Pierre Sachse

Investigating the Process of Process Modeling with Eye Movement Analysis

Research on quality issues of business process models has recently begun to explore the process of creating process models by analyzing the modeler’s interactions with the modeling environment. In this paper we aim to complement previous insights on the modeler’s modeling behavior with data gathered by tracking the modeler’s eye movements when engaged in the act of modeling. We present preliminary results and outline directions for future research to triangulate toward a more comprehensive understanding of the process of process modeling. We believe that combining different views on the process of process modeling constitutes another building block in understanding this process that will ultimately enable us to support modelers in creating better process models.

Design Thinking - Possible Ways to Successful Solutions in Product Development

Engineering design is analysed in terms of design problem-solving. Engineering designers of differing productivity hardly differ in mental abilities, as measured by intelligence testing, but in their strategies concerning the analysis of requirements and of the problem, in the search for general principles that solve the relevant problem, and in the procedures that develop specific solutions. Experimental and interview results stress that the interrelationship between thinking and sketching, as well as other kinds of early low-cost prototyping, are of crucial importance for the efficiency of the problem-solving procedure and the result. Possibilities of assisting design problem-solving and of improving the training of designers are discussed.

Unique self-leadership: A bifactor model approach

A crucial point of debate around the construct of self-leadership is its supposed lack of distinctiveness from other theoretically related constructs. We empirically investigate in professionals with leadership experience (N = 374) with a bifactor structural equation modeling approach to what extent self-leadership (a) is distinct from related classic motivation constructs (need for achievement, self-regulation, self-efficacy) and (b) harbors incremental predictive validity over and above these motivation constructs in predicting individual job performance and leadership behavior styles (transformational leadership, transactional leadership, laissez-faire leadership). Findings yielded that self-leadership (a) generally showed only moderate associations with constructs of classic motivation literature and was sufficiently distinct from them and (b) could incrementally predict outcomes above and beyond related classic motivation constructs, alluding to its uniqueness. We discuss self-leadership as a unique and useful construct worthy of own systematic research.

Validation of a German Version of the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS28) and Motivation Analysis in Competitive Mountain Runners

This study validated a German version of the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS28) and investigated the sex-specific and age-related differences in motivation of competitive mountain runners. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the SMS28 was based on translation and back-translation methodology. Acceptable validity of the German version of the SMS28 was indicated by the high correlations (.81 to .98) of scores on the seven subscales for the English and German versions completed by 15 subjects. Motivation analysis was performed with 127 competitive male and female mountain runners. The seven subscales of the German version showed good internal consistency (Cronbachs coefficient alphas .70 to .85). Findings on motivation of competitive mountain runners were a decline across age groups of Intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment for both sexes and an age-related decline of External regulation only for females. These motivational changes might well be associated with the observed diminishing numbers of older participants in mountain running competitions.

Why should working memory be related to incidentally learned sequence structures

Janacsek and Nemeth (2013) gave a profound review about a central but poorly understood relationship: working memory (WM) and implicit sequence learning. They conclude that WM should be related to explicit (intentional) rather than implicit (incidental) sequence learning. Here, we aim to briefly extent their review regarding two important aspects when the relation between WM and implicit sequence learning is investigated and discussed: (i) the functional distinction of WM and (ii) recent evidence for an implicit WM. WM is a construct most often related to explicit (intentional, conscious) information processing (Baars & Franklin, 2003). One reason for a relation to implicit learning is that the latter is based on task representations held in WM (cf. Oberauer, Souza, Druey, & Gade, 2013, for the concept of procedural WM). According to this view, implicit sequence learning is a by-product of how people conceptualize and perform a task that contains a hidden sequential structure (Abrahamse, Jim enez, Verwey, & Clegg, 2010; Gaschler, Frensch, Cohen, & Wenke, 2012). These studies suggest, that people have a surprising flexibility in representing a task (e.g., based on spatial, colour, or verbal markers) which in turn influences the content of sequence knowledge being acquired (e.g., a spatial or a colour sequence). This flexibility likely moderates the connection to WM capacity. If, for instance, participants place high weight on visual rather than verbal representations when conceptualizing and performing the task, than visuo-spatial WM capacity should be more highly related to sequence learning than verbal WM capacity and vice versa. This might, at least in part, explain why the findings for the relationship between implicit sequence learning and WM are far less consistent than the ones on explicit sequence learning. In implicit sequence learning, most studies do not control how people represent a task, so that the WM test (e.g., verbal or visuo-spatial) might not match. Lack of process pureness can also contribute to a relation between WM and results from implicit sequence learning tasks. Some parts of a sequence structure can become conscious, and subject to controlled processing (cf. Wessel, Haider, & Rose, 2012). A typical measure of implicit sequence learning is the reaction time difference between the practiced and a novel sequence. Independently of whether deterministic or probabilistic sequence structures are learned (e.g., Kaufman et al., 2010; Unsworth & Engle, 2005), many studies cannot find a relation of this difference score with WM capacity. One of the problems in this context is how WM is defined andmeasured. Based on theWMview of Baddeley and Hitch (1974), Daneman and Carpenter (1980) constructed a WM capacity task which made it possible to measure interindividual differences in how much information can be maintained in the correct order, while the attentional focus is

Working Memory and Its Relation to Deterministic Sequence Learning

Is there a relation between working memory (WM) and incidental sequence learning? Nearly all of the earlier investigations in the role of WM capacity (WMC) in sequence learning suggest no correlations in incidental learning conditions. However, the theoretical view of WM and operationalization of WMC made strong progress in recent years. The current study related performance in a coordination and transformation task to sequence knowledge in a four-choice incidental deterministic serial reaction time (SRT) task and a subsequent free generation task. The response-to-stimulus interval (RSI) was varied between 0 ms and 300 ms. Our results show correlations between WMC and error rates in condition RSI 0 ms. For condition RSI 300 ms we found relations between WMC and sequence knowledge in the SRT task as well as between WMC and generation task performance. Theoretical implications of these findings for ongoing processes during sequence learning and retrieval of sequence knowledge are discussed.

NOMEN EST OMEN: INVESTIGATING THE DOMINANCE OF NOUNS IN WORD COMPREHENSION WITH EYE MOVEMENT ANALYSES

Although nouns are easily learned in early stages of lexical development, their role in adult word and text comprehension remains unexplored thus far. To investigate the role of different word classes (open-class words: nouns, adjectives, verbs; closed-class words: pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, etc.), 141 participants read a transposed German text while recording eye movements. Subsequently, participants indicated words they found difficult and reproduced the story. Then, participants were presented an untransposed text version while also tracking eye movements. Word difficulty, subjectively assessed by an interview and objectively by eye movement criteria (general fixation rate, number of fixations on specific words), text comprehension scores, and regressive fixations from one word class to another in the transposed text indicated that the noun was the most influential word class in enhancing the comprehension of other words. Developmental, intercultural, and neurophysiological aspects of noun dominance are discussed.

The impact of working memory and the “process of process modelling” on model quality: Investigating experienced versus inexperienced modellers

A process model (PM) represents the graphical depiction of a business process, for instance, the entire process from online ordering a book until the parcel is delivered to the customer. Knowledge about relevant factors for creating PMs of high quality is lacking. The present study investigated the role of cognitive processes as well as modelling processes in creating a PM in experienced and inexperienced modellers. Specifically, two working memory (WM) functions (holding and processing of information and relational integration) and three process of process modelling phases (comprehension, modelling, and reconciliation) were related to PM quality. Our results show that the WM function of relational integration was positively related to PM quality in both modelling groups. The ratio of comprehension phases was negatively related to PM quality in inexperienced modellers and the ratio of reconciliation phases was positively related to PM quality in experienced modellers. Our research reveals central cognitive mechanisms in process modelling and has potential practical implications for the development of modelling software and teaching the craft of process modelling.

From specificity to sensitivity: affective states modulate visual working memory for emotional expressive faces.

Previous findings suggest that visual working memory (VWM) preferentially remembers angry looking faces. However, the meaning of facial actions is construed in relation to context. To date, there are no studies investigating the role of perceiver-based context when processing emotional cues in VWM. To explore the influence of affective context on VWM for faces, we conducted two experiments using both a VWM task for emotionally expressive faces and a mood induction procedure. Affective context was manipulated by unpleasant (Experiment 1) and pleasant (Experiment 2) IAPS pictures in order to induce an affect high in motivational intensity (defensive or appetitive, respectively) compared to a low arousal control condition. Results indicated specifically increased sensitivity of VWM for angry looking faces in the neutral condition. Enhanced VWM for angry faces was prevented by inducing affects of high motivational intensity. In both experiments, affective states led to a switch from specific enhancement of angry expressions in VWM to an equally sensitive representation of all emotional expressions. Our findings demonstrate that emotional expressions are of different behavioral relevance for the receiver depending on the affective context, supporting a functional organization of VWM along with flexible resource allocation. In VWM, stimulus processing adjusts to situational requirements and transitions from a specifically prioritizing default mode in predictable environments to a sensitive, hypervigilant mode in exposure to emotional events.

External procedures in design problem solving by experienced engineering designers – methods and purposes

In the creative early phases of design problem solving, several kinds of external – especially manual – procedures of thinking (‘externalizations’) are applied. This was mainly shown in experimental settings for tasks of architects. We analysed the kinds and the reported purposes of externalising in the everyday work of experienced engineering designers. Three field studies with different samples of engineers (n = 55) show: the majority of experienced designers reported the application of simple low-cost externalising (especially manual sketching and impromptu-prototyping) in their everyday work mainly for memory relief, communication and generation of ideas. Different mental processes in the early phases of engineering design require different kinds of externalising to support them. Simple low-cost externalisations offer most perceived support for communication and sophisticated ones (e.g. manufactured prototypes) for the evaluation of solutions. The results based on retrospective memory reports of engineers are confirmed by self-records of an ongoing conceptual design process and the documented frequencies of different kinds of externalising.