Hybridized Ranking Model for Prioritizing Functional Software Requirements

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 0-0

Many difficulties exist when defining and deciding which requirements should be implemented first in an ultra-large-scale multi-stakeholder involved system. This often leads to system failure and product dissatisfaction. This paper established a suitable method supporting more precise and accurate decision-making in prioritizing requirements. We collected and analyzed a large number of software requirements in a case study, which was based on real-life practices and processes. Structured interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from 600 stakeholders. We formulated a model based on the analyzed requirements using the CBRanking, and the MACBETH approaches. We ranked the requirements and considered the requirements' relative importance according to the stakeholders' opinions. Thus, a hybridized mathematical model was proposed for prioritizing these functional requirements and evaluated its performance for consistency and completeness. The results showed the software's best functional requirements concerning the customers' expectations.

Author(s):  
Agostino Cortesi ◽  
Francesco Logozzo

This chapter investigates a formal approach to the verification of non-functional software requirements that are crucial in Service-oriented Systems, like portability, time and space efficiency, and dependability/robustness. The key-idea is the notion of observable, i.e., an abstraction of the concrete semantics when focusing on a behavioral property of interest. By applying an abstract interpretation-based static analysis of the source program, and by a suitable choice of abstract domains, it is possible to design formal and effective tools for non-functional requirements validation.


SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402093181
Author(s):  
Carmen Pedroza-Gutiérrez ◽  
Juan M. Hernández

This study aims to construct a theoretical framework to analyze the elements of the network structure and the relationship system within the seafood supply chain. The scope of the investigation is to evaluate how these elements influence the flow of products and the efficiency of the seafood supply chain and why these social interactions can create value and enhance competitive advantage. The model combines the resource- and knowledge-based view and the social network analysis applied to seafood supply chains. To demonstrate the application of the model, two theoretical examples and a real case study of the Mercado del Mar in Guadalajara, Mexico, are used. Primary data are obtained from semi-structured interviews, social network analysis metrics, and qualitative analysis. Findings are based on the analysis of theoretical examples and must be considered with caution. Nevertheless, the observations in the examples and case study provide new arguments to the relationship between the pattern of interrelationship and the efficiency of a supply chain. This study emphasizes the necessity of combining quantitative and qualitative analyses to understand and explain real-life supply networks.


Author(s):  
Çiğdem Kan

Effective social studies instruction should intend to train young individuals who are interested, are capable of participating in the learning process, are capable of utilizing technology, have a good memory, look forward to the future with confidence, and transfer the knowledge they acquire at school to daily life. The aim of the present research is to determine the problems experienced in the instruction of social studies course based on teacher views and the means for an efficient social studies instruction. Thus, the case study method, a qualitative research design, was employed in the present study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 teachers, employed in five middle schools in Elazığ province urban center, during the 2016-2017 academic year, and the data were analyzed with descriptive analysis. Thus, it was determined that the inadequacy of course hours and the redundancy and complexity of the topics were the main problems experienced in social studies courses and these were identified as the factors that led to the lack of student interest. According to the views of the teachers, efficient social studies instruction requires a focus on current issues, requires employment of available technologies, and should allow the individuals to transfer content knowledge to life. It is concluded that an efficient social studies instruction would be possible through the transfer of knowledge to real-life situations, the employment of technological tools, active student participation, the simplification and the elimination the discontinuities between textbook content.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Porras–Flórez ◽  
Sofía Albesiano ◽  
Kendry Hernández–Herrera ◽  
Nubia Gómez–Velázco ◽  
Leopoldo Arrieta–Violet

AbstractTaxa of the family Cactaceae presents morphological and reproductive characteristics, which are used by rural communities in arid and semi-arid areas, for food, medicinal and ornamental purposes. The objectives were to identify the most used species and to relate the socioeconomic factors of the informants with their knowledge of the species. To this end, 262 semi-structured interviews were applied, with questions such as name, age, gender, educational level, source of employment, among others; eight categories of use were established: agro-ecological, agricultural, commercial, environmental service, food, medicinal, ornamental and technological; three indexes were calculated, relative importance, the value of use for each of the species and wealth of knowledge of the interviewees. Nine species are reported, from which eight are used as food and ornamental, standing out Opuntia ficus-indica for its diversity of uses, while Cylindropuntia tunicata does not report any utility. Variables such as age and residence time showed a significant relationship with the number of plants used by the interviewees. It is expected to contribute to the preservation of cacti, local knowledge and encourage large-scale cultivation since species such as Mammillaria columbiana, Melocactus andinus, and Melocactus curvispinus are being used in an unsustainable way, which could cause their local extinction.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-20
Author(s):  
Audrey Muyuni ◽  
Austin M. Cheyeka

The study sought to investigate the reasons that led to youth conversion from mainstream to Pentecostal churches in Emmasdale and in the neighbourhood of Matero. The study was guided by Horton’s intellectualist theory of conversion in Africa. It used a case study design. The method of data collection included semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire. Findings of the study were that, there was automatic conversion taking place among the youths in mainstream churches to Pentecostalism. This was evident in all respondents in mega Pentecostal Church who had a mainstream background. Church leaders in mainstream churches were aware of youth converting to Pentecostal churches by accepting back the youths who had converted to a Pentecostal Church but had later made up their minds to go back. The study further revealed that non-Pentecostal parents supported and encouraged their children who converted to a mega Pentecostal Church owing to incentives such as; scholarships, employment and supportive programmes provided to their children. The study recommends that: sermon presentation should be revised in some mainstream churches. Explaining scriptures should not be exegetical only but linking scriptures to real life struggles of the youth. The church leaders in mainstream churches must formulate programmes that are more practical and youth oriented like charismatic prayer service, provision of scholarship, employment and positions of responsibilities through different ministries within the mainstream churches. Non-Pentecostal parents should not be too sceptical about children who associate themselves with Pentecostalism but encourage them to genuinely convert to this brand of Christianity.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Agyemang ◽  
Kelum Jayasinghe ◽  
Pawan Adhikari ◽  
Abongeh Tunyi ◽  
Simon Carmel

PurposeThis paper examines how a “quasi-formal” organisation in a developing country engages in informal means of organising and decision-making through the use of calculative measures.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a case study of a large-scale indigenous manufacturing company in Ghana. Data for the study were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews conducted both onsite and off-site, supplemented by informal conversations and documentary analysis. Weber's notions of rationalities and traditionalism informed the analysis.FindingsThe paper advances knowledge about the practical day-to-day organisation of resources and the associated substantive rational calculative measures used for decision-making in quasi-formal organisations operating in a traditional setting. Instead of formal rational organisational mechanisms such as hierarchical organisational structures, production planning, labour controls and budgetary practices, the organisational mechanisms are found to be shaped by institutional and structural conditions which result from historical, sociocultural and traditional practices of Ghanaian society. These contextual substantive rational calculative measures consist of the native lineage system of inheritance, chieftaincy, trust and the power concealed within historically established sociocultural practices.Originality/valueThis paper is one of a few studies providing evidence of how local and traditional social practices contribute to shaping organising and decision-making activities in indigenous “quasi-formal” organisations. The paper extends our understanding of the nexus between “technical rational” calculative measures and the traditional culture and social practices prevailing in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and Ghana in particular.


Author(s):  
Nicole Zero ◽  
Joshua D. Summers

Abstract Current research and literature lack the discussion of how production automation is introduced to existing lines from the perspective of change management. This paper presents a case study conducted to understand the change management process for a large-scale automation implementation in a manufacturing environment producing highly complex products. Through a series of fifteen semi-structured interviews of eight engineers from three functional backgrounds, a process model was created to understand how the company of study introduced a new automation system into their existing production line, while also noting obstacles identified in the process. This process model illustrates the duration, sequencing, teaming, and complexity of the project. This model is compared to other change process models found in literature to understand critical elements found within change management. The process that was revealed in the case study appeared to contain some elements of a design process as compared to traditional change management processes found in literature. Finally, a collaborative resistance model is applied to the process model to identify and estimate the resistance for each task in the process. Based on the objective analysis of the collaborative situations, the areas of highest resistance are identified. By comparing the resistance model to the interview data, the results show that the resistance model does identify the challenges found in interviews. This means that the resistance model has the potential to identify obstacles within the process and open the opportunity to mitigate those challenges before they are encountered within the process.


Author(s):  
Mohan Venigalla ◽  
Soujanya Chalumuri ◽  
Rajit Mandapati

Data from large-scale travel survey databases, such as the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) and the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), are often used to derive complex parameters for transportation modeling applications not originally targeted by the surveys. When situations demand complex data manipulation tasks, publicly available tools for the purpose do not obviate the need for data users to sift through entire databases and develop custom solutions. This paper presents a flexible methodology for developing custom database tools for cost-effectively deriving application-specific information from travel survey data. The seven-step methodology accounts for assessment of needs, verification of validity of travel survey data to the application, establishment of scientific justification, development of functional requirements of the system, development of data model, definition of processes, and development and testing of tools. To demonstrate the methodology, a case study involving derivation of locality-specific parameters for emission factor models from the NPTS and NHTS databases is presented. With the use of this methodology, a custom database application called Travel-Related Inputs Model for MOBILE6.x (TRIMM) was developed for this case study. The working mechanisms of TRIMM are illustrated. The methodology outlined, though specific to travel survey databases, is sufficiently generic to be used for developing custom tools to derive various modeling parameters from large transportation databases.


2010 ◽  
Vol 86 (6) ◽  
pp. 742-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Robson ◽  
Len M. Hunt

Ontario’s Local Citizens’ Committees (LCCs) are the oldest local multi-stakeholder platforms in forest management inCanada (since 1994) and one of the most researched. This paper is a meta-analysis of LCC research from large-scale surveys,document analysis of audits and case study interviews of members from two LCCs. Multi-stakeholder Platforms areexpected to lead to better and more acceptable decisions than traditional approaches because they involve multiple stakeholders;consequently, the focus of the paper is on stakeholder representation and success. Our analysis concludes thatrepresentation is an issue and that LCCs have a mixed level of success.Key words: public participation, success, representation, surveys, interviews


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