Proposal of a visual environment to support SCRUM

Agile methodologies are increasingly considered important in the current context because of their focus on business benefit, strong stakeholder involvement and rapid incorporation of changing requirements. The Scrum methodology presents a generic and agile model for software development, but there are some gaps regarding solution architecture and requirements modeling and traceability. Fast customer feedback and support for volatile requirements result in higher product value, however, initial requirements modelling using modelling techniques are not commonly used in agile processes such as Scum to prepare the phase of Implementation of the software project.This article presents a first proposal for a visual environment to support the product / sprint backlog, helping to prioritize, track and decide on the most valuable, aligned and quickly deployable requirements.This work has been supported by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019

Characterization of an evaluation success model of an IS project, focused on stakeholders

Typically, we measure the success of an Information Technology project through time, budget and quality. However, with the advance of years, we found that stakeholders have also something to say about success evaluation. Each stakeholder has an impact, its own interests and expectations about the project development. Therefore, what for some can be considered a success, for others can be considered a failure, because each one has a different perspective on the same project. This short paper proposes a flexible success evaluation model for an Information Technology project, called Success Breakdown Structure (SBS). In this model, the various stakeholders present in a project are presented, as well as their success assessment criteria over three different visions: after the completion of the project, after a few months and last, after a few years. From the obtained results, we can conclude that the evaluation of a project success is not concern of project managers only, but is transversal to all stakeholders.COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013

Integrating success management into EU PM²

Success Management can bring valuable contributions to improve project results and stakeholders’ relationship. However, the SM process must be explicitly integrated into project management approaches and methodologies. The purpose of this article is to describe how to implement SM in the context of the EU PM2 Project Management Methodology. Using Design Science Research, this paper helps to fill a gap in the literature and clarify the practical use of SM. The main contribution is to complement PM2 with processes that strongly influence project success.Success Management can bring valuable contributions to improve project results and stakeholders’ relationship. However, the SM process must be explicitly integrated into project management approaches and methodologies. The purpose of this article is to describe how to implement SM in the context of the EU PM² Project Management Methodology. Using Design Science Research, this paper helps to fill a gap in the literature and clarify the practical use of SM. The main contribution is to complement PM² with processes that strongly influence project success.Este trabalho foi apoiado pela FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia no âmbito do projeto: UID/CEC/00319/2019

Integration between EVM and Risk Management: proposal of an automated framework

"World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (WorldCIST 2017)The integration between Earned Value Management (EVM) and Project Risk Management immediately raises the question of the relationship between the two methods, even though EVM and project risk management share the same function in project management: promote the project success. At first glance it seems to be no further connection between these two methodologies, but the fundamentals of EVM are fully influenced by both risk management and risk analyses. This paper seeks to clarify the mechanisms of this function, and in which points they meet or affect each other, with reference to PMBoK®. The several techniques and methods are somewhat disperse and not always coherent. With the several assumptions resulting from the interconnection between the two methods, a framework of integration between them is proposed, as well as its practical implementation in Excel, resulting in a set of tools that can be useful in monitoring and controlling a project.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Improving project management practice through the development of a business case: A local administration case study

The identification and implementation of the best practices of project management are preponderant and decisive factors for the success of the companies, regardless of their area of intervention. This highlight arose from the need for companies to respond quickly, efficiently and in an integrated manner to the challenges that an ever-changing environment offers. In a public transportation company, the challenges should focus on project management improvement initiatives, considering their organizational context and the low level of organizational maturity existing in project management. The purpose of the research was to develop a solution of a Business Case template that was intended to be integrated into the life cycle of project management of the company under study, transversal to all the areas of knowledge described by PMBoK, having several inputs provided by PRINCE2 and BABOK. The purpose of the research work was to develop a solution to justify initiatives that lead to projects and ensure a correct management throughout the life cycle of each project.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013

Aglomeração de cinzas numa caldeira a pellets : influência da temperatura e do fluxo de ar

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia MecânicaO mercado de equipamentos de queima de pellets residenciais está já bastante desenvolvido em alguns países da Europa como Alemanha, Áustria e Itália. Em Portugal, encontra-se ainda numa fase embrionária, tendo-se verificado um forte crescimento da procura nos últimos tempos. A produção de pellets tem também crescido, sendo essencialmente para exportação. A sua queima, devido à existência de elementos químicos como, por exemplo, Na, K e Si, pode dar origem a cinzas aglomeradas na grelha do queimador, que levantam problemas ao seu bom funcionamento. O presente trabalho teve como objectivo o estudo da influência da temperatura e dos fluxos de ar na aglomeração de cinzas no leito. Para este fim, efectuou-se a montagem de uma instalação experimental constituída genericamente por: i) Caldeira, cujo queimador permite a regulação dos caudais de ar primário e secundário; ii) Sistema de extracção de gases de caudal variável; iii) Sistema de alimentação controlável; iv) Sistema de dissipação de calor; v) Sistema de aquisição de dados e controlo; vi) Sistema de análise de gases. A investigação experimental incluiu ainda a monitorização da emissão de poluentes (nomeadamente CO e NOx), a avaliação da eficiência da combustão (pelo teor de CO nos gases de exaustão) e o cálculo do rendimento global do equipamento através do método das entradas e saídas. Os resultados apontam para um aumento da formação de cinzas aglomeradas com o aumento de temperatura. Para além disso, estes apontam também para a influência do excesso de ar e da fracção de ar primário na formação, e para a existência de um ponto óptimo para elevados excesso de ar e fracções de ar primário em torno dos 30%. Por outro lado, estes demonstram também a existência de outros factores que influenciam a aglomeração de cinzas, provavelmente relacionados com a alteração da proporção entre elementos químicos devido à vaporização dos mais voláteis.The market for residential pellet burning equipments is well developed in some European countries like Germany, Austria and Italy. In Portugal, it’s still in an early state, although it has experienced a strong growth in demand over the last years. The pellet production has also grown, mostly for exportation. Due to the existence of chemical elements such as Na, K and Si, the pellet combustion can lead to agglomerated ashes on the grate of the burner causing problems for its proper operation. The present work aimed to study the influence of temperature and air flows in the ash agglomeration at the grate. For this purpose, it was assembled an experimental setup that in a brief description consists of: i) boiler, whose burner allows the regulation of the primary and secondary air flow, ii) variable flow exhaust gases extraction system, iii) controllable feeding system, iv) heat dissipation system, v) data acquisition and control system, vi) exhaust gases analysis system. The experimental research has also included the monitoring the emission of pollutants (CO and NOx), evaluation of the efficiency of combustion (by the CO content in the exhaust gases) and calculation of the overall efficiency of the equipment through the inputs and outputs method. The results indicate an increased formation of agglomerated ash with increasing of temperature. In addition, they also suggest the influence of excess air and primary air fraction in that formation, and the existence of an optimum working condition for high excess air and a primary air fraction of around 30%. Moreover, they also show that there are other factors that influence the ash agglomeration, probably related to the changing of the chemical elements ratio due to vaporization of the more volatile species

The protection of landscape as a resource. Case study - Monte da Guia Protected Area (Faial-Azores)

The evolution of the concept of landscape to incorporate components like cultural and socio-economic factors, in addition to the natural and aesthetic features, influenced the perception of landscape as a resource. On the other hand, the relationships between territorial features as well as the understanding of their temporal dynamics determine the significance of these features for the quality of a landscape and, consequently, for its conservation. This implies that all components – natural and physical, but also cultural and visual – upon which landscape quality is assessed, ought to be considered and studied globally. Natural resources and cultural heritage, however, are usually considered independently when developing protected areas management plans. Here, we present a methodology developed for the Monte da Guia management plan, which allows the interrelated analysis of landscape factors such as geology, geomorphology, pedology, flora and vegetation cover as well as the cultural and visual characters. Using the concepts of biophysical sensitivity and visual quality, we evaluated the relevance of these various factors for the determination of the state of equilibrium/degradation of a landscape, and hence for its conservation value. This methodology may contribute to the development of improved zoning maps and management guidelines determining land use and management strategies for the conservation of individual resources that, together, determine landscape quality

Perpetuar o Passado ou Instrumentalizar o Presente? O posicionamento dos partidos políticos nacionais face à integração europeia nos 28 Estados-membros da União Europeia

A transformação da relação entre os partidos políticos e a União Europeia, provocada pelo conturbado processo em torno da ratificação do Tratado de Maastricht e cujas repercussões se perpetuam até à contemporaneidade, foi sintomática da derradeira penetração da questão europeia nas agendas políticas domésticas. A presente investigação almeja responder à seguinte questão: qual a magnitude e quais os fatores que influenciam o posicionamento dos partidos face à integração europeia? Para o cumprimento destes desígnios, descritivos e explicativos, é utilizada a última versão do Chapel Hill Expert Survey (2014). Durante as últimas duas décadas, a literatura revelou-se fértil na apresentação de fatores explicativos das orientações adotadas pelos partidos face à integração europeia, designadamente, de índole ideológica e estratégica. Contudo, considerando a aparente cristalização, na literatura, de uma relação antitética, concorrencial e quási-antagónica entre o potencial explanatório de cada um destes fatores, procurou-se minimizar esta dinâmica de incompatibilidade, privilegiando-se, antes, uma abordagem conciliatória. No que concerne à contemplação da magnitude dos posicionamentos partidários, conclui-se que os partidos podem adotar orientações diametralmente opostas, em função da natureza específica – política, económica ou sociocultural – da política e dimensão da integração europeia analisada. Através de uma análise multivariada, confirma-se que ambos os fatores ideológicos e estratégicos contribuem significativamente para a explicação do posicionamento dos partidos face à integração europeia. Quiçá mais importante, demonstra-se, através da averiguação de efeitos de interação, que os dois grupos de fatores (ideológicos e estratégicos) interagem, poderosa e mutuamente, na explicação do posicionamento partidário face à integração europeia.The transformation of the relation between political parties and the European Union was triggered by the troubled process around the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, whose consequences reverberate until the present day, and it was symptomatic of the irreversible penetration of the European issue within the domestic political agendas. This investigation aims to provide the answers to the following question: what is the magnitude and which factors explain the party positions towards the European integration? In order to fulfil both of these descriptive and explanatory goals, this work resorts to the latest version of the Chapel Hill Expert Survey (2014). For the past two decades, the literature has been fruitfully presenting multiple explanatory factors of the party positions towards the European integration, particularly those of ideological and strategic nature. Given the apparent crystallization of an antithetic and quasi-antagonistic relation surrounding the explanatory power of those factors, this investigation attempts to mitigate this competing dynamic. Firstly, it concludes that a single party may adopt diametrically opposed orientations towards different dimensions – political, economic or sociocultural – of the European integration process. Secondly, by conducting a multivariate analysis, it confirms that both ideological and strategic factors have considerably substantive power explaining party positions. Nevertheless, by analysing the interaction effects, this work’s most important finding revolves around the significant increment of the explanatory power of these factors when they are analysed through a conciliatory framework, rather than individually

The application of furniture manufacturing residues in wood pellets: Assessment of the combustion efficiency

The European Union aims to fulfill 20% of the primary energy consumption with renewable energy sources, by 2020. Biomass has a great potential for domestic and industrial heating applications and these are amongst the most promising uses for biomass as they combine high efficiency and ease of use. Pellets are a good method for biomass distribution due to its quality standards and energy density which make them attractive to distribution and handling. In addition to the traditional use of sawdust as a raw material, there has been a growing interest in the incorporation of residues from industry processing such as the furniture sector. This paper reports the application of pellets made of residues from the furniture industry as a fuel source in domestic heating applications. Pellets were characterized according to their chemical and physical composition. They were subsequently burned in an automatic boiler rated at 15 kW. A probe in the exhaust chimney was used to continuously analyze the flue gases. In addition, the ashes chemical composition was also analyzed. The results show that these pellets have a good thermal efficiency in domestic boilers, releasing however large emissions of NOx, originated from the high concentration of nitrogen in its chemical composition. The ash analysis confirms the slagging and fouling prediction, and these problems were verified in the grate, chamber combustion and heat exchanger. In conclusion, these pellets can be explored for industrial applications, with better control of its chemical composition. For domestic boilers however, these can cause serious ash problems.One of authors (P. T. Ferreira) acknowledges the scholarship (SFRH/BD/73101/2010) sponsored by FCT

Caracterização de um ambiente visual para apoiar as cerimónias do SCRUM

Agile software development methodologies, such as Scrum, have been widely used today because they offer great benefits to their users, such as accelerating processes and resources to deal with instability in technological environments. The Scrum methodology focuses on the management and organization of software projects but does not provide detailed descriptions of how everything should be done in a project. Rapid customer feedback and support for volatile requirements result in a higher product value, however, initial requirement analysis using modeling techniques is not commonly used in agile processes such as Scrum to prepare the implementation phase of the project. This article is intended to briefly describe the approach proposed to support Sprint and Product Backlog using Unified Modeling Language (UML), based modeling techniques.Metodologias ágeis de desenvolvimento de software, como o Scrum, têm sido muito utilizadas hoje em dia por oferecerem grandes benefícios para os seus utilizadores, como aceleração de processos e recursos para lidar com instabilidade de ambientes tecnológicos. A metodologia Scrum centra-se na gestão e organização do projeto de software, mas não fornece descrições detalhadas de como tudo dever ser feito em um projeto. O feedback rápido do cliente e o suporte para requisitos voláteis resultam num valor de produto mais alto, no entanto, a modelação de requisitos iniciais usando técnicas de modelação, não são usados comumente em processos ágeis como Scrum para preparar a fase de implementação do projeto de software. Este artigo pretende descrever de uma forma sumária, a abordagem proposta para apoiar o Sprint e Product Backlog utilizando as técnicas de modelação baseadas em Unified Modeling Language (UML).Este trabalho foi apoiado pela FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia no âmbito do projeto: UID/CEC/00319/2019