Is enterprise architecture in web-reliant Portuguese SMEs in line with academic best practices?

This paper aims to study the current Enterprise Architecture Standards in Web-Reliant Portuguese SMEs. This is done to fill the gap observable in Enterprise Architecture literature in smaller companies. As such, several Models were created, using the Archimate Methodology and further evaluated by four companies. It was discovered that Small Businesses outsource a large number of their non-core activities and that they lack experience with regards to more exceptional processes. It was concluded that Small Businesses in Portugal possess a level of Enterprise Architecture comparable to academic best practices

Business-Driven Technical Debt Prioritization

Technical debt happens when teams take shortcuts on software development to gain short-term benefits at the cost of making future changes more expensive. Previous results show that there is a misalignment between the prioritization done by technical professionals and the prioritization expected by business ones. This paper presents a business-driven approach to prioritize technical debt items. The research is organized into four phases: exploratory, to identify the research focus; concept verification, where the proposed approach was evaluated on a multi-case study; solution, where a design science research was conducted to develop Tracy, a framework for technical debt prioritization; and validation. Results so far show that the business-driven prioritization of technical debt items can improve the alignment and communication between the technical and business stakeholders.Comment: Preprint submitted to the 35th International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution (ICSME'19) (Doctoral Symposium). arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1908.0015

3D terrain generation using neural networks

With the increase in computation power, coupled with the advancements in the field in the form of GANs and cGANs, Neural Networks have become an attractive proposition for content generation. This opened opportunities for Procedural Content Generation algorithms (PCG) to tap Neural Networks generative power to create tools that allow developers to remove part of creative and developmental burden imposed throughout the gaming industry, be it from investors looking for a return on their investment and from consumers that want more and better content, fast. This dissertation sets out to develop a PCG mixed-initiative tool, leveraging cGANs, to create authored 3D terrains, allowing users to directly influence the resulting generated content without the need for formal training on terrain generation or complex interactions with the tool to influence the generative output, as opposed to state of the art generative algorithms that only allow for random content generation or are needlessly complex. Testing done to 113 people online, as well as in-person testing done to 30 people, revealed that it is indeed possible to develop a tool that allows users from any level of terrain creation knowledge, and minimal tool training, to easily create a 3D terrain that is more realistic looking than those generated by state-of-the-art solutions such as Perlin Noise.Com o aumento do poder de computação, juntamente com os avanços neste campo na forma de GANs e cGANs, as Redes Neurais tornaram-se numa proposta atrativa para a geração de conteúdos. Graças a estes avanços, abriram-se oportunidades para os algoritmos de Geração de Conteúdos Procedimentais(PCG) explorarem o poder generativo das Redes Neurais para a criação de ferramentas que permitam aos programadores remover parte da carga criativa e de desenvolvimento imposta em toda a indústria dos jogos, seja por parte dos investidores que procuram um retorno do seu investimento ou por parte dos consumidores que querem mais e melhor conteúdo, o mais rápido possível. Esta dissertação pretende desenvolver uma ferramenta de iniciativa mista PCG, alavancando cGANs, para criar terrenos 3D cocriados, permitindo aos utilizadores influenciarem diretamente o conteúdo gerado sem necessidade de terem formação formal sobre a criação de terrenos 3D ou interações complexas com a ferramenta para influenciar a produção generativa, opondo-se assim a algoritmos generativos comummente utilizados, que apenas permitem a geração de conteúdo aleatório ou que são desnecessariamente complexos. Um conjunto de testes feitos a 113 pessoas online e a 30 pessoas presencialmente, revelaram que é de facto possível desenvolver uma ferramenta que permita aos utilizadores, de qualquer nível de conhecimento sobre criação de terrenos, e com uma formação mínima na ferramenta, criar um terreno 3D mais realista do que os terrenos gerados a partir da solução de estado da arte, como o Perlin Noise, e de uma forma fácil

How can PT efficiently and effectvely align its e-mail and sms marketing efforts to drive channel migrations to online touchpoints?

This work studies the current Portugal Telecom’s Customer Journey, exploring opportunities to do channel migrations into online touchpoints by using E-mail and SMS as tools, as a way to be more efficient. In-depth interviews were conducted to access PT’s strategic aim, and 913 persons were surveyed about their path when contacting the company and its competitors. Statistical evidence was found for differences between the telecommunications operators in the use of some touchpoints, mainly Word-of-Mouth and the Call-Center. Furthermore, some other online touchpoints were found to be not leveraged in PT’s strategy. Recommendations and best practices are presented to perform the changes suggested, targeting the use of E-Mail to acquire new customers, the increase of the online selling channel weight, the opportunities of using Word-of-Mouth to create awareness and loyalty, the migration of the post-purchase services to online channels and the use of SMS to communicate relevant contents

The potential of international cooperation in the Azorean space strategy

Dissertação de Mestrado, Relações Internacionais: O Espaço Euro-Atlântico, 17 de março de 2023, Universidade dos Açores.Esta investigação pretende abordar a essência da cooperação internacional do setor espacial na Região Autónoma dos Açores. O estudo centra-se, por isso, nos impactos que terão na economia, na criação de emprego qualificado, desenvolvimento tecnológico, capacidade geográfica dos Açores e nas problemáticas que a Região enfrentará.ABSTRACT: This investigation aims to study the essence of international cooperation in the space sector in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. The study, therefore, focuses on the resulting impacts on the economy, the creation of qualified employment, technological development, the geographic capacity of the Azores and the problems that the Region will face

A crítica de Arendt à república norte-americana e os caminho para uma república de conselhos

In this article, we list H. Arendt\u27s main criticisms of the US Constitution. According to her, the founders, overly concerned with the stability of the new republic and with the emphasis on representative government, ended up not providing adequate public spaces for political freedom and broad and plural popular participation. The consequences were bureaucratization, the concentration of power and the depoliticization of the political body that could lead the republic to degeneration and the replacement of power by violence and domination. As remedies for these ills, we argue that the author resorts to the Jeffersonian ideal of elementary republics as well as the system of revolutionary self-management councils as measures for the regeneration of public freedom and the republic\u27s vitality.En este artículo enumeramos las principales críticas de H. Arendt a la Constitución estadounidense. Según ella, los padres fundadores, excesivamente preocupados por la estabilidad de la nueva república y el énfasis en el gobierno representativo, acabaron por no proporcionar espacios públicos adecuados para la libertad política y la participación popular amplia y plural. Las consecuencias fueron la burocratización, la concentración de poder y la despolitización del cuerpo político, que podrían llevar a la república a la degeneración y a la sustitución del poder por la violencia y la dominación. Como remedios a estos males, argumentamos que el autor recurre al ideal jeffersoniano de repúblicas elementales, así como al sistema de consejos revolucionarios de autogestión como medidas para regenerar la libertad pública y revitalizar la república.Nesse artigo, elencamos as principais críticas de H. Arendt à Constituição Norte-americana. Segundo ela, os fundadores, demasiadamente preocupados com a estabilidade da nova república e com a ênfase no governo representativo, acabaram não fornecendo os adequados espaços públicos destinados à liberdade política e à ampla e plural participação popular. As consequências foram a burocratização, a concentração do poder e a despolitização do corpo político que podem conduzir a república à degeneração e à substituição do poder pela violência e dominação. Como remédios para esses males, argumentamos que a autora recorre ao ideal jeffersoniano de repúblicas elementares bem como ao sistema de conselhos revolucionários de autogestão como medidas de regeneração da liberdade pública e revitalização da república