22 research outputs found
Domain Specific Language Evaluation: OutSystems’ Business Process Technology
Domain Specific Languages (DSL) are created with the intent of making problem
solving easier via abstractions and notations that are closer to the domain users’ way
of thinking. However, in order to fulfil this intent the language must be considered
usable by its target audience, which requires using a principled approach, contrary to
an ad-hoc philosophy. Unfortunately, language engineers are not always concerned by
usability. Usability techniques developed by Human Computer Interaction (HCI) experts
are generally focused solely on application interfaces that were not designed to be directly
applied to languages. However, previous studies have shown that languages are in essence
interfaces between users and the computational system, so applying HCI techniques is not
incorrect. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no simple evaluation process
that allows developers to validate their languages, both syntactically and semantically.
The OutSystems Platform is a development environment composed of several domain
specific languages. It is used to quickly build and validate web and mobile applications.
The languages allow users to build interfaces and data models, define custom business
logic and construct process models. Howbeit, the DSL for process modelling (Business
Process Technology (BPT)), does not have the desired adoption rate and is often used
for solving problems out of the intended domain it was originally designed for. This is
problematic, given that the language has an associated maintenance cost.
The purpose of this dissertation is twofold: create a succinct and easy process for
evaluating visual programming languages, and apply the proposed process to BPT in
order to identify any usability issues that may be present in the BPT language. The process
we developed includes adapted HCI evaluation techniques (such as the Systems Usability
Score, Task Load Index and others). After identifying the main problems with the BPT
language, the language was updated with a new syntax. We performed a comparison
analyses between the original and new syntaxes, which showed that the new version is
more transparent and has a significantly higher usability rating.Domain Specific Languages (DSL) são criadas com a intenção de tornar mais fácil a resolução
de problemas através de abstrações e notações que são mais próximas da maneira
de pensar dos utilizadores do domínio. Isso, no entanto, só é verdade se a linguagem
for considerada utilizável pelo seu público-alvo, que requer o uso de uma abordagem
baseada em princípios, ao contrário de uma filosofia ad-hoc. Infelizmente, a usabilidade
não é um dos aspetos técnicos com que os engenheiros de linguagens mais se preocupam.
Técnicas de usabilidade desenvolvidas por especialistas em Human Computer Interaction
(HCI) são geralmente focadas exclusivamente em interfaces de aplicações e não foram
desenvolvidas para serem diretamente aplicadas a linguagens de programação. No entanto,
estudos prévios mostraram que as linguagens de programação são, na sua essência,
interfaces entre os utilizadores e o sistema computacional, assim sendo a aplicação de
técnicas HCI não é considerada incorreta. No entanto, no decorrer da nossa pesquisa,
não foi encontrado nenhum processo de avaliação simples que permita aos engenheiros
validar as suas linguagens tanto sintatica como semanticamente.
A OutSystems Platform é um ambiente de desenvolvimento composto por várias DSL.
Este é usado para construir rapidamente aplicações web e móveis. As linguagens permitem
aos utilizadores construir interfaces e modelos de dados, definir lógica de negócios
personalizada, e construir modelos de processos. Todavia, a DSL para modelar processos
(Business Process Technology (BPT)), não tem a taxa de adoção desejada e é utilizada em
problemas fora do domínio pretendido. Isto é devido ao custo de manutenção associado.
Esta tese tem dois objetivos: criar um processo sucinto e fácil para avaliar linguagens
de programação, e usar esse mesmo processo para identificar quaisquer problemas que
possam estar presentes na linguagem BPT. Para conseguir isto, foi desenvolvido um processo
simples de acompanhar que inclui técnicas HCI. Uma vez identificados os principais
problemas com o BPT, foram feitas alterações à linguagem. Finalmente, foi realizada uma
comparação entre a sintaxe original e a nova. Estas mostraram que a nova versão é mais
transparente e tem uma classificação de usabilidade significativamente maior
Significados-tipo e moral-em-uso nas organizações: uma aplicação aos gestores das burocracias modernas
A tese tem como objeto de estudo a experiência e a significação coletivas,
sociologicamente relevantes, em contextos de trabalho de organizações burocráticas
modernas, onde gerentes bancários são responsáveis pela relação das organizações com os
clientes, perseguindo objetivos e praticando uma moral.
O conhecimento que se quer adquirir sobre o objeto de estudo, através das questões
de investigação, são a caracterização dos significados-tipo e dessa moral-em-uso.
Para a investigação deste objeto de estudo, elaborámos uma revisão de literatura com
duas vertentes que são os pilares das escolhas para a construção de um quadro teórico e
metodológico.
Por um lado, sobre a teoria sociológica das organizações, desde os clássicos, que
colocaram questões sempre presentes, até aos autores da modernidade recente, procurando
conceitos e teorizações que iluminam tanto o objeto de estudo como as questões da burocracia
no início do século XXI.
Por outro lado, sobre as reflexões da teoria social acerca do que é a consciência,
como entender a experiência humana e a própria significação dessa experiência para quem
experiencia, assim como os aspetos intersubjetivos coletivos que interessam à sociologia.
O trabalho de campo, realizado em três bancos com percursos diferentes, revela a
força da envolvente proporcionada pela crise financeira, económica e social que eclodiu em
2008, e a quebra das certezas dos comerciais da banca e dos seus clientes sobre o setor
bancário. Elabora-se, a seguir, algumas reflexões teóricas sobre esses tipos ideais, sobre a
própria teoria e sobre perspetivas futuras de investigação, sendo proposto um modelo de
investigação-ação.The object of study of this thesis is the collective experience and meaning,
sociologically relevant, in work contexts of bureaucratic organizations. There, bank managers
are responsible for the relationship between organizations and customers, and pursue
objectives, practicing a moral.
The knowledge we want to acquire about the object of study, throught the research
questions, is the characterization of those meaning types and of that moral-in-use.
In order to accomplish this investigation, a literature review was made, in two
directions, which are the pillars of the choices for the construction of a theoretical and
methodological framework.
On the one hand, through the sociological theory of organizations, from the classics
who purposed problems always present, to the authors of late modernity who present new
ones. We searched for concepts and theories that illuminate the object of study and the issues
of bureaucracy at the beginning of the 21st century.
On the other hand, through the reflections of social theory about what consciousness
is and how to understand the human experience and the very meaning of this experience for
those who experience, as well as the collective and intersubjective aspects, which are of
interest to sociology.
Fieldwork was conducted in three banks from different backgrounds and revealed the
strength of surrounding environment characterized by the financial, economic and social crisis
erupted in 2008, and the breakdown of employees and clients certainties about the banking
industry. Some theoretical reflections follow, on these ideal types, on the theory itself and on
future perspectives for research
Topic maps applied to PubMed
This paper presents a topic map approach to PubMed in order to create a knowledge representation for this information system. PubMed is a free search engine that gives very full coverage of the related biomedical sciences. With more than 17 millions of citations since 1865, PubMed users have several problems to find the papers desired. So, it is necessary to organize these concepts in a semantic network. To achieve this objective, we use the Metamorphosis system, choosing the keywords from MeSH ontology. This way, we obtain an ontological index for PubMed, making easier to find specific papers.(undefined
Management of blackberry pruning to extend harvest seasonality
O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o manejo da poda das cultivares de amoreira-preta BRS Tupy e Brazos, para prolongar sua época de colheita e produtividade de frutos. O experimento foi realizado em uma região subtropical de altitude, no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Os arbustos foram conduzidos em espaçamento 3.0x0.5 m. Os tratamentos consistiram das seguintes quatro épocas de poda: uma poda convencional, com supressão das hastes produzidas em fevereiro e redução das hastes em julho; e três podas drásticas realizadas nas primeiras duas semanas de janeiro, março e maio, com aplicação de ureia a 10% e cianamida hidrogenada a 3% cinco meses depois. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 2x4, com duas cultivares e quatro manejos de podas, com quatro blocos. A fenologia, a produção e a qualidade físico-química das frutas foram avaliadas em dois ciclos produtivos. É possível estender a época da colheita da amora‑preta para cinco meses, na região subtropical de altitude de Lavras, no estado de Minas Gerais, com poda drástica em janeiro e sem irrigação. A poda drástica em janeiro ou março aumenta a produção das cultivares de amora-preta BRS Tupy e Brazos. O período prolongado de colheita não afeta a qualidade das amoras e não cria desafios para as operações de colheita.The objective of this work was to evaluate the pruning management of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars, in order to extend their harvest seasonality and fruit yield. The experiment was performed in an altitude subtropical region in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Bushes were grown at 3.0x0.5 m spacing. The treatments consisted of the four following pruning seasons: one conventional pruning, with suppression of the produced stems in February and reduction of the stems in July; and three drastic pruning performed in the first two weeks of January, March, and May, with the application of 10% urea and 3% hydrogenated cyanamide five months later. The experimental design was in randomized complete blocks, in a 2x4 factorial arrangement, with two cultivars and four pruning managements, with four blocks. Fruit phenology, yield, and physicochemical quality were evaluated in two production cycles. It is possible to extend the harvest season of blackberry up to five months, in an altitude subtropical region in Lavras, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with drastic pruning in January and no irrigation. Drastic pruning in January or March increases the yield of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars. The extended harvest season does not affect the quality of blackberries and does not create challenges for harvesting operations
Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone
As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network
International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora