Research within the Think Lab at the University of Salford

Speaker: Prof. Terrence Fernando (University of Salford)

Title: Research within the Think Lab at the University of Salford

Abstract: This talk will present the on-going research at the ThinkLab on collaborative workspaces. The first part of the talk will focus on the outcome of the CoSpaces project which investigated the design and implementation of a collaborative platform for the aerospace, automotive and construction sectors. The requirements for the system were gathered by analyzing current collaborative practices and future visions. This project resulted in creating three types of workspaces : co-located, distributed and mobile. The second part of the talk will focus on the collaborative platform that is being developed for supporting various stakeholders in urban regeneration. Building on previous experience with the Black Country Urban Regeneration programme, current work is now focusing on Salford City to provide a comprehensive urban simulation framework.

IT Leadership: Challenges and Responses

Speaker: Dr Sharm Manwani (Henley Business School)

Title: IT Leadership: Challenges and Responses

Abstract: Large multinational enterprises face particular challenges when it comes to IT Leadership. They have complex structures which impact the strategy, governance and delivery of IT-enabled business change. Dealing with this complexity places particular demands on the IT leaders, particularly the Chief Information Officer (CIO).

From the Web of Data to a World of Action

Speaker: Prof. Alan Dix (Lancaster University)

Title: From the Web of Data to a World of Action

Abstract: From human readable web pages, to formal semantics of linked data and the emergent social semantics of tags and folksonomies, we routinely look to the web as both a source of information and a place to put data. However, the web is also a locus of action: users want to get things done, whether booking a hotel room, or editing an online spread sheet.

The boundaries between web and desktop interaction are blurring. On the one hand, the traditional PC desktop is now inhabited by widgets such as the Mac Dashboard, web fast-download apps such as Java Web Start or Adobe Air, and expanded browser functionality such as Chrome. On the other hand, computation and applications that once were part of the desktop are now hosted on the web (for example word-processing with Google Docs), and various technologies enable web applications to function even when users have no connectivity to the internet. Furthermore, in emerging markets such as India and China, this convergence will be total, as the sole computing experience for many will be through mobile devices and predominantly the web.

This talk will explore the premise that this emerging web will be a place of action, not just information, and that the purpose of global data is ultimately to serve human needs.

It’s not where you work, it’s how you work – welcome to the Digital Workplace

Speaker: Mr Paul Miller

Title: It’s not where you work, it’s how you work – welcome to the Digital Workplace

Summary: We all know and understand the “Physical Workplace” but increasingly our working lives are spent in the “Digital Workplace” – intranets, virtual meetings, yammer style apps, social media inside and outside, self service HR and on.

It’s not where you work, it’s how you work. My new book “Digital Workplace” (being written now) describes how the world’s leading organizations are designing the workplace of the future. It tells the stories of a new style of worker in a new type of workplace.

Technology and a shift in work patterns and experiences is starting to re-shape the work environment. The “Digital Workplace” is re-shaping work and organisations for the good generally and it will profoundly impact where people live, work and allocate their time. More time with your family, time with your children, living anywhere you choose – autonomy, control and flexibility in how we work.

People judged on results and outputs. But what about the blurring of boundaries between work and life? What price will we pay for the new levels of trust and autonomy?

The enactment of significance: exploring the nature of information, systems and technology

Speaker: Professor Paul Beynon-Davies

Title: The enactment of significance: exploring the nature of information, systems and technology

Abstract: This talk introduces a new perspective which helps unpack the relationship between information, systems and technology within the nature of human organisation. We argue for an area of interest located at the intersection of signs and systems, which involves the enactment of forma, informa and performa. To demonstrate the utility of this perspective we deliberately consider a case from a different time, space and culture. We discuss the nature of human organisation amongst the Inka Empire and how this organisation was reliant upon the enactment of signs, particularly in relation to an artefact known as the khipu. We conclude with a discussion of the value of our framework in helping us understand the complex entanglement of information, systems and technology within human organisation. The talk summarises some of the major themes discussed in a new book to be published in December by Palgrave.

Paul Beynon-Davies is currently professor of organisational informatics at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University. Before taking up an academic post, Professor Beynon-Davies worked for several years in the Informatics industry in the UK and still regularly acts as a consultant to the public and private sector. He has published widely, having 11 books and over seventy refereed academic papers to his name.

Implications of Research on User Experience Design

Speaker: Ms Elisa del Galdo

Title: Implications of Research on User Experience Design

Abstract: Practitioners in the field of user experience design come from a variety of disciplines; ergonomics, computing science, psychology, interaction design, human-computer interaction, industrial engineering, just to name a few. Due to the variability in education, it is likely that a large proportion of today’s practitioners are not familiar with relevant foundational research and what implications it has for design. It is more likely that practitioners are aware of more mainstream ‘research’ that is more easily digestible, so even more recent empirical research may not be applied to their work. This talk briefly discusses a selection of foundational and recent research studies and their implications for design, with the objective of demonstrating the importance of research to the user experience practitioner.

Efficiency and scalability of the k-Means clustering method

Speaker: Dr. Giuseppe Di Fatta

Title: Efficiency and scalability of the k-Means clustering method

Abstract: One among the most influential and popular data mining methods is the k-Means algorithm for cluster analysis. Clustering is a classical unsupervised machine learning problem of the identification of groups of similar objects within a set, which is particularly useful in typical exploratory data mining applications. The scalability of the algorithms in terms of the input objects, the number of features and the number of clusters is crucial for very large sets of data. Techniques for improving the efficiency of k-Means have been largely explored in two main directions, sequential optimisation techniques and parallel processing. In the first case, the amount of computation in the sequential algorithm can be significantly reduced by adopting geometrical constraints, efficient data structures (e.g. multi-dimensional binary search trees) and partitioning strategies. This talk provides insights on the efficiency and scalability of the k-Means clustering method for both sequential and parallel implementations. In particular, it presents some recent work which improves the performance of the algorithm for very large data sets (millions of patterns) with high numbers of features and clusters.