GAUMLESS: Modelling the Capitalization of Human Action on the Internet

The focus of this thesis is on a field of study related to information design, namely visual modelling, and the application of its concepts and frameworks to a case study on the use of Internet cookies. It represents an opportunity to enhance information design’s relevancy as an adaptive discipline; i.e., borrowing and learning from various knowledge domains in representing phenomena for the purposes of decision-making and action-generation. As a critical design project, the thesis endeavors to inform Internet users and other audiences of the exploitation inherent in the data-mining processes employed by websites for generating cookies and to expose the risks to users. This focus was motivated by a concern with the ignorance, or at least the casual awareness, of many Internet users of the implications of giving their consent to the use of cookies. The thesis employs a qualitative research methodology that consolidates information design principles, conventions and processes; a distillation of relevant modelling frameworks; and pan-disciplinary philosophical perspectives (i.e., cybernetics, systems theory, and social system theory) into a visual model that represents the cookie system. The significance of this study’s contribution to design theory lies in the manner in which boundaries to its research methodology (based on the study’s purpose, goals and targeted audience) were determined and the singular visual modelling process developed in consideration of the myriad relevant knowledge-domains, extensive data sources and esoteric technical aspects of the system under study. Whereas simplification in a visual model is a key factor for knowledge-creation and establishing usability, its effectiveness to inform and inspire is also measured by its level of accuracy and comprehensiveness. In concentrating on human behaviour and decision-making contexts and applications, information design has the capacity to help meet personal and social needs and consequently can be a societal force for innovation and progress. The thesis’ visual model is an example of this potential in its intention to represent the cookie process and to raise awareness of its personal and social implications. The study validates the responsibility of the information designer to not prescribe actions or solutions but rather to impart knowledge, support decision-making, and inspire critical reflection

Incidentalità in ambito urbano: studio del comportamento di guida in relazione alle caratteristiche geometriche dell’infrastruttura stradale

The aim of research is the study of driving behavior in relation to the geometric characteristics of the urban road infrastructure. This study allows the identification of factors which influence driving speed. The purpose is realizing mathematical models which link the driving behavior with the geometric characteristics of the infrastructure. Up to now, the research has focused mostly on suburban roads but the models about the suburban roads are not applicable to Italian urban roads because you must consider many factors. For example, in urban roads there are several factors that affect speed such as road characteristics, car parks on the edge of the road, weather conditions, pedestrians, bicycles, vehicles and their category. The parameter used to describe driving behavior is space mean speed. This is very important because it considers the speed of vehicles traveling a given segment of roadway during a specified period of time and it is calculated using the average travel time and length for the roadway segment. Furthermore, this speed is used to understand the behavior of driving in two scenarios: normal traffic and under free flow conditions when vehicles are isolated. Particular attention was given to define the isolated vehicle. In the literature the definition of isolated vehicle does not exist for urban roads. For this reason, the time intervals were defined. The application of statistical techniques has shown that a vehicle is isolated when the vehicle ahead is at a temporal distance greater than or equal to six seconds and the vehicle following it is at a temporal distance greater than or equal to four seconds. Therefore the mathematical model construction includes the following phases. First of all, accidents analysis was carried out in order to identify the roads of interest. This analysis performed for Cagliari’s city has revealed that the streets most affected by this phenomenon are urban roads with two lanes in each direction. In particular for these urban roads, the portion of the studied tangent. Then, surveys campaign was conducted in daylight and with two instruments: radar EasyData, used to detect vehicular traffic variables, and digital cameras, useful to analyze the driver behaviors and to identify any external or internal traffic factors able to affect driver behavior. Afterwards data were processed and analyzed. Finally predictive models were constructed and validated in two traffic conditions. In both cases we used a multiple linear regression. In the normal traffic condition, two models were developed and validated to predict speed, statistically significant variables include traffic characteristics (flow, number of vehicles entering and leaving traffic stream) and geometric design attributes (width of lines, type of median, length of tangent, presence of sidewalk, type of obstacle left-lateral). Under free flow conditions, three models were developed but only two were validated. The statistically significant variables include presence of sidewalk, length of tangent, presence and type of median, width of obstacle right-lateral

Incidentalità in ambito urbano: studio del comportamento di guida in relazione alle caratteristiche geometriche dell’infrastruttura stradale

The aim of research is the study of driving behavior in relation to the geometric characteristics of the urban road infrastructure. This study allows the identification of factors which influence driving speed. The purpose is realizing mathematical models which link the driving behavior with the geometric characteristics of the infrastructure. Up to now, the research has focused mostly on suburban roads but the models about the suburban roads are not applicable to Italian urban roads because you must consider many factors. For example, in urban roads there are several factors that affect speed such as road characteristics, car parks on the edge of the road, weather conditions, pedestrians, bicycles, vehicles and their category. The parameter used to describe driving behavior is space mean speed. This is very important because it considers the speed of vehicles traveling a given segment of roadway during a specified period of time and it is calculated using the average travel time and length for the roadway segment. Furthermore, this speed is used to understand the behavior of driving in two scenarios: normal traffic and under free flow conditions when vehicles are isolated. Particular attention was given to define the isolated vehicle. In the literature the definition of isolated vehicle does not exist for urban roads. For this reason, the time intervals were defined. The application of statistical techniques has shown that a vehicle is isolated when the vehicle ahead is at a temporal distance greater than or equal to six seconds and the vehicle following it is at a temporal distance greater than or equal to four seconds. Therefore the mathematical model construction includes the following phases. First of all, accidents analysis was carried out in order to identify the roads of interest. This analysis performed for Cagliari’s city has revealed that the streets most affected by this phenomenon are urban roads with two lanes in each direction. In particular for these urban roads, the portion of the studied tangent. Then, surveys campaign was conducted in daylight and with two instruments: radar EasyData, used to detect vehicular traffic variables, and digital cameras, useful to analyze the driver behaviors and to identify any external or internal traffic factors able to affect driver behavior. Afterwards data were processed and analyzed. Finally predictive models were constructed and validated in two traffic conditions. In both cases we used a multiple linear regression. In the normal traffic condition, two models were developed and validated to predict speed, statistically significant variables include traffic characteristics (flow, number of vehicles entering and leaving traffic stream) and geometric design attributes (width of lines, type of median, length of tangent, presence of sidewalk, type of obstacle left-lateral). Under free flow conditions, three models were developed but only two were validated. The statistically significant variables include presence of sidewalk, length of tangent, presence and type of median, width of obstacle right-lateral

An Inertia Model for the Adoption of New Farming Practices

Nutrient emissions from agricultural land are now widely recognized as one of the key contributors to poor water quality in local lakes, rivers and streams. Nutrient trading for non-point sources, including farm land, has been suggested as a regulatory tool to improve and protect water quality. However, farmers’ attitudes suggest that they are resistant to making the changes required under such a scheme where this requires them to adopt unfamiliar technologies and farm management practices. This study develops a model of farmers’ resistance to change and how this affects their adoption of new mitigation technologies under nutrient trading regulation. We specify resistance as a bound on the adoption of new technologies and allow this bound to relax as farmers’ resistance to change weakens

Identifying Success Criteria and Critical Factors at the Post-handover Stage for International Development Projects

This thesis aims to explore whether the outputs of ID projects can continuously deliver benefits at the post-handover stage. This research reviewed three main areas of the literature: (1) project success; (2) post-project evaluation; and (3) project benefits management, which resulted in limited studies having explored project success at the post-handover stage for ID projects. This thesis’ methodological approach rooted on interpretivism and used of the constructivist grounded theory method (CGTM). An example of ID projects was the I-MHERE funding scheme, sourced from a World Bank loan, run between 2010 and 2012, and implemented at a majority of higher education institutions (HEIs) across Indonesia. The research collected secondary and primary data, primarily, interviews from 18 participants from two institutions, was able to identify 10 success criteria and eight critical factors. The analyses indicated the different levels of the significance of identified success criteria and critical factors, as well as a variety of definitions at the post-handover stage, including further analysis by using each participant’s institutional attributes, e.g. managerial level, organisational tenure and job tenure, and suggested that organisational tenure was the core attribute for two others. This thesis also demonstrates the use of benefit reviews as a more comprehensive post-project evaluation than the one proposed earlier. This thesis concludes its findings by generating a middle-range theory: the higher the level of organisational tenure, the more insightful reviewing benefits of delivered outputs. The middle-range theory was believed to be applicable, not only for ID projects, but also other types of projects. To conclude, the findings allowed an opportunity to acknowledge its limitations that would led to recommendations for future studies

Engineering Sustainability for the Future

The 38th International Manufacturing Conference, IMC38, showcases current research in the field of "manufacturing engineering" undertaken in Ireland by postgraduate students and experienced researchers. Indicative topics, in line with the contents of these proceedings, include; sustainable and energy efficient manufacturing, additive manufacturing, Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing, machine tool, automation and manufacturing system design, surface engineering, forming and joining process research. The IMC community is also involved in research aimed at improving the learning experience of undergraduate and graduate engineers and developing high level skills for the manufacturing engineer of the future. The theme for this year’s conference is Sustainable Manufacturing, with a particular emphasis on a) Digitalisation of Manufacturing – its impact on sustainability and b) Addressing sustainability in Engineering Education, Industrial Training and CPD.Science Foundation Irelan

Data Representations, Transformations, and Statistics for Visual Reasoning

Analytical reasoning techniques are methods by which users explore their data to obtain insight and knowledge that can directly support situational awareness and decision making. Recently, the analytical reasoning process has been augmented through the use of interactive visual representations and tools which utilize cognitive, design and perceptual principles. These tools are commonly referred to as visual analytics tools, and the underlying methods and principles have roots in a variety of disciplines. This chapter provides an introduction to young researchers as an overview of common visua