Intelligent Buildings for Sustainable Liveable Cities

Speaker: Professor Derek Clements-Croome

Title: Intelligent Buildings for Sustainable Liveable Cities

Abstract: An intelligent building is one that is responsive to occupants, organisational and society’s needs. It is sustainable in terms of energy and water consumptions besides being lowly polluting in terms of emissions and waste: healthy in terms of well-being for the people living and working within it; and functional according to the user needs.

Thank Prof. Derek Clements-Croome for his precious time to give us a presentation about his latest work. Derek is a Director and founder of MSc Intelligent Buildings Programme and Intelligent Buildings Research Group and Director of Research in the School of Construction Management and Engineering at the University of Reading.

The Socio-Cultural Factors Influencing Online Female Consumers in Saudi Arabia

Speaker: Khulood Rambo

Title: The Socio-Cultural Factors Influencing Online Female Consumers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Designers can make a difference in the way people live their lives. Their core is to provide design solutions to meet the needs, expectations, and variations of their target users. Although Saudi Arabia is becoming an emerging market for both global and local retailers, many consumers remain reluctant to adopt ecommerce business to consumer transactions such as online shopping. Moreover, the literature shows that despite the general low penetration of e-commerce applications in Saudi Arabia, there is a perceptible significant difference between the numbers of males and females with positive responses towards adopting these applications. This paper identifies the sociocultural and technical factors that influence both the Saudi female’s adoption and the design of e-commerce applications using the foundations of organisational semiotics. A socio-technical tool-kit of methods and techniques that bridge the gap between the notions of ‘culture’ and ‘technology’ by providing a deeper analysis of the social norms that govern people’s behaviour.

Convergence of BI with Search and Collaboration - How Search technologies can extend the scope of BI solutions

Speaker: Kevin Starling.

Title: Convergence of BI with Search and Collaboration - How Search technologies can extend the scope of BI solutions

Abstract: Exalead will discuss the convergence of current trends towards real-time business intelligence with new perspectives of corporate intelligence, where combining internal and external content sources enables a truly 360-degree view, and the potential for new insights, of critical business processes and items. Exalead will present real-world examples that show how business can derive commercial value from such convergence, demonstrating how search has become a "must-have" enabling technology behind decision-support platforms and business-process driven collaboration platforms.

Information costs, the firm, and innovation

Speaker: Dr Nigel Wadeson

Title: Information costs, the firm, and innovation

Abstract: Dr Nigel Wadeson is interested in how information costs affect the organization of the firm and also in entrepreneurship and innovation. In this informal talk he will discuss 2 models. The first is a model of the structure of the firm based on the costs of information storage and communication. The second views innovation as a sequential search.

Interactive Graphic Organizers: A case of ICT curriculum integration in higher education

Speaker: Dr. Mario J Lopez and Dr. Hector R Ponce

Title: Interactive Graphic Organizers: A case of ICT curriculum integration in higher education

Abstract: VirtuaLab-USACH developed Interactive Graphic Organizers (IGOs), a software application built with components on Adobe Flash and Air platforms. IGOs are modular, interactive and facilitate both students thinking skills development and teachers interactive visual content display. This article presents some results from IGOs curriculum integration evaluation. IGOs were integrated into learning activities in an Information Systems Design course (belonging to the seventh of twelve semesters in Industrial Civil Engineering degree course at the University of Santiago, Chile). A cuasi-experimental design was used where students from the experimental group (the course) were invited to use the IGOs in their learning and assessment activities. A working hypothesis was stated for the curriculum integration; and comprehensive tools were developed for data collection.

Digital infrastructure, management practices and the design organization

Speaker: Jennifer Whyte

Title: Digital infrastructure, management practices and the design organization

Abstract: Digital information presents new challenges to managing and organizing in the pluralistic, multi-firm contexts in which buildings and infrastructure are designed. The literatures on complex organizations indicate paradoxical requirements for tight coupling between tasks to deal with their interdependencies; and loose coupling to deal with the exceptions arising in day-to-day work. This talk draws on research on managing and organizing to consider digitally-enabled design work on a tightly constrained infrastructure project. The engineering consultant's team on this major station refurbishment has been pioneering model-centric ways of working. The empirical research was qualitative in nature and involved spending time with the design team, talking informally to stakeholders about the project and also conducting formal interviews. The research collaboration focused on understanding the design team’s experience and learning through using new digital tools; and it also sought to uncover processes and systems to improve effective use of these tools. By increasing the coupling between the various disciplines involved in design, the new digital tools and processes implied wider organizational changes across firm boundaries. They also challenge institutionalised understandings of process. The talk concludes by discussing potential future scenarios for their use on projects.

Assessing organizational semiotics for IT systems design: improving information exchange processes across construction project stakeholders

Speaker: Bill Collinge

Title: Assessing organizational semiotics for IT systems design: improving information exchange processes across construction project stakeholders

Abstract: Construction projects are information-intensive collaborations between diverse collections of stakeholders and organisations. A recurring challenge for IT systems designers is to produce solutions better able to engage with the diverse informational requirements of varied construction industry professionals engaged on a construction project. This paper explores how organizational semiotics (OS) may be utilized in a construction project context in order to explore information exchange problems & issues prevalent in the domain. Organizational semiotics (OS) is the study of sign generation, exchange and interpretation in organizational contexts. It examines and explores how people and technologies interact and work together in the pursuit of business goals. OS tools may be used to develop and model IT systems which have a conceptual grounding in both technical (data-flow) and humanistic (behaviour) principles. We explore the potential of OS for developing new IT tools to mediate heterogeneous activities of information production and exchange across diverse stakeholders.

Office workers perceptions and attitudes towards the deployment of a location tracking system in a real environment

Speaker: Irene Lopez de Vallejo

Title: Office workers perceptions and attitudes towards the deployment of a location tracking system in a real environment

Abstract: In the context of a doctoral thesis driven by the question how can location tracking technologies contribute to the understanding of face-to-face interaction in the workplace, this seminar presents results of part of the study focused on understanding workers attitudes and perceptions of the deployment and use of this pervasive technology. The talk will start with a brief introduction to the system, its deployment and the spatial and social challenges that it posed to both the organisation and to the technology consultants. Issues of communication, privacy, organisational culture, trust, time and mistification of technology will be discussed. The methods used to investigate people's attitudes in a pervasive environment will be also introduced.