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Article
Publication date: 29 November 2011

Maria Borbely

The primary goal of this paper was to find out how task effectiveness, completion, efficiency and task time affect the general user satisfaction with a specific software product…

1566

Abstract

Purpose

The primary goal of this paper was to find out how task effectiveness, completion, efficiency and task time affect the general user satisfaction with a specific software product, and which factors, mentioned above, have the biggest effect on user satisfaction. The secondary goal of this examination was to try out how the metrics of ISO/IEC TR 9126‐4 standard can be applied for measuring quality in use of the software product in a real library environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This study introduces the results of research which focused on the measurement of user satisfaction using ISO/IEC TR 9126‐4. Data of the examination was gained from the logfiles of Web OPAC used at the University and National Library of University of Debrecen. Based on this data the study was seeking the relation between quality of task solution with the software product and user satisfaction. To carry out the examinations the University and National Library of University of Debrecen permitted access of its Web OPAC with four unique URL numbers. In this way it was possible to separate the logfiles of participants in the examination from those of other library users and analyse each separately. Measuring users' effectiveness, completion and efficiency was based on the relevant metrics of ISO/IEC TR 9126‐4‐ Quality in use metrics standard. The study measured the satisfaction after using the software with the questionnaire.

Findings

The study could not assess every potential user satisfaction influential factor, but focused on gaining data from log‐files, and converted them into metrics according to the ISO/IEC TR 9126‐4 standard. Of the examined factors, the effectiveness of task solution had the greatest influence on user satisfaction: among the four detailed factors effectiveness‐satisfaction variables, it possessed the highest calculated correlation coefficient value. Another important statement of this study was that during the satisfaction examinations it was necessary to be attentive to the satisfaction structure of well definable user groups, who used library information systems, and who showed special features.

Originality/value

Measuring user's effectiveness, completion and efficiency was based on the relevant metrics of ISO/IEC TR 9126‐4‐ Quality in use metrics standard.

Article
Publication date: 24 January 2018

Anton van der Vegt, Guido Zuccon, Bevan Koopman and Peter Bruza

A conceptual model describes important factors within a system and how they relate to one another. They are important because they help to identify system changes that can yield…

Abstract

Purpose

A conceptual model describes important factors within a system and how they relate to one another. They are important because they help to identify system changes that can yield the greatest improvement. Within information retrieval (IR), most research is directed towards multi-document retrieval and a multi-interaction IR user scenario. There are few, if any, IR conceptual models supporting minimal or single-interaction IR (siIR) user scenarios, however the need for siIR systems is growing rapidly. The purpose of this paper is to take the first step towards constructing a task-oriented conceptual model and experimental framework to support siIR research.

Design/methodology/approach

A first principles approach is employed to develop a task-oriented conceptual model, called bridging information retrieval (BIR). This model is contrasted with the concept of relevance, a central factor within IR research.

Findings

BIR introduces the central concept of bridging information (BI) as the objective of IR systems. BI is the additional information a user requires to complete a task, beyond their innate knowledge. The relationship between BI and relevance is determined.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical basis of BIR is derived axiomatically; however the resulting system evaluation model is speculative.

Practical implications

The proposed operational framework offers researchers a systematic approach to designing and evaluating siIR systems.

Originality/value

This work contributes a novel task-oriented IR conceptual model and evaluation framework, both centred around the concept of BI for siIR. It also contributes a novel search task classification method.

Article
Publication date: 11 June 2018

Miranda Kajtazi, Hasan Cavusoglu, Izak Benbasat and Darek Haftor

This study aims to identify antecedents to noncompliance behavior influenced by decision contexts where investments in time, effort and resources are devoted to a task – referred…

1834

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify antecedents to noncompliance behavior influenced by decision contexts where investments in time, effort and resources are devoted to a task – referred to as a task unlikely to be completed without violating the organization’s information security policy (ISP).

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical test of the suggested relationships in the proposed model was conducted through a field study using the survey method for data collection. Pre-tests, pre-study, main study and a follow-up study compose the frame of our methodology where more than 500 respondents are involved across different organizations.

Findings

The results confirm that the antecedents that explain the escalation of commitment behavior in terms of the effect of lost assets, such as time, effort and other resources, give us a new lens to understand noncompliance behavior; employees seem to escalate their commitments to the completion of their tasks at the expense of becoming noncompliant with ISP.

Research limitations/implications

One of the key areas that requires further attention from this study is to better understand the role of risk perceptions on employee behavior when dealing with value conflicts. Depending on how risk-averse or risk seeking an employee is, the model showed no significant support in either case to influence their noncompliance behavior. The authors therefore argue that employees' noncompliance may be influenced by more powerful beliefs, such as self-justification and sunk costs.

Practical implications

The results show that when employees are caught in tasks undergoing difficulties, they are more likely to increase noncompliance behavior. By understanding better how project obstacles result in such tasks, security managers can define new mechanisms to counter employees’ shift from compliance to noncompliance.

Social implications

Apart from encouraging compliance with enforcement mechanisms (using direct behavioral controls like sanctions or rewards), indirect behavior controls may also encourage compliance. The authors suggest that the ISPs should state that the organization would take positive actions toward task completion and help their employees to resolve their problems quickly.

Originality/value

This study is the first to tackle escalation of commitment theories and use antecedents that explain the effect of lost assets, such as time, effort and other resources can also explain noncompliance with ISP in terms of the value conflicts, where employees would often choose to forego compliance at the expense of finishing their tasks.

Article
Publication date: 15 July 2014

Nadjla Hariri, Maryam Asadi and Yazdan Mansourian

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of verbal-imagery cognitive styles of information searching behavior of users in using the Web.

1496

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of verbal-imagery cognitive styles of information searching behavior of users in using the Web.

Design/methodology/approach

In all, 44 participants were recruited for this study. The participants’ cognitive styles were measured by using Riding's Cognitive Style Analysis test. Three search tasks were designed based on Kim's search task definitions. Moreover, an individual lab session was arranged and then participants’ memos were analyzed using content analysis.

Findings

In all, 48 strategies in four categories of behaviors in searching the Web were identified. There were associations between users’ cognitive styles and their information searching behavior. The participants’ selection of the search initiation behaviors varied, so that imagers suffered from more varied initial behavior than verbalizers. The verbalizers tended to search in a narrow area, then broadening the area and following structured navigation and reading behavior to process information, while imagers tended to search in a general area, then narrowing down the search and adopting mixed navigational styles and mixed behaviors to process information. This study revealed that there was a difference in search performance of verbalizers and imagers descriptively, as verbalizers spent more time compared to imagers and imagers visited more nodes than verbalizers for the tasks completion. In addition, the task was an important variable influencing the search performance. Based on the key findings (search initiation behaviors, formulating search queries, navigational behaviors, information processing behaviors), a conceptual pattern of Web searching and cognitive styles is presented.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides a new understanding of Web users’ information search behavior based on cognitive styles which contributes to the theoretical basis of Web search research. It also raises various questions within the context of user studies

Originality/value

The paper adopted a mixed approach in the area of information searching on the Web. A valuable contribution lies in the methods developed.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. 66 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2012

Arzu Uzun and Ahmet Ozdogan

Planning of manufacturing and maintenance activities together, creating a balance between maintenance and production parameters and developments on maintenance will prevent…

Abstract

Purpose

Planning of manufacturing and maintenance activities together, creating a balance between maintenance and production parameters and developments on maintenance will prevent technical and economic losses and increase production efficiency. Optimizing production and maintenance scheduling enable us to see how maintenance parameters (β, η, tp, tr, a[o]) will affect production performance, completion time (Ec.) and maximum machine availability, and shows which maintenance parameters minimum completion time (Ecmin) will be provided. Difference between Ecmin and maximum completion time (Ecmak) effect to the production costs will be calculated. The purpose of this paper is to show how a genetic algorithm (GA) procedure is successfully applied to the integrated optimization model to determine optimum production policies based maintenance parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

GA is used for optimization and a computer program is prepared to make optimization for integrated preventive maintenance and production planning (IPMPP). Using the program, experimental studies are carried out with different number of jobs be done, to optimize production policy taking maintenance parameters into account.

Findings

Numerous experiments have been conducted with developed GA computer program and see maintenance parameters (β, η, tp, tr, a[o]) effect to the production performance, Ec and maximum machine availability and at which maintenance parameters Ecmin will be provided, and also operating cost saving and maintenance parameters how affect Ec subjects are examined. Due to optimal preventive maintenance (PM) and production sequence arrangement and application of PM provided by GA, Ecmin is greatly decreased.

Originality/value

In this paper, GA procedure is successfully applied to the integrated optimization model to determine optimum production policies based maintenance parameters.

Details

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, vol. 18 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2511

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 February 2023

Sochea Khan, Kriengsak Panuwatwanich and Sasiporn Usanavasin

This paper presents a developed BIMxAR application, an integration of building information modeling (BIM) with augmented reality (AR) linked with real-time online database to…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper presents a developed BIMxAR application, an integration of building information modeling (BIM) with augmented reality (AR) linked with real-time online database to support the building facility management work. The primary aim of this research was to develop and empirically examine the applicability of a BIM-based AR (BIMxAR) application in building facility management.

Design/methodology/approach

The BIMxAR application was developed and experimented with maintenance work of a university laboratory building. The experiment consisted of a comparison of supportive maintenance tasks performed using the traditional approach and the BIMxAR approach by 38 university students. The time taken to complete each task was recorded and analyzed using statistical analyses to compare the performance between the tasks completed using each approach.

Findings

The results indicated that the group using the BIMxAR application approach completed the tasks correctly in a significantly shorter time compared to that using the traditional approach. The findings supported the applicability of the developed BIMxAR application and the improvement of the building facility management tasks when using the proposed approach.

Originality/value

This paper presents a methodological approach in developing a mobile application that integrates BIM with AR for facility management work, leveraging real-time information exchange through a cloud-based platform. The paper also provides empirical evidence that demonstrates how the integration between BIM and AR could be achieved and implemented to help facilitate building maintenance tasks.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 April 2024

Hui-Min Lai, Shin-Yuan Hung and David C. Yen

Seekers who visit professional virtual communities (PVCs) are usually motivated by knowledge-seeking, which is a complex cognitive process. How do seekers search for knowledge…

Abstract

Purpose

Seekers who visit professional virtual communities (PVCs) are usually motivated by knowledge-seeking, which is a complex cognitive process. How do seekers search for knowledge, and how is their search linked to prior knowledge or PVC situation factors? From the cognitive process and interactional psychology perspectives, this study investigated the three-way interactions between seekers’ expertise, task complexity, and perceptions of PVC features (i.e. knowledge quality and system quality) on knowledge-seeking strategies and resultant outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A field experiment was conducted with 119 seekers in a PVC using a 2 × 2 factorial design of seekers’ expertise (i.e. expert versus novice) and task complexity (i.e. low versus high).

Findings

The study reveals three significant insights: (1) For a high-complexity task, experts adopt an ask-directed searching strategy compared to novices, whereas novices adopt a browsing strategy; (2) For a high-complexity task, experts who perceive a high system quality are more likely than novices to adopt an ask-directed searching strategy; and (3) Task completion time and task quality are associated with the adoption of ask-directed searching strategies, whereas knowledge seekers’ satisfaction is more associated with the adoption of browsing strategy.

Originality/value

We draw on the perspectives of cognitive process and interactional psychology to explore potential two- and three-way interactions of seekers’ expertise, task complexity, and PVC features on the adoption of knowledge-seeking strategies in a PVC context. Our findings provide deep insights into seekers’ behavior in a PVC, given the popularity of the search for knowledge in PVCs.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 April 2024

Joyce Galletta DeStasio and Eric Jeitner

The purpose of this paper is to share the process, findings and conclusions from one library’s iterative usability study of its website design to inform other libraries as they…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share the process, findings and conclusions from one library’s iterative usability study of its website design to inform other libraries as they perform their own assessments.

Design/methodology/approach

A task-completion usability study was conducted with eight undergraduate students across two iterations: the first gauged the usability of a redesigned library website and the second gauged the effectiveness of the first iteration’s findings.

Findings

We found that users performed better when the site provided multiple access points to the same information, displayed a prominent chat feature, limited the amount of text on a given page and avoided library jargon. Not only was the second round of testing important for confirming that first-round recommendations were effective but also it proved useful in catching a problem with the site that was unintentionally created during the time between tests.

Research limitations/implications

No demographic data were collected during the study, thus hindering our ability to analyze our users through these data points.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates the value of iterative usability testing, especially when untested changes made between site versions may produce usability issues.

Details

Performance Measurement and Metrics, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-8047

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 September 2020

Mahfooz Alam, Mahak, Raza Abbas Haidri and Dileep Kumar Yadav

Cloud users can access services at anytime from anywhere in the world. On average, Google now processes more than 40,000 searches every second, which is approximately 3.5 billion…

Abstract

Purpose

Cloud users can access services at anytime from anywhere in the world. On average, Google now processes more than 40,000 searches every second, which is approximately 3.5 billion searches per day. The diverse and vast amounts of data are generated with the development of next-generation information technologies such as cryptocurrency, internet of things and big data. To execute such applications, it is needed to design an efficient scheduling algorithm that considers the quality of service parameters like utilization, makespan and response time. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a novel Efficient Static Task Allocation (ESTA) algorithm, which optimizes average utilization.

Design/methodology/approach

Cloud computing provides resources such as virtual machine, network, storage, etc. over the internet. Cloud computing follows the pay-per-use billing model. To achieve efficient task allocation, scheduling algorithm problems should be interacted and tackled through efficient task distribution on the resources. The methodology of ESTA algorithm is based on minimum completion time approach. ESTA intelligently maps the batch of independent tasks (cloudlets) on heterogeneous virtual machines and optimizes their utilization in infrastructure as a service cloud computing.

Findings

To evaluate the performance of ESTA, the simulation study is compared with Min-Min, load balancing strategy with migration cost, Longest job in the fastest resource-shortest job in the fastest resource, sufferage, minimum completion time (MCT), minimum execution time and opportunistic load balancing on account of makespan, utilization and response time.

Originality/value

The simulation result reveals that the ESTA algorithm consistently superior performs under varying of batch independent of cloudlets and the number of virtual machines’ test conditions.

Details

International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-7371

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2008

Steven H. Appelbaum, Adam Marchionni and Arturo Fernandez

The purpose of this article is to describe multi‐tasking behaviour in the workplace; to link its cause to the increasing prevalence of low‐cost information and communications…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to describe multi‐tasking behaviour in the workplace; to link its cause to the increasing prevalence of low‐cost information and communications technologies and to the changing organizational structures that have evolved to meet the demands and opportunities of these technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is a presentation of the current literature on multi‐tasking behaviour among knowledge workers with a selective bibliography addressing empirical research into the behavioural, managerial and technological aspects of this phenomenon. It then expands to comprehensive coverage of the literature on past and current thinking about task structuring, strategies for coping in a multi‐tasking environment and the changing nature of work and organizations, which fuels the need to multi‐task in response to these changes.

Findings

Among knowledge workers, multi‐tasking behaviour appears to be an inevitable consequence of the presence of increasingly easy access to information. Despite the detrimental effect that multi‐tasking has on specific task completion, the paradox is that this does not seem to have an effect on overall organizational productivity. For the USA at least, an average 4 per cent growth rate over the past several years of the late twentieth and early twenty‐first centuries shows that productivity has increased in tandem with an increase in multi‐tasking behaviour and information technologies.

Practical implications

Multi‐tasking behaviour needs to be understood in the context of its manifestation as a variable that is at least partially dependent on the existence of relatively “cheap” information. In essence, in an information economy, task completion by knowledge workers to a set deadline may be counterproductive to the interests of the organization as a whole. This article describes certain strategies that can be used to minimize the harmful aspects of continuous task switching and to maximize the returns to experience that multi‐tasking can bring to an organization.

Originality/value

Multi‐tasking behaviour and its link to complexity theory may lead to a new understanding of organizations as highly fluid and variable entities that are impossible to design or maintain centrally and yet whose goals lead to the moment by moment creation of micro‐organizational structures that accomplish tasks in a manner that engages the full resources of knowledge workers.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 46 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

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