From Intention to Use to Active Use of a Mobile Application in Norwegian ETO Manufacturing

The introduction of digital technologies is starting to change the prevailing work practices at Aker Solutions’ yard at Stord in Vestland county. However, in order to derive business value and attain real transformative effects of digitalization, the challenges related to implementation must be identified and addressed. In this chapter, we examine the ongoing implementation of the mobile application WeBuild, at Aker Solutions’ yard at Stord. The overall goal with the application is to support more efficient work processes, reduce costs, increase organizational flexibility, and thereby ease the coming transition to “green” market segments. We use data from an extensive survey with answers from more than 500 respondents working at the yard at Stord to identify both organizational and infrastructural challenges with regard to this specific implementation. Analyses indicate that training and user involvement, functionality and usability, and technical infrastructure are important determinants which influence the active use of the WeBuild application. In more detail, our findings show that functionality adapted to the needs of the respondents’ respective disciplines was the strongest predictor of active use and that poor Internet access in certain parts of the yard makes it challenging to use WeBuild and other digital solutions. Further, we discuss how Aker Solution could overcome some of these challenges and attain business value from WeBuild and other digital solutions and initiatives. WeBuild is one of the many digital initiatives in Aker Solutions. By investigating the implications of this specific implementation along several dimensions, this study sheds light on the many difficulties Norwegian companies are facing when they try to reap the benefits of digital transformation. While Aker Solutions get insights with regard to the contextual challenges at this specific yard, one can extract important learning points that are useful in other contexts as well. Norwegian manufacturers must learn from each other to succeed with digital transformation.publishedVersio

From Intention to Use to Active Use of a Mobile Application in Norwegian ETO Manufacturing

The introduction of digital technologies is starting to change the prevailing work practices at Aker Solutions’ yard at Stord in Vestland county. However, in order to derive business value and attain real transformative effects of digitalization, the challenges related to implementation must be identified and addressed. In this chapter, we examine the ongoing implementation of the mobile application WeBuild, at Aker Solutions’ yard at Stord. The overall goal with the application is to support more efficient work processes, reduce costs, increase organizational flexibility, and thereby ease the coming transition to “green” market segments. We use data from an extensive survey with answers from more than 500 respondents working at the yard at Stord to identify both organizational and infrastructural challenges with regard to this specific implementation. Analyses indicate that training and user involvement, functionality and usability, and technical infrastructure are important determinants which influence the active use of the WeBuild application. In more detail, our findings show that functionality adapted to the needs of the respondents’ respective disciplines was the strongest predictor of active use and that poor Internet access in certain parts of the yard makes it challenging to use WeBuild and other digital solutions. Further, we discuss how Aker Solution could overcome some of these challenges and attain business value from WeBuild and other digital solutions and initiatives. WeBuild is one of the many digital initiatives in Aker Solutions. By investigating the implications of this specific implementation along several dimensions, this study sheds light on the many difficulties Norwegian companies are facing when they try to reap the benefits of digital transformation. While Aker Solutions get insights with regard to the contextual challenges at this specific yard, one can extract important learning points that are useful in other contexts as well. Norwegian manufacturers must learn from each other to succeed with digital transformation.publishedVersio

Human Factors and Innovation with Mobile Devices

Advancements in technology are a significant driving force in educational innovation, but a strong focus on technology means that human aspects and implications may not be given the attention they deserve. This chapter examines usability issues surrounding the use of mobile devices in learning. A key aim is to empower educators and learners to take control of personal devices and realise their potential in relation to teaching and learning. The background section reviews the development of usability studies and explores why mobile device usability presents specific new challenges. The impact of changing requirements in education, and new visions for ways of thinking and competences that learners should be acquiring, are also examined. Finally, the chapter provides a set of concepts that can inform conversations between educators and learners, mobile system engineers, developers, support staff, and others

Mobile Usability in Educational Contexts: What have we learnt?

The successful development of mobile learning is dependent on human factors in the use of new mobile and wireless technologies. The majority of mobile learning activity continues to take place on devices that were not designed with educational applications in mind, and usability issues are often reported. The paper reflects on progress in approaches to usability and on recent developments, with particular reference to usability findings reported in studies of mobile learning. The requirements of education are considered as well as the needs of students participating in distance education; discipline-specific perspectives and accessibility issues are also addressed. Usability findings from empirical studies of mobile learning published in the literature are drawn together in the paper, along with an account of issues that emerged in two mobile learning projects based at The Open University, UK, in 2001 and 2005. The main conclusions are: that usability issues are often reported in cases where PDAs have been used; that the future is in scenario-based design which should also take into account the evolution of uses over time and the unpredictability of how devices might be used; and that usability issues should be tracked over a longer period, from initial use through to a state of relative experience with the technology

Security and Online learning: to protect or prohibit

The rapid development of online learning is opening up many new learning opportunities. Yet, with this increased potential come a myriad of risks. Usable security systems are essential as poor usability in security can result in excluding intended users while allowing sensitive data to be released to unacceptable recipients. This chapter presents findings concerned with usability for two security issues: authentication mechanisms and privacy. Usability issues such as memorability, feedback, guidance, context of use and concepts of information ownership are reviewed within various environments. This chapter also reviews the roots of these usability difficulties in the culture clash between the non-user-oriented perspective of security and the information exchange culture of the education domain. Finally an account is provided of how future systems can be developed which maintain security and yet are still usable

Foregrounding accessibility for user experience design

textI am interested in creating generative tools and techniques for designing accessible user experiences for end users. As a user experience designer, I am working on embracing the web accessibility standards and guidelines and including them from the beginning of the User Experience (UX) design process. My projects are directed at facilitating design students and professionals to understand two things: that the broad concept of web accessibility is important, and how they can embed web accessibility into the UX design process at a very early stage. To do this, I used different media (website, posters and videos etc.) to create awareness and educate designers in an interesting, simple and engaging way. In this report, I will discuss the definition and role of accessible design, identify limitations in existing tools and methods, and demonstrate how future designers might research, prototype, analyze, and implement their designs for all users.Desig

Applying a User-centred Approach to Interactive Visualization Design

Analysing users in their context of work and finding out how and why they use different information resources is essential to provide interactive visualisation systems that match their goals and needs. Designers should actively involve the intended users throughout the whole process. This chapter presents a user-centered approach for the design of interactive visualisation systems. We describe three phases of the iterative visualisation design process: the early envisioning phase, the global specification hase, and the detailed specification phase. The whole design cycle is repeated until some criterion of success is reached. We discuss different techniques for the analysis of users, their tasks and domain. Subsequently, the design of prototypes and evaluation methods in visualisation practice are presented. Finally, we discuss the practical challenges in design and evaluation of collaborative visualisation environments. Our own case studies and those of others are used throughout the whole chapter to illustrate various approaches