Box-Structured Requirement Determination Methods

Requirements determination is an iterative process of eliciting, gathering, modeling, specifying, and analyzing system requirements information. It is the most critical, yet least understood, phase of systems development. This paper presents a rigorous approach for performing requirements determination with box-structured methods. By capturing requirements information in black box transactions and transaction hierarchies, intellectual control is maintained over large amounts of requirements information. The results of the box-structured requirements determination methods provide the basis for formal system design techniques. A concise example of box-structured requirements determination is included in an appendix

Maternal Serum Heme-Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) Concentrations in Early Pregnancy and Subsequent Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) concentrations have been recently reported to be elevated in impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, no study has examined the association between HO-1 concentrations and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: In a case-control study, nested within a prospective cohort of pregnant women (186 GDM cases and 191 women who remained eu-glycemic through pregnancy), we assessed the association of maternal serum HO-1 concentrations, measured in samples collected at 16 weeks gestation, on average, with subsequent risk of GDM. Maternal serum HO-1 concentrations were determined using ELISA. We fitted multivariate logistic regression models to derive estimates of odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Median serum HO-1 concentrations in early pregnancy were lower in women who subsequently developed GDM compared with those who did not (1.60 vs. 1.80 ng/mL, p-value = 0.002). After adjusting for maternal age, race, family history of T2DM and pre-pregnancy body mass index, women with HO-1≥3.05 ng/mL (highest decile) experienced a 74% reduction of GDM risk (95% CI; 0.09–0.77) compared with women whose concentrations were<1.23 ng/mL (lowest quartile). Conclusion: Serum HO-1 concentrations were inversely associated with subsequent GDM risk. These findings underscore the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of GDM. Additional studies are warranted to confirm the clinical utility of serum HO-1 in diagnosis of GDM, particularly in the early pregnancy

The iTEC Technical Artefacts, Architecture and Educational Cloud

This chapter introduces the technical artefacts of the iTEC project in the context of a cloud architecture. The rationale for the technology developed in the iTEC project follows from its overall aim to re-engineer the uptake of ICT in schools. To that end, iTEC focused (a) on some important barriers for the uptake of ICT such the effort that teachers must make in redesigning their teaching and fi nding the right resources for that, and (b) on enablers for the uptake of ICT, such as providing engaging experiences both for the learner and teacher. The technical innovations are centred around three themes: innovations in the support of learning design, innovations by using a-typical resources, and innovations in the integration and management of learning services and resources. Next this chapter presents the cloud architecture adopted by all technology providers, including a shared user management and control system, the shared data models and interoperability solutions. The technical artefacts and then further elaborated in the ensuing chapters

HAVOSS: A Maturity Model for Handling Vulnerabilities in Third Party OSS Components

Security has been recognized as a leading barrier for IoT adoption. The growing number of connected devices and reported software vulnerabilities increases the importance firmware updates. Maturity models for software security do include parts of this, but are lacking in several aspects. This paper presents and evaluates a maturity model (HAVOSS) for handling vulnerabilities in third party OSS and COTS components. The maturity model was designed by first reviewing industry interviews, current best practice guidelines and other maturity models. After that, the practices were refined through industry interviews, resulting in six capability areas covering in total 21 practices. These were then evaluated based on their importance according to industry experts. It is shown that the practices are seen as highly important, indicating that the model can be seen as a valuable tool when assessing strengths and weaknesses in an organization's ability to handle firmware updates

Governance of Offshore IT Outsourcing at Shell Global Functions IT-BAM Development and Application of a Governance Framework to Improve Outsourcing Relationships

The lack of effective IT governance is widely recognized as a key inhibitor to successful global IT outsourcing relationships. In this study we present the development and application of a governance framework to improve outsourcing relationships. The approach used to developing an IT governance framework includes a meta model and a customization process to fit the framework to the target organization. The IT governance framework consists of four different elements (1) organisational structures, (2) joint processes between in- and outsourcer, (3) responsibilities that link roles to processes and (4) a diverse set of control indicators to measure the success of the relationship. The IT governance framework is put in practice in Shell GFIT BAM, a part of Shell that concluded to have a lack of management control over at least one of their outsourcing relationships. In a workshop the governance framework was used to perform a gap analysis between the current and desired governance. Several gaps were identified in the way roles and responsibilities are assigned and joint processes are set-up. Moreover, this workshop also showed the usefulness and usability of the IT governance framework in structuring, providing input and managing stakeholders in the discussions around IT governance

ICIS 2008 Panel Report: Design Science in Information Systems: Hegemony, Bandwagon, or New Wave?

In the past few years, design science has become a topic of increasing importance, especially in the North American academic IS community. Some observers see a new hegemony forming. Others dispute that but suggest that design science is merely the latest bandwagon rolling through the IS domain. A panel at the 2008 International Conference on Information Systems debated views of design science prevalent in the IS community. This paper reports on the panel discussion and attempts to position design science from various perspectives, including North American and European views, the latter with a long tradition of design-based IS scholarship

ICIS 2008 Panel Report: Design Science in Information Systems: Hegemony, Bandwagon, or New Wave?

In the past few years, design science has become a topic of increasing importance, especially in the North American academic IS community. Some observers see a new hegemony forming. Others dispute that but suggest that design science is merely the latest bandwagon rolling through the IS domain. A panel at the 2008 International Conference on Information Systems debated views of design science prevalent in the IS community. This paper reports on the panel discussion and attempts to position design science from various perspectives, including North American and European views, the latter with a long tradition of design-based IS scholarship

Developing Crisis Training Software for Local Governments – From User Needs to Generic Requirements

In this paper we analyze and present the generic requirements identified for a software aiming at supporting crisis management training in local governments. The generic requirements are divided into overall requirements, requirements connected to the trainer’s role and requirements connected to the trainee’s role. Moreover, the requirements are mapped to problems as well as opportunities. Finally, we present examples of elaborations of the addressed requirements based on software design considerations. In our work we applied a design science approach and the artifact presented in this paper is a list of generic requirement. The presented requirements and the systems development process used, provide guidelines for systems analysts and developers in future systems development projects aiming at constructing new software for crisis management training