The Application of Continuous Improvement (CI) Methodology in Small-Scale (SME) Jewellery / Gold Fabricators & Refiners toward Efficient Work Process in Waste Management.

This paper presents the rationale of the continuous improvement (CI) system to be applied for the small-scale jewellery industry in the state of Kelantan State of Malaysia. The manufacturer’s inefficiency during the fabrication process directly contributes to the potentially lost gold in scrap (waste) form that would eventually affect the producer's profit margin and may lead to a compromised quality of end products. Hence, the adoption of appropriate quality management applications and good practices are key to enhance business and operational efficiency towards sustainability of gold scrap and waste handling that may lead to potential economic loss. Keywords: Sustainability; gold waste; continuous improvement (CI); jewellery industry  eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6iSI4.289

Processing and characterization of proton conducting material based on cerate-zirconate ceramics

Solid electrolyte based on cerate-zirconates have been widely investigated world-wide as proton conductor for potential applications in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, electrochemical sensors, reactors, and devices. The most conventional physical method to prepare these ceramic electrolytes is via solid-state reaction (SSR). However, chemical method or known as wet chemical method (WCM) such as a sol-gel process has become a reliable route in terms of producing high purity and homogenous ultrafine powders. Tailoring the microstructure of the ceramics electrolyte can be achieved as sol gel process produces single perovskite phase of cerate-zirconates at lower processing temperature. This lower heat treatment produces the ceramics with improved quality for instance ultra-fine and agglomerate free powders with narrow size distributions. Subsequently, the innovative procedures generates high relative density of the electrolyte with improved quality and performance. Within the scope, in this paper we summarize our recent results on the synthesis of doped Ba(Ce,Zr)O3 nanopowders by a modified sol-gel routes using metal nitrate salts as precursor

A Conceptual Framework of Design and Material Process of Bagasse for Furniture Application

This conceptual framework uses bagasse as potential material for furniture design application. Bagasse has been used as an industrial material manufacturing process, some information detected in furniture manufacturing literature. Aims, to identify bagasse in the form of biocomposite material that able used in furniture application. This research was undertaken, where research methods were developed and the material was tested, documented and analysed to inform this biocomposite in furniture design development process. The objective provided new knowledge on bagasse as potential material for furniture design application. This paper acts as material processing outlines and provides preliminary evaluation for final phase results.    Keywords: Conceptual framework; material process; bagasse; furniture design.    eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.   DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI1.230

Assessing Designers’ Perception, Analysis, and Reflective Using Verbal Protocol Analysis

This paper examines designers’ response toward the theory of uncon- scious interaction and cognitive of human behavior in the everyday product. During the Verbal Protocol Analysis (VPA) study, 30 designers were given four selected images which have been categorized into four attributes of unconscious interaction in everyday human behavior. At the same time, they were asked to verbally respond to following aspects: (1) their perception toward the attributes of the unconscious interaction of human behavior in everyday life; (2) their analysis on the given images; and (3) their reflection of those given images. The contribution of the study led to the identification of designers’ abilities to perceive, understand, analyze, and reflect in enhancing the value of an existing product by interpreting the design needs from the four attributes of unconscious interaction in everyday human behavior

Assessing the Attributes of Unconscious Interaction Between Human Cognition and Behavior in Everyday Product Using Image-Based Research Analysis

This paper’s objective is to critically assess the attributes of unconscious interaction between human cognition and behavior in the everyday product. During the study, a total of 30 images has been captured through natural observation. Using image-based research analysis as an approach, each image was critically assessed based on Burri’s theoretical framework of visual dimensions analysis. Nevertheless, a set of evaluation scheme was distributed to 30 Malaysian designers to obtain the reliability of the image analysis. The findings of the study indicate a significant descriptive characteristics analysis contained within different dimensions, which led to the identification of the attributes of unconscious interaction between human cognition and behavior in the everyday product. The implication of this study will help designers to widen their gaze on the possibilities of identifying user’s need during design thinking process by looking at the realms of unconsciousness and embodies human interaction

Assessing Designers’ Perception, Analysis, and Reflective Using Verbal Protocol Analysis

This paper examines designers’ response toward the theory of uncon- scious interaction and cognitive of human behavior in the everyday product. During the Verbal Protocol Analysis (VPA) study, 30 designers were given four selected images which have been categorized into four attributes of unconscious interaction in everyday human behavior. At the same time, they were asked to verbally respond to following aspects: (1) their perception toward the attributes of the unconscious interaction of human behavior in everyday life; (2) their analysis on the given images; and (3) their reflection of those given images. The contribution of the study led to the identification of designers’ abilities to perceive, understand, analyze, and reflect in enhancing the value of an existing product by interpreting the design needs from the four attributes of unconscious interaction in everyday human behavior

Assessing Designers’ Perception, Analysis, and Reflective Using Verbal Protocol Analysis

This paper examines designers’ response toward the theory of uncon- scious interaction and cognitive of human behavior in the everyday product. During the Verbal Protocol Analysis (VPA) study, 30 designers were given four selected images which have been categorized into four attributes of unconscious interaction in everyday human behavior. At the same time, they were asked to verbally respond to following aspects: (1) their perception toward the attributes of the unconscious interaction of human behavior in everyday life; (2) their analysis on the given images; and (3) their reflection of those given images. The contribution of the study led to the identification of designers’ abilities to perceive, understand, analyze, and reflect in enhancing the value of an existing product by interpreting the design needs from the four attributes of unconscious interaction in everyday human behavior

The Investigation of Designers’ Reflective Practice Activity Using Verbal Protocol Analysis

This paper intends to investigate the cognitive process of designers’ sketching activity based on their understanding towards the value of unconscious interaction and cognitive of human behavior in the everyday products. Using Verbal Protocol Analysis (VPA) as the main approach, four Malaysian designers from different levels of expertise worked on product design tasks in relation to four attributes of unconscious interaction in everyday human behavior. The VPA data were coded and analyzed based on Schon’s theoretical framework of reflective practice. At the end of the study, the descriptive analysis of each designers’ design activity was presented based on Andreasen’s level of abstraction. The result of the study illustrates remarkable strategies differences in the patterns of designer’s reflective practice during the conceptual design process. The implications of this study clarify the significance of these approaches in gaining insights into designers' reflective practice activity

First-principles studies on structural, electronic and optical properties of Fe-doped NiS2 counter electrode for Dye- sensitised solar cells using DFT+U / Nur Aisyah Ab Malik Marwan …[et al.]

The structural, electronic, and optical properties of nickel disulfide (NiS2) and iron (Fe)-doped NiS2 were computed by using first-principles calculations through the density functional theory (DFT) method. The Fe was used as a dopant element to understand the behaviour and the key mechanism of Fe-doped NiS2 as a counter electrode in dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSC). The results indicated that the structural properties of the NiS2 as the cubic crystal structure with the space group Pa3 (205) (pyrite structure type) agree with experimental data. The density of states (DOS) of NiS2 and Fe-doped NiS2 shows a gapless bandgap due to Mott-Hubbard insulator behavior. As for optical properties, the optical absorption of NiS2 is shifted towards the infrared (IR) region when doping with Fe while the conductivity of Fe-doped NiS2 is slightly higher in conductivity. These optical properties show that Fe-doped NiS2 is suitable for the photocatalytic activity and may provide an excellent electron charge transfer for a counter electrode in DSSC