A Roadmap for Self-Evolving Communities

Self-organisation and self-evolution is evident in physics, chemistry, biology, and human societies. Despite the existing literature on the topic, we believe self-organisation and self-evolution is still missing from the IT tools (whether online or offline) we are building and using. In the last decade, human interactions have been moving more and more towards social media. The time we spend interacting with others in virtual communities and networks is tremendous. Yet, the tools supporting those interactions remain rigid. This position paper argues the need for self-evolving software-enabled communities, and proposes a roadmap for achieving this required self-evolution. The proposal is based on building normative-based communities, where community interactions are regulated by norms and community members are free to discuss and modify their community's norms. The evolution of communities is then dictated by the evolution of its norms.Peer Reviewe

Scaling Participation -- What Does the Concept of Managed Communities Offer for Participatory Design?

This paper investigates mechanisms for scaling participation in participatory design (PD). Specifically, the paper focuses on managed communities, one strategy of generification work. We first give a brief introduction on the issue of scaling in PD, followed by exploring the strategy of managed communities in PD. This exploration is underlined by an ongoing case study in the healthcare sector, and we propose solutions to observed challenges. The paper ends with a critical reflection on the possibilities managed communities offer for PD. Managed communities have much to offer beyond mere generification work for large-scale information systems, but we need to pay attention to core PD values that are in danger of being sidelined in the process

E-xcellence methodology: lessons learned over ten years of development and implementation

The E xcellence methodology for quality assurance of e learning in higher education has developed into a flexible and effective approach to quality assurance. It has proved suitable to meet the needs of a diverse range of institutions and national quality assurance regimes, and is applicable to both distance and blended modes. The E xcellence resources (http://e-xcellencelabel.eadtu.eu/) include a quality manual, guidance for institutions and assessors, and an online Quick Scan self-evaluation tool. The manual was updated in 2012 and 2016 to reflect evolving changes in practice. The E-xcellence methodology provides 35 benchmark statements, grouped under six headings: Strategic Management, Curriculum Design, Course Design, Course Delivery, Staff Support and Student Support. Higher education institutions self-assess their capabilities against each of the benchmark statements on a four-point scale. They also prepare a roadmap of future actions which can be mapped to benchmark statements. A visit by external reviewers enriches and complements the self-assessment. This study is based on an analysis of E xcellence self-evaluations and roadmaps at twenty higher education institutions. Tabulating those benchmarks that are rated as not yet adequate, and those which attract the most planned actions, highlights the aspects that institutions have found most challenging as they develop and implement online and blended learning programmes. This profiling exercise indicates that institutions regard issues of strategy, curriculum design and staff support as presenting the greatest challenges. Particular problems include staff workload and developing an online academic community for students. In contrast, the provision of reliable IT systems and hardware is unproblematic

Past, present and future of information and knowledge sharing in the construction industry: Towards semantic service-based e-construction

The paper reviews product data technology initiatives in the construction sector and provides a synthesis of related ICT industry needs. A comparison between (a) the data centric characteristics of Product Data Technology (PDT) and (b) ontology with a focus on semantics, is given, highlighting the pros and cons of each approach. The paper advocates the migration from data-centric application integration to ontology-based business process support, and proposes inter-enterprise collaboration architectures and frameworks based on semantic services, underpinned by ontology-based knowledge structures. The paper discusses the main reasons behind the low industry take up of product data technology, and proposes a preliminary roadmap for the wide industry diffusion of the proposed approach. In this respect, the paper stresses the value of adopting alliance-based modes of operation

A Tale of Evaluation and Reporting in UK Smart Cities

Global trends towards urbanisation are associated with wide-ranging challenges and opportunities for cities. Smart technologies create new opportunities for a range of smart city development and regeneration programmes designed to address the environmental, economic and social challenges concentrated in cities. Whilst smart city programmes have received much publicity, there has been much less discussion about evaluation of smart city programmes and the measurement of their outcomes for cities. Existing evaluation approaches have been criticised as non-standard and inadequate, focusing more on implementation processes and investment metrics than on the impacts of smart city programmes on strategic city outcomes and progress. To examine this, the SmartDframe project conducted research on city approaches to the evaluation of smart city projects and programmes, and reporting of impacts on city outcomes. This included the ‘smarter’ UK cities of Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Milton Keynes and Peterborough. City reports and interviews with representative local government authorities informed the case study analysis. The report provides a series of smart city case studies that exemplify contemporary city practices, offering a timely, insightful contribution to city discourse about best practice approaches to evaluation and reporting of complex smart city projects and programmes

New methods and approaches to the design and evaluation of open educational resources

The workshop will introduce participants to use a range of tools, methods and approaches to designing and evaluating Open Educational Resources (OERs). The session will include an overview of the OLnet initiative which is a new global network of support for researchers, users and producers of OERs. Participants will have a chance to try out some of the tools that have been developed as part of OLnet and to discuss relevance and application to their own practice