The Impact of Analyst-User Cognitive Style Differences on User Satisfaction

This study explored the relationship between user satisfaction and cognitive style as applied to users and systems analysts over the time of system usage. Based on a sample of 62 ‘usersystems’ this study found that the absolute differential in analyst-user cognitive style, or cognitive gap, generally impacts user satisfaction negatively throughout the period of system usage. However, this effect was found to be only particularly strong at two stages of system use; in the third and twenty-first months of system usage. It is thus suggested that analysts should be allocated to users with similar cognitive styles, as one means of optimizing user satisfaction during system usage. Also, that if this precaution is not taken, the system is most likely to stall during the third and twenty-first months of usage. This study thus has important implications for IS team choice during system usage, as well as for system development and maintenance. The results are discussed and conclusions are drawn

An analysis of the relationship between analyst-user cognitive style differences and user resistance to information systems

Bibliography: pages 102-109.This study investigated the relationships between user resistance to new information systems and other factors, the chief of which was the differences in cognitive problem-solving styles between systems developers (analysts) and users. In addition, associations were tested between user resistance and the following: system accuracy, system reliability, the analyst's attitude, the analyst-user relationship, analyst-user dissonance, the user's age and the user's length of service with his current employer. All data was collected at confidential interviews with the key users and key analysts of 34 post-implementation systems service were recorded at these interviews. Ages and lengths of User resistance was determined from the number of complaints made by users regarding the systems and their manner of implementation. Cognitive style was measured using the Kirton Adaption-innovation Inventory (KAI). All other parameters were measured as responses to suitably phrased questions, quantified using seven-point scales. A significant positive association between user resistance and analyst-user cognitive style difference was found. A model was then developed which enables the estimation of user resistance prior to system development with the aid of the KAI. Significant negative associations were found to exist between user resistance and system accuracy, and user resistance and system reliability. No relationships between user resistance and either user age or user length of service were found

Optimization of stand-alone photovoltaic system by implementing fuzzy logic MPPT controller

A photovoltaic (PV) generator is a nonlinear device having insolation-dependent volt-ampere characteristics. Since the maximum-power point varies with solar insolation, it is difficult to achieve an optimum matching that is valid for all insolation levels. Thus, Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) plays an important roles in photovoltaic (PV) power systems because it maximize the power output from a PV system for a given set of condition, and therefore maximize their array efficiency. This project presents a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) using Fuzzy Logic theory for a PV system. The work is focused on a comparative study between most conventional controller namely Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm and is compared to a design fuzzy logic controller (FLC). The introduction of fuzzy controller has given very good performance on whatever the parametric variation of the system

Integrating Human Factors and Semantic Mark-ups in Adaptive Interactive Systems

This paper focuses on incorporating individual differences in cognitive processing and semantic mark-ups in the context of adaptive interactive systems. In particular, a semantic Web-based adaptation framework is proposed that enables Web content providers to enrich content and functionality of Web environments with semantic mark-ups. The Web content is created using a Web authoring tool and is further processed and reconstructed by an adaptation mechanism based on cognitive factors of users. Main aim of this work is to investigate the added value of personalising content and functionality of Web environments based on the unique cognitive characteristics of users. Accordingly, a user study has been conducted that entailed a psychometric-based survey for extracting the users' cognitive characteristics, combined with a real usage scenario of an existing commercial Web environment that was enriched with semantic mark-ups and personalised based on different adaptation effects. The paper provides interesting insights in the design and development of adaptive interactive systems based on cognitive factors and semantic mark-ups

ADAPTING mLEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ON LEARNERS’ COGNITIVE STYLES AND VISUAL WORKING MEMORY SPAN

The research that is described in this paper focuses on incorporating theories of individual differences in information processing within the context of mobile hypertext and hypermedia interactive environments. Based on previous findings of the authors in the field of adaptive eLearning, the main purpose was to enhance the quality of information presentation and users’ interactions in the Web by matching their specific needs and preferences. Our more recent experiments, explore how to improve learning process by adapting course content presentation to student cognitive styles and capabilities in mobile environments such as PDA phones. A framework has been developed to comprehensively model student’s cognitive styles and visual working memory span and present the appropriate subject matter, including the content, format, guidance, etc. to suit an individual student by increasing efficiency during interaction. Main aim is to overcome constraints like small screen size and processing/memory capabilities for navigation enhancements that limit the presentation and guidance of the material. An increase on users’ satisfaction as well as more efficient information processing (both in terms of accuracy and task completion time), has been observed in the personalized condition than the original one. Consequently, it is supported that human factors may be used in order to enhance the design of mobile hypertext (or hypermedia) environments in a measurable and meaningful way

Research and Applications of the Processes of Performance Appraisal: A Bibliography of Recent Literature, 1981-1989

[Excerpt] There have been several recent reviews of different subtopics within the general performance appraisal literature. The reader of these reviews will find, however, that the accompanying citations may be of limited utility for one or more reasons. For example, the reference sections of these reviews are usually composed of citations which support a specific theory or practical approach to the evaluation of human performance. Consequently, the citation lists for these reviews are, as they must be, highly selective and do not include works that may have only a peripheral relationship to a given reviewer\u27s target concerns. Another problem is that the citations are out of date. That is, review articles frequently contain many citations that are fifteen or more years old. The generation of new studies and knowledge in this field occurs very rapidly. This creates a need for additional reference information solely devoted to identifying the wealth of new research, ideas, and writing that is changing the field

Facing communication challenges in global software development

The main challenges during global software development projects are related to the lack of face-to-face communication. Since stakeholders satisfaction is crucial as a factor that can infl uence a team performance, we have focused our research on the need of people feeling comfortable with the technology they use. In this article we introduce an approach that proposes a way of choosing the most suitable technology for a given group of people, taking advantage of information about stakeholders' cognitive characteristics, and we present preliminary results of an experiment we have carried out to validate our proposal.VI Workshop Ingeniería de Software (WIS)Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Factors affecting the success of management support systems: analysis and meta-analysis

This paper gives a traditional review and meta-analysis of the literature on management support systems (MSS) success. Based on an extensive survey ofpublished research in the problem domain factors, affecting MSS success as presented. Both a theoretical examination and an overview of empiricalresearch of each factor are provided. Correlations above r = 0.3 are found for user maturity of IS department, flexibility, realism of user expectations quality of user documentation, formal development, user training, management support, and user expectations. Thus far, user involvement is the mostwidely investigated variable in empirical research. In this paper, the author makes an attempt to distinguish objective user involvement from userinvolvement as experienced by the user. Effect sizes for the latter variable appeared to be larger than findings for the first. Indicating that a'feeling' of user involvement is more important than user involvement itself. A further analysis of the data shows effect sizes for laboratory studiesto be lower, and more homogeneous than findings of field research. Furthermore, correlation between the contingency factors and user informationsatisfaction appeared to be higher than findings which used usage as the independent variable. The relation between the contingency factors and usageappears to be diminishing over time. This may be caused by the fact that MSS less often fall below the level at which managers cease to use the systems

Observing Users - Designing clarity a case study on the user-centred design of a cross-language information retrieval system

This paper presents a case study of the development of an interface to a novel and complex form of document retrieval: searching for texts written in foreign languages based on native language queries. Although the underlying technology for achieving such a search is relatively well understood, the appropriate interface design is not. A study involving users (with such searching needs) from the start of the design process is described covering initial examination of user needs and tasks; preliminary design and testing of interface components; building, testing, and further refining an interface; before finally conducting usability tests of the system. Lessons are learned at every stage of the process leading to a much more informed view of how such an interface should be built

The construction of theory in MIS research

As a relatively new academic discipline, MIS has gone through processes of initiation, expansion, and consolidation. During the past two decades, MIS researchers have examined the state of their discipline and have found it wanting at times in the area of theory building and development. One important criticism of early MIS research was that it lacked strong theory of its own, and that it was often weakly grounded in theory, if at all. This paper examines the process and significance of theory building with an emphasis on some of the most well known MIS research streams. This paper demonstrates that MIS researchers have begun to develop strong theory and apply it successfully