Conceptual design model for youth personal decision aid

Youth tend to face many areas of decision making with multiple choices. However, existing decision making tools are too complex and are not easily understood by the youth. Besides, complex and structured mathematical techniques are not preferred by the users as compared to direct and straightforward design model. Additionally, theoretical foundation for decision making is not adequately considered in designing and developing decision aid technologies. Therefore, there is a need in considering and including relevant multi-criteria technique, model and theory in the development of personal decision aids. The main aim for this study is to construct a conceptual design model for Youth Personal Decision Aid (YouthPDA). The following objectives are outlined to support the major aim: i) to identify relevant decision making criteria, techniques, and theoretical foundations for YouthPDA, ii) to construct a conceptual design model for YouthPDA using the identified decision making techniques, criteria, and theoretical foundation, iii) to validate the conceptual design model of YouthPDA through expert review, and iv) to measure the correlation between usefulness dimensions of YouthPDA via prototyping. Design research is chosen as the approach and three main phases are adopted which are Problem Identification, Solution Design, and Evaluation. YouthPDA is developed as a personalised decision aid for youth to help them choose their study and career paths. By integrating data from the youth personality traits and multiple intelligences, YouthPDA functions as a recommender system that works on rule-based reasoning. The usefulness of YouthPDA is measured in the evaluation phase. Findings from 189 respondents show that the proposed YouthPDA is useful for youth as their decision making tool. Accuracy, Decision Strategy, Satisfaction, Knowledge Acquisition and Overall Usefulness are the dimensions being measured and correlated to put forward the conclusion. The selected multi-criteria, techniques and theories embedded into the validated conceptual design model are the main contributions of this stud

A diagnostic expert system as a tool for technology improvement support

This dissertation focuses on design, modelling and development of a diagnostic expert system, which was implemented as a tool (named Capability Diagnostic) in FutureSME project (and web portal) as one of the tools for self-diagnostic of SMEs, where according to analysis of current state the output data were generated. These data were used for creation of an action plan, which serves as a list of improvements that need to be done to solve crucial processes of the company. After improvements in company processes were completed, a new diagnostic process was initiated and a comparison with previous results was performed. This tool was evaluated by companies partnering to the project as one of the most contributive results of the project. Design, modelling and development of the system were focused on general use of the diagnostic system for company processes and improvement support.Tato disertační práce se zabývá návrhem, modelováním, vývojem a realizací obecného diagnostického expertního systému, který byl jako nástroj (nazván jako Capability Diagnostic) nasazen v rámci projektu (a portálu) FutureSME jako jeden z nástrojů pro diagnostiku malých a středních podniků, kde na základě analýzy aktuálního stavu generoval výstupní data, která byla použita pro vytvoření akčního plánu, na základě kterého byly provedeny zásahy do chodu firmy, které měly napomoci k řešení klíčových procesů jejího fungování. Po zavedení opatření byla opakovaně provedena diagnostika a výsledek byl porovnán s původním či předchozím stavem. Tento nástroj byl partnery projektu (majiteli či řediteli firem) hodnocen jako jeden z nejpřínosnějších v tomto projektu. Návrh, model i vývoj systému byl zaměřen na obecné využití i v jiných oblastech (nejen průmyslových) pro zlepšování firemních procesů.352 - Katedra automatizační techniky a řízenívyhově