Supporting Worth Mapping with Sentence Completion

Expectations for design and evaluation approaches are set by the development practices within which they are used. Worth Centred Development (WCD) seeks to both shape and fit such practices. We report a study that combined two WCD approaches. Sentence completion gathered credible quantitative data on user values, which were used to identify relevant values and aversions of two player groups for an online gambling site. These values provided human value elements for a complementary WCD approach of worth mapping. Initial worth maps were extended in three workshops, which focused on outcomes and user experiences that could be better addressed in the current product and associated marketing materials. We describe how worth maps were prepared for, and presented in, workshops, and how product owners and associated business roles evaluated the combination of WCD approaches. Based on our experiences, we offer practical advice on this combinination

Évaluation d'Écosystème Domestique Programmable : Oser « Vivre avec » comme Méthode Expérimentale

International audienceWe present an experience with the development and evaluation of AppsGate, an ecosystem for the home that can be programmed by end-users. We show the benefits from using the homes of the project team members as real-life living-labs. In particular, we discuss the first person perspective experience as an effective way to conduct longitudinal experiments in real world settings. We conclude that a programmable habitat is desirable provided that attention cost is minimized.Cet article présente une expérience avec la mise en œuvre et l’évaluation d’AppsGate, un écosystème domestique programmable par l’habitant. Nous montrons l’apport de l’utilisation des domiciles de membres du projet tout au long du processus de développement, et notamment l’intérêt de « vivre avec » comme technique d’expérimentation longitudinale

On the Definition and Management of Cultural Groups of e-Learners

Abstract: One objective of our ongoing research is to be able to culturally adapt e-Learning. This paper is focused on describing a methodology to represent cultural groups of learners and adapt the learning session depending on the membership of learners to one or more cultural group. 1

Embedding the Organizational Culture Profile into Schwartz’s Universal Value Theory using Multidimensional Scaling with Regional Restrictions

Person-organization fit is often measured by the congruence of a person’s values and the values that he or she ascribes to the organization. A popular instrument used in this context is the Organizational Culture Profile (O’Reilly, Chatman, & Caldwell, 1991). The OCP scales its 54 items on eight factors, derived by exploratory factor analysis. We investigate the extent to which the OCP can be embedded into Schwartz’s Theory of Universals in Values (TUV) that is formulated in terms of a circumplex in MDS space. To address this question, we develop a non-standard MDS method that enforces a TUV-based axial regionality onto the solution space together with a permutation test that assesses the consistency of the side constraints with the MDS representation. We find that the OCP can indeed be largely embedded into the TUV. The practical implication is that P-O fit can at least be approximated by the congruence of the person’s and the organization’s positions on two value dimensions, risk vs. rules and results vs. relations

Embedding the organizational culture profile into Schwartz’s theory of universals in values

Abstract Person-organization fit (P-O fit) is often measured by the congruence of a person’s values and the values that he or she ascribes to the organization. A popular instrument used in this context is the Organizational Culture Profile (O’Reilly, Chatman, & Caldwell, 1991). The OCP scales use 54 items that form eight factors in exploratory factor analysis. We investigate the extent to which the OCP can be embedded into Schwartz’s Theory of Universals in Values (TUV) that is formulated in terms of a circumplex in a 2-dimensional plane. To address this question, we develop a non-standard multidimensional scaling (MDS) method that enforces a TUV-based axial regionality onto the solution space together with a permutation test that assesses the consistency of the side constraints with the MDS representation. We find that the OCP can indeed be embedded into the TUV. The practical implication is that P-O fit can be assessed more simply by the congruence of the person’s and the organization’s positions on two value dimensions: risk vs. rules and results vs. relations

Exploring a string-like landscape

We explore inflationary trajectories within randomly-generated two-dimensional potentials, considered as a toy model of the string landscape. Both the background and perturbation equations are solved numerically, the latter using the two-field formalism of Peterson and Tegmark which fully incorporates the effect of isocurvature perturbations. Sufficient inflation is a rare event, occurring for only roughly one in $10^5$ potentials. For models generating sufficient inflation, we find that the majority of runs satisfy current constraints from WMAP. The scalar spectral index is less than 1 in all runs. The tensor-to-scalar ratio is below the current limit, while typically large enough to be detected by next-generation CMB experiments and perhaps also by Planck. In many cases the inflationary consistency equation is broken by the effect of isocurvature modes.Comment: 24 pages with 8 figures incorporated, matches version accepted by JCA

Measuring Human Values in Software Engineering

Background: Human values, such as prestige, social justice, and financial success, influence software production decision-making processes. While their subjectivity makes some values difficult to measure, their impact on software motivates our research. Aim: To contribute to the scientific understanding and the empirical investigation of human values in Software Engineering (SE). Approach: Drawing from social psychology, we consider values as mental representations to be investigated on three levels: at a system (L1), personal (L2), and instantiation level (L3). Method: We design and develop a selection of tools for the investigation of values at each level, and focus on the design, development, and use of the Values Q-Sort. Results: From our study with 12 software practitioners, it is possible to extract three values ‘prototypes’ indicative of an emergent typology of values considerations in SE. Conclusions: The Values Q-Sort generates quantitative values prototypes indicating values relations (L1) as well as rich personal narratives (L2) that reflect specific software practices (L3). It thus offers a systematic, empirical approach to capturing values in SE

In the name of truth: People’s reactions to ingroup and outgroup members who self-disclose a severe error

Usually people consider morality traits to be highly valuable, both in themselves and in others. Moreover, they tend to select moral groups and are often motivated to protect the positive identity of their groups by derogating immoral ingroup members. However, sometimes even moral ingroup members could represent a threat to the group and therefore be negatively evaluated, such as in the case of people who report another person’s wrongdoing (whistleblowing). To date an investigation of people’s judgments of someone who self- disclose his/her own wrongdoing is still missing. Our study aims to investigate how group members react to an ingroup and an outgroup member who confessed to having committed a severe wrongdoing. Results of a study conducted by using a real episode concerning a surgeon who confessed a fatal error, confirm our expectation; even if medical students appreciated the confession of the surgeon, they are less positive in evaluating his behavior compared to other student

A Compact Beam Stop for a Rare Kaon Decay Experiment

We describe the development and testing of a novel beam stop for use in a rare kaon decay experiment at the Brookhaven AGS. The beam stop is located inside a dipole spectrometer magnet in close proximity to straw drift chambers and intercepts a high-intensity neutral hadron beam. The design process, involving both Monte Carlo simulations and beam tests of alternative beam-stop shielding arrangements, had the goal of minimizing the leakage of particles from the beam stop and the resulting hit rates in detectors, while preserving maximum acceptance for events of interest. The beam tests consisted of measurements of rates in drift chambers, scintilation counter hodoscopes, a gas threshold Cherenkov counter, and a lead glass array. Measurements were also made with a set of specialized detectors which were sensitive to low-energy neutrons, photons, and charged particles. Comparisons are made between these measurements and a detailed Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: 39 pages, 14 figures, submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Method