Monday, January 21, 2013

My PhD Thesis and recent Journal Paper

My PhD thesis on University Repository at -

http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/17918/ -

User driven modelling: Visualisation and systematic interaction for end-user programming with tree-based structures


Journal paper JVLC subscription only -

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1045926X12000572 -

'User-Driven Modelling: Visualisation and Systematic Interaction for end-user programming'

Journal of Visual Languages & Computing


Volume 23, Issue 6, December 2012, Pages 354–379   Peter Hale, Anthony E. Solomonides, Ian Beeson

University of the West of England Frenchay Campus


Journal paper JVLC open access - University Research Repository -




Sunday, January 06, 2013

Articles - Data and thinking - need for ease of understanding

These are 2 articles about the need to make data easier to understand, and enable people to think about a problem whilst examining data.

Why Data Will Never Replace Thinking - by Justin Fox - October 4, 2012

http://blogs.hbr.org/fox/2012/10/why-data-will-never-replace-thinking.html

"Bayesian approach to probability, in which we all have our own subjective ideas about how things are going to pan out, but follow the same straightforward rules in revising those assessments as we get new information. It's a process that uses data to refine our thinking. But it doesn't work without some thinking first."
We don't need more data scientists - just make data easier to use -  by Scott Brave, Baynote Dec 22, 2012

http://gigaom.com/2012/12/22/we-dont-need-more-data-scientists-just-simpler-ways-to-use-big-data/

Sure, more data scientists would be great. But Scott Brave, of Baynote, says the better solution is to create analytics products that are so easy to use that you don’t even need a data scientist.

Also this article and Radio 4 programme is about the need for thinking when learning to code.

Tom Armitage:The Coded World - Radio 4 available online - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pg54z - Computer code frees us to think in new ways.


BBC News - Viewpoint: Computer code frees us to think in new ways http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20764273 - "learning to code" - a hot topic in the media.


Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Article - Should we work harder or change the system?

This is a good article on Systems Engineering and Thinking - http://www.perfect-flow.com/blog/work-harder-or-change-system/ - May 28, 2012

"So William Hague’s masterplan to rescue the UK economy is for business leaders to “stop complaining and work harder”. Yes, that’s right, growth will only return once we pull our collective finger out.


Now, I’m sure Mr Hague has been running around the length and breadth of the UK to see for himself all of these idle workers that are holding back UK plc. After all, he wouldn’t dream of making such sweeping statements about UK industry without the evidence, would he? Oh.
Maybe I haven’t visited as many businesses as Hague did before he made his informed opinion. Maybe I have just been to the wrong ones. However, what strikes me is that UK plc doesn’t need to work harder, but many of its’ Senior Leaders damn sure need to work smarter. How many Senior Leaders really know what goes on in their organisation? No, REALLY know. How does the work actually work? What is their organisation like to do business with? These people are making key decisions based on inadequate, incorrect information and that is costing UK plc £billions."