Three dimensions of group work: Cooperation,participation and autonomy at German workplaces

We have carried out a representative survey among more than 1,600 workers, salaried employees and civil servants in industry, services sector and public service asking about types of cooperation in the work process. We have been able to identify eight different work organizations which can be described by the three dimensions of cooperation, participation and autonomy. In all, 6.9% of German employees work according to the organizational principle of group work. However, it is possible to distinguish very different types of group work regarding the group members' opportunities for autonomy and participation.This article is based on a research report written by Matthias Kleinsschmidt and Ulrich Pekruhl: Kooperative Arbeitsstrkturen and Gruppenarbeit in Deutschland. Ergebnisse einer repräsentativien Beschäftigtenbefragung. IAT Strukturberichterstattung 01, Gelsenkirchen 1994.     

Multiversion object constellations: A new approach to support a designer's database work

The logical organization of database support for CAD applications is considered, which has to account for specific requirements including versioning, consistency and design transactions. A new approach to the organization, manipulation and management of design objects in a design database is described, which is based on the notion of an objectconstellation. A constellation is a set of multiversion objects together with all their subobjects. Constellations can be versioned intoconfigurations, which comprise one version of each object of the underlying constellation. We argue that constellations are adequate units of allocation to individual designers, while configurations form appropriate units of consistency. We show how the constellation approach renders a flexible support of hierarchically organized, cooperative design processes possible, by employing specific transactions whose scope is limited to well-defined portions of a database. Most importantly, the approach provides new insight into the consistency problem for design databases, by providing an adequate approach to multilevel consistency, and by making consistency of a design context-dependent.     

Security of medical images for telemedicine: a systematic review

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Recently, there has been a rapid growth in the utilization of medical images in telemedicine applications. The authors in this paper presented a detailed...     

The work compatibility improvement framework: an integrated perspective of the human-at-work system

Lapos;appareil a été concu de façon à reproduire les caractéristiques principalos do la machine à trier les lottres en usage à la Poste beige, ot à permettre en plus la détection automatique des erreurs et Le fonctionnement soit à vitesse imposée (VL) soifc à vitesse libre (VL). Dix-huit opératcurs entrainés ont aervi de sujets. lis ont d'abord trié 500 destinations à chacune des 4 vitessos imposées (40, 50, 60 et 70/minnte) en memo temps qu'unmemo nombre de destinations a VL. L'augmen. tation do la cadence à VI a'accompagne d'une augmentation importante de proportions d'errours, do reponses tardives et d'omissions. II y a de fortes differences individuelles maia pour 1'enaomble du groupo on pout estimcr que lo fait d'imposer une cadence egalo a la vitesse moyenne adoptee a VL ferait que 80 pourcent seule-mont des destinations recovraient une reponse en temps utile, dont environ 10 pourcent d'errours (contro moins de 2 pourcent a VL). Quand la cadonco imposed est suporieuro a la vitosso realiseo par un sujet a VL, il y a presque toujours plus d'erreurs a VI. Au cours d'une seance, chaquo sujet a travaille a VI a une cadence ogale a la vitesse qu'il venait do realiser a VL. On a de nouveau observe une proportion d'erreurs plus importanto a VI (9 pourcent au lieu de 3 pourcent) bien que la vitesse effective (en termes de reponses donnees en temps utile) fut inferieure. L'analyse detaillee d'un echantillon de cycles à VI a montré quo la prossion de vitesse présente un caraétoro cumulatif. Les erreurs et les éeponses tardives so produisent principalemont apres vino reponse doruiSe dans lo voisinage ou après la fin do la periode d'acceptation. D'autre part, uno tendance a n'omettre de ropondro quo dans Los cas de pression de vitesso extreme a 6te miso en evidence. Tous cos resultats ont été obtenus avec presentation anticip6o do la destination suivanto a chaque cycle. Uno comparaison avec lo travail a VL sans presentation anticipee montre que dans la condition precécédente los sujets lisent generalement la destination suivanto avant de répondre.     

A lossy 3D wavelet transform for high-quality compression of medical video

In this paper, we present a lossy compression scheme based on the application of the 3D fast wavelet transform to code medical video. This type of video has special features, such as its representation in gray scale, its very few interframe variations, and the quality requirements of the reconstructed images. These characteristics as well as the social impact of the desired applications demand a design and implementation of coding schemes especially oriented to exploit them. We analyze different parameters of the codification process, such as the utilization of different wavelets functions, the number of steps the wavelet function is applied to, the way the thresholds are chosen, and the selected methods in the quantization and entropy encoder. In order to enhance our original encoder, we propose several improvements in the entropy encoder: 3D-conscious run-length, hexadecimal coding and the application of arithmetic coding instead of Huffman. Our coder achieves a good trade-off between compression ratio and quality of the reconstructed video. We have also compared our scheme with MPEG-2 and EZW, obtaining better compression ratios up to 119% and 46%, respectively for the same PSNR.     

User customisation of medical devices: the reality and the possibilities

While studies of office environments have treated the customisation of technology by users as a positive response to the situated nature of work, customisation of devices in the medical domain, and other safety-critical domains, when acknowledged, has been treated understandably as a violation and a threat to safety. This paper looks at the customisation of medical devices by nursing staff, based on an observational study carried out in three Scottish intensive care units. Drawing on the insights of ethnomethodology, this paper proposes an alternative approach to the study of user customisation and its organisation. An attempt has been made to go beyond the simple categorisation of types of customisation to explicate the detail of how customisation is carried out. Drawing on concerns in human-computer interaction and arguments in medicine surrounding the use of protocols, the potential for supporting customisation in the medical domain is discussed.     

The need for a socio-cultural perspective in the implementation of virtual environments

For many researchers, virtual reality (VR) is first of all a technology. This vision is also well reflected in the growing research work concerned with virtual environments: most of it has been addressed primarily the development of new rendering technologies rather than the highly interactive and dynamic nature of user-system interaction that VR supports. However, this focus on technology is disappointing for developers and researchers. To overcome this limitation, this paper describes VR as an advanced communication tool: a communication interface in single-user VR, and a communication medium in the case of multi-user VR. This leads us to propose acultural concept of presence as a social construction. Lying at the base of this view are two elements that guarantee an elevated sense of presence: acultural framework and the possibility ofnegotiation, both of actions and of their meaning. Within this view, experiencing presence and telepresence does not depend so much on the faithfulness of the reproduction of physical aspects of external reality as on the capacity of simulation to produce a context in which social actors may communicate and cooperate. The consequences of this approach for the design and the development of VR systems are presented.The first author is responsible for the preparation of Section 3. The second author prepared Section 2. Introduction and Conclusions were prepared by both authors. Moreover, to both authors must be attributed the definition of contents and the final structure of the paper.     

A new table for work with a microscope, a solution to ergonomic problems

Microscope workers are exposed to continuous static muscular work and an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders in the neck, shoulder and upper extremities. In a Finnish research centre, microscope workers reported pain in the shoulder, neck, lower back and upper back. As a consequence, a programme to solve the ergonomic problems of microscope work was initiated and led to the construction of a new table for microscopes. Ten experienced male microscope workers were chosen as subjects to carry out an experimental study in which the new table and an old one, an ordinary non-adjustable laboratory table, were compared in a standardized microscope task. The dependent variable was the electromyographic activity measured from muscles in the neck–shoulder region. The new table allowed the microscope to be used with the head in an upright position, the forearms supported and with less flexion of the upper arm. Surface electromyographic measurements also confirmed that the changes were ergonomic improvements.     

Gender and ergonomics: a case study on the 'non-formal' work of women nurses

Women's work activities are often characterised by 'non-formal actions' (such as giving support). Gender differences in ergonomics may be due to this peculiarity. We applied the method of organisational congruencies (MOC) to ascertain the 'non-formal' work portion of nurses employed in three hospital units (haematology, emergency room and general medicine) during the three work shifts in a major University Hospital in Rome, Italy. We recorded a total of 802 technical actions performed by nine nurses in 72 h of work. Twenty-six percent of the actions in direct patient's care were communicative actions (mainly giving psychological support) while providing physical care. These 'double actions' are often not considered to be a formal part of the job by hospital management. In our case study, the 'non-formal' work of nurses (psychological support) is mainly represented by double actions while taking physical care of the patients. The dual task paradigm in gender oriented research is discussed in terms of its implications in prevention in occupational health. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: The main purpose of the study was to assess all the formal and non-formal activities of women in the nursing work setting. Offering psychological support to patients is often not considered to be a formal part of the job. Our case study found that nurses receive no explicit guidelines on this activity and no time is assigned to perform it. In measuring the burden of providing psychological support to patients, we found that this is often done while nurses are performing tasks of physical care for the patients (double actions). The article discusses the significance of non-formal psychological work load of women nurses through double actions from the ergonomic point view.     

A novel solution approach and protocol design for bio-telemetry applications

In this contribution a novel model-based solution approach is introduced for medical networks and biotelemetric applications. Medical networks are communication networks that serve for the purpose of monitoring and protecting human health. These networks are designed to use biotelemetric ways to transmit the vital data to health observers such as doctors, nurses, first-aid teams, hospitals, and health agencies. These networks are also used in collective damages that may occur in situations such as flood, earthquake, war and terror and for treatments and follow-up of patients and to organize health teams more effective and efficiently. Implementations using this model presented here provides a reference design. In addition MCP (Medical Communication Protocol) and MMP (Medical Management Protocol) are designed to reveal how communications between modules designed. In this way, communication rules explained clearly on developed solution based on the model.     

It's more than just use: An exploration of telemedicine use quality

“Simply saying that more use will yield more benefits without considering the nature of this use (and context) is clearly insufficient” [W.H. DeLone, E.R. McLean, The DeLone and McLean model of information system success: a ten-year update, Journal of Management Information Systems 19 (4) (2003) 9–30, p. 16]. Our research specifies the use quality construct in the context of a mission critical system deployment—namely, the use of medical video conferencing for patient exams. The product of this field study is a socio-technical framework for use quality in telemedicine service encounters. We also propose generalized categories (which may extend across domains) for identified attributes, provide a comparative overview of patient and provider perspectives, and discuss the effects of and remedies for selected attribute deficiencies.     

Designing sustainable work systems: The need for a systems approach

There is a growing discussion concerning sustainability. While this discussion was at first mainly focused on a society level – and sometimes regarding especially environmental problems, one can now see that this topic is of increasing relevance for companies worldwide and even the social dimension of this three pillar approach is gaining more and more importance. This leads to some questions: Is sustainability already a part of human factors thinking or do we have to further develop our discipline? How can we define sustainable work systems? What are the topics we have to consider? Do we need a new systems ergonomics perspective regarding whole value creation chains and a life-cycle perspective concerning products (and work systems)? How can we deal with potential contradictions about social, ecological, and economic goals?     

The efficacy of a medical virtual reality simulator for training phlebotomy

OBJECTIVE: The present study compared the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) simulator for training phlebotomy with that of a more traditional approach using simulated limbs. BACKGROUND: Phlebotomy, or drawing blood, is one of the most common medical procedures; yet, there are no universal standards for training and assessing performance. The absence of any standards can lead to injuries and inaccurate test results if the procedure is improperly performed. METHOD: Twenty 3rd-year medical students were trained under one of the two methods and had their performance assessed with a 28-item checklist. RESULTS: The results showed that performance improvements were limited to those who trained with the simulated limbs, and a detailed comparison of the two systems revealed several functional and physical differences that may explain these findings. CONCLUSION: Participants trained with simulated limbs performed better than those trained with a VR simulator; however, the metrics recorded by the VR system may address some aspects of performance that could eventually prove beneficial. APPLICATION: The present study highlights the potential for medical simulators to improve patient safety by enabling trainees to practice procedures on devices instead of patients. Applications of this research include training, performance assessment, and design of simulator systems.     

Measuring individual learning performance in group work from a knowledge integration perspective

Evaluation is an important part of the teaching-learning process, and it becomes more difficult when individuals are developing a joint project and individual marks have to be assigned to the group members. Different strategies can be used to perform this task. In this work, an approach that combines the global group results and the individual performance is presented. This approach makes use of a semantic framework to rank the individual participation of each group member and to compare their results with those they should have obtained to achieve the final mark. An experiment performed in real settings is also reported in this paper.     

Archetypal personalities of software engineers and their work preferences: a new perspective for empirical studies

As the area of Software Engineering (SE) matures the role of human factors in software development is commonly recognized as important. Increasingly we see empirical studies that investigate the connection between, for example, personalities and preferences, attitudes or performances of software engineers. Statistical analysis holds a key role by providing the means for uncovering associations between various facets of human factors and behavioral effects on projects and outcomes. Traditional statistical techniques tend to explore and interpret the multidimensional personality and behavioral data from an “average-point” perspective, targeting central trends. This paper introduces a methodology with statistical tools that can provide a new and different perspective for this type of SE data. It seeks the boundaries of a psychometric dataset and discovers reference or “benchmark” personalities, the archetypal personalities. Then, the method examines the placement of all individuals in the dataset in relation to the archetypes. Furthermore, the SE preference characteristics, or generally, any other types of behavioral SE data, are analyzed with respect to the archetypes. As a case to exemplify the methodology we analyze personality and project preference data from 276 master level SE students and compare to previous “average-point” statistical analysis of the same data. We also discuss how Archetypal Analysis, the heart of the proposed methodology, combined with multi-correspondence analysis might be of general use in empirical SE.     

The learning curve: a new perspective

Despite the popularity of the "learning" curve, it should be called the "forecasting" curve. Given an industrial process, the traditional learning curve forecasts how costs are expected to decline (or other performance measures improve) in the future. Forecasting is certainly very useful. Nevertheless, the previous literature is notably mute on how the improvement or learning occurs. Without that information about how the process operates, the traditional learning curve cannot improve the rate of learning. This paper transforms the curve so that it not merely forecasts but rather actively creates the learning and knowledge. By extending work of the authors (Zangwill and Kantor, 1998), this paper constructs a new theoretical framework for learning and making improvements based upon learning cycles. This approach allows what is learned in one period to be intelligently applied to the next, improving the rate of learning right as production is occurring. Previous approaches could not do this. Because it should quickly increase the rate of learning, this approach might have important industrial applications.     

The information and communication society: how people will live and work in the new millennium

This paper analyses information and communication technology (ICT) and its relation to work organizations, human communication, stress, allocation issues, knowledge transfer and global villages. An interdisciplinary research programme on ‘Computer technology and work life’ was initiated and led by the author at Stockholm University in 1974, followed by many programmes in Sweden in the field. A theoretical framework was developed including two theoretical models, one more general, the other where the concepts and their interrelationships were specified. The models were tested empirically in three large work organizations in Sweden, representing three main historical periods of computer technology. It was also used as a model in discussing what might be desirable goals in the information society. The present fourth period, the ‘Network period’, is characterized by a convergence of three main technologies: computer, telecommunication and media. ICT is used in almost every activity and is embedded in many things. The author proposes a superimposed theoretical model reflecting ‘ICT and the psychosocial life environment’, a revised model of her initial models. Finally, future research is discussed with reference to theoretical models revised, and conclusions address major psychosocial processes, psychosocial life environments and a call for synthesis.     

The effects of multimedia communication technology on non-collocated teams: a case study

Collaborative teams are becoming increasingly important for industry, both within and across companies. There is a need for communication technology to support teams because many teams are non-collocated, or ‘virtual’. Two automotive supply chain teams were observed while they were experimenting with multimedia conferencing in order to determine what support non-collocated teams need and the potential effects of introducing technologies on their group processes. The observations included meeting recordings and other sources that show the organizational factors affecting teams. Working in teams requires very close collaboration. Communication technology can help teams if it is used to foster close and relatively informal person-to-person interaction. Organizational constraints on how the technology is introduced favour high-technology, specialpurpose installations, but teams can best be supported using relatively modest equipment with desktop access.