Re-planning for a successful project schedule

Time-to-market or project duration has increasing significance for commercial software development. We report on a longitudinal study of a project at IBM Hursley Park. The focus of this study was schedule behaviour; however, we explored a range of related factors, including planned versus actual progress, resource allocation and functionality delivered. In the course of the 12-month study, evidence was collected from eight interviews, 49 project meetings, a number of project documents and a feedback workshop. The project leader considered the project to be a success, not only in terms of satisfying resource and schedule objectives, but also in the marketplace. Whilst many of the originally planned external commitments were met, it is clear that the project did not adhere to its original (detailed) plan and indeed there were no less than seven re-plans. These re-plans were mainly in response to mis-estimates in the original plan, rather than in response to the introduction of additional requirements (of which there were several) or problems with external dependencies. Furthermore, these re-plans suggest a distinction between the nature of the initial planning process and the nature of the re-planning process during the project. Attention is also directed at the implications these re-plans have for software metrics and cost estimation researc

An evaluation of e-learning standards

The aim of this investigation is to perform an independent study of the various emerging elearning standards. This paper presents a summary of these standards in order to make them more accessible and understandable, and provide preliminary evidence as to their utility and adoption by the various UK higher and further education institutions. Recently there have been efforts to define standards for the elearning contents and elearning components like the IEEELOM, UKLOM, IMS, SCORM and OKI. Since it was not possible to cover all the standards in detail within the time available, so our independent study focuses on eight standards Although the results of the preliminary study suggest that the eight standards considered in the study may help interoperability, accessibility and reusability of the elearning content and elearning components, but it is yet to be seen how many of these are actually followed at UK higher education institutions

The problem of labels in e-assessment of diagrams

In this short paper we explore a problematic aspect of automated assessment of diagrams. Diagrams have partial and sometimes inconsistent semantics. Typically much of the meaning of diagram resides in the labels, however, the choice of labeling is largely unrestricted. This means a correct solution may utilise differing yet semantically equivalent labels to the specimen solution. With human marking this problem can be easily overcome. Unfortunately with e-assessment this is challenging. We empirically explore the scale of the problem of synonyms by analysing 160 student solutions to a UML task. From this we find that cumulative growth of synonyms only shows a limited tendency to reduce at the margin. This finding has significant implications for the ease in which we may develop future e-assessment systems of diagrams, in that the need for better algorithms for assessing label semantic similarity becomes inescapable

Enhancing Practice and Achievement in Introductory Programming With a Robot Olympics

© 2015 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission. See http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/publications/rights/index.html for more information

Symmetry breaking in commensurate graphene rotational stacking; a comparison of theory and experiment

Graphene stacked in a Bernal configuration (60 degrees relative rotations between sheets) differs electronically from isolated graphene due to the broken symmetry introduced by interlayer bonds forming between only one of the two graphene unit cell atoms. A variety of experiments have shown that non-Bernal rotations restore this broken symmetry; consequently, these stacking varieties have been the subject of intensive theoretical interest. Most theories predict substantial changes in the band structure ranging from the development of a Van Hove singularity and an angle dependent electron localization that causes the Fermi velocity to go to zero as the relative rotation angle between sheets goes to zero. In this work we show by direct measurement that non-Bernal rotations preserve the graphene symmetry with only a small perturbation due to weak effective interlayer coupling. We detect neither a Van Hove singularity nor any significant change in the Fermi velocity. These results suggest significant problems in our current theoretical understanding of the origins of the band structure of this material.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PR

Guidelines for conducting virtual cognitive interviews during a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged researchers working in physical contact with research participants. Cognitive interviews examine whether study components (most often questionnaire items) are worded or structured in a manner that allows study participants to interpret the items in a way intended by the researcher. We developed guidelines to conduct cognitive interviews virtually to accommodate interviewees who have limited access to the internet. The guidelines describe the essential communication and safety equipment requirements and outline a procedure for collecting responses while maintaining the safety of the participants and researchers. Furthermore, the guidelines provide suggestions regarding training of participants to use the technology, encouraging them to respond aloud (a potential challenge given that the researcher is not physically present with the participant), and testing and deploying the equipment prior to the interview. Finally, the guidelines emphasize the need to adapt the interview to the circumstances and anticipate potential problems that might arise

A wide band gap metal-semiconductor-metal nanostructure made entirely from graphene

A blueprint for producing scalable digital graphene electronics has remained elusive. Current methods to produce semiconducting-metallic graphene networks all suffer from either stringent lithographic demands that prevent reproducibility, process-induced disorder in the graphene, or scalability issues. Using angle resolved photoemission, we have discovered a unique one dimensional metallic-semiconducting-metallic junction made entirely from graphene, and produced without chemical functionalization or finite size patterning. The junction is produced by taking advantage of the inherent, atomically ordered, substrate-graphene interaction when it is grown on SiC, in this case when graphene is forced to grow over patterned SiC steps. This scalable bottomup approach allows us to produce a semiconducting graphene strip whose width is precisely defined within a few graphene lattice constants, a level of precision entirely outside modern lithographic limits. The architecture demonstrated in this work is so robust that variations in the average electronic band structure of thousands of these patterned ribbons have little variation over length scales tens of microns long. The semiconducting graphene has a topologically defined few nanometer wide region with an energy gap greater than 0.5 eV in an otherwise continuous metallic graphene sheet. This work demonstrates how the graphene-substrate interaction can be used as a powerful tool to scalably modify graphene's electronic structure and opens a new direction in graphene electronics research.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Silicon intercalation into the graphene-SiC interface

In this work we use LEEM, XPEEM and XPS to study how the excess Si at the graphene-vacuum interface reorders itself at high temperatures. We show that silicon deposited at room temperature onto multilayer graphene films grown on the SiC(000[`1]) rapidly diffuses to the graphene-SiC interface when heated to temperatures above 1020. In a sequence of depositions, we have been able to intercalate ~ 6 ML of Si into the graphene-SiC interface.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, submitted to PR

Caregiver perceptions of change in pediatric asthma control during the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE: Although several indicators suggest that pediatric asthma control in the United States improved early in the pandemic, other indicators suggest not. Missing are reports from caregivers of the experiences of their children with asthma early in the pandemic. METHODS: Using the PP-ACT and other measures that we specifically constructed for our research, we conducted a cross-sectional national survey of US caregivers of children with asthma (N=595) to examine perceived change in their child\u27s asthma control and changes in reports of ED visits and use of emergency relief medicine and controller medicine pre-pandemic (January to March 2020) versus early-pandemic (June to September 2020). RESULTS: Caregivers fell into three groups: most caregivers perceived that their child\u27s asthma control was improved (50.3%) or unchanged (41.2%), and few reported worse control (8.5%). Surprisingly, all three groups of caregivers reported similar frequencies of early-pandemic and pre-pandemic ED visits and use of emergency relief medicine. Also surprising, caregivers who perceived their child\u27s asthma as more controlled (compared with the other two groups) reported more frequent ED visits and use of emergency relief medicine, yet also more use of controller medicine at both early-pandemic and pre-pandemic. CONCLUSION: The mismatch between caregivers\u27 perceptions of their child\u27s early-pandemic asthma control and their reports of ED visits and use of emergency relief medicine suggests that caregivers may rely on a gist (a global evaluation that can include nonbiomedical evidence) when estimating their child\u27s asthma control. Caregivers and their families could benefit from help from clinicians in understanding the discrepancy between subjective asthma control and asthma control indicators and in understanding what well-controlled asthma looks and feels like

Exploring caregiver interest in and preferences for interventions for children with risk of asthma exacerbation: Web-based survey

BACKGROUND: Maintaining control of asthma symptoms is the cornerstone of asthma treatment guidelines in the United States. However, suboptimal asthma control and asthma exacerbations among young people are common and are associated with many negative outcomes. Interventions to improve asthma control are needed. For such interventions to be successful, it is necessary to understand the types of interventions that are appealing to caregivers of children with different levels of risk of exacerbation. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate whether caregivers of children with high (vs low) risk of asthma exacerbation show different levels of interest in and preferences for potential intervention programs and delivery methods. METHODS: We contracted with Ipsos to administer a web-based survey to caregivers of children with asthma who were residing in the United States. Caregivers (N=394) reported their interest (1=not at all; 3=a lot) in 9 possible intervention programs and 8 possible intervention delivery methods. Caregivers also indicated their preferences by selecting the 3 intervention programs and 3 delivery methods that most interested them. Finally, caregivers completed 2 open-ended questions asking what other resources might be useful for managing their children\u27s asthma. We classified children as having a high risk of exacerbation if they had an exacerbation in the past 3 months (n=116) and a low risk of exacerbation if otherwise (n=278). RESULTS: Caregivers reported higher levels of interest in all intervention programs and delivery methods if they cared for a child with a high risk rather than a low risk of exacerbation. However, regardless of the child\u27s risk status, caregivers expressed the highest levels of interest in programs to increase their child\u27s self-management skills, to help pay for asthma care, and to work with the school to manage asthma. Caregivers expressed the highest levels of interest in delivery methods that maintained personal control over accessing information (websites, videos, printed materials, and smartphone apps). Caregivers\u27 preferences were consistent with their interests; programs and delivery methods that were rated as high in interest were also selected as one of the 3 that most interested them. Although most caregivers did not provide additional suggestions for the open-ended questions, a few caregivers suggested intervention programs and delivery methods that we had not included (eg, education about avoiding triggers and medication reminders). CONCLUSIONS: Similar interests and preferences among caregivers of children with high and low risk of exacerbation suggest a broad need for support in managing childhood asthma. Providers could help caregivers by directing them toward resources that make asthma care more affordable and by helping their children with asthma self-management. Interventions that accommodate caregivers\u27 concerns about having personal control over access to asthma information are likely to be more successful than interventions that do not