Managing communications challenges in requirement elicitation

Eliciting requirements for a system is an important activity in requirement engineering. This process involves communication between customers and developers. Researchers have identified that poor communication is one of the most common problems in identifying and defining customer’s requirements. Managing communication is challenging and difficult as this process also includes cognitive aspect, personalities, techniques and tools. An study was carried out to explore the communication challenges that are faced by developers and customers during software requirement elicitation in Malaysia. The results of this study had shown that there are some important communication challenges during software requirements elicitation process in Malaysia. In addition, most of the practitioners were pursuing the practices that have been traditionally used by the organizations. Consequently, the results of this study have given us a good incentive to expand our research in the area of software requirements elicitation

Factors of job satisfaction among workers exposed to occupational noise

Introduction: Noise was evident to reduce job satisfaction among workers which will negative impacts to workers including increase job turnover, decrease motivation and increased number of accidents. This study aims to explore job satisfaction and its risk factors among workers working in a noisy workplace. Method: The study design was cross-sectional study which involved 167 workers in a cable manufacturing factory selected by simple random sampling. MSQ was used to assess employee’s satisfaction with their job on seven facets and sound level meter was used to measure workplace noise level. Results: All respondents were exposed to noise above permissible exposure limit. Most workers (49%) were moderately satisfied with their work. Factors that were rated as lowest level of satisfaction were work itself (the ability to work alone) (40%) and the way company system policies are implemented (40%). Factors with the highest level of satisfaction were their freedom to implement their judgement (responsibility) (51%) and the supervision quality of their superiors (51%). The most dominant facet predicting total satisfaction level was recognition followed by advancement and company policy and administration. All variables in socio-demographical and job characteristics were not significantly associated with their level of job satisfaction except noise. Noise was significant in predicting one facet of job satisfaction which was physical work condition. Conclusion: Overall, the average level of job satisfaction among respondents were moderate and they were exposed to occupational noise which was the only significant study variable correlated with their job satisfaction

Requirement elicitation: identifying the communication challenges between developer and customer

Eliciting requirements for a system is an important activity in requirement engineering. This process occur at the early stages in system development which involves communication between customers and developers. Researchers have identified that poor communication is one of the most common problem in identifying and defining customer’s requirements. This problem will contribute to bad result e.g. poor system, failure of the system and budget overruns. The communication is challenging and difficult as this process also includes cognitive aspect, personalities, techniques and tools. A study was carried out to explore the communication challenges that are faced by developers and customers during software requirement elicitation in Malaysia. The results of this study had shown that there are some important communication challenges during software requirements elicitation process in Malaysia. In addition, most of the practitioners were pursuing the practices that have been traditionally used by the organizations. Consequently, the results of this study have given us a good incentive to expand our research in the area of software requirements elicitation

Introduction of the composite materials and applications for manufacturing technology

A composite material can be defined as a combination of two materials resulting in better properties than those of the individual's compound used. The two constituents form a matrix and reinforcement. the main advantages of composite materials are their high strength and rigidity, combined with low density compared with bulk materials, which allows a reduction in weight in the finished part..

Physicochemical properties of fungal chitin nanopaper from shiitake (L. edodes), enoki (F. velutipes) and oyster mushrooms (P. ostreatus)

We evaluate the physiochemical properties of chitin nanopaper derived from three commonly cultivated mushrooms: shiitake (Lentinula edodes), oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), and enoki (Flammulina velutipes). Mild alkaline extraction of fungal sample yields higher chitin recovery per dry weight (23–35%) compared to crustacean source (9.7%). Our extract readily defibrillates into 15–20 nm width fiber after 5 min blending in domestic kitchen blender, implying a simple and cost-effective nanofiber preparation. Enoki nanopaper was found to be more crystalline and possess slightly higher modulus and tensile strength (Eenoki = 2.83 GPa, σenoki = 51 MPa) compared to oyster and shiitake nanopaper (Eoyster = 2.28 GPa, σoyster = 45 MPa; Eshiitake = 2.59 GPa, σshitake = 43 MPa). However, oyster nanopaper exhibit higher toughness (1.92 MJ/m3) and larger strain at break (5.63%) because of their relatively smaller fibers promote a denser fibrous network that can sustain and absorb higher external loading

Sifat transmisi, pekali pupusan dan keterpantulan optik kepingan poli(metil metakrilat) (PMMA) didop dengan metil merah dan ferum (III) asetilasetonat

The optical transmission, reflection and extinction coefficient of a PMMA doped with methylene-red (PMMA-MM) and ferum (III) acetylacetonate (PMMA-FM) are presented. A rapid change of the optical transmission was observed in the range of wavelength (420-650 nm) and (500 - 600nm) for PMMA-FM and PMMAMM respectively. Eventhough the decrease of the optical transmission and the increase of the extinction coefficient do not linearly relate with increasing concentration of methylene-red and ferum (III) asetilasetonate, the transmission curve and the cut off transmission are still affected by doping concentration. It was found that the cut off value for PMMA-MM shifted from 200nm (for pure PMMA) to 550 nm when the concentration was increased to 6.3 31O-3mmol/g. A similar shift (200nm to 500nm) was also observed for PMMA-FM but with a higher doping concentration (i.e 30.7310-3 mmol/g)

Clinical audit on type 2 diabetes Mellitus patients in a teaching primary care clinic in Kuantan, Pahang

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and microvascular complications. Patients with DM require ongoing evaluation and monitoring. Primary care serves as the first line of care and provides appropriate clinical management to delay T2DM complications, thus improve quality of life. This audit aims to describe patient’s profile and identify clinic performance in DM management at IIUM Family Health Clinic. Kuantan