Derivation and consistency checking of models in early software product line engineering

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Informática

Business plan analysis of a Brazilian software company

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

How enterprise 2,0 firms take advantage of emergent social software platforms to manage knowledge

This research aims to provide a better understanding on how firms stimulate knowledge sharing through the utilization of collaboration tools, in particular Emergent Social Software Platforms (ESSPs). It focuses on the distinctive applications of ESSPs and on the initiatives contributing to maximize its advantages. In the first part of the research, I have itemized all types of existing collaboration tools and classify them in different categories according to their capabilities, objectives and according to their faculty for promoting knowledge sharing. In the second part, and based on an exploratory case study at Cisco Systems, I have identified the main applications of an existing enterprise social software platform named Webex Social. By combining a qualitative and quantitative approach, as well as combining data collected from survey’s results and from the analysis of the company’s documents, I am expecting to maximize the outcome of this investigation and reduce the risk of bias. Although effects cannot be universalized based on one single case study, some utilization patterns have been underlined from the data collected and potential trends in managing knowledge have been observed. The results of the research have also enabled identifying most of the constraints experienced by the users of the firm’s social software platform. Utterly, this research should provide a primary framework for firms planning to create or implement a social software platform and for firms willing to increase adoption levels and to promote the overall participation of users. It highlights the common traps that should be avoided by developers when designing a social software platform and the capabilities that it should inherently carry to support an effective knowledge management strategy.

O uso do software de edição áudio Audacity 2.0.5: aprendizagens decorrentes da sua utilização

Contém CD com áudio como anexo

Proposta de um modelo de medição e análise da satisfação de clientes em empresas de software : caso prático do ambiente business-to-business

Os estudos da satisfação e lealdade do cliente em ambiente Business-to-Business têm emergido devido ao interesse práctico e académico. Recorreu-se a um caso práctico de uma empresa de software internacional, ESRI, a operar em Portugal com modelo de negócio B2B e comportamento de compra extensivo. Desenvolveu-se um modelo estrutural com 11 variáveis latentes: lealdade; satisfação; imagem; atmosfera; cooperação; adaptação; processos; tecnologia; orientação ao cliente; competências; colaboradores e comunicação. Foram analisadas 304 respostas ao questionário de satisfação e de seguida aplicou-se o modelo a seis grupos de clientes segmentados de acordo com a contribuição do cliente para as receitas e o comportamento no processo de decisão de compra. Recorreu-se a modelos SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) com estimação dos parâmetros através da metodologia PLS (partial Least Squares). Os resultados mostram nos seis segmentos, que os valores da empresa, a cooperação através da competência dos colaboradores e da orientação ao cliente e a tecnologia são factores mais importantes para a satisfação e lealdade dos clientes.

Benchmarking therapeutic drug monitoring software: A review of available computer tools

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) aims to optimize treatments by individualizing dosage regimens based on the measurement of blood concentrations. Dosage individualization to maintain concentrations within a target range requires pharmacokinetic and clinical capabilities. Bayesian calculations currently represent the gold standard TDM approach but require computation assistance. In recent decades computer programs have been developed to assist clinicians in this assignment. The aim of this survey was to assess and compare computer tools designed to support TDM clinical activities. The literature and the Internet were searched to identify software. All programs were tested on personal computers. Each program was scored against a standardized grid covering pharmacokinetic relevance, user friendliness, computing aspects, interfacing and storage. A weighting factor was applied to each criterion of the grid to account for its relative importance. To assess the robustness of the software, six representative clinical vignettes were processed through each of them. Altogether, 12 software tools were identified, tested and ranked, representing a comprehensive review of the available software. Numbers of drugs handled by the software vary widely (from two to 180), and eight programs offer users the possibility of adding new drug models based on population pharmacokinetic analyses. Bayesian computation to predict dosage adaptation from blood concentration (a posteriori adjustment) is performed by ten tools, while nine are also able to propose a priori dosage regimens, based only on individual patient covariates such as age, sex and bodyweight. Among those applying Bayesian calculation, MM-USC*PACK© uses the non-parametric approach. The top two programs emerging from this benchmark were MwPharm© and TCIWorks. Most other programs evaluated had good potential while being less sophisticated or less user friendly. Programs vary in complexity and might not fit all healthcare settings. Each software tool must therefore be regarded with respect to the individual needs of hospitals or clinicians. Programs should be easy and fast for routine activities, including for non-experienced users. Computer-assisted TDM is gaining growing interest and should further improve, especially in terms of information system interfacing, user friendliness, data storage capability and report generation.

Variability of ascending aorta diameter measurements as assessed with electrocardiography-gated multidetector computerized tomography and computer assisted diagnosis software.

Recently, morphometric measurements of the ascending aorta have been done with ECG-gated multidector computerized tomography (MDCT) to help the development of future novel transcatheter therapies (TCT); nevertheless, the variability of such measurements remains unknown. Thirty patients referred for ECG-gated CT thoracic angiography were evaluated. Continuous reformations of the ascending aorta, perpendicular to the centerline, were obtained automatically with a commercially available computer aided diagnosis (CAD). Then measurements of the maximal diameter were done with the CAD and manually by two observers (separately). Measurements were repeated one month later. The Bland-Altman method, Spearman coefficients, and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to evaluate the variability, the correlation, and the differences between observers. The interobserver variability for maximal diameter between the two observers was up to 1.2 mm with limits of agreement [-1.5, +0.9] mm; whereas the intraobserver limits were [-1.2, +1.0] mm for the first observer and [-0.8, +0.8] mm for the second observer. The intraobserver CAD variability was 0.8 mm. The correlation was good between observers and the CAD (0.980-0.986); however, significant differences do exist (P<0.001). The maximum variability observed was 1.2 mm and should be considered in reports of measurements of the ascending aorta. The CAD is as reproducible as an experienced reader.

Manual de uso del software Ocean Data View (ODV)

El presente manual de uso del software de visualización de datos “Ocean Data View” (ODV) describe la exploración, análisis y visualización de datos oceanográficos según el formato de la colección mundial de base de datos del océano “World Ocean Database” (WOD). El manual comprende 6 ejercicios prácticos donde se describe paso a paso la creación de las metavariables, la importación de los datos y su visualización mediante mapas de latitud, longitud y gráficos de dispersión, secciones verticales y series de tiempo. Se sugiere el uso extensivo del ODV para la visualización de datos oceanográficos por el personal científico del IMARPE.

Interface Implementation for GPRS/PCU Software Testing with Emulators

Jatkuvasti lisääntyvä matkapuhelinten käyttäjien määrä, internetin kehittyminen yleiseksi tiedon ja viihteen lähteeksi on luonut tarpeen palvelulle liikkuvan työaseman liittämiseksi tietokoneverkkoihin. GPRS on uusi teknologia, joka tarjoaa olemassa olevia matka- puhelinverkkoja (esim. NMT ja GSM) nopeamman, tehokkaamman ja taloudellisemman liitynnän pakettidataverkkoihin, kuten internettiin ja intranetteihin. Tämän työn tavoitteena oli toteuttaa GPRS:n paketinohjausyksikön (Packet Control Unit, PCU) testauksessa tarvittavat viestintäajurit työasemaympristöön. Aidot matkapuhelinverkot ovat liian kalliita, eikä niistä saa tarvittavasti lokitulostuksia, jotta niitä voisi käyttää GPRS:n testauksessa ohjelmiston kehityksen alkuvaihessa. Tämän takia PCU-ohjelmiston testaus suoritetaan joustavammassa ja helpommin hallittavassa ympäristössä, joka ei aseta kovia reaaliaikavaatimuksia. Uusi toimintaympäristö ja yhteysmedia vaativat PCU:n ja muiden GPRS-verkon yksiköiden välisistä yhteyksistä huolehtivien ohjelman osien, viestintäajurien uuden toteutuksen. Tämän työn tuloksena syntyivät tarvittavien viestintäajurien työasemaversiot. Työssä tarkastellaan eri tiedonsiirtotapoja ja -protokollia testattavan ohjelmiston vaateiden, toteutetun ajurin ja testauksen kannalta. Työssä esitellään kunkin ajurin toteuttama rajapinta ja toteutuksen aste, eli mitkä toiminnot on toteutettu ja mitä on jätetty pois. Ajureiden rakenne ja toiminta selvitetään siltä osin, kuin se on oleellista ohjelman toiminnan kannalta.

Offshore Sourcing in Software Development: Case Studies of Finnish-Russian Cooperation

The study examines international cooperation in product development in software development organisations. The software industry is known for its global nature and knowledge-intensity, which makes it an interesting setting to examine international cooperation in. Software development processes are increasingly distributed worldwide, but for small or even medium-sized enterprises, typical for the software industry, such distribution of operations is often possible only in association with crossing the company’s boundaries. The strategic decision-making of companies is likely to be affected by the characteristics of the industry, and this includes decisions about cooperation or sourcing. The objective of this thesis is to provide a holistic view on factors affecting decisions about offshore sourcing in software development. Offshore sourcing refers to a cooperative mode of offshoring, where a firm does not establish its own presence in a foreign country, but utilises a local supplier. The study examines product development activities that are distributed across organisational and geographical boundaries. The objective can be divided into two subtopics: general reasons for international cooperation in product development and particular reasons for cooperation between Finnish and Russian companies. The focus is on the strategic rationale at the company level, in particular in small and medium-sized enterprises. The theoretical discourse of the study builds upon the literature on international cooperation and networking, with particular focus on cooperation with foreign suppliers and within product development activities. The resource-based view is also discussed, as heterogeneity and interdependency of the resources possessed by different firms are seen as factors motivating international cooperation. Strategically, sourcing can be used to access resources possessed by an industrial network, to enhance the product development of a firm, or to optimise its cost structure. In order to investigate the issues raised by the theoretical review, two empirical studies on international cooperation in software product development have been conducted. The emphasis of the empirical part of the study is on cooperation between Finnish and Russian companies. The data has been gathered through four case studies on Finnish software development organisations and four case studies on Russian offshore suppliers. Based on the material from the case studies, a framework clarifying and grouping the factors that influence offshore sourcing decisions has been built. The findings indicate that decisions regarding offshore sourcing in software development are far more complex than generally assumed. The framework provides a holistic view on factors affecting decisions about offshore sourcing in software development, capturing the multidimensionality of motives for entering offshore cooperation. Four groups of factors emerged from the data: A) strategy-related aspects, B) aspects related to resources and capabilities, C) organisation-related aspects, and D) aspects related to the entrepreneur or management. By developing a holistic framework of decision factors, the research offers in-depth theoreticalunderstanding of offshore sourcing rationale in product development. From the managerial point of view, the proposed framework sums up the issues that a firm should pay attention to when contemplating product development cooperation with foreign suppliers. Understanding different components of sourcing decisions can lead to improved preconditions for strategising and engaging in offshore cooperation. A thorough decisionmaking process should consider all the possible benefits and risks of product development cooperation carefully.

Software product line for power converters

Työn tilaajana toimi Visedo Oy. Työn tavoitteina oli tutkia Visedo Oy:n ohjelmistokehityksen nykytila, tunnistaa seuraavat parannuskohteet ja antaa ohjeita havaittujen parannuskohteiden korjaamiseksi. Visedo Oy:n tehonmuokkain ohjelmistokehityksen nykytilaa käsiteltiin neljän valitun osa-alueen näkökulmasta: ohjelmistoarkkitehtuurityyli, komponenttipohjainen ohjelmistokehitys, ohjelmistotuotelinjojen kehitysmenetelmät ja ohjelmistovariaatioiden hallinta. Valituilla osa-alueilla havaittujen parannuskohteiden perusteella annettiin korjausehdotuksia: ohjelmistoarkkitehtuurin rakenteeseen, komponenttien jakautumiselle, komponenttien koostamiselle ja komponenttien versioinnille. Lisäksi ehdotettiin uudenlaista ohjelmistotuotelinja rakennetta, joka yhdistää kerros- ja komponenttipohjaiset arkkitehtuurityylit mahdollistaen ominaisuuksiltaan eroavien tehonmuokkain ohjelmistojen hallinnan.