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ABSTRACT This paper addresses the challenge of improving the effectiveness and innovativeness of online teaching in higher education. It presents a blended learning course designed for faculty development and discusses the findings of surveying the opinions of participants. The course integrates synchronous sessions with digital learning tools and platforms to equip educators with essential skills for online teaching. A mixed‐methods design has been applied for evaluating the educational activity, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection. The course had a completion rate of 91.13%. The opinions of 72 higher education members have been surveyed, and the findings revealed that the blended learning course enhanced instructors' ability to design and deliver online content that is both pedagogically sound and engaging. The necessity for such learning activities is strongly emphasised. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for future course design and faculty development programs in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain technology has been used with great effect in farm-to-fork traceability projects. However, this technology has a steep learning curve when it comes to its user interface. To minimize this difficulty, we created a solution based on a Large Language Model (LLM) conversational agent. Our implementation, starting with an existing knowledge base that is prepared and processed with an embedding model to be stored in a vector database, follows a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approach. Other non-textual media like images and videos are aggregated with the embeddings to enrich the user experience. User queries are combined with a proximity search in the vector database and feed into an LLM that considers the conversation history with the user in its replies. Given the asynchronous nature of these models, we implemented a similarly asynchronous scheme using Server-Sent Events that deliver the models' replies to a UI that supports multimodal media types such as images and videos by providing the visualization of these resources. The end solution allows users to interact with advanced technologies using a natural language interface; this in turn empowers food traceability projects to overcome their natural difficulty in engaging early adopters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain technology has been used with great effect in farm-to-fork traceability projects. However, this technology has a steep learning curve when it comes to its user interface. To minimize this difficulty, we created a solution based on a Large Language Model (LLM) conversational agent. Our implementation, starting with an existing knowledge base that is prepared and processed with an embedding model to be stored in a vector database, follows a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approach. Other non-textual media like images and videos are aggregated with the embeddings to enrich the user experience. User queries are combined with a proximity search in the vector database and feed into an LLM that considers the conversation history with the user in its replies. Given the asynchronous nature of these models, we implemented a similarly asynchronous scheme using Server-Sent Events that deliver the models’ replies to a UI that supports multimodal media types such as images and videos by providing the visualization of these resources. The end solution allows users to interact with advanced technologies using a natural language interface; this in turn empowers food traceability projects to overcome their natural difficulty in engaging early adopters.

Background Scientific workflow systems are increasingly popular for expressing and executing complex data analysis pipelines over large datasets, as they offer reproducibility, dependability, and scalability of analyses by automatic parallelization on large compute clusters. However, implementing workflows is difficult due to the involvement of many black-box tools and the deep infrastructure stack necessary for their execution. Simultaneously, user-supporting tools are rare, and the number of available examples is much lower than in classical programming languages. Results To address these challenges, we investigate the efficiency of large language models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT, to support users when dealing with scientific workflows. We performed 3 user studies in 2 scientific domains to evaluate ChatGPT for comprehending, adapting, and extending workflows. Our results indicate that LLMs efficiently interpret workflows but achieve lower performance for exchanging components or purposeful workflow extensions. We characterize their limitations in these challenging scenarios and suggest future research directions. Conclusions Our results show a high accuracy for comprehending and explaining scientific workflows while achieving a reduced performance for modifying and extending workflow descriptions. These findings clearly illustrate the need for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For organizations, the error-free, consistent, and transparent management of business processes is crucial. Process management relates to the proper handling of data, achievable through enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. This software enables all departments, structured around a central database, to work together. From an organizational perspective, one of the most critical factors for the success of ERP software is its users. Users often require support when using ERP software for various reasons, such as lack of training, experience, or technical issues. Providing this support, whether internally or from external sources, incurs a cost. This study seeks to determine whether a structure can be developed where users can resolve their support requests independently. To achieve this goal, we propose a model for an intelligent user support system with an AI-based process engine for ERP users. Using this model, unstructured user support requests, created in natural language, are transformed into structured forms using natural language processing techniques and then classified using multi-class machine learning algorithms. The process relevant to the identified class is executed to generate a solution for the user's problem. In this study, 1,000 samples of text written in natural language across 10 different categories, based on real data, were used in the learning process. The data were analyzed using machine learning algorithms (K-Nearest Neighbors, Naive Bayes, C4.5, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, Sequential Minimal Optimization, LibSVM) and deep learning algorithms (Long Short-Term Memory). The best classification was achieved with Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO) using TF-IDF weighting. The developed chat and process robot helped convert requests or problems into structured forms and provided solutions. In addition to solving the problem through chat or process, technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern technology, the convergence of diverse technological advancements is reshaping how ERP systems function and perform. This transformation aims to bolster the utilization of ERP systems, ultimately leading to improved organizational performance. Despite these developments, limited insights are available regarding the factors that both foster ERP system usage and impede organizational performance. Consequently, the present study strives to gain a deeper comprehension of the determinants influencing ERP system utilization, consequently contributing to organizational advancement. Specifically, the study seeks to explore how ERP system usage acts as a mediator within the framework of internal and external factors, individual characteristics, ERP-specific elements, and overall organizational performance. To achieve this objective, survey questionnaires were administered to employees within Saudi Arabian companies, utilizing the convenience sampling technique. The subsequent analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) through Amos-16. The study's outcomes highlight the significance of User Support, Top Management Support, IT Expert/Consultant Support, Computer self-efficacy, and Communication Effectiveness in driving increased ERP system utilization, thereby fostering organizational performance enhancement. The outcomes of this study enrich the existing knowledge base by deepening researchers' comprehension of the various elements that impact both ERP utilization and overall firm performance. Furthermore, the study's findings provide valuable insights for industry practitioners, enabling them to strategically incorporate these factors to optimize ERP usage and consequently enhance firm performance. Notably, the examination of these interrelationships among variables, particularly within the context of Saudi Arabian organizations, remains a relatively underexplored area within the current body of research, based on the researchers' available information.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern technology, the convergence of diverse technological advancements is reshaping how ERP systems function and perform. This transformation aims to bolster the utilization of ERP systems, ultimately leading to improved organizational performance. Despite these developments, limited insights are available regarding the factors that both foster ERP system usage and impede organizational performance. Consequently, the present study strives to gain a deeper comprehension of the determinants influencing ERP system utilization, consequently contributing to organizational advancement. Specifically, the study seeks to explore how ERP system usage acts as a mediator within the framework of internal and external factors, individual characteristics, ERP-specific elements, and overall organizational performance. To achieve this objective, survey questionnaires were administered to employees within Saudi Arabian companies, utilizing the convenience sampling technique. The subsequent analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) through Amos-16. The study's outcomes highlight the significance of User Support, Top Management Support, IT Expert/Consultant Support, Computer Self Efficacy, and Communication Effectiveness in driving increased ERP system utilization, thereby fostering organizational performance enhancement. The outcomes of this study enrich the existing knowledge base by deepening researchers' comprehension of the various elements that impact both ERP utilization and overall firm performance. Furthermore, the study's findings provide valuable insights for industry practitioners, enabling them to strategically incorporate these factors to optimize ERP usage and consequently enhance firm performance. Notably, the examination of these interrelationships among variables, particularly within the context of Saudi Arabian organizations, remains a relatively underexplored area within the current body of research, based on the researchers' available information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eHealth Service Desk is a key component of the eHealth system in Slovenia, which is intended for the all users of the system. The Service Desk performs three main tasks. General support for all users of eHealth solutions addresses health care professionals, administrative staff, information technology specialists, software solution providers, patients and all other users of eHealth solutions who wish to report malfunctions, need assistance or require information related to the functioning of the eHealth solutions. The electronic appointment for health care services helps patients to make an eAppointment for health care services. The zNET Connection Support offers help to health care providers in the process of joining the zNET network. Assistance can be accessed in several ways: via an online form, email, FAQs or phone. The Service Desk publishes notifications related to the eHealth solutions on its website and maintains a simple indicator that displays the status of eHealth solutions. During the last two years, several new eHealth solutions have been added to the Service Desk portfolio. The use has been growing rapidly in recent years, namely in 2021 we recorded a more than sevenfold increase compared to 2020. The paper analyses the operation of the eHealth Service Desk through the dynamics and content of the requests handled or services provided. The Service Desk is an important component for the successful use of eHealth solutions in Slovenia, which was particularly evident during the COVID-19 epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to create a smart user Support Assistant LAVA - a solution providing context sensitive and user experience aware support to a user of a software product. The solution is based on machine learning and search in a two-level distributed knowledge store. LAVA model focuses on providing user on a mouse click with a content relevant to a current context. LAVA uses context transferred from the supported product to instantly show a FAQ list of items used and/or positively rated by other users in the same context. Full-text search and a topic hierarchy are provided as well to cover as many of cases as possible given the content available currently in the Knowledge base. Main design ideas of the LAVA model are presented in the article including the calculation of ranges and creation of ranged context-sensitive FAQs, customizing the full-text search, organizing the topic hierarchy and integrating with the Service desk. The article covers as well the main considerations on how the LAVA model should be implemented in a successful solution, and a description of method to evaluate the model performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valid models are central for credible simulation studies. If those models do not exist, they need to be developed. In fact, entire simulation studies are often aimed at developing valid models. Thereby, successive model refinement and execution of diverse simulation experiments are closely intertwined. Whereas software-based support for individual simulation experiments exists, the intricate interdependencies and the diversity of tasks that govern simulation studies have prevented a more comprehensive support. To achieve the required flexibility while adhering to the constraints that apply between individual tasks, we adopt a declarative, artifact-based workflow approach. Therefore, central products of these simulation studies are identified and specified as artifacts: the conceptual model (with a focus on formally defined requirements), the simulation model, and the experiment. Each artifact is characterized by stages the artifact moves through to reach certain milestones and which are guarded by conditions. Thereby, the relations and constraints between artifacts become explicit. This is instrumental to check and ensure the consistency between conceptual model and simulation model, to automatically execute simulation experiments to probe the specified requirements, and to develop plans to provide goal-directed guidance to the user. We demonstrate the approach by using it to repeat an existing simulation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a prototype of a writing (and learning) assistant for verbal relative clauses of the African language Sepedi, accessible from within a dictionary or from a word processor. It is an example of how a user support tool for complicated grammatical structures in a scarcely resourced language can be compiled. We describe a dynamic light-weight tool aimed at combining user-knowledge with text production support, i.e., user-involved interactive text production of the complicated verbal relative in Sepedi. In this article, the focus is on access in a dictionary use situation. Although the tool is intended as a writing assistant to support users in text production; it also satisfies text reception and cognitive needs, but its focus is on solving text production issues related with the interaction between lexical items and complex grammatical structures in the African (Bantu) languages and for learning by users and/or training users in this interaction.

Running any computing center is a complex task. With the growth of scales and costs such tasks become challenges. So the top supercomputer sites, being big in everything, have always required special approaches to manage, to control, and to take care of them. At present, large HPC centers can have a variety of totally diverse systems containing up to millions of components, having thousands of users worldwide with the full range of complicated applications. Obviously, tons of data have to be managed in a concerted way to allow such an informational factory functioning. This paper shares the design principles, some implementation details and the roadmap vision regarding the Octoshell HPC center management system, which has been developed and is currently being used in the everyday practice of Moscow State University supercomputer center. This open source system manages Lomonosov and Lomonosov-2 systems with a total of over 5 PFlops peak performance complexes at present, providing multiple tools aimed to tackle most typical workflow tasks both for regular users and system administrators in a single shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines user support issues concerning open-source software in computational sciences. The literature suggests that there are three main problem areas: transparency, learnability, and usability. Looking at questions asked in user communities for chemistry software projects, the author found that for software supported by feature-based documentation, problems of transparency and learnability are prominent, leading users to have difficulty reconciling disciplinary practices and values with software operations. For software supported by task-based documentation, usability problems were more prominent. The author considers the implications of this study for user support and the role that technical communication could play in developing and supporting open-source projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Online user networks are important points of contact for users who seek help from their peers rather than documentation.Literature review:The appeal of online user networks coincides with and seems connected to growing user interest in topicalized and tailored content, the production of which is inconsistent with the “craftsman” model of technical communication. Studies of online user networks indicate that community members may be practicing a different kind of technical communication.Research questions:This study examines an online user network for an open-source software product and asks how we can study online user networks, with the aim of identifying important people, practices, and relationships associated with the kind of technical communication practiced in those settings.Research methodology:Social network analysis is used to visualize the structural properties of an online user network, in order to identify central figures and their relationships to others. Verbal data-analysis techniques are used to find themes in their contributions.Results/discussion:People who are central to the structure of online interaction are important figures in the distribution of the technical communication effort. They engage users in reciprocal exchanges of information and they influence user practices. They are also important as brokers who link users and developers. Broadly, their conversational exchanges are a kind of distributed technical communication.Implications for practice:We learn what the practice of technical communication looks like in an online user network. By observing the work of participants, technical communicators can understand what it means to do technical communication and make user networks a more integral part of a broader documentation strategy. We see promising ways in which technical experts (e.g., software developers) can engage with users as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF), a well-known e-infrastructure provides open data to study the future anthropogenic climate change. Data are accessed by the research communities to produce sophisticated simulations of the earth system and to study the impact of climate change. Although these e-infrastructures provide relevant data, little is known about the User eXperience (UX) and the issues that users face during their interaction with these infrastructures. Aim: This article presents an investigation about the issues that researchers (end-users) may face while interacting with an e-Science infrastructure and consequently, it elucidates obstacles to access required data. Method: Supported by Action Research (AR) methodology, this study was carried out in the context of ESGF by analysing different types of stakeholders especially users and the help desk. Based on Grounded Theory (GT), in a deeply qualitative analysis, we examined 655 e-mail threads that were sent to ESGF help desk as there were questions asked by end-users to access the data served by the e-infrastructure. Results: The outcomes revealed that questions related to workflow in the e-infrastructure were the bottlenecks that mostly impact the UX. Based on the classification scheme of the barriers that is derived as a result, after applying GT, we classified such bottlenecks and made suggestions to improve UX in e-Science infrastructure. Conclusions: According to our knowledge, this is the first study focused on discussing UX in e-Science infrastructure as it explains the barriers that limit and delay the research process of scientists while they interact with the e-infrastructure. Henceforth, the full benefit of the data projects hosted by the e-infrastructure is not realized. If these barriers would be treated using a joint-strategy initiated by the stakeholders of an e-infrastructure, the research process for the users will be faster and they will have a better UX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newest NERSC supercomputer Cori is a Cray XC40 system consisting of 2,388 Intel Xeon Haswell nodes and 9,688 Intel Xeon-Phi 'Knights Landing' (KNL) nodes. Compared to the Xeon-based clusters NERSC users are familiar with, optimal performance on Cori requires consideration of KNL mode settings; process, thread, and memory affinity; fine-grain parallelization; vectorization; and use of the high-bandwidth MCDRAM memory. This paper describes our efforts preparing NERSC users for KNL through the NERSC Exascale Science Application Program, Web documentation, and user training. We discuss how we configured the Cori system for usability and productivity, addressing programming concerns, batch system configurations, and default KNL cluster and memory modes. System usage data, job completion analysis, programming and running jobs issues, and a few successful user stories on KNL are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes how virtual research environments (VREs) offer new opportunities for researchers to analyse open data and to obtain new insights for policy making. Although various VRE-related initiatives are under development, there is a lack of insight into how VREs support collaborative open data analysis by researchers and how this might be improved, ultimately leading to input for policy making to solve societal issues. This article clarifies in which ways VREs support researchers in open data analysis. Seven cases presenting different modes of researcher support for open data analysis were investigated and compared. Four types of support were identified: 1) 'Figure it out yourself', 2) 'Leading users by the hand', 3) 'Training to provide the basics' and 4) 'Learning from peers'. The author provides recommendations to improve the support of researchers' open data analysis and to subsequently obtain new insights for policy making to solve societal challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social support is an important resource for reducing the risks of stress and burnout at work. It seems to be particularly helpful for educational and social professionals. The constant and intense relationships with users that characterize this kind of service can be very demanding, increasing stress and leading to burnout. While significant attention has been paid to supervisors and colleagues in the literature, users have rarely been considered as possible sources of social support. The only exception is the Zimmermann et al.’ (2011) research, focused on customer support as a resource for workers’ well-being. This paper proposes the validation of the customer-initiated support scale developed by Zimmermann et al. (2011), translated into Italian and focused on educational services users (children’s parents), to measure the user support perceived by workers: the User-Initiated Support Scale (UISS). In Study 1 (105 teachers), which specifically involved educators and kindergarten teachers, the items and scale properties were preliminarily examined using descriptive analyses and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In Study 2 (304 teachers), the construct and criterion validity and scale dimensionality were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In Study 3 (304 teachers from Study 2 and 296 educators), measurement invariance was tested. The EFA results from Study 1 showed a one-factor solution (explained variance, 67.2%). The scale showed good internal coherence (alpha = .88). The CFA in Study 2 validated the one-factor solution (CFI = .987; SRMR = .054). Bivariate correlations confirmed construct validity; the UISS was positively associated (convergent) with user gratitude, and not associated (divergent) with disproportionate customer expectations. Regarding the criterion validity test, the UISS was strongly correlated with burnout and job satisfaction. The analysis of measurement invariance performed on the Study 3 data confirmed the equality of the parameters of the covariance structure model between the two samples of kindergarten teachers and educators. This research study offers a useful version of a tool for measuring a crucial, but often ignored, protective resource for all professionals working directly with people (patients, students, and service users) that can represent important sources of well-being, directly or indirectly lessening the negative impacts of job demands.

Visual analytics (VA) is typically applied in scenarios where complex data has to be analyzed. Unfortunately, there is a natural correlation between the complexity of the data and the complexity of the tools to study them. An adverse effect of complicated tools is that analytical goals are more difficult to reach. Therefore, it makes sense to consider methods that guide or assist users in the visual analysis process. Several such methods already exist in the literature, yet we are lacking a general model that facilitates in-depth reasoning about guidance. We establish such a model by extending van Wijk's model of visualization with the fundamental components of guidance. Guidance is defined as a process that gradually narrows the gap that hinders effective continuation of the data analysis. We describe diverse inputs based on which guidance can be generated and discuss different degrees of guidance and means to incorporate guidance into VA tools. We use existing guidance approaches from the literature to illustrate the various aspects of our model. As a conclusion, we identify research challenges and suggest directions for future studies. With our work we take a necessary step to pave the way to a systematic development of guidance techniques that effectively support users in the context of VA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper reviews the existing concepts of User Software Assistants for the management of information in the business processes. How important is user support for Human-Computer-Interaction by software tools? From the developer side what seems to be a mere option, has become for the user an important necessity. This holistic approach is relevant for the general business process, business process steps and the elementary business process steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social support is an important resource for reducing the risks of stress and burnout at work. It seems to be particularly helpful for educational and social professionals. The constant and intense relationships with users that characterize this kind of service can be very demanding, increasing stress and leading to burnout. While significant attention has been paid to supervisors and colleagues in the literature, users have rarely been considered as possible sources of social support. The only exception is the Zimmermann et al.'s (2011) research, focused on customer support as a resource for workers' well-being. This paper proposes the validation of the customer-initiated support scale developed by Zimmermann et al. (2011), translated into Italian and focused on educational services users (children's parents), to measure the user support perceived by workers: the User-Initiated Support Scale (UISS). In Study 1 (105 teachers), which specifically involved educators and kindergarten teachers, the items and scale properties were preliminarily examined using descriptive analyses and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In Study 2 (304 teachers), the construct and criterion validity and scale dimensionality were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In Study 3 (304 teachers from Study 2 and 296 educators), measurement invariance (MI) was tested. The EFA results from Study 1 showed a one-factor solution (explained variance, 67.2%). The scale showed good internal coherence (alpha D 0.88). The CFA in Study 2 validated the one-factor solution (comparative fit index D 0.987; standardized root mean square residual D 0.054). Bivariate correlations confirmed construct validity; the UISS was positively associated (convergent) with user gratitude, and not associated (divergent) with disproportionate customer expectations. Regarding the criterion validity test, the UISS was strongly correlated with burnout and job satisfaction. The analysis of MI performed on the Study 3 data confirmed the equality of the parameters of the covariance structure model between the two samples of kindergarten teachers and educators. This research study offers a useful version of a tool for measuring a crucial, but often ignored, protective resource for all professionals working directly with people (patients, students, and service users) that can represent important sources of well-being, directly or indirectly lessening the negative impacts of job demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this era of ubiquitous information, patient record exchange among hospitals still has technological and individual barriers including resistance to information sharing. Most research on user attitudes has been limited to one type of user or aspect. Because few analyses of attitudes toward electronic patient records (EPRs) have been conducted, understanding the attitudes among different users in multiple aspects is crucial to user acceptance. This proof-of-concept study investigated the attitudes of users toward the inter-hospital EPR exchange system implemented nationwide and focused on discrepant behavioral intentions among three user groups. Methods: The system was designed by combining a Health Level 7-based protocol, object-relational mapping, and other medical informatics techniques to ensure interoperability in realizing patient-centered practices. After implementation, three user-specific questionnaires for physicians, medical record staff, and patients were administered, with a 70 % response rate. The instrument showed favorable convergent construct validity and internal consistency reliability. Two dependent variables were applied: the attitudes toward privacy and support. Independent variables comprised personal characteristics, work characteristics, human aspects, and technology aspects. Major statistical methods included exploratory factor analysis and general linear model. Results: The results from 379 respondents indicated that the patients highly agreed with privacy protection by their consent and support for EPRs, whereas the physicians remained conservative toward both. Medical record staff was ranked in the middle among the three groups. The three user groups demonstrated discrepant intentions toward privacy protection and support. Experience of computer use, level of concerns, usefulness of functions, and specifically, reason to use electronic medical records and number of outpatient visits were significantly associated with the perceptions. Overall, four categories of independent variables were associated with the mean difference in the perceptions. Conclusions: Discrepant attitudes toward privacy and support among the three user groups are identified. Patients may require further education and communication regarding the system. Culturally fit e-Consent should be incorporated into the system to fully utilize the computing power of the Internet when also considering workload. The concern for misuse of EPRs might lead to low support among physicians. Highly readable EPR documents and managerial incentives for information exchange may improve system use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and industry increasingly make use of large amounts of data to guide decision-making. To do this, however, data needs to be analyzed in typically nontrivial refinement processes, which require technical expertise about methods and algorithms, experience with how a precise analysis should proceed, and knowledge about an exploding number of analytic approaches. To alleviate these problems, a plethora of different systems have been proposed that "intelligently" help users to analyze their data. This article provides a first survey to almost 30 years of research on intelligent discovery assistants (IDAs). It explicates the types of help IDAs can provide to users and the kinds of (background) knowledge they leverage to provide this help. Furthermore, it provides an overview of the systems developed over the past years, identifies their most important features, and sketches an ideal future IDA as well as the challenges on the road ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue presents reflections of international scholars on selected core issues of qualitative inquiry. They were produced in the context of an initiative to promote qualitative research in Switzerland, notably to build a network among qualitative researchers, to reflect on possibilities for a consensus on quality standards and teaching requirements, and to explore the viability of an archive and resource center for qualitative research. In the first part on the why and how of qualitative methods the reasons and objectives of the initiative are delineated, and the process of resurgence, legitimation, and institutionalization of qualitative methods is described. Then three major conceptual breaks in the field of qualitative inquiry are identified, and quality concerns in qualitative methods are discussed. In the second part on the why and how of archiving qualitative data, the situation in different European countries is presented. While France is just starting to collect qualitative data for archiving, the QualiData archive in Great Britain has already existed for more than a decade. In Germany, the Bremen Life Course Archive has the longest experience with systematic archiving of qualitative data. Crossing national borders, the Internet brings new challenges and potentials of providing resources and services on-line. It is also argued that the qualitative-quantitative divide is not very helpful, neglecting the complementarity and proximity of the two groups of methods in research, education, and archiving. It also prevents integrated data analysis and integrated styles of research, creating different archives and different types of software. Finally, crucial experiences of the QualiData archive in the area of user support are described and future measures discussed which should be taken. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0502303

In considering "users" of social science data archives, the temptation is to count only those who are conducting secondary analysis of data. However, the definition of "users" can be widened to include any groups and individuals who have regular or systematic contact with a data archiving and dissemination service. In this paper I identify six distinct categories of users: data creators and potential depositors of data; depositors of data; those enquiring about re-using data; those who are re-using data; those who have re-used data; and those who have an interest in acquiring knowledge about the workings of or procedures used by a data archive. I discuss in turn the requirements for providing user support across each of these areas. I conclude that a well-directed, managed, forward-thinking and monitored program of user support can enable a data archive to keep one step ahead of users' needs and to raise its own profile. As such, the pay off is a good reputation, a solid funding base, an enhanced culture of sharing and re-using qualitative data, the production of high quality incoming data and documentation and spin-off funding for new products and cross-national initiatives. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0502411

Introduction: The current study used structural equation modeling to investigate the relationship among willingness to innovate, computer anxiety, user support, and intention to use, with regard to the mediational effects of perceived usefulness and ease of use using the partial least squares (PLS) method. Method: 300 male high school teachers in Qom city filled the following questionnaires: intention to use;perceived usefulness and ease of use; willingness to innovate;computer anxiety;and user support. Partial least squares method was used for analyzing data. Results: Findings, in general, showed that usefulness and ease of use had a mediational role in the relationships among willingness to innovate, computer anxiety, user support, and intention to use. Willingness to innovate and user support exerted an indirect positive influence on intention to use through usefulness and ease of use. In addition, computer anxiety had an indirect negative influence on intention to use through perceived ease of use and usefulness, while perceived ease of use influenced intention to use computer indirectly and positively, with the perceived usefulness being the mediation variable. Conclusion: Individuals' cognitive beliefs about information technology can mediate the relationship between individual and organizational factors with this technology acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we present the strategies foreseen to foster the usage of the Iberian production infrastructure by regional scientific communities. The main focus is on describing the user support mechanisms implemented through a cooperative effort from the Portuguese and Spanish user support teams, and on the services and tools offered to the regional user communities for their use and customization, to foster VO production user activity within the Iberian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable statistical information is essential for describing social phenomena and development. In addition to producing reliable, relevant, coherent, timely and understandable statistical information, national statistical institutes should pay special attention to user support, statistical awareness and statistical literacy. Increase in statistical literacy and awareness also enhances the influence of statistical information, and builds and maintains the legitimacy of official statistics in society. This article provides two insights into statistical literacy: what kinds of platforms and arenas do statistical offices have for increasing statistical literacy, and what kinds of connections are there between statistical literacy in society and the legitimacy of official statistics. First, the concepts of publicity, legitimacy and statistical awareness are discussed from the perspective of a national statistical office. Second, the general idea of releasing statistical data as well as some examples of co-operation with various user groups - the media, educational institutes, members of parliament and citizens - are also described. The benefits gained and topics for future development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Open and Distance University (Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, --UNAD--) is the biggest one in Colombia because of its number of venues and students. Its sixty campus are spread over the Colombian territory; in some cases, separated among themselves by thousands of kilometers. This paper describes how UNAD's innovation and technological management office prepared and developed a solution to resolve a typical problem into the geographically separate organizations, namely the access to web services. This solution includes the access and communication levels, and it warrants the features related to the configuration, security and availability of the web elements for all the users, independently of their mobility among its facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information technology implementations continue to be significant endeavors for both research and practice. Although prior studies have extensively examined user training and user support, a coiisensus is lacking on their conceptualizations. Prior research has arguedfor direct, as well as indirect, effects ofuser training and user support on perceived benefits while appealing to diljerent theoretical perspectives. This study clarifies the roles of user training and user support in information technology implementations using data on 302 software implementations. Using a Bayesian model comparison strategy, the authors found that the effects of user training and user support on perceived benefits are mediated by individuals `perceptions regarding the characteristics of the information technologies. These findings suggest that user training and user support should be treated as enablers in process of implementing information technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) is a prominent longitudinal study on family life in the United States. NSFH has been funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and National Institute on Aging (NIA). The total amount of federal grant money for NSFH is 14.5 million dollars. Three waves of surveys were conducted in 1987-1988, 1992- 1994 and 2001-2003. According to the ICPSR Related Literature database, there are 1,051 publications based on the NSFH data. Researchers continue to use NSFH to study family living arrangements, marriage, cohabitation, fertility, parenting relations, kin contact and economic and psychological well-being. When the NSFH funding ended in 2006, the Center for Demography of Health and Aging (CDHA) took over providing user support for NSFH. The decision was made because it is important to continue the stewardship of this prominent study. Without the expertise of the original NSFH project team, CDHA staff needs to learn the rich content of NSFH quickly to help NSFH researchers. This paper describes the challenges and rewards we have in the last few years as we play the custodial role for the complex NSFH study. Also, our effective online analysis tool for disseminating NSFH data is explained. And finally, a future plan for repurposing NSFH data is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to technical documentation, face-to-face helpdesks and telephonic helplines are a powerful means for supporting users of technical products and services. This study investigates the factors that determine user satisfaction with helpdesks and helplines. A survey, based on the SERVQUAL framework and questionnaire, shows that the SERVQUAL dimensions of customer satisfaction are not applicable in these contexts. Three quality dimensions were found instead: solution quality, the experience of the consultation, and, in the case of a physical environment, the so-called tangibles. Helpdesk customers base their overall quality perceptions mainly on their experiences during a consultation, while helpline customers focus strongly on the quality of the solution offered. The study also found a connection between the perceived helpline quality and the appreciation of the primary service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In considering "users" of social science data archives, the temptation is to count only those who are conducting secondary analysis of data. However, the definition of "users" can be widened to include any groups and individuals who have regular or systematic contact with a data archiving and dissemination service. In this paper I identify six distinct categories of users: data creators and potential depositors of data; depositors of data; those enquiring about re-using data; those who are re-using data; those who have re-used data; and those who have an interest in acquiring knowledge about the workings of or procedures used by data archive. I discuss in turn the requirements for providing user support across each of these areas. I conclude that a well-directed, managed, forward-thinking and monitored program of user support can enable a data archive to keep one step ahead users' needs and to raise its own profile. As such, the pay off is a good reputation, a solid funding base, an enhanced culture of sharing and re-using qualitative data, the production of high quality incoming data and documentation and spin-off funding for new products and cross-national initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue presents reflections of international scholars on selected core issues of qualitative inquiry. They were produced in the context of an initiative to promote qualitative research in Switzerland, notably to build a network among qualitative researchers, to reflect on possibilities for a consensus on quality standards and teaching requirements, and to explore the viability of an archive and resource center for qualitative research. In the first part on the why and how of qualitative methods the reasons and objectives of the initiative are delineated, and the process of resurgence, legitimation, and institutionalization of qualitative methods is described. Then three major conceptual breaks in the field of qualitative inquiry are identified, and quality concerns in qualitative methods are discussed. In the second part on the why and how of archiving qualitative data, the situation in different European countries is presented. While France is just starting to collect qualitative data for archiving, the QualiData archive in Great Britain has already existed for more than a decade. In Germany, the Bremen Life Course Archive has the longest experience with systematic archiving of qualitative data. Crossing national borders, the Internet brings new challenges and potentials of providing resources and services on-line. It is also argued that the qualitative-quantitative divide is not very helpful, neglecting the complementarity and proximity of the two groups of methods in research, education, and archiving. It also prevents integrated data analysis and integrated styles of research, creating different archives and different types of software. Finally, crucial experiences of the QualiData archive in the area of user support are described and future measures discussed which should be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many interactive systems offer assistance when users have difficulties in operating or using them. in spite of the overwhelming variety of assistance techniques available, it is often unclear what type of assistance is really needed and how special assistance functions should be designed. The first step towards theoretically solid design decisions is a conceptual framework and a comprehensive taxonomy of assistance. This paper proposes to define assistance as access to machine functions and provides a taxonomy based mainly on action stages to be assisted. These stages are: (I) motivation, activation and goal setting; (2) perception; (3) information integration, generating situation awareness; (4) decision-making, action selection; (5) action execution; and (6) processing feedback of action results. In analogy to social assistance, various types of technical assistance are assigned to the six action stages. As additional dimensions to classify assistance, we also discuss adjustment, initiative, presentation media and input modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of current application software packages have an extremely large number of functions because of the many different users envisioned for the software. This means that it is not easy for users to find useful functions. In this paper, the authors propose a system that supports the discovery of useful functions for users by allowing for shared referencing of function execution histories among users with similar uses for the software. The proposed system gathers a wide range of function execution histories over a long period of time, efficiently processes them, and then displays in a format that is easy to understand candidate functions that are unknown and useful to the user. The results of evaluation experiments using Microsoft Word 2000 and PowerPoint 2000 showed that an average of 63.7 functions were displayed as useful candidate functions to a total of nine subjects, with an average of 16.1 of them being unknown functions. In addition, the percentage of functions that users said were actually useful among the unknown functions discovered was 39.2% on average for Word and 46.3% on average for PowerPoint. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 35(12): 93–106, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the issue of how to design online help that will really prove effective, accessible, and usable for all categories of users in the coming Information Society and, most of all, that will actually be used by novice users. The paper demonstrates the intrinsic necessity of online help and the actual failure of approaches claiming that “transparent” user interfaces eliminate the need for online support chiefly on the grounds that they encourage exploration. Empirical results in the literature or stemming from analyses of data we collected are put forward in the discussion. Based on a brief survey of the relevant literature, the major specific design issues that designers of online help systems are confronted with are presented, existing design approaches that might contribute to solving these issues are discussed, and a realistic short-term approach for improving the accessibility, effectiveness, and usability of online help systems is recommended. Our recommendation is mainly based on the results of a recently performed experimental study. These results led us to advise, at least for the near future, the design of noncontextual help systems for improving the accessibility, effectiveness, and usability of online help, rather than the implementation of dynamic adaptation to the current user’s cognitive profile or the development of contextual help systems that generate the information content of help messages dynamically according to the user’s current intention and goal. We assume that it is possible, within the framework of universal design principles, to significantly enhance the effectiveness and usability of standard noncontextual help systems, mainly by making the most of the recent advances in research on multimodal interaction, especially on the integration of speech into input modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on the use of critical systems thinking (CST) to improve a UK university's information system (IS) user support service. The purpose of the intervention described in this paper was to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the IS user support service by deriving a new design for the ‘front end’ of the service. More specifically, the use of total systems intervention (TSI) informed the choice of the ETHICS methodology to carry out the design itself. This paper is a methodological discourse, reflecting on the usefulness of CST in an IS management problem situation. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of end-user computing and the trend toward the use of packaged software have focused greater attention on issues related to user support. A varied user population is requiring more tailored support, yet vendor-supplied software with a generic interface is increasingly being used. Four case studies illustrate ways in which organizational forms of support can enhance or overcome the limitations of the software interface. A framework called the organizational interface incorporates these organizational mechanisms by integrating the computer-human interaction (CHI), management information systems (MIS), and end-user computing (EUC) approaches to user support. This framework can be used in the design of end-user systems developed with packaged software and for retrofitting outdated user interfaces for an end-user computing environment. The organizational interface provides IS and end-user managers with a means to consider alternative methods of providing support for systems based on purchased software with fixed user interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an approach for managing the introduction of information technologies in organizations which we have called "implementation by cultural infusion." The approach was developed and successfully used in response to the necessity of setting up a low-overhead, high-growth computer services function for a small research organization of about 200 non-technical users. The article first describes how the organization established the infrastructural mechanisms to make such an implementation method successful. It then describes the concepts and dynamics of the cultural infusion approach to implementing information technologies, how it was used in the organization, what successes and failures were encountered, and what the impacts were after four years. Finally, the possibility of using the cultural infusion approach in larger organizations and different settings is examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]