Informatics

Geospatial resources for supporting data standards, guidance and best practice in health informatics

by Tony Mathys

BioMed Central (BMC) Research Notes.
BMC Research Notes 2011, 4:19 doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-19

Tony Mathys and Professor Maged N. Kamel Boulos (Plymouth University)

This paper describes a variety of resources available for the health research and public health sector to use for... more This paper describes a variety of resources available for the health research and public health sector to use for managing and sharing their data. The Go-Geo! service is one resource which offers an SDI for the eclectic range of disciplines using GIS in UK academia, including health informatics.

The benefits of data management and sharing are immense, and in these times of cost restraints, these resources can be seen as solutions to find cost savings which can be reinvested in more research.

Distinguishing Pictorial from Symbolized Information

by Peter Coppin

Coppin, P.W. (Forthcoming). Distinguishing Pictorial from Symbolized Information. Diagrammatic Representation and Inference, Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Berlin / Heidelberg: Springer

What makes a representation pictorial? I respond to this question as a small step toward a perceptual-cognitive... more What makes a representation pictorial? I respond to this question as a small step toward a perceptual-cognitive understanding of graphic representation properties that play important roles in the usability of information systems. Here, I focus to capabilities that play a role in whether material objects are visually processed or recognized as pictorial or symbolized representations. I distinguish pictorial and symbolized information in terms of how each makes use of “less-learned” perceptual emulation capabilities that evolved to enable reaction to real-time environmental changes, and more-learned capabilities to recognize features in order to predict and plan (“simulate”) future changes from memory traces of past percepts. Pictorial information makes use of these capabili- ties to cause perceptual emulation of environmental surfaces that are not part of the marked surface and are referred to here as “pictured.” Symbolized (visual) information is conceived here as visual information from a visual representation, that, through learning and recognition, causes retrieval of memory traces that serve as resources for the construction of mental simulations beyond (or other than) what is pictured. By locating information and representation at the intersection of perceiver and environment, a preliminary model to address the perplexing problem of distinguishing pictorial from symbolized representations is introduced.

MARTINEZ M (2011). ICT, productivity and organizational complementarity. In: CECILIA ROSSIGNOLI, ANDREA CARUGATI. Emerging Themes in Information Systems and Organization Studies. p. 271-281, BERLINO:Springer Verlag, ISBN: 9783790827385

by Marcello Martinez

The Politics of a Paradigm Shift: Telecommunications Regulation and the Communications Revolution; by W. Russell Neuman, Lee W. McKnight, and Richard Jay Solomon, in Political Communication, Vol. 10, pp. 77 - 94, 2003.

by Lee McKnight

Arduino Microcontrollers and the Queen's Hamlet: Utilitarian and Hedonized DIY Practices in Contemporary Electronic Culture (ACADIA 2011)

by Garnet Hertz

Keynote lecture, ACADIA 2011: Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture

In this paper, I bring together concepts of utility-driven do-it-yourself (DIY) culture and pleasure-oriented DIY... more In this paper, I bring together concepts of utility-driven do-it-yourself (DIY) culture and pleasure-oriented DIY practice to investigate a significant trend in contemporary computing culture, the “maker” movement, typified by an interest in building personalized and handmade electronic devices with sensors, motors and lights, usually controlled by microcontrollers like the Arduino. My argument is that maker culture has been co-opted by consumer hobby culture, but this is not necessarily detrimental because it provides an important outlet for personal exploration, increases an understanding of how electronic media actually works and assists individuals to be actors in a culture that is increasingly complex, technological and digitized.

Umweltbezogene Informationsverarbeitung: Beiträge der Informatik zu einer Nachhaltigen Entwicklung

by Lorenz Hilty

Habilitationsschrift

Die Informatik hat die Anwendung ihrer Methoden und Techniken in Umweltschutz, Umweltforschung und Umweltplanung zu... more Die Informatik hat die Anwendung ihrer Methoden und Techniken in Umweltschutz, Umweltforschung und Umweltplanung zu einer Spezialdisziplin zusammengefaßt, die seit einigen Jahren als Umweltinformatik bezeichnet wird. Die Umweltinformatik ist bisher noch stark von einem nachsorgenden Umweltschutz geprägt, der vor allem technische Unterstützung bei der Überwachung, Analyse und Dokumentation von Umweltzuständen benötigt. Es gibt jedoch auch eine wachsende Zahl von Forschungs- und Entwicklungsarbeiten, die sich auf vorbeugende Umweltschutzmaßnahmen konzentrieren. Die verarbeiteten Daten und Informationen beziehen sich in diesem Fall seltener auf die natürliche Umwelt und häufiger auf anthropogene Systeme wie z.B. Produktionsprozesse oder Verkehrssysteme, die den Zustand der natürlichen Umwelt beeinflussen. Ziel ist dann die Abschätzung, Analyse und Reduktion der von diesen Systemen verursachten Umweltbelastungen. Wichtige Themen in diesem Bereich sind betriebliche Umweltinformationssysteme und die umweltorientierte Verkehrsmodellierung.

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, zu untersuchen, welche Beiträge die Informatik zur Verwirklichung einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung leisten kann, und welche Prinzipien und Methoden hierfür eingesetzt werden sollten. Die Orientierung am Leitbild der nachhaltigen Entwicklung macht es erforderlich, Aspekte einzubeziehen, die über die Informatik hinausgehen.

Umweltbezogene Informationsverarbeitung: Beiträge der Informatik zu einer Nachhaltigen Entwicklung

by Lorenz Hilty

Habilitationsschrift

Die Informatik hat die Anwendung ihrer Methoden und Techniken in Umweltschutz, Umweltforschung und Umweltplanung zu... more Die Informatik hat die Anwendung ihrer Methoden und Techniken in Umweltschutz, Umweltforschung und Umweltplanung zu einer Spezialdisziplin zusammengefaßt, die seit einigen Jahren als Umweltinformatik bezeichnet wird. Die Umweltinformatik ist bisher noch stark von einem nachsorgenden Umweltschutz geprägt, der vor allem technische Unterstützung bei der Überwachung, Analyse und Dokumentation von Umweltzuständen benötigt. Es gibt jedoch auch eine wachsende Zahl von Forschungs- und Entwicklungsarbeiten, die sich auf vorbeugende Umweltschutzmaßnahmen konzentrieren. Die verarbeiteten Daten und Informationen beziehen sich in diesem Fall seltener auf die natürliche Umwelt und häufiger auf anthropogene Systeme wie z.B. Produktionsprozesse oder Verkehrssysteme, die den Zustand der natürlichen Umwelt beeinflussen. Ziel ist dann die Abschätzung, Analyse und Reduktion der von diesen Systemen verursachten Umweltbelastungen. Wichtige Themen in diesem Bereich sind betriebliche Umweltinformationssysteme und die umweltorientierte Verkehrsmodellierung.

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, zu untersuchen, welche Beiträge die Informatik zur Verwirklichung einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung leisten kann, und welche Prinzipien und Methoden hierfür eingesetzt werden sollten. Die Orientierung am Leitbild der nachhaltigen Entwicklung macht es erforderlich, Aspekte einzubeziehen, die über die Informatik hinausgehen.

Designing a user interface based on the calm technology paradigm and schematic visualization, and its evaluation from a communicability and rhetoric standpoint

by Omar Sosa Tzec

4th International Conference on Information Design.

Information design, regarded as the act of creating usable messages, has a direct application on designing graphic... more Information design, regarded as the act of creating usable messages, has a direct application on designing graphic user interfaces. In this regard, it is possible to consider schematic visualization as an option for users to unload cognitively through more stress on the visual characteristics of the interface. This represents a way to apply the Calm Technology paradigm proposed by Mark Weiser. By considering the level of iconicity conveyed into such an interface, the understanding of how schematics works on the interface should be evaluated under a different approach rather than a traditional usability evaluation, for example by doing a communicability test (from the Semiotic Engineering theory). Thus, this paper describes the overall process to design and evaluate an instant messaging client under these considerations and it also introduces a standpoint for interface design based on the three rhetoric appealing modes.

Theory applied to informatics – Novice to Expert

by June Kaminski

Kaminski, J. (Fall, 2010). Theory applied to informatics – Novice to Expert. CJNI: Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics, 5 (4), Editorial. http://cjni.net/journal/?p=967

I am often amazed by the consistent confusion and silence that arises when I ask nurses what nursing informatics... more I am often amazed by the consistent confusion and silence that arises when I ask nurses what nursing informatics related theories they use or are aware of. I can sense their minds searching for mysterious elusive theories that they conclude that they must have missed. Only a few realize that many theories that they are already familiar with have great applicability to nursing informatics. One such theory is the time honoured Novice to Expert theory.

The Novice to Expert Theory, a construct theory first proposed by Hubert and Stuart Dreyfus (1980) as the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition, and later applied and modified to nursing by Patricia Benner (1984) provides a very useful and important theory that clearly applies to nursing informatics. The Dreyfus brothers developed the model while working with scholars interested in comparing artificial intelligence development and expert computer system programming to the human mind and the development of expertise.

The Revealing of Nursing Informatics - Exploring the Field

by June Kaminski

PhD Comprehensive Examination

Over the past four decades, the field of informatics has become the focus of a large body of research, theory... more Over the past four decades, the field of informatics has become the focus of a large body of research, theory development and scrutiny across most disciplines. In order to address both the visible and hidden aspects and nuances of informatics in nursing, a complex review of the literature was necessary. As this review was conducted, several emergent themes became clear. Each theme contributed to a wide angle lens of the implications, barriers, benefits, processes, and danger signs that accompanied the adoption of information technologies into nursing and other disciplinary arenas. For the purpose of this comprehensive examination, these themes have been fashioned into a conceptual framework that focuses on seven significant perspectives of informatics: antithesis, artifact, utility, technique, agency, networks, and power. All seven of these views present an unique yet interwoven body of analysis that helps to shape the experience and adoption of nursing informatics when applied to the context of nursing practice, education, research, and administration.

The theme, Antithesis refers to ideas presented in the literature that purport that the use of computers and other information technologies in health care is a threat: in fact it is the antithesis or opposite of providing compassionate, caring and client-centered nursing care. The Artifact view refers to the notion that technology of all kinds, including the contemporary inclusion of information technologies in nursing is an inherent, almost seamless cultural phenomenon, one that is long-standing and can be taken for granted as part of nursing evolution. Utility literature presents information technologies as simple, benign, and useful tools that nurses control and apply to their practice, research, studying, and management activities. The concept of Technique focuses on the application of information technologies in nursing aimed to boost productivity and efficiency, promote best practices and evidenced-based practice, and concretely record nursing activities electronically.

A focus on Agency incorporates actor-network theory, technological agency in its' own right, and how nurses interact with ICTs in an interactive and intense, almost reciprocal way. The notion of Networks entails an examination of the application of information technologies in a collaborative way: in interactions with other people, such as colleagues, interdisciplinary team members, clients, and communities of practice and inquiry, sometimes on a global scale. Finally, the theme of Power will be investigated from a disciplinary perspective, including the consequences of prestige, influence, legitimacy, governmentality, and social access. Together, these seven themes provide a rich, sometimes discordant yet crucial analysis of the varied philosophical and active ways that information technology and informatics are enacted and applied in the nursing arena.

Diffusion of Innovation Theory

by June Kaminski

Kaminski, J. (Spring 2011).Diffusion of Innovation Theory Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics, 6(2). Theory in Nursing Informatics Column. http://cjni.net/journal/?p=1444

This feature is the first entry of our new column – Theory in Nursing Informatics written by our Editor in Chief, June... more This feature is the first entry of our new column – Theory in Nursing Informatics written by our Editor in Chief, June Kaminski. Theory is an important aspect of nursing informatics – one that is often neglected due to time and context. In each column, a relevant theory will be presented and applied to various aspects of informatics in nursing practice, education, research and/or leadership.

The Diffusion of Innovation Theory was first discussed historically in 1903 by the French sociologist Gabriel Tarde (Toews, 2003) who plotted the original S-shaped diffusion curve, followed by Ryan and Gross (1943) who introduced the adopter categories that were later used in the current theory popularized by Everett Rogers. Katz (1957) is also credited for first introducing the notion of opinion leaders, opinion followers and how the media interacts to influence these two groups. The Diffusion of Innovation theory is often regarded as a valuable change model for guiding technological innovation where the innovation itself is modified and presented in ways that meet the needs across all levels of adopters. It also stresses the importance of communication and peer networking within the adoption process.

Theory applied to informatics – Lewin’s Change Theory

by June Kaminski

Kaminski, J. (Winter, 2011). Theory applied to informatics – Lewin’s Change Theory. CJNI: Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics, 6 (1), Editorial. http://cjni.net/journal/?p=1210

Theory is an important component of robust nursing informatics knowledge, a fact that is sometimes overlooked in both... more Theory is an important component of robust nursing informatics knowledge, a fact that is sometimes overlooked in both education and practice. The novice to expert model was featured in my editorial in our last issue, Volume 5, Number 4. A theory focus continues in this issue with a look at the oldest, simplest, yet robust and applicable change management theory, Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory.

Kurt Lewin’s Change Management Theory, is a time-tested, easily applied field theory that is often considered the epitome of change models, suitable for personal, group and organizational change. Kurt Lewin, (1890 – 1947) a Gestalt social psychologist, has been acknowledged as the “father of social change theories” since several contemporary models are at least loosely based on Lewin’s work. He is also lauded as the originator of social psychology, action research, as well as organizational development.

Donne, Informatica ed Albo: professioniste in lotta per i propri diritti

by Laura Papaleo

Constructing systems and information: a process view

by John Gammack

Full E-version of coauthored 1996 book at Uni of West of Scotland Library

A Southeast Regional Testbed for Integrating Complex Coastal and Ocean Information Systems

by Jennifer Pournelle

2009. Fletcher, M., D. Porter, H. Kelsey, V. Shervette, D. Ramage, J. Pournelle. In: Proceedings of the Marine Technical Society/IEEE Conference on Marine Technology for our Future: Global and Local Challenges (OCEANS '09), Biloxi, Mississippi, 26-29 October 2009.

Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, commercial enterprises, and academic research programs have... more Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, commercial enterprises, and academic research programs have established a vast array of environmental databases for programmatic and research purposes. Most of these use different data management infrastructures that prevent repurposing or integrating information to serve other uses. Creating capacity to integrate and access disparate data streams enormously increases their value and application potential. Building on existing environmental information management expertise, USC has launched a Southeast Regional Integration Testbed (SRIT), and used this new capacity to implement an end-to-end decision support application that links monitoring data with predictive models in order to provide advance warning of impending beach contamination. The Water Quality Portlet project design reported herein serves as an exemplar toward establishing a sustained Center for Integrated Information Systems and Coastal Ocean Observations (CIISCOO) that will promote flexible, real-time data interoperability, across a wide user base, to efficiently meet evolving future needs.

Women's informal employment in Palestine: securing a livelihood against all odds

by Simel Esim

Definitions of informal employment are briefly discussed and applied to the Palestinian context in the following... more Definitions of informal employment are briefly discussed and applied to the Palestinian context in the following section. The article locates women’s informal employment in OPT in the context of the global and regional economy making a connection with the local. While it discusses Palestine as part of a global and regional context it also emphasizes the uniqueness of the Palestinian condition under the Israeli occupation. After a brief discussion of Palestinian women’s employment, a methodology is laid out for the following section that discusses the sample and the survey tool on women’s enterprise data. The data analysis starts with a demographic profile of informally employed Palestinian women in urban, rural areas and refugee camps. Issues like reasons for work, or who works, or how do they work, what kind of work they participate in, are answered using the data at hand. A discussion of the existing response strategies tailored by local, international, public and private organizations is followed by conclusions and recommendations for further research, and policy interventions around women’s informal employment in the Palestinian context.

The Virtual Library museums pages (VLmp): Whence and Whither?

by Jonathan Bowen

In David Bearman and Jennifer Trant (eds.), Museums and the Web, 1997: Selected Papers, pages 9-25, Archives & Museum Informatics, 5501 Walnut Street, Suite 203, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232-2311, USA, 1997.

The Virtual Library museums pages (VLmp) were started as a personal project in 1994, forming part of the Virtual... more The Virtual Library museums pages (VLmp) were started as a personal project in 1994, forming part of the Virtual Library distributed information repository initiated by the original inventors of the World Wide Web. The VLmp resource provides a leading directory of online museums and associated resources which has grown exponentially in size and use since its inception. In 1996 the directory was adopted by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), helping to ensure its long-term future. This presentation provides a brief history of the development and use of VLmp, and considers its possible future directions.

Keywords: On-line museums, World Wide Web, Internet, Directory, Access statistics.

The Website of the UK Museum of the Year, 1999

by Jonathan Bowen

Jonathan P. Bowen and Jane Bowen. In David Bearman and Jennifer Trant (eds.), Proc. Museums and the Web 2000, Minneapolis, USA, 16-19 April 2000. Archives & Museum Informatics, Pittsburgh, USA, 2000.
Also available as Technical Report SBU-CISM-00-28, SCISM, South Bank University, London, UK, 2000.

Read more: Museums and the Web 2000 Bowen and Bowen, The Website of the UK Museum of the Year, 1999 http://www.archimuse.com/mw2000/papers/bowen/bowen.html
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

The River & Rowing Museum celebrates the traditions and environment of the River Thames, the international sport... more The River & Rowing Museum celebrates the traditions and environment of the River Thames, the international sport of rowing and the historic riverside community of Henley-on-Thames in England. Spacious and state-of-the-art, the specially commissioned building was designed by the award winning British architect, David Chipperfield. The museum was opened in August 1998 and is already an architectural landmark. The museum has won a number of awards including the National Heritage UK Museum of the Year 1999, Building of the Year 1999 for England (shortlisted for the Stirling Prize) and Website of the Week for two weeks running in the 24 Hour Museum UK museums portal.

The website has been produced at minimal cost, but is simple and effective in design (matching the minimalist design of the museum building itself) and attracting over 65,000 visitors so far (more than have visited the physical museum). The website is organized in a simple hierarchical manner. The homepage is designed to present the museum in different ways for different categories of user such as general visitors, including the disabled, children, teachers, researchers, group visitors, museum supporters, event organizers, the press, etc.

The presentation will give a history of the development of the website, originally initiated in 1995 several years before the museum actually opened. This helped establish the museum's presence throughout the world, particularly to the rowing community. Plans for the future, especially how the website fits into the museum's marketing strategy, will also be covered. Attendees should gain tips on how to produce a cost-effective website that is designed to be user-oriented.

On-line Collections Access at the Museum of English Rural Life

by Jonathan Bowen

Jonathan P. Bowen, Roy Brigden, Mary Dyson and Kevin Moran (University of Reading). In David Bearman and Jennifer Trant (eds.), Proc. MW2001 Museums and the Web conference, Seattle, USA, 14-17 March 2001. CD-ROM.
Also available as Technical Report SBU-CISM-01-02, SCISM, South Bank University, London, UK, January 2001.

Read more: On-line Collections Access at the Museum of English Rural Life http://www.archimuse.com/mw2001/papers/bowen/bowen.html
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

The Rural History Centre at the University of Reading, which includes the Museum of English Rural Life, holds... more The Rural History Centre at the University of Reading, which includes the Museum of English Rural Life, holds extensive collections of material relating to the history of food, farming, and the countryside. As a result, it operates as the leading research and resource center for the subject in the country. The collections have been Designated of national importance and are now in receipt of a grant from the UK government-funded Designation Challenge Fund for a project designed to greatly enhance access to the collections via the World Wide Web. The aim is to have a dynamic, database-driven website which will present a thematic route of entry for exploration of the collections.

This collections access project aims to make the information available to a variety of users in an appropriate manner. Specifically targeted users are primary school children (and teachers), the general public (including secondary school children) and expert researchers (e.g., from academia). Different interfaces are provided within the website to accommodate these various types of user in the INTERnet Farm And Countryside Explorer (INTERFACE) section designated as schools, public and advanced users. For example, story-based environments are being included, extracting information from the database. The stories themselves are being generated by hand as static pages based on templates, but the database can be used at any time to include further information on objects or areas of interest. Primary school children can be limited to records that include graphical images, with access via story-based presentations suitable for use as educational resources, with associated teacher support. The public interface provides hierarchical exploration of subject areas. For experts, a more traditional form-based database interface with many fields will provide access to the full database.

One of the key considerations in developing on-line content for museums is bringing together collection management systems and exhibition information into one system. The manner in which collections are integrated into websites is likely to have implications for their accessibility. For example, the location of the access to collections within the overall site and the graphic presentation of the interface may influence visitors' search and navigation behavior. This paper includes information on an evaluation approach that was developed as part of the initial stages of the project. The objectives of the initial evaluation were to identify other sites which provide access to a collections database; to observe how functionality has been implemented; to consider which aspects of the interfaces may be adopted or adapted for the project. The outcome of the evaluations is described, identifying strengths and weaknesses of existing sites. As the sample of sites analyzed is small, this data is discussed in relation to potential uses for this methodology. A technical evaluation of the first version of the new website is also included.

The last part of the paper gives an overview of what is planned for the last part of the project. Not many museum collections are available on-line in a comprehensive form, especially from smaller museums, so this project aims to be exemplary of what can be achieved given appropriate resources

Museophile: A Community for Museum E-commerce

by Jonathan Bowen

Jonathan P. Bowen. In David Bearman and Jennifer Trant (eds.), Proc. MW2002: Museums and the Web 2002, Boston, USA, 17-20 April 2002. Mini-workshop.
Also available as Technical Report SBU-CISM-02-08, SCISM, South Bank University, London, UK, 2002. Also presented at MCN 2002.

Read more: MW2002: Papers: Museophile: a community for museum e-commerce http://www.archimuse.com/mw2002/papers/bowen/bowen.html
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

Large national museums can afford to create their own on-line mass communication services and to undertake e-commerce... more Large national museums can afford to create their own on-line mass communication services and to undertake e-commerce activities themselves. However, for other museums, this can be a daunting prospect, both technically and financially. It is also likely to be much less effective. A solution could be to create an on-line museum community of small to medium sized museums who alone would struggle to make such an enterprise a success but who together, with suitable help, could rival the efforts of national museums. This mini-workshop examines existing example of museum e-commerce and facilities that could be used by museums. It then goes on to propose a possible infrastructure for museums wishing to take their initial steps in e-commerce at low cost and low risk.

Keywords: e-commerce, museums, community, accessibility, World Wide Web