4,154 research outputs found
Information Outlook, April 2005
Volume 9, Issue 4https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_io_2005/1003/thumbnail.jp
Characteristics of TQM: Evidence from the RIT/USA Today Quality Cup Competition
This paper reports the results of a field study examining the use of TQM at 15 firms. The sample is drawn from winners and finalists of the RIT/USA Today Quality Cup. The authors interviewed 75 employees (5 per firm) including 14 executives, 44 middle managers, and 17 front line workers. The interviews elicited information on the motives for adopting TQM, the role of leadership, the use of monitoring, the use of rhetoric, the extent and type of training, the basis for employee evaluation, compensation, and promotion, the use of teams, reallocation of authority, and the results of the TQM program. We use the data to provide a description of how TQM works in practice, including factors that determine patterns of use across firms. A major result is that team-based problem solving is used about twice as frequently as devolution of authority in our sample. We attribute this result to the higher costs of monitoring and corporate change associated with devolution relative to problem solving.
The Cowl - v.64 - No. 10 - Nov 9, 2000
The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol 64 - No. 10 - November 9, 2000. 32 pages
Functional and formal component design for an electric motorbike “Sound Module”
Nowadays, new technologies allow creating new advances in the society through the innovation or improvement of existent products. This project intends to design a sound module that will be incorporated in an electric motorbike. As every motorbike has a different inside structure, the study will be carried out considering that the module’s volume may be adapted depending on the motorbike. The electric motorbike market is still in its development stage, and the studied topic in the project seems to be currently in research by many automotive enterprises, as the noise limit rulemakings in the city are a burning issue that has been already accomplished by 4-wheel vehicles. The design and study aims to contribute in the decrease of accidents due to the lack of noise of this type of vehicles. This will be accomplished with a selection of elements that combined, will allow the citizens to discern the presence of the electric vehicle and act in consequence
Spartan Daily, February 20, 1991
Volume 96, Issue 16https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/8084/thumbnail.jp
Spartan Daily, February 20, 1991
Volume 96, Issue 16https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/8084/thumbnail.jp
Design and semantics of form and movement (DeSForM 2006)
Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM) grew from applied research exploring emerging design methods and practices to support new generation product and interface design. The products and interfaces are concerned with: the context of ubiquitous computing and ambient technologies and the need for greater empathy in the pre-programmed behaviour of the ‘machines’ that populate our lives. Such explorative research in the CfDR has been led by Young, supported by Kyffin, Visiting Professor from Philips Design and sponsored by Philips Design over a period of four years (research funding £87k). DeSForM1 was the first of a series of three conferences that enable the presentation and debate of international work within this field: • 1st European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM1), Baltic, Gateshead, 2005, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 2nd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM2), Evoluon, Eindhoven, 2006, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 3rd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM3), New Design School Building, Newcastle, 2007, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. Philips sponsorship of practice-based enquiry led to research by three teams of research students over three years and on-going sponsorship of research through the Northumbria University Design and Innovation Laboratory (nuDIL). Young has been invited on the steering panel of the UK Thinking Digital Conference concerning the latest developments in digital and media technologies. Informed by this research is the work of PhD student Yukie Nakano who examines new technologies in relation to eco-design textiles
Human-centred design of clinical auditory alarms
Auditory alarms are commonly badly designed, providing little to no information or
guidance. In the healthcare context, the poor acoustics of alarms is one contributor for the
noise problem. The goal of this thesis is to propose a human-centred methodology for the
design of clinical auditory alarms, by making them less disruptive and more informative,
thus improving the healthcare soundscape. It implements this methodology from concept
to evaluation and validation, combining psychoacoustics with usability and user
experience methods. Another aim of this research consisted in understanding the
limitations and possibilities offered by online tools for scientific studies. Thus, different
processes and methodologies were implemented, and corresponding results were
discussed.
To understand the acoustic healthcare environment, field visits, interviews, and surveys
were performed with healthcare professionals. Additionally, sound pressure levels and
frequency analysis of several surgeries in different hospitals provided specific sound design
requirements, which were added to an existent body of knowledge on clinical alarm
design. A second stage consisted in prototyping very simple sounds to comprehend which
temporal and spectral parameters of sound could be manipulated to communicate clinical
information. Parameters such as frequency, speed, onset, and rhythm were studied, and
relations between subjective perception and physical parameters were established. In
parallel, and heavily influenced by the new IEC 60601-1-8 - General requirements, tests and
guidance for alarm systems in medical electrical equipment and medical electrical systems,
a design strategy with auditory icons was created. This strategy intended to provide as
much information as possible in an auditory alarm. To do so, it involved two main
components: a priority pointer indicating the priority of the alarm; an auditory icon
indicating the cause of the alarm. A third component indicating increasing or decreasing
tendency of the vital sign was designed, but not validated with users. After online
validation of the priority pointer and auditory icon for eight categories (cardiac, drug
administration, ventilation, blood pressure, perfusion, oxygen, temperature, and power
down), a new library of clinical auditory alarms is proposed.Os alarmes auditivos são habitualmente mal concebidos, dando poucas informações ou
orientações perante a situação que despoletou o aviso. No contexto da saúde, a má acústica
dos alarmes é um dos contribuidores para o problema do ruído. O objetivo desta tese é o
de melhorar a paisagem sonora em ambientes clínicos, propondo uma metodologia
centrada no Humano para o design de alarmes auditivos clínicos, tornando-os menos
disruptivos e mais informativos. Essa metodologia é implementada desde o conceito até a
avaliação e validação, combinando métodos da psicoacústica com métodos de usabilidade
e experiência do utilizador. Outro objetivo desta investigação é o de compreender as
limitações e possibilidades oferecidas pelas ferramentas online para estudos científicos.
Assim, diversos processos e metodologias foram implementados, e os respetivos resultados
são discutidos.
Para compreender o ambiente acústico clínico, foram realizadas visitas de campo,
entrevistas e inquéritos com profissionais de saúde. Além disso, avaliou-se o nível de
pressão sonora e frequências de várias cirurgias em diferentes hospitais. Esta atividade
forneceu requisitos específicos de design de som que foram adicionados a um corpo
existente de conhecimento sobre design de alarmes clínicos. Uma segunda etapa consistiu
na prototipagem de sons simples para compreender que parâmetros temporais e espectrais
do som poderiam ser manipulados para comunicar informações clínicas. Parâmetros como
frequência, velocidade, envelope e ritmo foram estudados, e as relações entre a perceção
subjetiva e os parâmetros físicos foram estabelecidas. Paralelamente, e fortemente
influenciado pela nova norma IEC 60601-1-8 - Requisitos gerais, testes e orientações para
sistemas de alarme em equipamentos médicos elétricos e sistemas médicos elétricos, foi
criada uma estratégia de design com ícones auditivos. Essa estratégia pretendia incorporar
o máximo de informações num alarme auditivo. Para isso, envolveu dois componentes
principais: um ponteiro de prioridade que indica a prioridade do alarme; e um ícone
auditivo que indica a causa do alarme. Um terceiro componente de tendência (aumento
ou diminuição do valor do sinal vital) foi criado, mas não validado com utilizadores. Após
a validação do ponteiro de prioridade e ícone auditivo para oito categorias (cardíaco,
administração de medicamentos, ventilação, pressão arterial, perfusão, oxigénio,
temperatura e falha de equipamento), propõe-se uma nova biblioteca de alarmes auditivos
clínicos
Information Outlook, June 1997
Volume 1, Issue 6https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_io_1997/1005/thumbnail.jp
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