A conceptual model of enterprise application integration in higher education institutions

Copyright @ 2013 EMCIS.It is eminent that several applications’ systems are deployed at different levels in Higher Education (HE), ranging from academic and administrative to staff and students record systems. Many of these systems suffer from different problems due to the lack of integration such as data redundancy, inconsistency and maintenance cost. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) can provide substantial benefits to these systems, such as assisting with business process integration, facilitating e-service based transformation and supporting collaborative decision-making. However, some factors that influence EAI adoption process in HE will be defined. This paper introduces a conceptual model to explain the outcome of using EAI in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Analyzing the combination of the existing classification of EAI factors with the HE factors will enhance the implementation of EAI in HEI at both organizational and operational levels. A pilot study at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be presented in this paper to show that the integration of the multiple information systems gives an integrated view to facilitate information access and reuse. Moreover data from different information systems is combined to gain a more comprehensive basis to satisfy the educational needs

A collaborative platform for integrating and optimising Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis requests

A Virtual Integration Platform (VIP) is described which provides support for the integration of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis tools into an environment that supports the use of these tools in a distributed collaborative manner. The VIP has evolved through previous EU research conducted within the VRShips-ROPAX 2000 (VRShips) project and the current version discussed here was developed predominantly within the VIRTUE project but also within the SAFEDOR project. The VIP is described with respect to the support it provides to designers and analysts in coordinating and optimising CFD analysis requests. Two case studies are provided that illustrate the application of the VIP within HSVA: the use of a panel code for the evaluation of geometry variations in order to improve propeller efficiency; and, the use of a dedicated maritime RANS code (FreSCo) to improve the wake distribution for the VIRTUE tanker. A discussion is included detailing the background, application and results from the use of the VIP within these two case studies as well as how the platform was of benefit during the development and a consideration of how it can benefit HSVA in the future

Implementing 5D BIM on construction projects: Contractor perspectives from the UK construction sector

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Emerald in Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology on 09/05/2020: https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-01-2020-0007 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on primary research findings that sought to investigate and analyse salient issues on the implementation of 5D building information modelling (BIM) from the UK contractors’ perspective. Previous research and efforts have predominantly focussed on the use of technologies for cost estimation and quantity takeoff within a more traditional-led procurement, with a paucity of research focussing on how 5D BIM could facilitate costing within contractor-led procurement. This study fills this current knowledge gap and enhances the understanding of the specific costing challenges faced by contractors in contractor-led projects, leading to the development of 5D framework for use in future projects. Design/methodology/approach To develop a fully detailed understanding of the challenges and issues being faced in this regard, a phenomenological, qualitative-based study was undertaken through interviews involving 21 participants from UK-wide construction organisations. A thematic data analytical process was applied to the data to derive key issues, and this was then used to inform the development of a 5D-BIM costing framework. Findings Multi-disciplinary findings reveal a range of issues faced by contractors when implementing 5D BIM. These exist at strategic, operational and technological levels which require addressing successful implementation of 5D BIM on contractor-led projects adhering to Level 2 BIM standards. These findings cut across the range of stakeholders on contractor-led projects. Ultimately, the findings suggest strong commitment and leadership from organisational management are required to facilitate cost savings and generate accurate cost information. Practical implications This study highlights key issues for any party seeking to effectively deploy 5D BIM on a contractor-led construction project. A considerable cultural shift towards automating and digitising cost functions virtually, stronger collaborative working relationship relative to costing in design development, construction practice, maintenance and operation is required. Originality/value By analysing findings from primary research data, the work concludes with the development of a 5D BIM costing framework to support contractor-led projects which can be implemented to ensure that 5D BIM is successfully implemented

Virtual integration platform for computational fluid dynamics

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools used in shipbuilding industry involve multiple disciplines, such as resistance, manoeuvring, and cavitation. Traditionally, the analysis was performed separately and sequentially in each discipline, which often resulted in conflict and inconsistency of hydrodynamic prediction. In an effort to solve such problems for future CFD computations, a Virtual Integration Platform (VIP) has been developed in the University of Strathclyde within two EU FP6 projects - VIRTUE and SAFEDOR1. The VIP provides a holistic collaborative environment for designers with features such as Project/Process Management, Distributed Tools Integration, Global Optimisation, Version Management, and Knowledge Management. These features enhance collaboration among customers, ship design companies, shipyards, and consultancies not least because they bring together the best expertise and resources around the world. The platform has been tested in seven European ship design companies including consultancies. Its main functionalities along with advances are presented in this paper with two industrial applications

Implementation of critical success factors in construction research and development process

Construction research and development (R&D) process has a number of issues that affect its success. These issues imply that Critical Success Factors (CSFs) of construction R&D process are not properly addressed. Not knowing CSFs could lead to not implementing them and not paying proper attention for them. The study investigates CSFs of construction R&D process and their implementation/consideration during the R&D process. A comprehensive literature review was used first to develop construction R&D process. CSFs and their implementation/consideration were evaluated by a questionnaire survey. Construction R&D process was derived with four phases namely Initiation, Conceptualizing, Development and Launch and Management activities that support coordination and resourcing of R&D process. Study revealed that, as a whole there is a gap between the importance of success factors against their implementation/consideration as majority of CSFs are not properly implemented compared to the importance attached to them. Keywords: Construction R&D process, Critical success factors, Implementation, Consideratio

Detecting Functional Requirements Inconsistencies within Multi-teams Projects Framed into a Model-based Web Methodology

One of the most essential processes within the software project life cycle is the REP (Requirements Engineering Process) because it allows specifying the software product requirements. This specification should be as consistent as possible because it allows estimating in a suitable manner the effort required to obtain the final product. REP is complex in itself, but this complexity is greatly increased in big, distributed and heterogeneous projects with multiple analyst teams and high integration between functional modules. This paper presents an approach for the systematic conciliation of functional requirements in big projects dealing with a web model-based approach and how this approach may be implemented in the context of the NDT (Navigational Development Techniques): a web methodology. This paper also describes the empirical evaluation in the CALIPSOneo project by analyzing the improvements obtained with our approach.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-46928-C3-3-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2015-71938-RED

A Semantic Collaboration Method Based on Uniform Knowledge Graph

The Semantic Internet of Things is the extension of the Internet of Things and the Semantic Web, which aims to build an interoperable collaborative system to solve the heterogeneous problems in the Internet of Things. However, the Semantic Internet of Things has the characteristics of both the Internet of Things and the Semantic Web environment, and the corresponding semantic data presents many new data features. In this study, we analyze the characteristics of semantic data and propose the concept of a uniform knowledge graph, allowing us to be applied to the environment of the Semantic Internet of Things better. Here, we design a semantic collaboration method based on a uniform knowledge graph. It can take the uniform knowledge graph as the form of knowledge organization and representation, and provide a useful data basis for semantic collaboration by constructing semantic links to complete semantic relation between different data sets, to achieve the semantic collaboration in the Semantic Internet of Things. Our experiments show that the proposed method can analyze and understand the semantics of user requirements better and provide more satisfactory outcomes