data types Sorting and searching parallel and distributed algorithms 3. [AR] Computer Architecture

/pdf/guide-to-the-software-engineering-body-of-knowledge-4x9ajlpq2m.pdf

Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge

The potential for sensor-enabled mobile devices to proactively present information when and where users need it ranks among the greatest promises of ubiquitous computing. Unfortunately, mobile phones, PDAs, and other computing devices that compete for the user's attention can contribute to interruption irritability and feelings of information overload. Designers of mobile computing interfaces, therefore, require strategies for minimizing the perceived interruption burden of proactively delivered messages. In this work, a context-aware mobile computing device was developed that automatically detects postural and ambulatory activity transitions in real time using wireless accelerometers. This device was used to experimentally measure the receptivity to interruptions delivered at activity transitions relative to those delivered at random times. Messages delivered at activity transitions were found to be better received, thereby suggesting a viable strategy for context-aware message delivery in sensor-enabled mobile computing devices.

/pdf/using-context-aware-computing-to-reduce-the-perceived-burden-2f9ulj9908.pdf

Using context-aware computing to reduce the perceived burden of interruptions from mobile devices

An interruption was found to have no consistent definition in either healthcare or nonhealthcare literature. Walker and Avant's 8-step method of concept analysis was used to clarify, define, and develop a conceptual model of interruption. The analysis led to the identification of 5 defining attributes that include (1) a human experience; (2) an intrusion of a secondary, unplanned, and unexpected task; (3) discontinuity; (4) externally or internally initiated; and (5) situated within a context. Use of the defining attributes will be extended to form a category of interruption within a taxonomy of activity.

A concept analysis of the phenomenon interruption.

The use of email by employees at the Danwood Group was studied and it was found that the interrupt effect from emails is more than generally believed. Employees allowed themselves to be interrupted almost as frequently as telephone calls and the common reaction to the arrival of an email is to react almost as quickly as they would respond to telephone calls. This means the interrupt effect is comparable with that of a telephone call. The recovery time from an email interruption was found to be significantly less than the published recovery time for telephone calls. It is to be concluded, therefore, that while Email is still less disruptive than the telephone, the way the majority of users handle their incoming email has been shown to give far more interruption than expected. By analysing the data captured the authors have been able to create recommendations for a set of guidelines for email usage within the workplace that will increase employee efficiency by reducing the prominence of interruptions, restr...

/pdf/the-cost-of-email-interruption-5pvghtzuqe.pdf

The cost of email interruption

Software process improvement has been on the agenda of both academics and practitioners, with the Capability Maturity Model as its de facto method. Many companies have invested large sums of money in improving their software processes, and several research papers document SPI's effectiveness. SPI aims to create more effective and efficient software development and maintenance by structuring and optimizing processes. SPI assumes that a well-managed organization with a defined engineering process is more likely to produce products that consistently meet the purchaser's requirements within schedule and budget than a poorly managed organization with no such engineering process. We discuss about the measuring the ROI in software process improvement.

Measuring the ROI of software process improvement

Schlumberger RPS (Retail Petroleum Systems) integrated the Goal/Question/Metric approach into their existing measurement programs to improve their program performance. Key to their success was the use of feedback sessions as a forum to analyze and interpret measurement data. The paper discusses the elements of the GQM approach and fitting GQM to a measurement program.

/pdf/adopting-gqm-based-measurement-in-an-industrial-environment-3s2qduovoc.pdf

Adopting GQM based measurement in an industrial environment

Software development is a highly abstract process that requires intense concentration. The authors show that interrupting this process can significantly reduce a developer's efficiency and can even contribute to project delays.

/pdf/interrupts-just-a-minute-never-is-4ghiq52ums.pdf

Interrupts: just a minute never is

The Tokheim development centre in Bladel, The Netherlands, has a 10-year experience in applying Software Process Improvement methods (SPI). Several methods were used to improve and adapt the software development process and successes have been booked regularly during those years. In 1992 the Bladel site was ISO9001 certified and achieved CMM Level 2. Now several years later the software development centre is still ISO9001/TickIT certified, however recent BOOTSTRAP Assessments pointed out that several sub-processes of the software development process can be rated in the lowest capability ranges. It is our observation that the reason for this is that the SPI program has been heavily influenced by several factors not clearly identified in most methods. The presence and extent of these influencing factors is a major prerequisite for the successful implementation of a SPI method. This paper presents an overview of the SPI methods applied in the Tokheim organisation and how the progress of the SPI program has been influenced.

SPI: A guarantee for success? A reality story from industry

The paper describes the experiences of Drager Medical Technology in the ESPRIT project PROFES (PROduct Focussed improvement For Embedded Software processes). Drager has participated as an application provider (industry partner) in the PROFES project and has implemented a software process improvement programme with the goal to improve product quality in the main areas of product reliability, fitness for use, and predictability of quality, time and cost. The paper describes the improvement programme from goal setting, via implementation of process changes, to evaluation of the results. The methods used in the improvement programme are goal oriented measurement (GQM) and software process assessment (BOOTSTRAP). Drager has realised a tremendous improvement in process maturity through the course of the PROFES project (from Bootstrap level 1.50 to 2.75 in less than one and a half year). The paper will address the environmental factors that have facilitated this outstanding improvement in such a short time. The paper will focus on hands-on experience with the PROFES method in an industry partner and will, as such, have a significant contribution to the exploitation of the PROFES method in the industry.

F. Van Latum

Papers

Adopting GQM based measurement in an industrial environment

Interrupts: just a minute never is

SPI: A guarantee for success? A reality story from industry

Product driven process improvement PROFES experiences at Dräger