Jens Kaasbøll

Part-whole relationship categories and their application in object-oriented analysis

Part decomposition and conversely, the construction of composite objects from individual parts have long been recognized as ubiquitous and essential mechanisms involving abstraction. This applies, in particular, in areas such as CAD, manufacturing, software development and computer graphics. Although the part-of relationship is distinguished in object oriented modeling techniques, it ranks far behind the concept of generalization/specialization and a rigorous definition of its semantics is still missing. We first show in which ways a shift in emphasis on the part-of relationship leads to analysis and design models that are easier to understand and to maintain. We then investigate the properties of part-of relationships in order to define their semantics. This is achieved by means of a categorization of part-of relationships and by associating semantic constraints with individual categories. We further suggest a precise and, compared with existing techniques, less redundant specification of constraints accompanying part-of categories based on the degree of exclusiveness and dependence of parts on composite objects. Although the approach appears generally applicable, the object oriented Unified Modeling Language (UMF) is used to present our findings. Several examples demonstrate the applicability of the categories introduced.

A survey of methods used to evaluate computer science teaching

A literature survey shows that the teachers own impression of the teaching and the students is the most common way of evaluating novelties in teaching. However, also low cost methods with better validity and reliability were found. These included data from several sources, or they comprised of several learning cycles in an iterative development.

Competencies and Learning for Management Information Systems

Previous research has established that users need competence in both computing and the context of the software. Information systems often fail due to low competence amongst users, and no study is known to provide a systematic account of the user competence needed. This research concerns competence needs amongst prospective users of a computerised management information system where there is no operational computer based IS from which to obtain data. The study shows that three subject matter areas of user competence are needed for people who will use computerised IS -- knowledge on how the domain is represented, work competence, and computer literacy. Work competence is mainly practice based, while the domain related knowledge and computer literacy are based on explicit concepts, grounded in science or technology. User training should therefore start with practice in the case of work competence, while presentation of principles, concepts, and structures would constitute a better starting point when teaching computer literacy and how the domain is represented.

Comprehensive Object-Oriented Learning – An Introduction

The COOL (Comprehensive Object-Oriented Learning) project is a 3-years interdisciplinary research project that started in October 2002 and will end in 2005. The project was initiated by Kristen Nygaard, who was internationally known as one of the creators of the first object-oriented programming language, Simula (Birtwistle, Dahl, Myhrhaug, & Nygaard, 1973). When Simula was invented in the 1960’s, a new paradigm was introduced: a paradigm that includes techniques and methodologies for understanding the interwoven relationship between computer-based artefacts and the communities of practice in which the artefacts are aimed at being used. This is often referred to as the Scandinavian tradition on object-orientation and systems development (cf. Ehn, 1993; Floyd, Mehl, Reisin, Schmidt, & Wolf, 1989). This paper provides an introduction to some of the activities of project COOL that are concerned with the problem area of learning and teaching object-oriented concepts. With basis in a Scandinavian tradition, COOL aims at incorporating the specific object-oriented characteristics and philosophy into innovative learning environments where ICTs have mediating positions. This aim is approached through the following activities:

Balancing Work Practices and Protocols in the Design of EMR Systems: The Case of Developing an EMR System for Antenatal Care Services in Malawi

Implementing ICTs in healthcare settings has proved to be very challenging such that progress towards widespread adoption and use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems has been slow. The challenges of implementing these technologies have been described as complex, diverse, and locally situated. One of the challenging aspects of designing EMR systems is the need for inscribing standardised protocols whilst taking into account local work practices. Previous research has called for the need to balance work practices and protocols in the design of EMR systems. We present an attempt to balance the work practices and protocols in the development of an EMR system for antenatal care in a developing country, Malawi. This was done through implementing weak inscriptions of the protocols in some cases and strong inscriptions in other cases. The study highlights the important role that clients play in healthcare work and thus, influence the design of EMR systems.

The Information Transparency Effects of Introducing League Tables in the Health System in Malawi

League tables are used to compare the performance of different entities in the health systems in developing countries. The aim of this paper is to study the implementation process and its effects related to a computerized league table application in Malawi. Focusing on the health district and using a field experiment research approach, the focus is on the implementation process and how it improves information transparency for health managers. Based on routine health data recording in the health management information system DHIS2, the introduced league table was used by the district health management teams in the pilot districts to rank and compare performance among their health facilities. While the introduction of the league tables was challenging, it also showed its potential through effects including improved visibility of information and accessibility for managers, better understanding of indicators, the identification of data quality issues, skills acquisition in computing and information use and improved communication and collaboration among stakeholders.

Abstraction and concretizing in information systems and problem domains: implications for system descriptions

“Abstraction” is used both for denoting relations in the problem domain of an information system, and for denoting relations inside software and hardware of a computer. The paper shows that separating abstraction in analysis of problem domains from abstraction when designing information systems resolves confusions concerning the direction of abstraction.

Participation for development

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is more and more promoted as a driver and facilitator of economic growth and development in low and middle income countries. ICT for Development (ICT4D) though has mixed successes. Sustainability of solutions and usability respectively usefulness for the intended beneficiaries have been reported as causes. Participatory approaches to development have been proposed to address these causes. Participatory Design (PD) seems like a perfect fit. However, at the Participatory Design Conferences, research that addresses PD in low and middle income countries is rare. The workshop aims at bringing together the PD researchers working with under-privileged communities and attracting researchers from the ICT4D communities to the PD conference. The goal is to share experiences and start a discussion on how participation, ICT and development might relate.

Target Setting Procedures for Immunisation Services in Ethiopia Discrepancies between Plans and Reality

This study identifies the problems related with target setting for immunisation service in Ethiopia. We adopted qualitative case study and drew concepts from institutional theory to collect data and analyse our findings. The findings showed that the plan of district health offices depends on the population data projected from census. Peripheral level health workers, on the other hand, enumerate the number of population in their respective localities. Subsequently, the ambiguity occurs from mismatch between the target from census and number of eligible children counted by health workers. Health facilities are expected to follow the target given from district health offices, which is higher than the local count in most cases. Thus, we found most peripheral level health workers considered that the inflated target given from the projected census lowers their achievements, since their performance should be calculated against the given target. This in turn affects the incentive given, thus, has implication on job satisfaction and performance. The need of considering the reality at the ground, rather than following only the formal institutional rules is emphasised in order to address the identified impediments.

To model objects in information systems and user interfaces: implications for object‐oriented methods

Abstract. A general way of contrasting the object‐oriented to the function‐oriented approach, called ‘object‐order’ and ‘function‐order’, is proposed in this paper. In addition, when modelling information systems, there is a third principle of ordering, ‘subject‐order’. Object and function‐order are used to define the two approaches to modelling information systems and in human‐computer interaction, in ways that are compatible to the corresponding distinction in programming. The conditions for selecting either of the two approaches are, however, not discussed here.