A strategic approach to making sense of the “wicked” problem of ERM

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an approach to viewing the “wicked” problem of electronic records management (ERM), using the Cynefin framework, a sense-making tool. It re-conceptualises the ERM challenge by understanding the nature of the people issues. This supports decision making about the most appropriate tactics to adopt to effect positive change. Design/methodology/approach – Cynefin was used to synthesise qualitative data from an empirical research project that investigated strategies and tactics for improving ERM. Findings – ERM may be thought of as a dynamic, complex challenge but, viewed through the Cynefin framework, many issues are not complex; they are simple or complicated and can be addressed using best or good practice. The truly complex issues need a different approach, described as emergent practice. Cynefin provides a different lens through which to view, make sense of and re-perceive the ERM challenge and offers a strategic approach to accelerating change. Research limitations/implications – Since Cynefin has been applied to one data set, the findings are transferrable not generalisable. They, and/or the approach, can be used to further test the propositions. Practical implications – The resultant ERM framework provides a practical example for information and records managers to exploit or use as a starting point to explore the situation in particular organisational contexts. It could also be used in other practical, teaching and/or research-related records contexts. Originality/value – This paper provides a new strategic approach to addressing the wicked problem of ERM, which is applicable for any organisational context

The development of the five mini-theories of self-determination theory: an historical overview, emerging trends, and future directions

Self-determination theory is a macro-theory of human motivation, emotion, and personality that has been under development for 40 years following the seminal work of Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. Self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985b, 2000; Niemiec, Ryan, & Deci, in press; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Vansteenkiste, Ryan, & Deci, 2008) has been advanced in a cumulative, research-driven manner, as new ideas have been naturally and steadily integrated into the theory following sufficient empirical support, which has helped SDT maintain its internal consistency. To use a metaphor, the development of SDT is similar to the construction of a puzzle. Over the years, new pieces have been added to the theory once their fit was determined. At present, dozens of scholars throughout the world continue to add their piece to the ‘‘SDT puzzle,’’ and hundreds of practitioners working with all age groups, and in various domains and cultures, have used SDT to inform their practice. Herein, we provide an historical overview of the development of the five mini-theories (viz., cognitive evaluation theory, organismic integration theory, causality orientations theory, basic needs theory, and goal content theory) that constitute SDT, discuss emerging trends within those mini-theories, elucidate similarities with and differences from other theoretical frameworks, and suggest directions for future researc

Practical Application Of Uml Activity Diagrams For The Generation Of Test Cases

Software testing and debugging represents around one third of total effort in development projects. Different factors which have influence on poor practices of testing have been identified through specific surveys. Amongst several, one of the most important is the lack of efficient methods to exploit development models for generating test cases. This paper presents a new method for automatically generating a complete set of functional test cases from UML activity diagrams complementing specification of use cases. Test cases are prioritized according to software risk information. Results from experiences with more than 70 software professionals/experts validate benefits of the method. Participants also confirm its interest and effectiveness for testing needs of industry

Photon elastic scattering simulation: validation and improvements to Geant4

Several models for the simulation of photon elastic scattering are quantitatively evaluated with respect to a large collection of experimental data retrieved from the literature. They include models based on the form factor approximation, on S-matrix calculations and on analytical parameterizations; they exploit publicly available data libraries and tabulations of theoretical calculations. Some of these models are currently implemented in general purpose Monte Carlo systems; some have been implemented and evaluated for the first time in this paper for possible use in Monte Carlo particle transport. The analysis mainly concerns the energy range between 5 keV and a few MeV. The validation process identifies the newly implemented model based on second order S-matrix calculations as the one best reproducing experimental measurements. The validation results show that, along with Rayleigh scattering, additional processes, not yet implemented in Geant4 nor in other major Monte Carlo systems, should be taken into account to realistically describe photon elastic scattering with matter above 1 MeV. Evaluations of the computational performance of the various simulation algorithms are reported along with the analysis of their physics capabilities

A Contigency Model for Requirements Development

Drawing upon the requirements and software development literature, the present study proposes an integrative contingency model for requirements development. Based on 116 quality journal articles, we analyze requirements development risks, requirements development techniques, and heuristics for how they are effectively related. Subsequently, we synthesize the insights from the identified literature into a model for requirements development that relates patterns of risk resolution to archetypical risk profiles. The model integrates the literature on requirements and software development; sets the scene for future research; and, finally, proposes how practitioners can manage risks in requirements development projects

Managing Requirements Engineering Risks: an Analysis and Synthesis of the Literature

Requirements engineering is recognized as a key discipline in developing business software. Practitioners are, however, facing a steady stream of new techniques and an increasingly differentiated portfolio of requirements engineering risks. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that links the available repertoire of techniques to the situations in which practitioners find themselves. To this end, the paper reviews the software development and requirements engineering literature to understand the risks that characterize requirement engineering situations, to classify available techniques to resolve these risks, and to identify key principles by which tactics can be applied to resolve requirements risks. The paper synthesizes the findings from the analysis into a contingency model for managing requirements engineering risks. The model sets the scene for future research and practitioners can use it to navigate the requirements engineering landscape