Classification of Polarimetric SAR Data Using Dictionary Learning

End-user development (EUD) research has yielded a variety of novel environments and techniques, often accompanied by lab-based usability studies that test their effectiveness in the completion of representative real-world tasks. While lab studies play an important role in resolving frustrations and demonstrating the potential of novel tools, they are insufficient to accurately determine the acceptance of a technology in its intended context of use, which is highly dependent on the diverse and dynamic requirements of its users, as we show here. As such, usability in the lab is unlikely to represent usability in the field. To demonstrate this, we first describe the results of a think-aloud usability study of our EUD tool “Jeeves”, followed by two case studies where Jeeves was used by psychologists in their work practices. Common issues in the artificial setting were seldom encountered in the real context of use, which instead unearthed new usability issues through unanticipated user needs. We conclude with considerations for usability evaluation of EUD tools that enable development of software for other users, including planning for collaborative activities, supporting developers to evaluate their own tools, and incorporating longitudinal methods of evaluation.Postprin

SIREN : mediated informal communication for serendipity

The process of education and innovation often involves individuals, whose expertise lies in diverse fields. Informal communication amongst them can prove to be invaluable towards their collaboration, but rarely does it extend beyond one’s already established social circle. This paper proposes SIREN, a system, which makes use of sensor nodes to detect encounters between colleagues in their workplace, as they undertake their daily tasks and spreads information virally from one to another. The aim is to introduce a channel of informal communication that is not disruptive to their routine. We developed a system prototype and conducted a field test to detemine whether the premise of encounter-based information sharing offers any added value over information sharing without discrimenation, amongst users in the same work setting. The results indicate that SIREN can help break down barriers and promote subsequent direct communication between users

Considerations for computerized in situ data collection platforms

Computerized tools for in-situ data collection from study participants have proven invaluable in many diverse fields. The platforms developed within academic settings, eventually tend to find themselves abandoned and obsolete. Newer tools are susceptible to meeting a similar fate. We believe this is because, although most of the tools try to satisfy the same functional requirements, little attention has been paid to their development models also keeping in line. In this paper we propose an architectural model, which satisfies established requirements and also promotes extensibility, interoperability and cross-platform functionality between tools. In doing so, we aim to introduce development considerations into the larger discussion on the design of such platforms

Considerations for computerized in situ data collection platforms

Computerized tools for in-situ data collection from study participants have proven invaluable in many diverse fields. The platforms developed within academic settings, eventually tend to find themselves abandoned and obsolete. Newer tools are susceptible to meeting a similar fate. We believe this is because, although most of the tools try to satisfy the same functional requirements, little attention has been paid to their development models also keeping in line. In this paper we propose an architectural model, which satisfies established requirements and also promotes extensibility, interoperability and cross-platform functionality between tools. In doing so, we aim to introduce development considerations into the larger discussion on the design of such platforms

Towards task analysis tool support

This paper discusses challenges in contextual task analysis and the need of tools that support analysts to collect such information in context. Specifically we argue that the analysis of collaborative and distributed tasks can be supported by ambulatory assessment tools. We illustrate how contextual task analysis can be supported by TEMPEST, a platform originally created for experience sampling and more generally, longitudinal ambulatory assessment studies. We present a case study that illustrates the extent to which this tool meets the needs of real-world task analysis, describing the gains in efficiency it can provide but also directions for the development of tool support for task analysis

Towards task analysis tool support

This paper discusses challenges in contextual task analysis and the need of tools that support analysts to collect such information in context. Specifically we argue that the analysis of collaborative and distributed tasks can be supported by ambulatory assessment tools. We illustrate how contextual task analysis can be supported by TEMPEST, a platform originally created for experience sampling and more generally, longitudinal ambulatory assessment studies. We present a case study that illustrates the extent to which this tool meets the needs of real-world task analysis, describing the gains in efficiency it can provide but also directions for the development of tool support for task analysis

On the use of personalization to enhance compliance in experience sampling

This paper argues that allowing personalization can increase respondent adherence in experience sampling studies. We report a one week long field experiment (N=36), which compared response rates when respondents select the times at which they are prompted to report in an experience sampling protocol (experimental group), versus the situation where these times are selected by the experimenter (control group). Results showed that participants who could choose their time slots showed a significantly higher response rate than participants who received the questions on preset time slots (p=0.002). There was no difference in response rates for different times of the day. Social influence, as permitted through the personalization process is offered as one of the explanations for enhancing compliance to the experience sampling probes. Future research needs to establish whether this or other practical explanations regarding respondent convenience explain the increased adherence and whether the found effect can be sustained for longer studies

Theoretische Untersuchungen zur Spaltproduktfreisetzung aus dem Core eines Hochtemperaturreaktors bei hypothetischen Coreaufheizungsstörfällen am Beispiel von Cäsium

The fission product release out of the core of a high temperature reactor during hypothetical heat up accidents has been investigated. This has been attained on support to a physical model, taking into account the micro- and macro-structures of the pyrolytical and graphitical reactor components as well as renouncing an introduction of effektive diffusion coefficients by the description of the fission products transport through the coated particle layers and the fuel elements and renouncing an assuption of the spontaneously adsorption-desorption equilibrium on the surface of the fuel elements. The solving method and the respective computer codes were also developped. In addition the theoretically calculated and the experimentally determined results regarding the caesium release from single coated particles as well as fuel elements at accident temperatures were compared. Finally the caesium release from the core of the PNP-500 reactor during a heat up accident has been estimated and discussed

Meet your users in situ data collection from within apps in large-scale deployments

Increasingly, ‘app-store' releases of software are used as a vehicle for large-scale user trials ‘in the wild'. Several opportunities and methodological challenges arise from having little or no access to users, other than through the application itself. So far, researchers have needed to hardcode survey items into the software application studied, which is laborious and error prone. This paper discusses how these problems are addressed using TEMPEST, a platform for longitudinal in situ data collection. The authors illustrate the use of TEMPEST to study the deployment and real-world use of a tablet application called idAnimate; this application has been designed to support the creation of simple animations as design representations during the creative design process. The authors discuss how the tool has supported the gathering of data in over 4000 installations, both from a development and research perspective, and relate their experiences to current research perspectives on large-scale app trials