Electronic Facilitation of Large Meetings

Many meetings involve large groups exchanging oral comments in a face-to-face environment, yet few studies have investigated how electronic facilitation can benefit these discussions. In this paper, we studied two large oral meetings (group sizes of 38 and 37) and two computer-based meetings (group sizes 33 and 35). Results show that, as in smaller groups, members of electronic meetings experience less production blocking and evaluation apprehension and generate more total comments, relevant comments, and words per comment. However, contradicting prior research, participants in the oral meetings were more satisfied with the process

Structured groups make more accurate veracity judgements than individuals

Groups often make better judgements than individuals, and recent research suggests that this phenomenon extends to the deception detection domain. The present research investigated whether the influence of groups enhances the accuracy of judgements, and whether group size influences deception detection accuracy. Two-hundred fifty participants evaluated written statements with a pre-established detection accuracy rate of 60% in terms of veracity before viewing either the judgements and rationales of several other group members or a short summary of the written statement and revising or restating their own judgements accordingly. Participants' second responses were significantly more accurate than their first, suggesting a small positive effect of structured groups on deception detection accuracy. Group size did not have a significant effect on detection accuracy. The present work extends our understanding of the utility of group deception detection, suggesting that asynchronous, structured groups outperform individuals at detecting deception

User-efficient design: Reducing the environmental impact of user behaviour through the design of products

This thesis presents why a new user-centred design process for eco-design would be beneficial and demonstrates how this could be done. The research produces a methodology for collecting and measuring behaviour information and a framework for assessing its impact. It explores the role of and effective introduction of information in the design process and finally concludes with the proposed design approach for reducing the environmental impact of products during their use. Utilising a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, energy models, observational studies, laboratory design experiments, participation research, product prototyping and industrial consultation, a comprehensive picture of designing for energy-efficient user behaviour is formed. It illustrates how behaviour information can be recorded and quantified, assessing the division between a product's intrinsic, technology-based, energy efficiencies and those that are deemed user-related. Finally, in conclusion this information is then used in a new design approach which proposes a framework for the effective and time-efficient design of products, producing a prototype design which achieves an ongoing 43% energy saving in user related losses.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The effects of group decision support systems and task structures on group decision processes and outcomes : an experimental investigation

This research examines whether structures of decision tasks moderate the effects of group decision support systems (GDSS) on patterns of group communication and decision outcomes of decision making groups. This research also examines the relationship between patterns of group communication and decision outcomes. Although prior research has shown that the effects of GDSS on group decision making are not uniformly positive, conditions under which the use of GDSS is appropriate and beneficial are not well understood. The characteristics of the group task are emerging as important variables that are believed to moderate the effects of GDSS on group decision making. Failure to explicitly study the role of group communication in group decision making is another reason why prior research on GDSS has yielded much conflicting evidence. This research seeks to show that the effects of GDSS on decision making processes and outcomes are task structure dependent and the effects of GDSS cannot be evaluated on the basis of outcomes alone; decision processes must also be evaluated in order to understand how decisions are made and why GDSS can improve group outcomes in some situations but provide negative effects in others. A controlled laboratory experiment was conducted with a 2x3 factorial between-subjects design, manipulating two independent variables: levels of support (GDSS support and no support) and task structures (additive, disjunctive and conjunctive). Practising managers were chosen as subjects. Using a personnel recruitment exercise as the experimental task, the structure of the task was manipulated by varying the group members’ role and information distribution. Subjects were either provided with GDSS or with no support. The experiment was administered to the subjects who were participating in a management training course. The discussion records of the decision making process were coded using a coding scheme. Other dependent variables were decision quality, decision time and perceived satisfaction with process and outcome. The research results support the hypothesis that structures of a decision task moderate the effects of GDSS on both the patterns of group communication and decision outcomes of a decision making group. GDSS significantly improve decision quality in disjunctive and conjunctive tasks. GDSS also significantly alter patterns of group communication in disjunctive and conjunctive tasks. However, no significant differences in decision quality and patterns of group communication exist between groups using GDSS and face-to-face groups in additive tasks. The results also show strong relationships between patterns of group communication and decision outcomes. The research provides strong support for the theory that an understanding of how GDSS shape the patterns of group communication is likely to provide an explanation as to why GDSS can improve group outcomes in some situations but fail to perform in others

Characterising the relationship between practice and laboratory-based studies of designers for critical design situations

Experimental study of the designer plays a critical role in design research. However laboratory based study is often poorly compared and contrasted to practice, leading to a lack of uptake and subsequent research impact. The importance of addressing this issue is highlighted by its significant influence on design research and many related fields. As such the main aim of this work is to improve empirical design research by characterising the relationship between practice and laboratory-based studies for critical design situations. A review of the state of the art methods in design research and key related fields is reported. This highlights the importance and commonality of a set or core issues connected to the failure to effectively link study of practice and study in the laboratory. Further to this a technical review and scoping was carried out to establish the most efective capture strategy to be used when studying the designer empirically. Subsequently three studies are reported, forming a three point comparison between practice the laboratory (with student practitioners) and an intermediary case (a laboratory with practitioners) . Results from these studies contextualise the critical situations in practice and develop a detailed multi-level comparison between practice and the laboratory which was then validated with respect to a number of existing studies. The primary contribution of this thesis is the development of a detailed multi-level relationship between practice and the laboratory for critical design situations: information seeking, ideation and design review. The second key contribution is the development of a generic method for the empirical study of designers in varying contexts - allowing researchers to build on this work and more effectively link diverse studies together. The final key contribution of this work is the identification of a number of core methodological issues and mitigating techniques affecting both design research and its related fields.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

A framework for achieving whole life value of healthcare facilities through briefing and optioneering

Since its inauguration in 1948, the National Health Service (NHS) has been providing “free at the point of delivery” healthcare to all UK citizens. However, lately, there has been unprecedented concern over the capability of most NHS hospitals to demonstrate best value in providing non-clinical service to NHS Trust customers. Demonstrating value is particularly important because of the current multi-billion pound expenditure towards modernising the healthcare service estate. Consequently, the present research aimed to respond to the need to demonstrate satisfactory Whole Life Value (WLV) delivery of healthcare facilities. This has been achieved by focusing on the improvement of front-end processes of construction briefing and optioneering, where most value can be embedded before progressing onto design and construction. The study reviewed extant literature in an attempt to construct a theoretical linkage between the three concepts of WLV, strategic briefing and optioneering. In addition, through a qualitative empirical study comprising interviews, workshops observations and a detailed case study, the same concepts were investigated within the context of NHS healthcare facilities. Key findings indicated that having a specific project strategy is vital to WLV delivery; and that selecting the right project and design options is dependent on first agreeing and clarifying a clinical service model/plan with clinicians. It was also found that improved construction briefing and optioneering involves adequately defining a customised whole life solution informed through purposeful communication and engagement with relevant stakeholders in contributing towards issues that directly affect how they use a healthcare facility. Another key finding was that WLV of healthcare facilities is defined through a whole life solution which is directly linked to its usefulness or utility value realisable by service users in achieving expected clinical outcomes over the facility's design life. Therefore, through briefing and optioneering, a healthcare facility's project strategy must be directly linked with specific needs and requirements (among other things) in order to reflect exactly what the stakeholders and end-users value in a healthcare built environment in the long term. These research findings were applied to inform the formulation of a better briefing and optioneering guidance framework applicable during project definition for satisfactory WLV delivery of healthcare schemes.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Group processes and dynamics in relation to transactional and transformational leadership

This study investigated the relationship between leadership style and group processes and dynamics with due consideration of the role of related systems in the context of organisational change. The theoretical assumptions and practical implications of the full range model of leadership were discussed. This model emphasises the transactional-transformational paradigm. In addition, approaches to studying and working with groups were covered, focusing specifically on group processes and group dynamics. In the case of the latter, the systems psychodynamic perspective was emphasised. The present study was conducted in a plant of a South African production organisation that had been experiencing transformation. An intervention was done at management level to identify behavioural and operational issues and to sensitise the members of the management team in terms of individual and group functioning. The conceptualisation of leadership styles in terms of the full range model of leadership was largely supported by means of associations with certain personality traits and behaviours. The latter also provided a profile of desired characteristics, especially in terms of interpersonal styles and work and social ethics. The theory on group processes and dynamics was used to explore group and organisational functioning. The context of change and the related insecurity resulted in efforts to deal with anxiety by means of excessive reliance on structure. Centralised leadership and a dynamic of control and dependency characterised all levels of the organisation. Cooperation in an interdependent manner was therefore problematic and there was also a struggle in terms of interrelatedness in and between systems. The unconscious defence strategy was related to the general reliance on transactional behaviours and the lack of authorisation of leadership in terms of transformational behaviours. Despite the successful application of theory in the present study and the contribution made by the results, it was concluded that the uniqueness and the realities of each situation need to be explored and provided for, and a system should be allowed to determine the progression in the system.PsychologyD. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology