Formalization of the prediction and ranking of software development life cycle models

The study of software engineering professional practices includes the use of the formal methodology in a software development. Identifying the appropriate methodology will not only reduce the failure of software but will also help to deliver the software in accordance with the predetermined budget and schedule. In literature, few works have been developed a tool for prediction of the most appropriate methodology for the specific software project. In this paper, a method for selecting an appropriate software development life cycle (SDLC) model based on a ranking manner from the highest to the lowest scoring is presented. The selection and ranking of appropriate SDLC elaborate the related SDLC’s critical factors, these factors are given different weights according to the SDLC, then these weights are used by the proposed mathematical method. The proposed approach has been extensively experimented on a dataset by software practitioners who are working in the software industry. Experimental results show that, the proposed method represents an applicable tool in predicting and ranking suitable SDLC models on various types of projects, such as: life-critical systems, commercial uses systems, and entertainment applications.

Effects of Equine-Assistant Activity on Gross Motor Coordination in Children Aged 8 to 10 Years

Generally, adequate motor coordination (MC) ability is one among the critical factors for the overall development of children. In this paper, we have thoroughly analyzed the effects of equine-assistant activity (EAA) training on MC in children. For this purpose, MC test, specifically for children, was used to the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK), and a total of 100 children, particularly those in 8 to 10 age, were equally separated into equine-assistant activity group (EAAG) and control group (CG), respectively. The EAAG group has attended a 14-week EAA training program, while the CG joined in physical education activity once per week. The experimental results have indicated that four indices of KTK test (i.e., backward walk [WB], height jump [HH], jumping sideways [JS] and moving sideways [MS], and motor quotient [MQ] score) showed significant differences ( ∗ P < 0.05 ) after a 14-week EAA training. Furthermore, the indices of physical fitness test, standing long jump (SLJ), and sit and reach (SAR) showed significant differences ( ∗ P < 0.05 ), but the handgrip (HG) increased slightly without significant difference ( P > 0.05 ) after a 14-week EAA training. In conclusion, there were improvements in MC, lower limb strength, and flexibility by EAAG for those who participated in a 14-week EAA training, and this study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the KTK assessment of MC in children 8 to 10 years.

Critical factors that affect the functioning of a research and evaluation capacity building partnership: A causal loop diagram

Introduction Public health policy and practice is strengthened by the application of quality evidence to decision making. However, there is limited understanding of how initiatives that support the generation and use of evidence in public health are operationalised. This study examines factors that support the internal functioning of a partnership, the Western Australian Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Applied Research and Evaluation Network (SiREN). SiREN aims to build research and evaluation capacity and increase evidence-informed decision making in a public health context. Methods This study was informed by systems concepts. It developed a causal loop diagram, a type of qualitative system model that illustrated the factors that influence the internal operation of SiREN. The causal loop diagram was developed through an iterative and participatory process with SiREN staff and management (n = 9) via in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 4), workshops (n = 2), and meetings (n = 6). Results Findings identified critical factors that affected the functioning of SiREN. Central to SiREN’s ability to meet its aims was its capacity to adapt within a dynamic system. Adaptation was facilitated by the flow of knowledge between SiREN and system stakeholders and the expertise of the team. SiREN demonstrated credibility and capability, supporting development of new, and strengthening existing, partnerships. This improved SiREN’s ability to be awarded new funding and enhanced its sustainability and growth. SiREN actively balanced divergent stakeholder interests to increase sustainability. Conclusion The collaborative development of the diagram facilitated a shared understanding of SiREN. Adaptability was central to SiREN achieving its aims. Monitoring the ability of public health programs to adapt to the needs of the systems in which they work is important to evaluate effectiveness. The detailed analysis of the structure of SiREN and how this affects its operation provide practical insights for those interested in establishing a similar project.

The Casualty Stabilization–Transportation Problem in a Large-Scale Disaster

We address the problem of picking up, stabilizing, and transporting casualties in response to mass-injury disasters. Our proposed methodology establishes the itinerary for collecting, on-site stabilization, and transporting victims considering capacitated vehicles and medical care centers. Unlike previous works, we minimize the time required to achieve on-site stabilization of each victim according to his age and level of severity of the injuries for their subsequent transfer to specialized medical centers. Thus, more critical patients will be the first to be stabilized, maximizing their chances of survival. In our methodology, the victims’ age, the injuries’ severity level, and their deterioration over time are considered critical factors in prioritizing care for each victim. We tested our approach using simulated earthquake scenarios in the city of Iquique, Chile, with multiple injuries. The results show that explicitly considering the on-site stabilization of the vital functions of the prioritized victims as an objective, before their transfer to a specialized medical center, allows treating and stabilizing patients earlier than with traditional objectives.

User perspectives on critical factors for collaborative playlists

Today, collaborative playlists (CPs) translate long-standing social practices around music consumption to enable people to curate and listen to music together over streaming platforms. Yet despite the critical role of CPs in digitally connecting people through music, we still understand very little about the needs and desires of real-world users, and how CPs might be designed to best serve them. To bridge this gap in knowledge, we conducted a survey with CP users, collecting open-ended text responses on what aspects of CPs they consider most important and useful, and what they viewed as missing or desired. Using thematic analysis, we derived from these responses the Codebook of Critical CP Factors, which comprises eight categories. We gained insights into which aspects of CPs are particularly useful—for instance, the ability for multiple collaborators to edit a single playlist—and which are absent and desired—such as the ability for collaborators to communicate about a CP or the music contained therein. From these findings we propose design implications to inform further design of CP functionalities and platforms, and highlight potential benefits and challenges related to their adoption in current music services.

The Financial – Economic Factors in the Strategic Planning of European Borderlands: Envisioning the So-Desired Sustainable Development

In Europe, there are a considerable number of borderlands involving various Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) projects, plans, and strategies. It is a well-known fact that these border synergies are perceived as very intricate processes. Consequently, researches that focus on different variables, factors, and perspectives that could affect the success or failure of the common border projects are essential to achieve consistent regional sustainability. In fact, we believe there is a gap on the perception and implementation of some of the critical factors for territorial success in borderlands by the regional main actors. Thereby, this study through the use of exploratory tools as top-to-bottom questionnaires examines the border cooperation of eleven CBC projects (twenty-one European cities) focusing on the financial-economic theme. Besides, the research permits us to recognize and isolate the two main decisive factors to consider from a financial-economic: (i) Strong territorial strategy; (ii) Access to European funds. Moreover, this study shows that the CBC could be used as a catalyst for creating job opportunities in these regions.

The Perception of Automation Reliability and Acceptance of Automated Advice

Objective Examine (1) the extent to which humans can accurately estimate automation reliability and calibrate to changes in reliability, and how this is impacted by the recent accuracy of automation; and (2) factors that impact the acceptance of automated advice, including true automation reliability, reliability perception, and the difference between an operator’s perception of automation reliability and perception of their own reliability. Background Existing evidence suggests humans can adapt to changes in automation reliability but generally underestimate reliability. Cognitive science indicates that humans heavily weight evidence from more recent experiences. Method Participants monitored the behavior of maritime vessels (contacts) in order to classify them, and then received advice from automation regarding classification. Participants were assigned to either an initially high (90%) or low (60%) automation reliability condition. After some time, reliability switched to 75% in both conditions. Results Participants initially underestimated automation reliability. After the change in true reliability, estimates in both conditions moved towards the common true reliability, but did not reach it. There were recency effects, with lower future reliability estimates immediately following incorrect automation advice. With lower initial reliability, automation acceptance rates tracked true reliability more closely than perceived reliability. A positive difference between participant assessments of the reliability of automation and their own reliability predicted greater automation acceptance. Conclusion Humans underestimate the reliability of automation, and we have demonstrated several critical factors that impact the perception of automation reliability and automation use. Application The findings have potential implications for training and adaptive human-automation teaming.

LEMABE: a novel framework to improve analogy-based software cost estimation using learnable evolution model

One of the most important and critical factors in software projects is the proper cost estimation. This activity, which has to be done prior to the beginning of a project in the initial stage, always encounters several challenges and problems. However, due to the high significance and impact of the proper cost estimation, several approaches and methods have been proposed regarding how to perform cost estimation, in which the analogy-based approach is one of the most popular ones. In recent years, many attempts have been made to employ suitable techniques and methods in this approach in order to improve estimation accuracy. However, achieving improved estimation accuracy in these techniques is still an appropriate research topic. To improve software development cost estimation, the current study has investigated the effect of the LEM algorithm on optimization of features weighting and proposed a new method as well. In this research, the effectiveness of this algorithm has been examined on two datasets, Desharnais and Maxwell. Then, MMRE, PRED (0.25), and MdMRE criteria have been used to evaluate and compare the proposed method against other evolutionary algorithms. Employing the proposed method showed considerable improvement in estimating software cost estimation.