3,567 research outputs found

    Beware the Pitfalls. A short guide to Avoiding Common Errors in Systems Analysis

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    The interest in systems analysis, which is now worldwide, is not hard to understand. Analyzing systems of various kinds has helped to solve some important social, economic, and environmental problems, and it has thrown light on others that must eventually be solved. As an aid to establishing policy, systems analysis has been particularly useful where matters are complex, where objectives conflict, and where future planning is difficult. Analysts tend to evaluate their studies on technical adequacy; decision makers stress practical results. The editors of "Pitfalls of Analysis" saw both types of standards as important and related. They organized their material to present first some common pitfalls of technical adequacy and then some common pitfalls of effectiveness

    When is a problem a research problem?

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    Various definitions of and approaches to research and research problems are explored with numerous examples given. Guiding criteria for applied research are also discussed, along with potential pitfalls, the role of intuition in the process, and the qualities that are needed to make a good researcher.published or submitted for publicatio

    Doing pedagogical research in engineering

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    This is a book

    The New Digital Dating Behavior - Sexting: Teens\u27 Explicit Love Letters: Criminal Justice or Civil Liability

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    This paper proposes a unique response to the explosive combination of teens, sex and technology. It discusses why most teen sexting does not meet the Ferber definition of child pornography; therefore, a civil remedy for the dignitary and emotional harm caused by the public dissemination of private sexual pictures is far superior to imposing criminal sanctions. The proposed statutory civil cause of action would hold parents vicariously liable for the harms caused by their children\u27s sexting when done with actual malice. Recognizing that common law tort liability is legally unsustainable, this approach strikes a balance between protecting First Amendment rights and providing accountability for sexting done knowingly or with reckless disregard for the harm caused. Since kids are not deterred by the threat of criminal penalties, this proposed statute is a more effective deterrent. Making parents take responsibility for their children\u27s misuse of technology is far superior to government imposed education classes teaching on the morality and propriety of sexting. These values-based lessons are best left to parents, free from government intrusion. The actual malice standard will avoid the feared floodgate problems of civil liability and will impose liability for culpable conduct, rather than the content of the message

    Broadening the HTA of medical AI:A review of the literature to inform a tailored approach

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    Objectives: As current health technology assessment (HTA) frameworks do not provide specific guidance on the assessment of medical artificial intelligence (AI), this study aimed to propose a conceptual framework for a broad HTA of medical AI. Methods: A systematic literature review and a targeted search of policy documents was conducted to distill the relevant medical AI assessment elements. Three exemplary cases were selected to illustrate various elements: (1) An application supporting radiologists in stroke-care (2) A natural language processing application for clinical data abstraction (3) An ICU-discharge decision-making application. Results: A total of 31 policy documents and 9 academic publications were selected, from which a list of 29 issues was distilled. The issues were grouped by four focus areas: (1) Technology &amp; Performance, (2) Human &amp; Organizational, (3) Legal &amp; Ethical and (4) Transparency &amp; Usability. Each assessment element was extensively discussed in the test, and the elements clinical effectiveness, clinical workflow, workforce, interoperability, fairness and explainability were further highlighted through the exemplary cases. Conclusion: The current methodology of HTA requires extension to make it suitable for a broad evaluation of medical AI technologies. The 29-item assessment list that we propose needs a tailored approach for distinct types of medical AI, since the conceptualisation of the issues differs across applications.</p

    Broadening the HTA of medical AI:A review of the literature to inform a tailored approach

    Get PDF
    Objectives: As current health technology assessment (HTA) frameworks do not provide specific guidance on the assessment of medical artificial intelligence (AI), this study aimed to propose a conceptual framework for a broad HTA of medical AI. Methods: A systematic literature review and a targeted search of policy documents was conducted to distill the relevant medical AI assessment elements. Three exemplary cases were selected to illustrate various elements: (1) An application supporting radiologists in stroke-care (2) A natural language processing application for clinical data abstraction (3) An ICU-discharge decision-making application. Results: A total of 31 policy documents and 9 academic publications were selected, from which a list of 29 issues was distilled. The issues were grouped by four focus areas: (1) Technology &amp; Performance, (2) Human &amp; Organizational, (3) Legal &amp; Ethical and (4) Transparency &amp; Usability. Each assessment element was extensively discussed in the test, and the elements clinical effectiveness, clinical workflow, workforce, interoperability, fairness and explainability were further highlighted through the exemplary cases. Conclusion: The current methodology of HTA requires extension to make it suitable for a broad evaluation of medical AI technologies. The 29-item assessment list that we propose needs a tailored approach for distinct types of medical AI, since the conceptualisation of the issues differs across applications.</p

    Chapter 22 Simulation Modeling as a Policy Tool

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    This chapter describes, justifies, presents the pros and cons of and illustrates the use of simulation modeling as a handy, cost-effective and agile tool for policymakers. Simulation modeling is flexible enough to accommodate different levels of detail, precision and time frameworks. It also serves the purpose of a concrete communication platform that facilitates scenario analysis, what-if alternatives and forward looking. We specifically define agent-based modeling within the larger simulation domain, provide a brief overview of other computation modeling methodologies and discuss the concepts of multiple models, verification, validation and calibration. The conceptual framework section closes with a discussion of advantages and disadvantages of using simulation modeling for policy at various stages of implementation. Finally, we present a panorama of actual applications of simulation modeling in policy, with an emphasis on economic analysis
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