8,799 research outputs found
Challenges of implementing customer discovery in learning analytics: a case study of Algole
There is a strong mismatch between demand and supply in current state of higher education in India. Over a million students aspire for a seat in the coveted top tier universities offering around 15 000 places. The students have to undergo a series of entrance examinations and based on their performance top candidates are offered a place. This gap between demand and supply has given birth to a highly competitive environment where students reach out to professional coaching institutions to improve their chances of success in the entrance examinations. The teaching methods of the coaching institutions do not consider the characteristics of different students and do not provide guidance based on the students actual needs. Algole, a learning analytics startup, is building a system to optimize students test taking strategy and help them achieve a higher score in the entrance examination. To validate the problem and solution the Algole’s team used the knowledge of Eric Ries’ Lean startup and Steve Blank’s customer development methodology.
This aim of this thesis is to discover the specific challenges of implementing customer discovery methodology, the first of customer development, in the field of learning analytics. The thesis further concentrates on Algole with an aim to discover flaws in their conducted customer discovery process and provide critique and recommendations for validating their business model hypothesis. To conduct this research authors had access to all the data Algole’s team had gathered during their customer discovery process and held several interviews with the team members. Based on this information a detailed account is given about the chosen methods used by Algole and by analysing gathered data the authors of this thesis derive to the following conclusions.http://www.ester.ee/record=b4442244*es
Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 338)
This bibliography lists 139 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during June 1990. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and psychology, life support systems and controlled environments, safety equipment, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, and flight crew behavior and performance
CHARTING PROGRESS IN THE SOFTWARE ACQUISITION PATHWAY
The Department of the Navy (DON) recently implemented the Department of Defense (DOD) Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP), a software acquisition strategy for custom application and embedded software. The purpose of the SWP is to enable rapid and iterative delivery of high-priority software capability to the intended user. But while the SWP uses an agile software development approach, neither the DOD nor the DON have yet provided comprehensive governance tools and methods for SWP programs to iteratively plan, track, and assess acquisition outcomes in agile environments. To close this gap, the author systematically researched commercial software engineering management and digital product development practices as well as prior DOD software acquisition reform studies. Based on the results, the author showed that Earned Value Management is incompatible with the SWP and recommended alternative techniques to measure cost and schedule performance. Additionally, the author recommended a phased approach to manage DON SWP custom application programs, whereby a minimal, unitless work breakdown structure is used to track progress until demonstrating the minimum viable product to the user in a testing environment; product-based metrics are then tracked until initial release of the custom application software; and then outcome-based goals are iteratively set, tracked, and assessed using the Objectives and Key Results framework for as long as the custom application software is in use.Captain, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited
An Exploratory Study of Patient Falls
Debate continues between the contribution of education level and clinical expertise in the nursing practice environment. Research suggests a link between Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) nurses and positive patient outcomes such as lower mortality, decreased falls, and fewer medication errors. Purpose: To examine if there a negative correlation between patient falls and the level of nurse education at an urban hospital located in Midwest Illinois during the years 2010-2014? Methods: A retrospective crosssectional cohort analysis was conducted using data from the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) from the years 2010-2014. Sample: Inpatients aged ≥ 18 years who experienced a unintentional sudden descent, with or without injury that resulted in the patient striking the floor or object and occurred on inpatient nursing units. Results: The regression model was constructed with annual patient falls as the dependent variable and formal education and a log transformed variable for percentage of certified nurses as the independent variables. The model overall is a good fit, F (2,22) = 9.014, p = .001, adj. R2 = .40. Conclusion: Annual patient falls will decrease by increasing the number of nurses with baccalaureate degrees and/or certifications from a professional nursing board-governing body
Lean transformation methodology and implementation in biopharmaceutical operations
Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemical Engineering; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-78).Amgen's Operations division is responsible for the production, release and distribution of commercial and clinical products. Due to industry consolidation, impending competition and revenue impacts, Amgen is facing the need to rapidly improve the Operations division and align different manufacturing sites. In order to achieve these goals, the Operations Improvement group is leading an initiative to bring about a lean transformation of Amgen's operations.This thesis analyzes the initial operational excellence efforts underway within Amgen Operations. The analysis includes an overview of the process by which the continuous improvement methodology and strategy were constructed, the creation of a training curriculum and the initial implementation of the continuous improvement methodology at specific manufacturing sites. In addition, the thesis explores the environment in which this program operates and the cultural and business drivers that support and detract from the efforts.The following conclusions were developed as a result of the analysis of the lean transformation efforts at Amgen. First, company and industry specific nomenclature is essential to make lean principles contextually relevant for the biopharmaceutical industry. Additionally, relevant metrics are needed to facilitate multi-site alignment and drive the desired behavior. Finally, continuous improvement efforts can effectively leverage a science-based culture by applying it to a new business context.by Adam Daniel Villa.S.M.M.B.A
USING MODEL-BASED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING TO IMPROVE PROCESS MANAGEMENT IN THE DOD
Every engineering organization within the DOD relies on documented processes, but few have access to modern process-management resources to assist in the development and the sustainment of their processes. This thesis proposes leveraging existing systems-engineering resources to offer the DOD’s engineering workforce a modern digital process-management solution. The thesis begins with a literature review of existing process-management techniques and uses this research, along with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) practices, to tailor an existing systems engineering methodology for digital process management. The MBSE process-management methodology proposed in this thesis provides the DOD engineering workforce with increased collaborative, modeling, traceability, and simulation capabilities over the traditional process-management practices in use.
The effectiveness of the MBSE process-management methodology presented in this thesis was demonstrated through a case study conducted on a DOD process used to accept critical safety items for DOD use. Through the application of the MBSE process-management methodology, performance improvement goals set at the beginning of the case study by the process stakeholders were met and exceeded. Based on the results of the case study, it is the recommendation of this thesis that MBSE practices, already prevalent within the DoD engineer workforce, be utilized to improve process management within DOD engineering organizations.Civilian, Department of the NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited
The Lean Startup Toolkit : an assembly of ready to use tools to build a Lean Startup
The Lean Startup Methodology (LSM) has become a popular approach for many early stage
startups. However, related literature is very fragmented with no clear instructions on how to
use the methodology properly.
Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to create a comprehensive and ready to use toolkit for the
LSM, which can be used by anyone who is involved in the process of starting a business.
In a first part of this thesis, the Business Model Canvas, Customer Development and Agile
Development are identified as the key principles of the LSM. After the principles have been
outlined and defined, the section continues to describe the logic of how the different
principles interconnect with each other throughout the Lean Startup process.
In a second and main section of the thesis, the three key principles are explained separately in
greater detail. Every principle is linked to a set of specific tools and examples of how to
facilitate their usage successfully are described. Those tools do not only draw on known
approaches of the LSM, but also new methods from adjacent areas have been analyzed,
adapted and applied for a comprehensive analysis.
In conclusion, the thesis developed a ready to use toolkit, which comprises the newest
adaption on the original Lean Startup manifesto and combined new and old concepts with
practical examples. Herewith, the hampering gaps between theory and practice, which were
not yet closed through the already presently available literature, have been closed.A metodologia de Lean Startup tem vindo a tornar-se numa abordagem popular para muitas
startups em fase inicial. No entanto, a literatura disponível é bastante fragmentada e não
apresenta instruções claras sobre a metodologia de abordagem correcta.
Consequentemente, o objectivo desta tese é criar uma ferramenta completa e de fácil
utilização para o LMS, de forma a poder ser utilizada, por qualquer pessoa, no
desenvolvimento inicial de um negócio.
Na primeira parte deste trabalho o Modelo de Negócio Canvas, Desenvolvimento do Cliente e
Agile são identificados como princípios fundamentais do LSM. Posteriormente aos princípios
terem sido identificados e delineados, segue-se uma descrição lógica de como os diferentes
princípios se interconectam através do processo de Lean Startup.
Na segunda, e principal secção da tese, os três princípios principais são explicados
separadamente com mais profundo. Cada princípio está ligado a um conjunto específico de
ferramentas, que são descritos com exemplos de utilização sucedidas. Estas ferramentas não
são só baseadas em abordagens conhecidas, mas também em novos métodos de áreas
adjacentes foram analisadas, adaptadas e aplicadas de forma a conduzir uma análise mais
abrangente.
Em conclusão, esta tese desenvolveu uma ferramenta pronta a utilizar, que inclui a mais
recente adaptação do original método de Lean Startup e a combinação de novos e antigos
conceitos com exemplos práticos. Com este trabalho as limitações que dificultaram a teoria e
prática, que ainda não foram abordadas e resolvidas na existente literatura, foram
solucionadas
Value creation in the product development process
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, February 2002.Includes bibliographical references (p. 106-110).by James P. Chase.S.M
The entrepreneurial journey of founding an impactful, local, and transparent fashion brand - partnerships & company acceleration
This work project discusses the development of the hybrid D2C business “meiæs”. meiæs is a
local, transparent, and impactful fashion brand producing socks and donating five percent of its
revenues to the Hope Zones Foundation. This foundation focuses on preserving and protecting
the ocean, with a special focus on Portugal’s coasts. Starting with developing a business model
using the Lean Business Model Canvas by Maurya (2010), the authors cover essential aspects
such as the problem and solution definition, market size, sales and marketing channels, and
team. Eventually, hypotheses are developed which are rejected or accepted in the individual
parts. The authors’ main findings were that meiæs was not able to achieve product-market-fit
yet due to the immaturity of the business but will most probably achieve it in the near future
once the first batch of socks has sold out. Moreover, using short-form videos (reels) on
Instagram are the most effective form of advertising, and enlarging the company’s network can
increase future funding and partnership opportunities. Lastly, meiæs socks were found to be
more sustainable due to their low raw material CO2 footprint of only 1kg per pair of socks
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