Diagrams Editors Specification Using Reusable Components

International audienceModel Driven Engineering (MDE) encourages the use of graphical modeling tools, which facilitate the development process from modeling to coding. Such tools can be designed using the MDE approach into metamodeling environments called metaCASE tools. It turned out that the implementation of such tools is made by technologies which need as much effort as resources for modest results, requiring in most cases additional programming efforts for their adaptation. Some of these technologies are suffering from weaknesses especially in terms of reusability. In this context, this paper proposes an evaluation for modeling editors. It discusses the current state of the art, compares what was done in every tool that we evaluate; according to relevant criteria; and propose "MID": a set of metamodels supporting the easy specification of modeling editors by means of reusable components

Orchestrating Economic, Socio-Technical and Technical Validation Using Visual Modelling

The paper presents an approach for orchestrating validation of project results from different perspectives by using visual modelling techniques. The context for the paper is the FP6 project MAPPER. Validation in MAPPER covers economic, socio-technical and technical viewpoints. The economic viewpoint mainly focuses on business value and coherence with business drivers like reduced lifecycle time or increased flexibility. Sustainable collaboration for joint value creation of various units in a networked organisation is the main aspect of the socio-technical viewpoint. From a technical point of view, usability of IT-infrastructure and services is a key aspect. The MAPPER Validation Framework includes and orchestrates approaches and methodologies from these three viewpoints and defines the validation actions to be performed. The main contributions of the paper to research in the field are (1) the structure of the MAPPER Validation Framework integrating different validation perspectives, (2) experiences from using a visual modelling environment for framework development and (3) experiences from orchestrating different validation perspectives

BIM business value for asset owners through effective asset information management

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the processes, tools and techniques of strategic asset information management (AIM) for built assets, and how the asset information content enhances the proficiency of asset managers to effectively manage their assets throughout their life cycle by utilising building information modelling (BIM) and asset management (AM) systems. For most asset managers, the problem is not the lack of information about their assets, but the abundance of it, and most especially the absence of established processes and protocols to effectively manage large sets of asset data. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a strategy to control and manage this information in order for asset managers to harness its potential and realise value from their organisation’s information assets. A qualitative case study strategy was used to investigate the effective management of asset data in an AIM system. Seven sets of interviews were conducted and nine respondents were interviewed. These were analysed through qualitative thematic analysis using the NVivo software. The paper identifies six dimensions of value that BIM contributes to AM, which are: management, commerce, efficiency, industry, user and technology value. Also, the paper demonstrates that there is real value to be derived by the asset owner from the effective management of asset information. The study highlights that the value of BIM is not inherent but would require many other processes to deliver value to the organisation. The key value of the paper is that it identifies important techniques for managing asset data and how asset information is collected, organised, stored, controlled, analysed, secured, shared and reported within a virtual AIM system for strategic management-based decision

The selection and evaluation of a sensory technology for interaction in a warehouse environment

In recent years, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has become a significant part of modern life as it has improved human performance in the completion of daily tasks in using computerised systems. The increase in the variety of bio-sensing and wearable technologies on the market has propelled designers towards designing more efficient, effective and fully natural User-Interfaces (UI), such as the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and the Muscle-Computer Interface (MCI). BCI and MCI have been used for various purposes, such as controlling wheelchairs, piloting drones, providing alphanumeric inputs into a system and improving sports performance. Various challenges are experienced by workers in a warehouse environment. Because they often have to carry objects (referred to as hands-full) it is difficult to interact with traditional devices. Noise undeniably exists in some industrial environments and it is known as a major factor that causes communication problems. This has reduced the popularity of using verbal interfaces with computer applications, such as Warehouse Management Systems. Another factor that effects the performance of workers are action slips caused by a lack of concentration during, for example, routine picking activities. This can have a negative impact on job performance and allow a worker to incorrectly execute a task in a warehouse environment. This research project investigated the current challenges workers experience in a warehouse environment and the technologies utilised in this environment. The latest automation and identification systems and technologies are identified and discussed, specifically the technologies which have addressed known problems. Sensory technologies were identified that enable interaction between a human and a computerised warehouse environment. Biological and natural behaviours of humans which are applicable in the interaction with a computerised environment were described and discussed. The interactive behaviours included the visionary, auditory, speech production and physiological movement where other natural human behaviours such paying attention, action slips and the action of counting items were investigated. A number of modern sensory technologies, devices and techniques for HCI were identified with the aim of selecting and evaluating an appropriate sensory technology for MCI. iii MCI technologies enable a computer system to recognise hand and other gestures of a user, creating means of direct interaction between a user and a computer as they are able to detect specific features extracted from a specific biological or physiological activity. Thereafter, Machine Learning (ML) is applied in order to train a computer system to detect these features and convert them to a computer interface. An application of biomedical signals (bio-signals) in HCI using a MYO Armband for MCI is presented. An MCI prototype (MCIp) was developed and implemented to allow a user to provide input to an HCI, in a hands-free and hands-full situation. The MCIp was designed and developed to recognise the hand-finger gestures of a person when both hands are free or when holding an object, such a cardboard box. The MCIp applies an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to classify features extracted from the surface Electromyography signals acquired by the MYO Armband around the forearm muscle. The MCIp provided the results of data classification for gesture recognition to an accuracy level of 34.87% with a hands-free situation. This was done by employing the ANN. The MCIp, furthermore, enabled users to provide numeric inputs to the MCIp system hands-full with an accuracy of 59.7% after a training session for each gesture of only 10 seconds. The results were obtained using eight participants. Similar experimentation with the MYO Armband has not been found to be reported in any literature at submission of this document. Based on this novel experimentation, the main contribution of this research study is a suggestion that the application of a MYO Armband, as a commercially available muscle-sensing device on the market, has the potential as an MCI to recognise the finger gestures hands-free and hands-full. An accurate MCI can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of an HCI tool when it is applied to different applications in a warehouse where noise and hands-full activities pose a challenge. Future work to improve its accuracy is proposed

Analysing the impact of enterprise resource planning systems roll-outs in multi-national companies

Large organisations, in particular multi-national corporations, have been at the forefront of the ERP movement since its origins. They have used these highly integrated systems as a way to achieve greater levels of standardisation of business processes across sites and greater centralisation of IT resources. The most common scenario for an ERP implementation in a large multi-national firm is the phased roll-out, whereby the modules of the application are implemented in all the sites in a series of waves. A standard implementation, as designed by Headquarters, is replicated in each site. This standard implementation uses a base configuration, sometimes referred to as a template or blueprint, which cannot be deviated from in any of the sites. These monolithic implementations can be quite traumatic for individual sites where local practices, sometimes quite well established and rich in organizational learning, must be abandoned. This may lead to large scale organisational problems, which must be ironed out if the full potential of the enterprise-wide system is to be obtained. In an attempt to tease out the issues in the global implementation of ERP systems, we carried out a number of case studies at Irish manufacturing sites of multinational firms where management sought ways to defend their hard won local reputation for excellence and efficiency in the face of changes to the organisation due to a corporate ERP implementation. Our study indicates that local managers are given too little scope and time to adequately adapt the template to their site and that the risk of productivity loss is quite high, at least in the short term. We conclude that mechanisms must be put in place to better understand how to accommodate local specificities whilst enforcing the required level of standardisation