, method engineering, and software process improvement. Some of the most well-known methodologies (RUP, OpenUP, OpenMethod, XP and Scrum) are also introduced with a comparison provided between them. The main focus is on the Eclipse Process Framework and SPEM 2.0, their capabilities, usage and modeling. As a proof of concept, I present a case study of modeling OpenMethod with EPF Composer and SPEM 2.0. The results show that the new meta-model and tool have made it possible to easily manage method content, publish versions with customized content, and connect project tools (such as MS Project) with the process content. The software process modeling also acts as a process improvement activity.

Dynamic Runtime Variation and Branding in S60 Software

Diplomityössä tutkitaan keinoja brändätä ja varioida S60-ohjelmistoja dynaamisesti ja ajonaikaisesti. S60 on kehitysalusta, jota käyttävät useat puhelinvalmistajat ja heidän puhelimiaan käyttävät lukuisat eri operaattorit. Operaattorit haluavat puhelimiensa tai osan puhelimen sovelluksista erottuvan kilpailijoista heidän omalla brändillään ja tämän takia täytyy olla keinot joko koko puhelimen, tai valittujen sovellusten brändäykselle. Osa sovelluksista saatetaan haluta vaihtavan käytettyä brändiä sen käyttämien resurssien, kuten verkkopalvelimen, mukaan. Variointidataa tulee myös pystyä jakamaan eri sovellusten tai sovellusten osien kesken. Työssä esitellään Symbian käyttöjärjestelmä ja S60 kehitysympäristö, sekä pohditaan Symbianin turvallisuuskäytäntöjen tuomia haasteita variointidatan jakamiseen eri sovellusten välillä. Olemassaolevia variointitapoja tutkitaan työn mahdolliseksi pohjaksi. Työ sisältää esittelyn projektista, jossa kehitettiin erään S60 sovelluksen dynaaminen brändäystoteutus, joka myös mahdollistaa variointidatan jakamisen eri sovellusten kanssa.

Re-usable ASIC integrationverification software architecture

Mikropiirien valmistus- ja suunnittelutekniikoiden kehittyminen mahdollistaa yhä monimutkaisempien mikropiirien valmistamisen. Piirien verifioinnista onkin tullut prosessin aikaa vievin osa,sillä kompleksisuuden kasvaessa kasvaa verifioinnin tarve eksponentiaalisesti. Vaikka erinäisiä strategioita piirien integroinnin verifiointiin on esitetty, mm. verifioinnin jakaminen koko suunnitteluprosessin ajalle, jopa yli puolet koko piirin suunnitteluun ja valmistukseen käytetystä työmäärästä kuluu verifiointiin. Uudelleenkäytettävät komponentit ovat pääosassa piirin suunnittelussa, mutta verifioinnissa uudelleenkäytettävyyttä ei ole otettu kunnolla käyttöön ainakaan verifiointiohjelmistojen osalta. Tämä diplomityö esittelee uudelleenkäytettävän mikropiirien verifiointiohjelmistoarkkitehtuurin, jolla saadaan verifiointitaakkaa vähennettyä poistamalla verifioinnissa käytettävien ohjelmistojen uudelleensuunnittelun ja toteuttamisen tarvetta.

Improving globally distributed software development and support processes - A workflow view

We propose a new approach and related indicators for globally distributed software support and development based on a 3-year process improvement project in a globally distributed engineering company. The company develops, delivers and supports a complex software system with tailored hardware components and unique end-customer installations. By applying the domain knowledge from operations management on lead time reduction and its multiple benefits to process performance, the workflows of globally distributed software development and multitier support processes were measured and monitored throughout the company. The results show that the global end-to-end process visibility and centrally managed reporting at all levels of the organization catalyzed a change process toward significantly better performance. Due to the new performance indicators based on lead times and their variation with fixed control procedures, the case company was able to report faster bug-fixing cycle times, improved response times and generally better customer satisfaction in its global operations. In all, lead times to implement new features and to respond to customer issues and requests were reduced by 50%.

Procurement in Project Implementation

Tutkimus keskittyy hankintatoimen kehittämiseen osana laitosprojektien toteutusta. Työ pohjautuu empiiriseltä taustaltaan Pöyry Oyj:n projektiliiketoimintaan ja työn tarkastelunäkökulmaksi onvalittu projektihallinnosta vastaavan yrityksen näkökulma. Tutkimus on hyvin käytännönläheinen ¿ se lähtee hankinnan ja sen seurannan ongelmista ja pyrkii tarjoamaan niihin uudenlaisia ratkaisuja. Pohjimmiltaan tutkimus kuuluu teollisuustalouden piiriin, vaikka tietojärjestelmätieteellä on vahva tukirooli. Työn tavoitteet ja tulokset liittyvät teollisuustaloudelle ominaisesti yrityksen toiminnan kehittämiseen, käytetyt välineet ja ratkaisut puolestaan hyödyntävät tietojärjestelmätieteen antamia mahdollisuuksia. Tutkimuksessa on käytetty konstruktiivista tutkimusotetta, jonka mukaisesti on luotu innovatiivisia konstruktioita ratkaisemaan aitoja reaalimaailman ongelmia ja tätä kautta tuotettu kontribuutioita teollisuustaloudelle. Tavoitteena oli järjestää hankintatoimi ja sen seuranta suurissa laitosprojekteissa tehokkaammin. Tätä varten uudistettiin ensin projektihallinnon ja hankintatoimen toimintaohjeet vastaamaan paremmin nykyajan vaatimuksia. Toimintaohjeiden perusteella ryhdyttiin toteuttamaan hankintaohjelmistoa, joka pystyisi kattamaan kaikki toimintaohjeissa kuvatut piirteet. Lopulta hankintaohjelmisto toi mukanaan uusia piirteitä projektihallintoon ja hankintatoimeen ja nämä sisällytettiin toimintaohjeisiin. Tähän kehitystyöhön ryhdyttiin, jotta laitosprojektien projektihallinto ja hankintatoimi toimisivat paremmin, eli pienemmin kustannuksin tuottaen projekteissa tarvittavat tulokset nopeammin, tarkemmin ja laadukkaammin. Tutkimuksella on kolmenlaisia tuloksia: hankintatoimen parannetut metodit, hankintaohjelmiston pohjana olevat toiminta- ja laskentamallit sekä implementaationa hankintasovellus. Uudistetut projekti- ja hankintaohjeet kuvaavat hankintatoiminnan parannettuja metodeja. Hankintaohjelmistoasuunnitellessa ja kehitettäessä tehdyt kuvaukset sisältävät uusia malleja niin hankintaprosessille kuin hankinnan seuraamiseksi suurissa laitosprojekteissa. Itse ohjelmisto on tuloksena implementaatio, joka perustuu parannettuihin hankintametodeihin ja uusiin toiminta- ja laskentamalleihin. Uudistetut projekti- ja hankintaohjeet ovat olleet käytössä Pöyry Oyj:ssä vuodesta 1991. Vuosien varrella nämä toimintaohjeet ovat auttaneet ja tukeneet satojen laitosprojektientoteutusta ja ylläpitäneet Pöyry Oyj:n kilpailukykyä kansainvälisenä projektitalona. Hankintasovellus puolestaan on ollut käytössä useissa projekteissa ja sen on havaittu pienentävän hankintatoimen suoria työkustannuksia laitosprojekteissa. Sovelluksen katsotaan myös tuovan epäsuoria kustannussäästöjä parempien hankintapäätösten muodossa, mutta näiden säästöjen suuruutta ei pystytä luotettavasti arvioimaan.

Project Success through Effective Decisions: Case Studies on Project Goal Setting, Success Evaluation and Managerial Decision Making

The objective of the thesis is to structure and model the factors that contribute to and can be used in evaluating project success. The purpose of this thesis is to enhance the understanding of three research topics. The goal setting process, success evaluation and decision-making process are studied in the context of a project, business unitand its business environment. To achieve the objective three research questionsare posed. These are 1) how to set measurable project goals, 2) how to evaluateproject success and 3) how to affect project success with managerial decisions.The main theoretical contribution comes from deriving a synthesis of these research topics which have mostly been discussed apart from each other in prior research. The research strategy of the study has features from at least the constructive, nomothetical, and decision-oriented research approaches. This strategy guides the theoretical and empirical part of the study. Relevant concepts and a framework are composed on the basis of the prior research contributions within the problem area. A literature review is used to derive constructs of factors withinthe framework. They are related to project goal setting, success evaluation, and decision making. On the basis of this, the case study method is applied to complement the framework. The empirical data includes one product development program, three construction projects, as well as one organization development, hardware/software, and marketing project in their contexts. In two of the case studiesthe analytic hierarchy process is used to formulate a hierarchical model that returns a numerical evaluation of the degree of project success. It has its origin in the solution idea which in turn has its foundation in the notion of projectsuccess. The achieved results are condensed in the form of a process model thatintegrates project goal setting, success evaluation and decision making. The process of project goal setting is analysed as a part of an open system that includes a project, the business unit and its competitive environment. Four main constructs of factors are suggested. First, the project characteristics and requirements are clarified. The second and the third construct comprise the components of client/market segment attractiveness and sources of competitive advantage. Together they determine the competitive position of a business unit. Fourth, the relevant goals and the situation of a business unit are clarified to stress their contribution to the project goals. Empirical evidence is gained on the exploitation of increased knowledge and on the reaction to changes in the business environment during a project to ensure project success. The relevance of a successful project to a company or a business unit tends to increase the higher the reference level of project goals is set. However, normal performance or sometimes performance below this normal level is intentionally accepted. Success measures make project success quantifiable. There are result-oriented, process-oriented and resource-oriented success measures. The study also links result measurements to enablers that portray the key processes. The success measures can be classified into success domains determining the areas on which success is assessed. Empiricalevidence is gained on six success domains: strategy, project implementation, product, stakeholder relationships, learning situation and company functions. However, some project goals, like safety, can be assessed using success measures that belong to two success domains. For example a safety index is used for assessing occupational safety during a project, which is related to project implementation. Product safety requirements, in turn, are connected to the product characteristics and thus to the product-related success domain. Strategic success measures can be used to weave the project phases together. Empirical evidence on their static nature is gained. In order-oriented projects the project phases are oftencontractually divided into different suppliers or contractors. A project from the supplier's perspective can represent only a part of the ¿whole project¿ viewed from the client's perspective. Therefore static success measures are mostly used within the contractually agreed project scope and duration. Proof is also acquired on the dynamic use of operational success measures. They help to focus on the key issues during each project phase. Furthermore, it is shown that the original success domains and success measures, their weights and target values can change dynamically. New success measures can replace the old ones to correspond better with the emphasis of the particular project phase. This adjustment concentrates on the key decision milestones. As a conclusion, the study suggests a combination of static and dynamic success measures. Their linkage to an incentive system can make the project management proactive, enable fast feedback and enhancethe motivation of the personnel. It is argued that the sequence of effective decisions is closely linked to the dynamic control of project success. According to the used definition, effective decisions aim at adequate decision quality and decision implementation. The findings support that project managers construct and use a chain of key decision milestones to evaluate and affect success during aproject. These milestones can be seen as a part of the business processes. Different managers prioritise the key decision milestones to a varying degree. Divergent managerial perspectives, power, responsibilities and involvement during a project offer some explanation for this. Finally, the study introduces the use ofHard Gate and Soft Gate decision milestones. The managers may use the former milestones to provide decision support on result measurements and ad hoc critical conditions. In the latter milestones they may make intermediate success evaluation also on the basis of other types of success measures, like process and resource measures.

On Effort Estimation in Software Projects

Software engineering is criticized as not being engineering or 'well-developed' science at all. Software engineers seem not to know exactly how long their projects will last, what they will cost, and will the software work properly after release. Measurements have to be taken in software projects to improve this situation. It is of limited use to only collect metrics afterwards. The values of the relevant metrics have to be predicted, too. The predictions (i.e. estimates) form the basis for proper project management. One of the most painful problems in software projects is effort estimation. It has a clear and central effect on other project attributes like cost and schedule, and to product attributes like size and quality. Effort estimation can be used for several purposes. In this thesis only the effort estimation in software projects for project management purposes is discussed. There is a short introduction to the measurement issues, and some metrics relevantin estimation context are presented. Effort estimation methods are covered quite broadly. The main new contribution in this thesis is the new estimation model that has been created. It takes use of the basic concepts of Function Point Analysis, but avoids the problems and pitfalls found in the method. It is relativelyeasy to use and learn. Effort estimation accuracy has significantly improved after taking this model into use. A major innovation related to the new estimationmodel is the identified need for hierarchical software size measurement. The author of this thesis has developed a three level solution for the estimation model. All currently used size metrics are static in nature, but this new proposed metric is dynamic. It takes use of the increased understanding of the nature of the work as specification and design work proceeds. It thus 'grows up' along with software projects. The effort estimation model development is not possible without gathering and analyzing history data. However, there are many problems with data in software engineering. A major roadblock is the amount and quality of data available. This thesis shows some useful techniques that have been successful in gathering and analyzing the data needed. An estimation process is needed to ensure that methods are used in a proper way, estimates are stored, reported and analyzed properly, and they are used for project management activities. A higher mechanism called measurement framework is also introduced shortly. The purpose of the framework is to define and maintain a measurement or estimationprocess. Without a proper framework, the estimation capability of an organization declines. It requires effort even to maintain an achieved level of estimationaccuracy. Estimation results in several successive releases are analyzed. It isclearly seen that the new estimation model works and the estimation improvementactions have been successful. The calibration of the hierarchical model is a critical activity. An example is shown to shed more light on the calibration and the model itself. There are also remarks about the sensitivity of the model. Finally, an example of usage is shown.

A Semantic wiki for quality management in software development projects

Quality management has become a strategic issue for organisations and is very valuable to produce quality software. However, quality management systems (QMS) are not easy to implement and maintain. The authors' experience shows the benefits of developing a QMS by first formalising it using semantic web ontologies and then putting them into practice through a semantic wiki. The QMS ontology that has been developed captures the core concepts of a traditional QMS and combines them with concepts coming from the MPIu'a development process model, which is geared towards obtaining usable and accessible software products. Then, the ontology semantics is directly put into play by a semantics-aware tool, the Semantic MediaWiki. The developed QMS tool is being used for 2 years by the GRIHO research group, where it has manages almost 50 software development projects taking into account the quality management issues. It has also been externally audited by a quality certification organisation. Its users are very satisfied with their daily work with the tool, which manages all the documents created during project development and also allows them to collaborate, thanks to the wiki features.

VariScan Software

VariScan is a software package for the analysis of DNA sequence polymorphisms at the whole genome scale. Among other features, the software:(1) can conduct many population genetic analyses; (2) incorporates a multiresolution wavelet transform-based method that allows capturing relevant information from DNA polymorphism data; and (3) it facilitates the visualization of the results in the most commonly used genome browsers.

Selected Aspects Related to Pre-development Stages of International Software projects. Case of Finland and Russia

The question of Pilot Project creation, due to support pre-development stage of software product elaboration, nowadays might be used as an approach, which allows improving the whole scheme of information technology project running. This subject is not new, but till now no model has been presented, which gives deep description of this important stage on the early phase of project. This Master's Thesis represents the research's results and findings concerning the pre-development study from the Software Engineering point of view. The aspects of feasibility study, pilot prototype developments are analyzed in this paper. As the result, the technique of Pilot Project is formulated and scheme has been presented. The experimental part is focused on particular area Pilot Project scheme's implementation- Internationally Distributed Software projects. The specific characteristic, aspects, obstacles, advantages and disadvantages are considered on the example of cross border region of Russia and Finland. The real case of Pilot Project technique implementation is given.