THE INTERACTION BETWEEN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INFORMATION ON RELATIONAL DATA SEARCH

People often use tools to search for information. In order to improve the quality of an information search, it is important to understand how internal information, which is stored in user’s mind, and external information, represented by the interface of tools interact with each other. How information is distributed between internal and external representations significantly affects information search performance. However, few studies have examined the relationship between types of interface and types of search task in the context of information search. For a distributed information search task, how data are distributed, represented, and formatted significantly affects the user search performance in terms of response time and accuracy. Guided by UFuRT (User, Function, Representation, Task), a human-centered process, I propose a search model, task taxonomy. The model defines its relationship with other existing information models. The taxonomy clarifies the legitimate operations for each type of search task of relation data. Based on the model and taxonomy, I have also developed prototypes of interface for the search tasks of relational data. These prototypes were used for experiments. The experiments described in this study are of a within-subject design with a sample of 24 participants recruited from the graduate schools located in the Texas Medical Center. Participants performed one-dimensional nominal search tasks over nominal, ordinal, and ratio displays, and searched one-dimensional nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio tasks over table and graph displays. Participants also performed the same task and display combination for twodimensional searches. Distributed cognition theory has been adopted as a theoretical framework for analyzing and predicting the search performance of relational data. It has been shown that the representation dimensions and data scales, as well as the search task types, are main factors in determining search efficiency and effectiveness. In particular, the more external representations used, the better search task performance, and the results suggest the ideal search performance occurs when the question type and corresponding data scale representation match. The implications of the study lie in contributing to the effective design of search interface for relational data, especially laboratory results, which are often used in healthcare activities.

GlycoSuiteDB: a new curated relational database of glycoprotein glycan structures and their biological sources

GlycoSuiteDB is a relational database that curates information from the scientific literature on glyco­protein derived glycan structures, their biological sources, the references in which the glycan was described and the methods used to determine the glycan structure. To date, the database includes most published O-linked oligosaccharides from the last 50 years and most N-linked oligosaccharides that were published in the 1990s. For each structure, information is available concerning the glycan type, linkage and anomeric configuration, mass and composition. Detailed information is also provided on native and recombinant sources, including tissue and/or cell type, cell line, strain and disease state. Where known, the proteins to which the glycan structures are attached are reported, and cross-references to the SWISS-PROT/TrEMBL protein sequence databases are given if applicable. The GlycoSuiteDB annotations include literature references which are linked to PubMed, and detailed information on the methods used to determine each glycan structure are noted to help the user assess the quality of the structural assignment. GlycoSuiteDB has a user-friendly web interface which allows the researcher to query the database using mono­isotopic or average mass, monosaccharide composition, glycosylation linkages (e.g. N- or O-linked), reducing terminal sugar, attached protein, taxonomy, tissue or cell type and GlycoSuiteDB accession number. Advanced queries using combinations of these parameters are also possible. GlycoSuiteDB can be accessed on the web at http://www.glycosuite.com.

Improving behaviour classification consistency: a technique from biological taxonomy

Quantitative behaviour analysis requires the classification of behaviour to produce the basic data. In practice, much of this work will be performed by multiple observers, and maximising inter-observer consistency is of particular importance. Another discipline where consistency in classification is vital is biological taxonomy. A classification tool of great utility, the binary key, is designed to simplify the classification decision process and ensure consistent identification of proper categories. We show how this same decision-making tool - the binary key - can be used to promote consistency in the classification of behaviour. The construction of a binary key also ensures that the categories in which behaviour is classified are complete and non-overlapping. We discuss the general principles of design of binary keys, and illustrate their construction and use with a practical example from education research.

Final report implementation of relational management

Construction teams and construction organisations have their own distinctive cultures. There also exists an infrastructure, both social and contractual, which ensures that these projects within which the teams operate are completed successfully. It is these issues which this research has addressed. The project was instigated by Queensland Department of Main Roads, Public Works and John Holland Group in order to address how they might better implement relationship management (RM) on their construction projects. The project was devised initially in order to facilitate a change in culture which would allow the project to be run in a relational manner and would lead to effective performance in terms of the KPIs that the organisations set for themselves, described as business better than usual. This report describes the project, its outcomes and deliverable and indicates the changes that were made to the project during the research process. Hence, the initial premise of the project and the problem to investigate was the implementation of relational contracting: • throughout a range of projects; • with a focus on client body staff. The additions that were made to the project, and documented in the variations to the project, included two major additional areas of study: • client management and stakeholder management; • a live case study of an alliancing project. The context within which the research was undertaken is important. The research was driven by main roads with their desire to improve their operations by focusing on the relationship between the major project participants (however, stakeholder and client organisation management became an obvious issue as the research progressed, hence the variations). The context was initially focussed on main roads, public works and John Holland group organisations but it became clear very quickly that this was in fact an industry-wide issue and not an issue specific solely to the project participants. Hence, the context within which this research took place can be described as below: The deliverables from the project are a toolkit for determining RM needs in an organisation, a monograph describing the practical implementation of RM and the outline for a RM CPD and Masters course

Report a review of the concepts and definitions of the various forms of relational contracting

Partnering has been defined in many ways. It can be considered as an individual project mechanism or can be considered as a long term strategy. Alliancing is normally assumed to be a long term business strategy linking together client, contractor and supply chain. Relational contracting goes further than this and brings in the whole philosophy of the value chain and the linking of the interdependent parts within the construction project as a key business objective. This document aims to review existing definitions of these three concepts and present and overview of the current state of-the-art in terms of their use and implementation. The document should be useful for all of those project team members looking to sharpen their understanding of the various concepts and will also provide a platform for debating the current state of the definitions and implementations being used in Main Roads and Public Works Departments.

The role of relational capabilities in developing the capacity for supply chain innovation

The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the types of relational capabilities supply chain participants develop to enable ongoing supply chain innovation capacity building that produces improved business outcomes. This is exploratory research using qualitative data gathered by using five interviews, with the Australian road freight industry as the context. Two key relational capabilities and the improvement of four key business outcomes were identified as being present in the interaction of freight transport service providers with members of their supply chain. The data also demonstrates that by entering into competence building relationships with customers and suppliers firms can build capabilities that will increase their capacity for supply chain innovation. Even in short term arm’s length relationships firms can acquire improved skills behaviours and practices that enhance their operation effectiveness and the efficiency of the supply chain relationships.

Assessing the structure of learning outcomes from counselling using the SOLO taxonomy: an exploratory study

Thirty-five clients who had received counselling completed a letter to a friend describing in as much detail as possible what they had learned from counselling. The participants' written responses were analysed and classified using the Structure of Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy. The results suggested that an expanded SOLO offers a promising and exciting way to view the outcomes of counselling within a learning framework. If the SOLO taxonomy is found to be stable in subsequent research, and clients are easily able to be classified using the taxonomy, then this approach may have implications for the process of counselling. To maximise the learning outcomes, counsellors could use strategies and techniques to enhance their clients' learning.

What’s in a handshake? Exploring business-to-business relational exchange

Despite its importance in the development of competitive advantage, attempts to unify diverse classifications of business-to-business relational exchange have been largely unsuccessful. We used 18 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with managers from a wide range of industries to explain the business-to-business relational exchange construct. Analysis of the data revealed that business-to-business relational exchange comprises five key dimensions. These are communication, compatibility, commitment, trust and power symmetry. The research highlights the importance of personal interaction in business relationships and provided additional insights into the importance of affective commitment. In addition we reveal a number of negative consequences of affective commitment, which have been previously unexplored. A new conceptual model of business-to-business relational exchange is presented, which synthesises these findings and directs future research.

Sharing knowledge at work : macro, social and relational individual influences on individual behavior

The impact of relations between an organization and its workers and the relations among workers on individual knowledge generation and sharing practices has not, to date, been addressed in an integrated way. This paper discusses the findings of a study analyzing issues at macro, locally-constructed and micro levels in a public sector organization, to identify and integrate the complex sets of mediators. Key factors were found to include (a) the contested nature of the process of knowledge construction, (b) the worker’s experience of the organization’s internal environment, (c) how the organization is understood to value knowledge sharing, (d) relations with colleagues, and (e) the perceived outcomes of knowledge sharing behaviors. Implications for practice are discussed.

Generative systems as relational bridges

Generative media systems present an opportunity for users to leverage computational systems to make sense of complex media forms through interactive and collaborative experiences. Generative music and art are a relatively new phenomenon that use procedural invention as a creative technique to produce music and visual media. These kinds of systems present a range of affordances that can facilitate new kinds of relationships with music and media performance and production. Early systems have demonstrated the potential to provide access to collaborative ensemble experiences to users with little formal musical or artistic expertise. This paper examines the relational affordances of these systems evidenced by selected field data drawn from the Network Jamming Project. These generative performance systems enable access to unique ensemble with very little musical knowledge or skill and they further offer the possibility of unique interactive relationships with artists and musical knowledge through collaborative performance. In this presentation I will focus on demonstrating how these simulated experiences might lead to understandings that may be of educational and social benefit. Conference participants will be invited to jam in real time using virtual interfaces and to view video artifacts that demonstrate an interactive relationship with artists.