A corpus-based analysis of route instructions in human-robot interaction

This paper investigates how users employ spatial descriptions to navigate a speech-enabled robot. We created a simulated environment in which users gave route instructions in a dialogic real-time interaction with a robot, which was operated by naïve participants. The ability of robot monitoring was also manipulated in two experimental conditions. The results provide evidence that the content of the instructions and strategies of the users vary depending on the conditions and demands of the interaction. As expected, the route instructions frequently were underspecified and arbitrary. The findings of this study elucidate the complexity in interpreting spatial language in HRI. However, they also point to the need for endowing mobile robots with richer dialogue resources to compensate for the uncertainties arising from language as well as the environment

An evaluation of user acceptance of a corporate intranet

Intranets represent an important organisational resource for knowledge sharing. However, as yet, there has been little research into the quality of intranets and the impact of quality on intranet user acceptance. In the study reported in this paper, an intranet quality assessment tool comprising the dimensions usability, design, and information quality, is combined with perceived usefulness and social influence from the technology acceptance literature to create an intranet acceptance model. The model is applied to the sales and marketing division of an international manufacturing company. Data is collected via a Web survey (n=131, response rate = 65.5%) and tested using the partial least squares approach to structural equation modelling. The results show that intranet quality is a significant factor in determining behavioural intention to use, although it is less important than perceived usefulness and social influence. Comments collected from respondents are used to illustrate the findings and provide an insight into user behaviour. The discussion considers the implications, future research (e.g., the role of social influence in intranet usage) and limitations. The paper rounds off with a short summary

Training of Crisis Mappers and Map Production from Multi-sensor Data: Vernazza Case Study (Cinque Terre National Park, Italy)

This aim of paper is to presents the development of a multidisciplinary project carried out by the cooperation between Politecnico di Torino and ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action). The goal of the project was the training in geospatial data acquiring and processing for students attending Architecture and Engineering Courses, in order to start up a team of "volunteer mappers". Indeed, the project is aimed to document the environmental and built heritage subject to disaster; the purpose is to improve the capabilities of the actors involved in the activities connected in geospatial data collection, integration and sharing. The proposed area for testing the training activities is the Cinque Terre National Park, registered in the World Heritage List since 1997. The area was affected by flood on the 25th of October 2011. According to other international experiences, the group is expected to be active after emergencies in order to upgrade maps, using data acquired by typical geomatic methods and techniques such as terrestrial and aerial Lidar, close-range and aerial photogrammetry, topographic and GNSS instruments etc.; or by non conventional systems and instruments such us UAV, mobile mapping etc. The ultimate goal is to implement a WebGIS platform to share all the data collected with local authorities and the Civil Protectio

Information scraps: how and why information eludes our personal information management tools

In this paper we describe information scraps -- a class of personal information whose content is scribbled on Post-it notes, scrawled on corners of random sheets of paper, buried inside the bodies of e-mail messages sent to ourselves, or typed haphazardly into text files. Information scraps hold our great ideas, sketches, notes, reminders, driving directions, and even our poetry. We define information scraps to be the body of personal information that is held outside of its natural or We have much still to learn about these loose forms of information capture. Why are they so often held outside of our traditional PIM locations and instead on Post-its or in text files? Why must we sometimes go around our traditional PIM applications to hold on to our scraps, such as by e-mailing ourselves? What are information scraps' role in the larger space of personal information management, and what do they uniquely offer that we find so appealing? If these unorganized bits truly indicate the failure of our PIM tools, how might we begin to build better tools? We have pursued these questions by undertaking a study of 27 knowledge workers. In our findings we describe information scraps from several angles: their content, their location, and the factors that lead to their use, which we identify as ease of capture, flexibility of content and organization, and avilability at the time of need. We also consider the personal emotive responses around scrap management. We present a set of design considerations that we have derived from the analysis of our study results. We present our work on an application platform, jourknow, to test some of these design and usability findings

Barrier considerations in crisis information systems

Good decision-making during crisis situations is crucial to ensure fortunate outcomes by minimizing loss and damage. There are many factors that compose good decision-mak-ing, but the level of situational awareness attained is undoubtedly a strong indicator for the quality of decisions. A high level of situational awareness provides the decision maker with a viable basis for making favorable decisions. Thus, to decrease detrimental out-comes of crisis situations, researching how to increase the level of situational awareness is key. Information systems provide situational awareness by enabling users to obtain and share information. They are used extensively in crisis situations, particularly among crisis re-sponders from police, health, and fire departments. Previous research indicates that there are barriers for using information systems to attain situational awareness in crisis situa-tions. However, there is a lack of previous research that systematically uncovers these barriers and offers a holistic view on barriers and how to mitigate them. The goal of this thesis is to fill the research gap by uncovering barriers that can impede the use of infor-mation systems to attain situational awareness during crisis situations. In this thesis, a qualitative study was conducted where 14 crisis responders from police, health, and fire services at the tactical and operational level were interviewed. The coding and analysis of the collected data resulted in a total of 43 barriers and themes. All barriers were categorized into one of the following overarching themes: Cognitive, Physical and Technological. Additionally, the data analysis revealed instances of cause-and-effect re-lations between some of the barriers, meaning that the occurrence of one barrier could cause or amplify other barriers. The findings provide useful insight for further research and practice by highlighting aspects of information systems in crisis response that should be considered to improve situational awareness

Barrier considerations in crisis information systems

Good decision-making during crisis situations is crucial to ensure fortunate outcomes by minimizing loss and damage. There are many factors that compose good decision-making, but the level of situational awareness attained is undoubtedly a strong indica-tor for the quality of decisions. A high level of situational awareness provides the deci-sion maker with a viable basis for making favorable decisions. Thus, to decrease det-rimental outcomes of crisis situations, researching how to increase the level of situa-tional awareness is key. Information systems provide situational awareness by enabling users to obtain and share information. They are used extensively in crisis situations, particularly among crisis responders from police, health, and fire departments. Previous research indicates that there are barriers for using information systems to attain situational awareness in crisis situations. However, there is a lack of previous research that systematically un-covers these barriers and offers a holistic view on barriers and how to mitigate them. The goal of this thesis is to fill the research gap by uncovering barriers that can impede the use of information systems to attain situational awareness during crisis situations. In this thesis, a qualitative study was conducted where 14 crisis responders from police, health, and fire services at the tactical and operational level were interviewed. The coding and analysis of the collected data resulted in a total of 43 barriers and themes. All barriers were categorized into one of the following overarching themes: Cognitive, Physical and Technological. Additionally, the data analysis revealed instances of cause-and-effect relations between some of the barriers, meaning that the occurrence of one barrier could cause or amplify other barriers. The findings provide useful insight for further research and practice by highlighting aspects of information systems in cri-sis response that should be considered to improve situational awareness

How to Exploit the Digitalization Potential of Business Processes

Process improvement is the most value-adding activity in the business process management (BPM) lifecycle. Despite mature knowledge, many approaches have been criticized to lack guidance on how to put process improvement into practice. Given the variety of emerging digital technologies, organizations not only face a process improvement black box, but also high uncertainty regarding digital technologies. This paper thus proposes a method that supports organizations in exploiting the digitalization potential of their business processes. To achieve this, action design research and situational method engineering were adopted. Two design cycles involving practitioners (i.e., managers and BPM experts) and end-users (i.e., process owners and participants) were conducted. In the first cycle, the method’s alpha version was evaluated by interviewing practitioners from five organizations. In the second cycle, the beta version was evaluated via real-world case studies. In this paper, detailed results of one case study, which was conducted at a semiconductor manufacturer, are included

Possible approaches to personalisation at Cass Business School

This report discusses the result of an investigation into the personalisation of learning and how it could be applied in a university with primarily face-to-face instruction, and, a diverse student body