Showing papers on "Technical performance measure published in 2013"

Performance, return and risk of different dairy systems in Australia and New Zealand

Abstract: Changes in the farm operating and policy environments and a need to remain profitable under a cost-price squeeze have contributed to dairy systems in Australia and New Zealand becoming more intensive and complex in recent decades. Farm systems in both countries are now diverse, varying from being based predominantly on pasture with little purchased supplements, to those dependent on high levels of feed supplements and even having zero grazing. Dairy farm performance (defined in this paper as production or technical performance), return (return on assets or profit) and risk (variation in economic performance over time), and intensity of dairy systems was examined using farm survey data, case studies and existing published studies. The level of single technical performance measures, such as milk production, feed conversion efficiency and pasture consumption, prevailing in a business are not guides to the operating profit and return on assets of a business. In addition, when survey data of farm performance was grouped by return on assets, few farms were in the top 25% in successive years. Farms that performed consistently well were characterised by good, but not extreme, technical performance in a range of key areas, which translated to favourable business return (return on asset and profit). The knowledge and skills of farm managers are critical, and means that many different dairy systems can perform well physically and financially and successfully meet farmer goals. The relation between risk and the intensity of dairy systems was also investigated. Options that intensified systems generally resulted in higher net wealth for the farm owner, but almost always at increased risk. The best system for any farmer to operate is one which best meets their multifaceted preferences and goals, regardless of system type.

Visualizing and Managing Technical Debt in Agile Development: An Experience Report

Abstract: This paper reports the experience of an architecture team of a software development department with 25 agile teams in supporting technical decisions regarding technical practices. The main motivation to use technical debt metaphor was its acknowledged potential in driving software development and maintenance decisions, especially those long term maintenance tradeoffs which are usually less visible to developers and decision makers in general. We propose the use of a "technical debt board" with main technical debt categories to manage and visualize the high-level debt, combined with tools to measure it at low-level (software metrics and other kind of static analysis). We have found that our approach improved the teams’ awareness about the technical debt, stimulated a beneficial competition between teams towards the debt payment and enhanced the communication regarding technical decisions.

Research on How to Work Out Equipment Technical Data

Abstract: Scientific and logical planning of technical data, which is the foundation to equip technical data efficiently, is an effective way to quickly transfer the equipment into combat effectiveness and support capability. With the transformation of war pattern and increase of equipment complexity, the critical role of equipment technical data in equipment support has become increasingly prominent. This paper focuses on the effective way to work out systematic planning method of equipment technical data. Beginning with equipment technical data concept and status, the paper studies the general idea of equipment technical data planning, makes deep analysis of specific planning process, and puts forward an instructive output model. It is expected to offer an instruction to scientific planning of equipment technical data, so as to accelerate transformation of new equipment into combat effectiveness, and improve equipment support capacity.