Acompanhamento das ouvidorias do governo do estado de São Paulo

Trabalho elaborado de acordo com o termo de referência acordado entre FGV e Secretaria de Gestão Pública, cujo objetivo é analisar e propor melhorias ao relatório semestral das Ouvidorias Públicas do Estado de São Paulo. O relatório semestral é uma compilação das informações de todas as ouvidorias de todos os órgãos públicos estaduais, contempla as reclamações e manifestações recebidas por cada um dos órgãos e é elaborado pela Secretaria de Gestão Pública (SGP). O trabalho contempla a análise do relatório e dos processos relacionados à sua elaboração. Procurou-se entender: o papel institucional das Ouvidorias Públicas como representantes do cidadão, apesar da falta de independência frente aos Poder Executivo; os tipos de análise feitos no relatório semestral, que contemplam apresentações e comparações quantitativas que não consideram as realidades de órgãos e períodos distintos; o fluxo da informação, desde a manifestação do cidadão até a confecção do relatório, com diferentes e pouco integrados canais de entrada, sistema de TI subutilizado, e alta incidência de cidadãos que utilizam a ouvidoria como fonte de informação; os ouvidores, coordenados informalmente pela SGP e com percepções diferentes de sua função. A partir da análise, foram feitas sugestões para a Secretaria de Gestão Pública melhorar relatório semestral das ouvidorias, envolvendo uma melhor forma da apresentação das informações, a padronização de formas de contato, o incentivo à participação, a orientação por meio dos sites institucionais do Governo do Estado, a melhoria dos sistemas de TI, de coordenação e de governança.

Análisis de la influencia del régimen de neutro en la compatibilidad electromagnética en edificios hospitalarios y propuesta de una nueva técnica correctora

La presente tesis aborda el estudio de los distintos regímenes de neutro de las instalaciones de baja tensión, comúnmente llamados sistemas de puesta a tierra, desde un doble punto de vista, con el objetivo final de establecer un estándar justificado para un posterior desarrollo normativo, y de diseño que facilite la operación y funcionamiento de la instalación eléctrica y de comunicaciones en los sistemas hospitalarios. En una primera parte de la tesis se detallará que aunque hay muchos estudios teórico-prácticos sobre la elección del régimen de neutro en base a criterios operativos y puramente eléctricos, criterios como seguridad frente a accidentes eléctricos, o en términos de disponibilidad, mantenimiento o fiabilidad, esas recomendaciones no se han trasladado de manera directa a la legislación española salvo en el caso de Salas de Intervención donde se obliga a un sistema IT. Por eso se justificará como una primera técnica correctora de un inadecuado funcionamiento electromagnético en Hospitales el establecer una propuesta de marco normativo donde se fijen los tipos de puesta a tierra en función del uso y tipología del edificio desde un punto de vista eléctrico Por otra parte, la influencia de los distintos regímenes de neutro en la transmisión de señales (compatibilidad magnética) no ha sido estudiada en toda su profundidad, no existiendo ni marco normativo obligado ni estudios en profundidad sobre estas afecciones. Por tanto y en una segunda parte de la tesis se propondrá como medida correctora para mejorar el funcionamiento electromagnético de un hospital qué el régimen de neutro TN-S es más respetuoso con el funcionamiento de los equipos de electromedicina que alberga en su interior, estableciendo así mismo una propuesta de norma que regule este diseño. En definitiva se justifica que es posible generar por diseño inicial de la red eléctrica, mediante un régimen de neutro TN-S, un contexto electromagnético óptimo para el funcionamiento del sistema hospitalario que no se logra con otras opciones contempladas en la normativa española. ABSTRACT This thesis deals with the study of various ground grid systems of low voltage installations, commonly called grounding systems, from two points of view, with the ultimate goal of establishing a standard justified from a policy perspective and design to facilitate the operation and functioning of the electrical system and hospital communications systems. In the first part of the thesis will be detailed that although there are many theoretical and practical studies on the choice of the neutral system based on operational criteria and purely electric, criteria such as safety against electrical accidents, or in terms of availability, maintenance and reliability, these recommendations have not been transferred directly to the Spanish legislation except in Intervention Rooms where a IT system is required. So be justified as a first corrective technique improper operation electromagnetic Hospitals proposal to establish a regulatory framework where ground types depending on the use and type of building are set from an electrical point of view . Moreover, the influence of the different regimes neutral signaling (magnetic compatibility) has not been studied in any depth, there being neither forced nor depth studies on these conditions regulatory framework. Thus in a second part of the thesis will be justified as a corrective measure to improve the electromagnetic performance of a hospital which the neutral TN-S is more respectful of the performance of medical electrical equipment housed in its interior, thus establishing same a proposed rule governing this design. Ultimately it is possible to generate justified by initial design of the grid, using a neutral system TN-S, electromagnetic optimal context for the operation of the hospital system is not achieved with other legal options in Spain.

Sistema de gestión de infraestructuras de telecomunicaciones

Las infraestructuras de telecomunicaciones son las que forman la capa física para la transmisión de la información de la que se componen las comunicaciones. Según el modelo OSI la capa física se encarga de convertir la trama que recibe (del nivel de enlace) en una serie de bits que envía a través del medio de transmisión correspondiente hacia el sistema destino, liberando a la capa superior de las funciones que imponga la naturaleza particular del medio de transmisión que se utilice. Para ello define las características mecánicas, eléctricas y funcionales de la interconexión al medio físico estableciendo además una interfaz con su capa superior (el nivel de enlace). Dependiendo del medio y el modo de transmisión así como de la topología de la red, el tipo de codificación y configuración de la línea y el tipo de comunicación deseada se requiere de un equipamiento u otro, por lo que la infraestructura de comunicaciones cambia. La complejidad de las redes de comunicaciones (multitud de servicios a multitud de destinos) hace que la gestión de la capa física (o de infraestructura) de las comunicaciones sea un reto difícil para los gestores de las telecomunicaciones en las empresas u organismos públicos. Ya que conseguir una correcta administración de las infraestructuras de telecomunicaciones es un factor clave para garantizar la calidad del servicio, optimizar los tiempos de provisión a los clientes y minimizar la indisponibilidad de la red ante incidencias. Si bien existen diferentes herramientas para la gestión de las telecomunicaciones la mayoría de estas soluciones contempla de manera limitada la capa física, dejando a los gestores con una multitud de aproximaciones, más o menos manuales, para entender y conocer qué pasa en su red a nivel físico y lo que puede ser aún más grave, sin la capacidad de reacción rápida ante la aparición de una incidencia. Para resolver este problema se hace necesaria la capacidad de gestión extremo a extremo de los circuitos y de todas sus conexiones intermedias. Esto es, se necesita implantar una metodología que modele la red de comunicaciones de manera que se pueda representar en un sistema informático y sobre él facilitar la gestión de los circuitos físicos y de sus infraestructuras asociadas. Por ello, la primera parte del proyecto consistirá en la descripción del tipo de infraestructura de telecomunicaciones a gestionar, el estudio de las soluciones actuales de gestión de red y el análisis de las estrategias que se están considerando para permitir la gestión de la capa física. La segunda parte estará dedicada a la definición de una metodología para la representación de la capa física en un sistema informático, de manera que se proporcione una solución completa a las organizaciones para la gestión eficaz de su infraestructura de telecomunicaciones. Y la tercera parte se centrará en la realización de un ejemplo real (piloto) de implantación de esta metodología para un proyecto concreto de una red de comunicaciones. Con objeto de mostrar las prestaciones de la solución propuesta. ABSTRACT. Telecommunications infrastructures have the physical layer component for the transfer of data. As defined in OSI model the physical layer performs the conversion of data received to binary digits which are sent through the transmission devices towards the target system, thus freeing the top layer from defining the functional specifics of each device used. This requires the full definition of the mechanical, electrical and functional features within the physical environment and the implementation of an interface with the top layer. Dependencies on the environment and the transmission modes as well as the network’s topology, the type of protocol and the line’s configuration and the type of communication selected provide specific requirements which define the equipment needed. This may also require changes in the communications environment. Current networks’ complexity (many different types of services to many nodes) demand an efficient management of the physical layer and the infrastructure in enterprises and the public sector agencies thus becoming a challenging task to the responsible for administering the telecommunications infrastructure which is key to provide high quality of service with the need to avoid any disruption of service. We have in the market different tools supporting telecommunications management but most of these solutions have limited functionality for the physical layer, leaving to administrators with the burden of executing manual tasks which need to be performed in order to attain the desired level of control which facilitates the decision process when incidents occur. An adequate solution requires an end to end capacity management of the circuits and all intermediate connections. We must implement a methodology to model the communications network to be able of representing an entire IT system to manage circuitry and associated infrastructure components. For the above purpose, the first part of the Project includes a complete description of the type of communications infrastructure to manage, the study of the current solutions available in network management and an analysis of the strategies in scope for managing the physical layer. The second part is dedicated to the definition of a methodology for the presentation of the physical layer in an IT system with the objective of providing a complete solution to the responsible staffs for efficiently managing a telecommunications infrastructure. The third part focuses on the deployment of a pilot using this methodology in a specific project performed on a communications network. Purpose is to show the deliverables of the proposed solution.

An ICT-based closed-loop model to improve care for heart failure patients

Durante las últimas décadas se ha producido un fenómeno global de envejecimiento en la población. Esta tendencia se puede observar prácticamente en todos los países del mundo y se debe principalmente a los avances en la medicina, y a los descensos en las tasas de fertilidad y mortalidad. El envejecimiento de la población tiene un gran impacto en la salud de los ciudadanos, y a menudo es la causa de aparición de enfermedades crónicas. Este tipo de enfermedades supone una amenaza y una carga importantes para la sociedad, especialmente en aspectos como la mortalidad o los gastos en los sistemas sanitarios. Entre las enfermedades cardiovasculares, la insuficiencia cardíaca es probablemente la condición con mayor prevalencia y afecta a 23-26 millones de personas en todo el mundo. Normalmente, la insuficiencia cardíaca presenta un mal pronóstico y una tasa de supervivencia bajas, en algunos casos peores que algún tipo de cáncer. Además, suele ser la causa de hospitalizaciones frecuentes y es una de las enfermedades más costosas para los sistemas sanitarios. La tendencia al envejecimiento de la población y la creciente incidencia de las enfermedades crónicas están llevando a una situación en la que los sistemas de salud no son capaces de hacer frente a la demanda de la sociedad. Los servicios de salud existentes tendrán que adaptarse para ser efectivos y sostenibles en el futuro. Es necesario identificar nuevos paradigmas de cuidado de pacientes, así como mecanismos para la provisión de servicios que ayuden a transformar estos sistemas sanitarios. En este contexto, esta tesis se plantea la búsqueda de soluciones, basadas en las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC), que contribuyan a realizar la transformación en los sistemas sanitarios. En concreto, la tesis se centra en abordar los problemas de una de las enfermedades con mayor impacto en estos sistemas: la insuficiencia cardíaca. Las siguientes hipótesis constituyen la base para la realización de este trabajo de investigación: 1. Es posible definir un modelo basado en el paradigma de lazo cerrado y herramientas TIC que formalice el diseño de mejores servicios para pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca. 2. El modelo de lazo cerrado definido se puede utilizar para definir un servicio real que ayude a gestionar la insuficiencia cardíaca crónica. 3. La introducción, la adopción y el uso de un servicio basado en el modelo definido se traducirá en mejoras en el estado de salud de los pacientes que sufren insuficiencia cardíaca. a. La utilización de un sistema basado en el modelo de lazo cerrado definido mejorará la experiencia del usuario de los pacientes. La definición del modelo planteado se ha basado en el estándar ISO / EN 13940- Sistema de conceptos para dar soporte a la continuidad de la asistencia. Comprende un conjunto de conceptos, procesos, flujos de trabajo, y servicios como componentes principales, y representa una formalización de los servicios para los pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca. Para evaluar el modelo definido se ha definido un servicio real basado en el mismo, además de la implementación de un sistema de apoyo a dicho servicio. El diseño e implementación de dicho sistema se realizó siguiendo la metodología de Diseño Orientado a Objetivos. El objetivo de la evaluación consistía en investigar el efecto que tiene un servicio basado en el modelo de lazo cerrado sobre el estado de salud de los pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca. La evaluación se realizó en el marco de un estudio clínico observacional. El análisis de los resultados ha comprendido métodos de análisis cuantitativos y cualitativos. El análisis cuantitativo se ha centrado en determinar el estado de salud de los pacientes en base a datos objetivos (obtenidos en pruebas de laboratorio o exámenes médicos). Para realizar este análisis se definieron dos índices específicos: el índice de estabilidad y el índice de la evolución del estado de salud. El análisis cualitativo ha evaluado la autopercepción del estado de salud de los pacientes en términos de calidad de vida, auto-cuidado, el conocimiento, la ansiedad y la depresión, así como niveles de conocimiento. Se ha basado en los datos recogidos mediante varios cuestionarios o instrumentos estándar (i.e. EQ-5D, la Escala de Ansiedad y Depresión (HADS), el Cuestionario de Cardiomiopatía de Kansas City (KCCQ), la Escala Holandesa de Conocimiento de Insuficiencia Cardíaca (DHFKS), y la Escala Europea de Autocuidado en Insuficiencia Cardíaca (EHFScBS), así como cuestionarios dedicados no estandarizados de experiencia de usuario. Los resultados obtenidos en ambos análisis, cuantitativo y cualitativo, se compararon con el fin de evaluar la correlación entre el estado de salud objetivo y subjetivo de los pacientes. Los resultados de la validación demostraron que el modelo propuesto tiene efectos positivos en el cuidado de los pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca y contribuye a mejorar su estado de salud. Asimismo, ratificaron al modelo como instrumento válido para la definición de servicios mejorados para la gestión de esta enfermedad. ABSTRACT During the last decades we have witnessed a global aging phenomenon in the population. This can be observed in practically every country in the world, and it is mainly caused by the advances in medicine, and the decrease of mortality and fertility rates. Population aging has an important impact on citizens’ health and it is often the cause for chronic diseases, which constitute global burden and threat to the society in terms of mortality and healthcare expenditure. Among chronic diseases, Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) or Heart Failure (HF) is probably the one with highest prevalence, affecting between 23 and 26 million people worldwide. Heart failure is a chronic, long-term and serious condition with very poor prognosis and worse survival rates than some type of cancers. Additionally, it is often the cause of frequent hospitalizations and one of the most expensive conditions for the healthcare systems. The aging trends in the population and the increasing incidence of chronic diseases are leading to a situation where healthcare systems are not able to cope with the society demand. Current healthcare services will have to be adapted and redefined in order to be effective and sustainable in the future. There is a need to find new paradigms for patients’ care, and to identify new mechanisms for services’ provision that help to transform the healthcare systems. In this context, this thesis aims to explore new solutions, based on ICT, that contribute to achieve the needed transformation within the healthcare systems. In particular, it focuses on addressing the problems of one of the diseases with higher impact within these systems: Heart Failure. The following hypotheses represent the basis to the elaboration of this research: 1. It is possible to define a model based on a closed-loop paradigm and ICT tools that formalises the design of enhanced healthcare services for chronic heart failure patients. 2. The described closed-loop model can be exemplified in a real service that supports the management of chronic heart failure disease. 3. The introduction, adoption and use of a service based on the outlined model will result in improvements in the health status of patients suffering heart failure. 4. The user experience of patients when utilizing a system based on the defined closed-loop model will be enhanced. The definition of the closed-loop model for health care support of heart failure patients have been based on the standard ISO/EN 13940 System of concepts to support continuity of care. It includes a set of concept, processes and workflows, and services as main components, and it represent a formalization of services for heart failure patients. In order to be validated, the proposed closed-loop model has been instantiated into a real service and a supporting IT system. The design and implementation of the system followed the user centred design methodology Goal Oriented Design. The validation, that included an observational clinical study, aimed to investigate the effect that a service based on the closed-loop model had on heart failure patients’ health status. The analysis of results comprised quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. The quantitative analysis was focused on determining the health status of patients based on objective data (obtained in lab tests or physical examinations). Two specific indexes where defined and considered in this analysis: the stability index and the health status evolution index. The qualitative analysis assessed the self-perception of patients’ health status in terms of quality of life, self-care, knowledge, anxiety and depression, as well as knowledge levels. It was based on the data gathered through several standard instruments (i.e. EQ-5D, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, the Dutch Heart Failure Knowledge Scale, and the European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour Scale) as well as dedicated non-standardized user experience questionnaires. The results obtained in both analyses, quantitative and qualitative, were compared in order to assess the correlation between the objective and subjective health status of patients. The results of the validation showed that the proposed model contributed to improve the health status of the patients and had a positive effect on the patients’ care. It also proved that the model is a valid instrument for designing enhanced healthcare services for heart failure patients.

Investigating the performance of MIMO systems from an electromagnetic perspective

Multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless systems use multiple element antennas (MEAs) tit the transmitter (TX) and the receiver (RX) in order to offer improved information rates (capacity) over conventional single antenna systems in rich scattering environments. In this paper, an example of a simple MIMO system is considered in which both antennas and scattering objects is are formed by wire dipoles. Such it system can be analyzed in the strict electromagnetic (EM) sense and its capacity can be determined for varying array size, interelement spacing, and distributions of scatterers. The EM model of this MIMO system can be used to assess the validity of single- or double-bounce scattering models for mixed line of sight (LOS) and non-line of sight (NLOS) signal-propagation conditions. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CloudMPL:a domain specific language for describing management policies for an autonomic cloud infrastructure

To benefit from the advantages that Cloud Computing brings to the IT industry, management policies must be implemented as a part of the operation of the Cloud. Among others, for example, the specification of policies can be used for the management of energy to reduce the cost of running the IT system or also for security policies while handling privacy issues of users. As cloud platforms are large, manual enforcement of policies is not scalable. Hence, autonomic approaches for management policies have recently received a considerable attention. These approaches allow specification of rules that are executed via rule-engines. The process of rules creation starts by the interpretation of the policies drafted by high-rank managers. Then, technical IT staff translate such policies to operational activities to implement them. Such process can start from a textual declarative description and after numerous steps terminates in a set of rules to be executed on a rule engine. To simplify the steps and to bridge the considerable gap between the declarative policies and executable rules, we propose a domain-specific language called CloudMPL. We also design a method of automated transformation of the rules captured in CloudMPL to the popular rule-engine Drools. As the policies are changed over time, code generation will reduce the time required for the implementation of the policies. In addition, using a declarative language for writing the specifications is expected to make the authoring of rules easier. We demonstrate the use of the CloudMPL language into a running example extracted from a management energy consumption case study.

Progettazione e Sviluppo di un Sistema di Proactive Alerting all'interno di una piattaforma di Big Data Analytics

Il lavoro presentato in questo elaborato tratterà lo sviluppo di un sistema di alerting che consenta di monitorare proattivamente una o più sorgenti dati aziendali, segnalando le eventuali condizioni di irregolarità rilevate; questo verrà incluso all'interno di sistemi già esistenti dedicati all'analisi dei dati e alla pianificazione, ovvero i cosiddetti Decision Support Systems. Un sistema di supporto alle decisioni è in grado di fornire chiare informazioni per tutta la gestione dell'impresa, misurandone le performance e fornendo proiezioni sugli andamenti futuri. Questi sistemi vengono catalogati all'interno del più ampio ambito della Business Intelligence, che sottintende l'insieme di metodologie in grado di trasformare i dati di business in informazioni utili al processo decisionale. L'intero lavoro di tesi è stato svolto durante un periodo di tirocinio svolto presso Iconsulting S.p.A., IT System Integrator bolognese specializzato principalmente nello sviluppo di progetti di Business Intelligence, Enterprise Data Warehouse e Corporate Performance Management. Il software che verrà illustrato in questo elaborato è stato realizzato per essere collocato all'interno di un contesto più ampio, per rispondere ai requisiti di un cliente multinazionale leader nel settore della telefonia mobile e fissa.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS IN NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY: A PROJECT GOVERNANCE PERSPECTIVE

The universities rely on the Information Technology (IT) projects to support and enhance their core strategic objectives of teaching, research, and administration. The researcher’s literature review found that the level of IT funding and resources in the universities is not adequate to meet the IT demands. The universities received more IT project requests than they could execute. As such, universities must selectively fund the IT projects. The objectives of the IT projects in the universities vary. An IT project which benefits the teaching functions may not benefit the administrative functions. As such, the selection of an IT project is challenging in the universities. To aid with the IT decision making, many universities in the United States of America (USA) have formed the IT Governance (ITG) processes. ITG is an IT decision making and accountability framework whose purpose is to align the IT efforts in an organization with its strategic objectives, realize the value of the IT investments, meet the expected performance criteria, and manage the risks and the resources (Weil & Ross, 2004). ITG in the universities is relatively new, and it is not well known how the ITG processes are aiding the nonprofit universities in selecting the right IT projects, and managing the performance of these IT projects. This research adds to the body of knowledge regarding the IT project selection under the governance structure, the maturity of the IT projects, and the IT project performance in the nonprofit universities. The case study research methodology was chosen for this exploratory research. The convenience sampling was done to choose the cases from two large, research universities with decentralized colleges, and two small, centralized universities. The data were collected on nine IT projects from these four universities using the interviews and the university documents. The multi-case analysis was complemented by the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to systematically analyze how the IT conditions lead to an outcome. This research found that the IT projects were selected in the centralized universities in a more informed manner. ITG was more authoritative in the small centralized universities; the ITG committees were formed by including the key decision makers, the decision-making roles, and responsibilities were better defined, and the frequency of ITG communication was higher. In the centralized universities, the business units and colleges brought the IT requests to ITG committees; which in turn prioritized the IT requests and allocated the funds and the resources to the IT projects. ITG committee members in the centralized universities had a higher awareness of the university-wide IT needs, and the IT projects tended to align with the strategic objectives. On the other hand, the decentralized colleges and business units in the large universities were influential and often bypassed the ITG processes. The decentralized units often chose the “pet” IT projects, and executed them within a silo, without bringing them to the attention of the ITG committees. While these IT projects met the departmental objectives, they did not always align with the university’s strategic objectives. This research found that the IT project maturity in the university could be increased by following the project management methodologies. The IT project management maturity was found higher in the IT projects executed by the centralized university, where a full-time project manager was assigned to manage the project, and the project manager had a higher expertise in the project management. The IT project executed under the guidance of the Project Management Office (PMO) has exhibited a higher project management maturity, as the PMO set the standards and controls for the project. The IT projects managed by the decentralized colleges by a part-time project manager with lower project management expertise have exhibited a lower project management maturity. The IT projects in the decentralized colleges were often managed by the business, or technical leads, who often lacked the project management expertise. This research found that higher the IT project management maturity, the better is the project performance. The IT projects with a higher maturity had a lower project delay, lower number of missed requirements, and lower number of IT system errors. This research found that the quality of IT decision in the university could be improved by centralizing the IT decision-making processes. The IT project management maturity could be improved by following the project management methodologies. The stakeholder management and communication were found critical for the success of the IT projects in the university. It is hoped that the findings from this research would help the university leaders make the strategic IT decisions, and the university’s IT project managers make the IT project decisions.

Towards Automated Business Process Deduction through a Social and Collaborative Platform

Part 12: Collaboration Platforms

HVAC system size – getting it right

There is evidence that many heating, ventilating & air conditioning (HVAC) systems, installed in larger buildings, have more capacity than is ever required to keep the occupants comfortable. This paper explores the reasons why this can occur, by examining a typical brief/design/documentation process. Over-sized HVAC systems cost more to install and operate and may not be able to control thermal comfort as well as a “right-sized” system. These impacts are evaluated, where data exists. Finally, some suggestions are developed to minimise both the extent of, and the negative impacts of, HVAC system over-sizing, for example: • Challenge “rules of thumb” and/or brief requirements which may be out of date. • Conduct an accurate load estimate, using AIRAH design data, specific to project location, and then resist the temptation to apply “safety factors • Use a load estimation program that accounts for thermal storage and diversification of peak loads for each zone and air handling system. • Select chiller sizes and staged or variable speed pumps and fans to ensure good part load performance. • Allow for unknown future tenancies by designing flexibility into the system, not by over-sizing. For example, generous sizing of distribution pipework and ductwork will allow available capacity to be redistributed. • Provide an auxiliary tenant condenser water loop to handle high load areas. • Consider using an Integrated Design Process, build an integrated load and energy use simulation model and test different operational scenarios • Use comprehensive Life Cycle Cost analysis for selection of the most optimal design solutions. This paper is an interim report on the findings of CRC-CI project 2002-051-B, Right-Sizing HVAC Systems, which is due for completion in January 2006.

The philosophy and practice of water sensitive urban design : is it consistent with a whole system approach

This paper provides a critique of the Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) paradigm by discussing its congruence with an established sustainable design principle called 'whole system design'. It was found that WSUD is congruent with the whole system design approach as a philosophy, but not in practice. Future improvement of WSUD practice may depend on the adoption of a front-loaded, teamwork-based design and planning process that is embedded in the principle of whole system design.

Understanding IT value : a multilevel, complex, and adaptive system perspective

One remaining difficulty in the Information Technology (IT) business value evaluation domain is the direct linkage between IT value and the underlying determinants of IT value or surrogates of IT value. This paper proposes a research that examines the interacting effects of the determinants of IT value, and their influences on IT value. The overarching research question is how those determinants interact with each other and affect the IT value at organizational value. To achieve this, this research embraces a multilevel, complex, and adaptive system view, where the IT value emerges from the interacting of underlying determinants. This research is theoretically grounded on three organizational theories – multilevel theory, complex adaptive systems theory, and adaptive structuration theory. By integrating those theoretical paradigms, this research proposes a conceptual model that focuses on the process where IT value is created from interactions of those determinants. To answer the research question, agent-based modeling technique is used in this research to build a computational representation based on the conceptual model. Computational experimentation will be conducted based on the computational representation. Validation procedures will be applied to consolidate the validity of this model. In the end, hypotheses will be tested using computational experimentation data.

The strength of the system and my experiences of it, was that in fact, oddly enough, it was actually a very collaborative enterprise already

Video:35 mins, 2006. The video shows a group of performers in a studio and seminar situation. Individually addressing the camera they offer personal views and experiences of their own art production in relation to the institution, while reflecting on their role as teachers. The performance scripts mainly originate from a series of real interviews with a diverse group of artist teachers, who emphasise the collaborative, performative and subversive nature of teaching. These views may seems symptomatic for contemporary art practices, but are ultimately antagonistic to the ongoing commodification of the system of art education.