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."
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
BBC Radio 4 - Viewpoint: Computer code frees us to think in new ways
BBC Technology Website and Radio 4 - Four Thought 8.45pm 26th December.
Viewpoint: Computer code frees us to think in new ways -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20764273 - By Tom Armitage - Technologist
'At the start of 2012, Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York tweeted: "My New Year's resolution is to learn to code with Codecademy."
And throughout the year, "learning to code" seems to have been a hot topic in the media.
Around the same time as Bloomberg's tweet, in the UK the Education Secretary Michael Gove was announcing plans to replace the schools ICT curriculum with a "computer science" programme.
Existing ICT courses often focus on "digital literacy" - teaching particular software packages such as popular spreadsheets and word processors.
The changes are an attempt to reach a more balancing sense of literacy - not just being able to "read" technology, by using it - but also to "write" with it.
And in computing, writing with it means exploring the world of programming: creating with computers.'
'This is an edited version of The Coded Word - a talk delivered by Tom Armitage for BBC Radio 4's Four Thought. It will be broadcast at 2045GMT on 26 December.'
Tom Armitage: The Coded World - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pg54z
Viewpoint: Computer code frees us to think in new ways -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20764273 - By Tom Armitage - Technologist
'At the start of 2012, Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York tweeted: "My New Year's resolution is to learn to code with Codecademy."
And throughout the year, "learning to code" seems to have been a hot topic in the media.
Around the same time as Bloomberg's tweet, in the UK the Education Secretary Michael Gove was announcing plans to replace the schools ICT curriculum with a "computer science" programme.
Existing ICT courses often focus on "digital literacy" - teaching particular software packages such as popular spreadsheets and word processors.
The changes are an attempt to reach a more balancing sense of literacy - not just being able to "read" technology, by using it - but also to "write" with it.
And in computing, writing with it means exploring the world of programming: creating with computers.'
'This is an edited version of The Coded Word - a talk delivered by Tom Armitage for BBC Radio 4's Four Thought. It will be broadcast at 2045GMT on 26 December.'
Tom Armitage: The Coded World - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pg54z
Friday, December 14, 2012
BBC News - Alan Turing: Scientists call for pardon for codebreaker
BBC News - Alan Turing: Scientists call for pardon for codebreaker - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20722581
'Some of Britain's leading scientists have called on the government to grant a posthumous pardon to Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing.
Turing was convicted of gross indecency in 1952 after acknowledging a sexual relationship with a man.
Professor Stephen Hawking, Astronomer Royal Lord Rees and the Royal Society's Sir Paul Nurse are among 11 signatories to a letter in the Daily Telegraph.
They urge David Cameron to "formally forgive this British hero".
The scientists said: "We write in support of a posthumous pardon for Alan Turing, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of the modern era.
"He led the team of Enigma codebreakers at Bletchley Park, which most historians agree shortened the Second World War.
"Yet successive governments seem incapable of forgiving his conviction for the then crime of being a homosexual, which led to his suicide, aged 41."'
'Some of Britain's leading scientists have called on the government to grant a posthumous pardon to Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing.
Turing was convicted of gross indecency in 1952 after acknowledging a sexual relationship with a man.
Professor Stephen Hawking, Astronomer Royal Lord Rees and the Royal Society's Sir Paul Nurse are among 11 signatories to a letter in the Daily Telegraph.
They urge David Cameron to "formally forgive this British hero".
The scientists said: "We write in support of a posthumous pardon for Alan Turing, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of the modern era.
"He led the team of Enigma codebreakers at Bletchley Park, which most historians agree shortened the Second World War.
"Yet successive governments seem incapable of forgiving his conviction for the then crime of being a homosexual, which led to his suicide, aged 41."'
VivaSurvivorsPodcast
VivaSurvivorsPodcast
@VivaSurvivors
A podcast featuring PhD graduates, asking them about their research, their viva and life after the PhD. http://www.viva-survivors.com - by @DrRyder
In Episode 12 Dr @DawnLlewellyn talks about her research, #viva and life after the #PhD - http://buff.ly/RUTycK - some great viva prep advice
"In this episode I talk to Dr Dawn Llewellyn, who did her PhD at Lancaster University and now lectures at the University of Chester. Dawn’s research was in Christian and Post-Christian women’s spiritual reading practices, and as always it was fascinating to hear about someone who has had such a radically different experience of research to me. Dawn had some great advice about preparing for the viva, and had an interesting story to tell about her viva. She is on Twitter, and you can find her at @DawnLlewellyn."
@VivaSurvivors
A podcast featuring PhD graduates, asking them about their research, their viva and life after the PhD. http://www.viva-survivors.com - by @DrRyder
In Episode 12 Dr @DawnLlewellyn talks about her research, #viva and life after the #PhD - http://buff.ly/RUTycK - some great viva prep advice
"In this episode I talk to Dr Dawn Llewellyn, who did her PhD at Lancaster University and now lectures at the University of Chester. Dawn’s research was in Christian and Post-Christian women’s spiritual reading practices, and as always it was fascinating to hear about someone who has had such a radically different experience of research to me. Dawn had some great advice about preparing for the viva, and had an interesting story to tell about her viva. She is on Twitter, and you can find her at @DawnLlewellyn."
BBC News - UK universities in online launch to challenge US
UK universities in online launch to challenge US
By Sean Coughlan
BBC News education correspondent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20697392
"A partnership of UK universities is launching an online project, challenging US universities that have dominated this emerging market.
They will aim to give the public access to higher education courses via computers, tablets or smartphones.
The partnership will include the Open University, King's College London, Bristol, Exeter, Warwick, East Anglia, Leeds, Lancaster, Southampton, Cardiff, Birmingham and St Andrews.
Courses will be offered from next year."
By Sean Coughlan
BBC News education correspondent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20697392
"A partnership of UK universities is launching an online project, challenging US universities that have dominated this emerging market.
They will aim to give the public access to higher education courses via computers, tablets or smartphones.
The partnership will include the Open University, King's College London, Bristol, Exeter, Warwick, East Anglia, Leeds, Lancaster, Southampton, Cardiff, Birmingham and St Andrews.
Courses will be offered from next year."
Monday, December 10, 2012
The 4Growth Campaign Event London - What has science ever done for us?
Interesting Event -
The 4Growth Campaign
Campaign for Science & Engineering
Tuesday, December 11, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (GMT)
London, United Kingdom CaSE - Campaign for Science Engineering, NESTA http://4growth.eventbrite.com/ "At the beginning of next year, the Government will auction the UK's 4G mobile spectrum netting up to £4 billion for the Treasury. The 4Growth campaign, launched by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) and Nesta calls for the Government to reinvest the proceeds back into science, engineering, technology and innovation.
Join us for a free evening of discussion on Tuesday 11th December, kindly hosted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, to discuss the campaign as well as the wider role of science and technology in our society and economy."
The 4Growth Campaign
Campaign for Science & Engineering
Tuesday, December 11, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (GMT)
London, United Kingdom CaSE - Campaign for Science Engineering, NESTA http://4growth.eventbrite.com/ "At the beginning of next year, the Government will auction the UK's 4G mobile spectrum netting up to £4 billion for the Treasury. The 4Growth campaign, launched by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) and Nesta calls for the Government to reinvest the proceeds back into science, engineering, technology and innovation.
Join us for a free evening of discussion on Tuesday 11th December, kindly hosted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, to discuss the campaign as well as the wider role of science and technology in our society and economy."
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Open Data Institute - News from official opening
Open Data Institute - News from official opening - http://www.theodi.org/news/odi-signs-agreement-world-bank-cabinet-ministers-herald-official-opening
"The Open Data Institute was opened by Cabinet Ministers, Francis Maude and David Willets today as news emerged of the Institute’s second formal affiliation. The ODI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the World Bank, following news on Monday that the Omidyar Network will be the Institute’s first investor, bringing with it $750k over two years.
During the event, held at the Institute’s London HQ, Francis Maude praised the work of ODI co-founders, Sir Tim Berners Lee and Prof Nigel Shadbolt and its leadership team. He said:
'Open data serves three objectives. They are all complimentary and overlap. Firstly, for the public to scrutinise what we do, where we spend the money and how we fail. Second, to inform choice in public services. And thirdly, to encourage economic growth by incubating data orientated business. Data is a raw material and it fuels social and economic growth to enrich communities and citizens'.
...
Science and Training
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is seed funding the ODI with £2m a year for 5 years. The minister in charge of the TSB, David Willets said the ODI’s mission to train a new cohort of open data developers through its post-graduate diploma and other courses will be crucial:
'We need cutting edge scientists to write systems for the very large data sets that we have, making them more usable and adding to the flow of data. We need to generate skills to analyse data, this isn’t something you can’t do without education and training'."
"The Open Data Institute was opened by Cabinet Ministers, Francis Maude and David Willets today as news emerged of the Institute’s second formal affiliation. The ODI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the World Bank, following news on Monday that the Omidyar Network will be the Institute’s first investor, bringing with it $750k over two years.
During the event, held at the Institute’s London HQ, Francis Maude praised the work of ODI co-founders, Sir Tim Berners Lee and Prof Nigel Shadbolt and its leadership team. He said:
'Open data serves three objectives. They are all complimentary and overlap. Firstly, for the public to scrutinise what we do, where we spend the money and how we fail. Second, to inform choice in public services. And thirdly, to encourage economic growth by incubating data orientated business. Data is a raw material and it fuels social and economic growth to enrich communities and citizens'.
...
Science and Training
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is seed funding the ODI with £2m a year for 5 years. The minister in charge of the TSB, David Willets said the ODI’s mission to train a new cohort of open data developers through its post-graduate diploma and other courses will be crucial:
'We need cutting edge scientists to write systems for the very large data sets that we have, making them more usable and adding to the flow of data. We need to generate skills to analyse data, this isn’t something you can’t do without education and training'."
Monday, December 03, 2012
2 Science and Engineering Events - Bristol
INCOSE UK (International Council on Systems Engineering)
The Bristol Local Group Presents
Festive Fun – An interactive evening with a systems twist
Date: Wednesday 5th December – 6.30pm for 7pm till 9pm.
At University of the West of England
http://www.incoseonline.org.uk/EventBooking/AutoBooking/MainPage.aspx?CatID=Events&EventID=243
HP Labs Science Lecture Series - Maggie Adarin-Pocock
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM (GMT)
Bristol, United Kingdom Life in the Universe: Can We Reach the Stars?
http://hplecture-adarin-pocock-estw.eventbrite.com/
Dr Maggie Adarin-Pocock, MBE
Abstract
As a child Maggie dreamed of travelling to the stars and meeting strange creatures, but current manned space missions are focused on the International Space Station (ISS) a mere 300 miles above the Earth’s Surface. What if one wanted to travel further, to the very stars themselves? Is this possible with current technology and if not what is in the pipeline now that would enable such a journey in the future? Can such travel ever be worth the expense and risk and what will we find out there?
The Bristol Local Group Presents
Festive Fun – An interactive evening with a systems twist
Date: Wednesday 5th December – 6.30pm for 7pm till 9pm.
At University of the West of England
http://www.incoseonline.org.uk/EventBooking/AutoBooking/MainPage.aspx?CatID=Events&EventID=243
HP Labs Science Lecture Series - Maggie Adarin-Pocock
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM (GMT)
Bristol, United Kingdom Life in the Universe: Can We Reach the Stars?
http://hplecture-adarin-pocock-estw.eventbrite.com/
Dr Maggie Adarin-Pocock, MBE
Abstract
As a child Maggie dreamed of travelling to the stars and meeting strange creatures, but current manned space missions are focused on the International Space Station (ISS) a mere 300 miles above the Earth’s Surface. What if one wanted to travel further, to the very stars themselves? Is this possible with current technology and if not what is in the pipeline now that would enable such a journey in the future? Can such travel ever be worth the expense and risk and what will we find out there?
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
University of Bristol - TRUST ME, I'M A SCIENTIST, CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY LAUNCH - 3rd and 4th Dec
Please see details below re two forthcoming events hosted by the University of Bristol
TRUST ME, I'M A SCIENTIST
A panel discussion on scientists and public policy
MONDAY 3 DECEMBER 2012, 6PM
Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, BS8 1RJ
Publicly funded scientific research is inevitably influenced by Government priorities and scientific research continually raises questions about the viability of current policy. Meanwhile, funding bodies are increasingly committed to leading and directing research in the sciences, framing its questions and targeting funds at 'key areas'.
This panel brings together eminent academics, scientific advisers, and those involved in policy-making to share insights into how science and scientists respond to – or remain detached from – the public policy that surrounds their work.
Free entry, but booking is required: http://ias-discussion.eventbrite.com/#
For further information
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/ias/diary/2012/181
Download poster: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/ias/images/science-policy-poster.pdf
******************
CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY LAUNCH
TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2012 6-8pm
Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, BS8 1RJ
The Centre will host four expert speakers from diverse areas in the philosophy of science. They will each give a 30 minute talk on their
specialism: from philosophy of physics and mathematics to the philosophy of cognitive science
Free entry, but booking is required: http://scienceandphilosophyevent.eventbrite.com/#
http://bristol.ac.uk/philosophy/department/centre/news/#launch
TRUST ME, I'M A SCIENTIST
A panel discussion on scientists and public policy
MONDAY 3 DECEMBER 2012, 6PM
Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, BS8 1RJ
Publicly funded scientific research is inevitably influenced by Government priorities and scientific research continually raises questions about the viability of current policy. Meanwhile, funding bodies are increasingly committed to leading and directing research in the sciences, framing its questions and targeting funds at 'key areas'.
This panel brings together eminent academics, scientific advisers, and those involved in policy-making to share insights into how science and scientists respond to – or remain detached from – the public policy that surrounds their work.
Free entry, but booking is required: http://ias-discussion.eventbrite.com/#
For further information
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/ias/diary/2012/181
Download poster: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/ias/images/science-policy-poster.pdf
******************
CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY LAUNCH
TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2012 6-8pm
Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, BS8 1RJ
The Centre will host four expert speakers from diverse areas in the philosophy of science. They will each give a 30 minute talk on their
specialism: from philosophy of physics and mathematics to the philosophy of cognitive science
Free entry, but booking is required: http://scienceandphilosophyevent.eventbrite.com/#
http://bristol.ac.uk/philosophy/department/centre/news/#launch
Monday, November 26, 2012
Scientists analyse millions of news articles - Bristol Uni/Cardiff Uni
This article that was just published of interesting research about the media -
Scientists analyse millions of news articles - Press release issued 26 November 2012 -http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2012/8970.html
"A study led by academics at the University of Bristol’s Intelligent Systems Laboratory and the School of Journalism at Cardiff University has used Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyse 2.5 million articles from 498 different English-language online news outlets over ten months."
There are also links to the full paper. - https://patterns.enm.bris.ac.uk/files/DigitalJournalism.pdf
and to further information about the study - http://mediapatterns.enm.bris.ac.uk/AnalysisOfMillionsOfArticles
Scientists analyse millions of news articles - Press release issued 26 November 2012 -http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2012/8970.html
"A study led by academics at the University of Bristol’s Intelligent Systems Laboratory and the School of Journalism at Cardiff University has used Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyse 2.5 million articles from 498 different English-language online news outlets over ten months."
There are also links to the full paper. - https://patterns.enm.bris.ac.uk/files/DigitalJournalism.pdf
and to further information about the study - http://mediapatterns.enm.bris.ac.uk/AnalysisOfMillionsOfArticles
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Tweets - Vitae Internments, Biosciences Workshop
2 tweets one on advice for secondments, placemnts, and internships, the other on a workshop for Biosciences.
@Vitae_news/status/271586949830160385
Preparing #researchers 2 get the most out of #secondments, #placements & #internships http://bit.ly/UYMEEi 4 researcher developers #vitae12.
@Vitae_news/status/270852868083417090
MT @GdnHigherEd: #Postdoc researchers wondering how 2 further their career in #Bioscience interesting workshop http://bit.ly/d3flHU #ecrchat.
@Vitae_news/status/271586949830160385
Preparing #researchers 2 get the most out of #secondments, #placements & #internships http://bit.ly/UYMEEi 4 researcher developers #vitae12.
@Vitae_news/status/270852868083417090
MT @GdnHigherEd: #Postdoc researchers wondering how 2 further their career in #Bioscience interesting workshop http://bit.ly/d3flHU #ecrchat.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Web Design and Web Application ASP.net
I'm on 2 courses Web design where I'm using Adobe Fireworks and Dreamweaver CS5, and Web Applications where I'm using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010.
My prototyoes are based on my membership of the Bristol Active Life Project (BALP) which assists people with their mental and physical health through exercise activities. These activities for example are for example Football, Walking, Badminton, Tennis, Indoor Cricket.
My aims are first to submit my coursework, for both courses this is due this month. Then my next aim will be to create a design website, and an ASP.net data driven website mockup to be publicly accessible. Then I will link the 2 websites.
Below is an example that shows the Data driven website Mockup, this links to a database (it will need a login when fully implemented). This allows the user to choose options to 'follow', then resulting in 1 or more sub pages (panels) becoming visible. So the website is just 1 page but this page will show different content according to the wishes of the user. Then also this page will link to different more detailed design pages that I'll create for the web design course according to which options the user has checked.
Below is the first stage of the Data driven mockup. This is linked to a SQL Server database.
My prototyoes are based on my membership of the Bristol Active Life Project (BALP) which assists people with their mental and physical health through exercise activities. These activities for example are for example Football, Walking, Badminton, Tennis, Indoor Cricket.
My aims are first to submit my coursework, for both courses this is due this month. Then my next aim will be to create a design website, and an ASP.net data driven website mockup to be publicly accessible. Then I will link the 2 websites.
Below is an example that shows the Data driven website Mockup, this links to a database (it will need a login when fully implemented). This allows the user to choose options to 'follow', then resulting in 1 or more sub pages (panels) becoming visible. So the website is just 1 page but this page will show different content according to the wishes of the user. Then also this page will link to different more detailed design pages that I'll create for the web design course according to which options the user has checked.
Below is the first stage of the Data driven mockup. This is linked to a SQL Server database.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Raspberry Pi Event - British Computer Society BCS Bristol Dec 6th
Raspberry Pi Event - British Computer Society BCS Bristol Dec 6th -
"Our Xmas event for all is at @Bristol on the 6th of December and the whole family is welcome.
Details and booking are here. http://bcsbristolraspberry.eventbrite.co.uk
Booking is essential for this event!
Doors open at 18:00 with a chance to look around @Bristol with the talk starting at 19:00 with the event finishing at 20:00
This event is aimed at children of all ages, though adults are welcome as well.
Come along to hear Rob Bishop, 22, from the Raspberry Pi Foundation talk about the joy of making using the Raspberry Pi. Rob will discuss how he got involved in the project as an intern at Broadcom and why a career in engineering or computer science is awesome. There will also be a chance to get hands-on with a Raspberry Pi and to ask him any technical or non-technical questions you might have about engineering, computer science and the Raspberry Pi.
About Rob Bishop: Developer, Product Engineer & Evangelist for Raspberry Pi Foundation
One of the earliest engineers involved with the development of the Raspberry Pi and currently the only full-time paid employee in the Foundation.
The event starts at 1800 with the chance to have a look around @Bristol followed by the talk starting at 19:00.
Both BCS Members and Non Members are welcome.
Simon Thorp, Social Media, BCS Bristol Branch"
"Our Xmas event for all is at @Bristol on the 6th of December and the whole family is welcome.
Details and booking are here. http://bcsbristolraspberry.eventbrite.co.uk
Booking is essential for this event!
Doors open at 18:00 with a chance to look around @Bristol with the talk starting at 19:00 with the event finishing at 20:00
This event is aimed at children of all ages, though adults are welcome as well.
Come along to hear Rob Bishop, 22, from the Raspberry Pi Foundation talk about the joy of making using the Raspberry Pi. Rob will discuss how he got involved in the project as an intern at Broadcom and why a career in engineering or computer science is awesome. There will also be a chance to get hands-on with a Raspberry Pi and to ask him any technical or non-technical questions you might have about engineering, computer science and the Raspberry Pi.
About Rob Bishop: Developer, Product Engineer & Evangelist for Raspberry Pi Foundation
One of the earliest engineers involved with the development of the Raspberry Pi and currently the only full-time paid employee in the Foundation.
The event starts at 1800 with the chance to have a look around @Bristol followed by the talk starting at 19:00.
Both BCS Members and Non Members are welcome.
Simon Thorp, Social Media, BCS Bristol Branch"
Web Design Tutorials - Youtube
I'm on a Web design course I've just watched 3 videos on web design, they are helpful - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-jlTpss5pw - Michael Locke.
2nd video on web design that I've watched for course - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70XwnXB1nXw - How To Design a Website using Adobe Fireworks - Michael Locke.
3rd video on web design - Adobe Fireworks: Exporting CSS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrJmyYfNu1M - also really helpful for web portfolio development.
My blog looks different now because I updated it to Google+ (don't know much about this except that it's for sharing information). My web design tutor said it's good to update the look and feel of websites every couple of years. The new colours are white and sky blue. One of the above tutorials suggests that these colours remind people of the outdoors, also I like that it's easy to read.
I had a comment asking if it's OK to re-use content from this blog. I can't find that comment to reply to. It is OK to re-use any of the content, that's what it's for.
2nd video on web design that I've watched for course - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70XwnXB1nXw - How To Design a Website using Adobe Fireworks - Michael Locke.
3rd video on web design - Adobe Fireworks: Exporting CSS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrJmyYfNu1M - also really helpful for web portfolio development.
My blog looks different now because I updated it to Google+ (don't know much about this except that it's for sharing information). My web design tutor said it's good to update the look and feel of websites every couple of years. The new colours are white and sky blue. One of the above tutorials suggests that these colours remind people of the outdoors, also I like that it's easy to read.
I had a comment asking if it's OK to re-use content from this blog. I can't find that comment to reply to. It is OK to re-use any of the content, that's what it's for.
Organic chemicals on Mars? - Universe Today
Yesterday Mars Science Laboratory principal investigator John Grotzinger set the entire space science world abuzz with a tantalizing promise of “earthshaking” news on the horizon — literally “one for the history books,”
“We’ve got a briefing on Monday [Dec 3] where we’ll discuss our results,” John Grotzinger told me.
Has Curiosity Made an ‘Earth-Shaking’ Discovery?
by Nancy Atkinson on November 20,
Read more: http://www.universetoday.com/98596/is-historic-discovery-imminent-concerning-martian-organic-chemistry/
http://www.universetoday.com/98599/i-am-sam/
“We’ve got a briefing on Monday [Dec 3] where we’ll discuss our results,” John Grotzinger told me.
Has Curiosity Made an ‘Earth-Shaking’ Discovery?
by Nancy Atkinson on November 20,
Read more: http://www.universetoday.com/98596/is-historic-discovery-imminent-concerning-martian-organic-chemistry/
http://www.universetoday.com/98599/i-am-sam/
Thursday, November 15, 2012
My PhD Thesis published - freely available - http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/17918/
My PhD thesis is now published on the UWE (University of the West of England) Research Repository at - http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/17918/ -
User driven modelling: Visualisation and systematic interaction for end-user programming with tree-based structures
- It's an Adobe PDF file.
This is the abstract -
User driven modelling: Visualisation and systematic interaction for end-user programming with tree-based structures
- It's an Adobe PDF file.
This is the abstract -
This thesis addresses certain problems encountered by teams of engineers when modelling complex structures and processes subject to cost and other resource constraints. The cost of a structure or process may be ‘read off’ its specifying model, but the language in which the model is expressed (e.g. CAD) and the language in which resources may be modelled (e.g. spreadsheets) are not naturally compatible. This thesis demonstrates that a number of intermediate steps may be introduced which enable both meaningful translation from one conceptual view to another as well as meaningful collaboration between team members. The work adopts a diagrammatic modelling approach as a natural one in an engineering context when seeking to establish a shared understanding of problems. Thus, the research question to be answered in this thesis is: ‘To what extent is it possible to improve user-driven software development through interaction with diagrams and without requiring users to learn particular computer languages?’ The goal of the research is to improve collaborative software development through interaction with diagrams, thereby minimising the need for end-users to code directly. To achieve this aim a combination of the paradigms of End-User Programming, Process and Product Modelling and Decision Support, and Semantic Web are exploited and a methodology of User Driven Modelling and Programming (UDM/P) is developed, implemented, and tested as a means of demonstrating the efficacy of diagrammatic modelling. In greater detail, the research seeks to show that diagrammatic modelling eases problems of maintenance, extensibility, ease of use, and sharing of information. The methodology presented here to achieve this involves a three step translation from a visualised ontology, through a modelling tool, to output to interactive visualisations. An analysis of users groups them into categories of system creator, model builder, and model user. This categorisation corresponds well with the three-step translation process where users develop the ontology, modelling tool, and visualisations for their problem. This research establishes and exemplifies a novel paradigm of collaborative end-user programming by domain experts. The end-user programmers can use a visual interface where the visualisation of the software exactly matches the structure of the software itself, making translation between user and computer, and vice versa, much more direct and practical. The visualisation is based on an ontology that provides a representation of the software as a tree. The solution is based on translation from a source tree to a result tree, and visualisation of both. The result tree shows a structured representation of the model with a full visualisation of all parts that leads to the computed result. In conclusion, it is claimed that this direct representation of the structure enables an understanding of the program as an ontology and model that is then visualised, resulting in a more transparent shared understanding by all users. It is further argued that our diagrammatic modelling paradigm consequently eases problems of maintenance, extensibility, ease of use, and sharing of information. This method is applicable to any problem that lends itself to representation as a tree. This is considered a limitation of the method to be addressed in a future project.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
BBC News - Millions in UK 'lack basic online skills'
This is an interesting story about the digital divide. It's important that unemployed and retired as well as employed are included in any plan to close this divide.
Millions in UK 'lack basic online skills' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20236708 - 8 November 2012 -
"Some 16 million people in the UK lack basic online skills, a survey suggests.
The report, conducted by consultancy firm Booz & Company, defines basic skills as using a search engine, sending and receiving emails, completing online applications and accessing information online.
Go ON UK, a charity chaired by the UK digital champion Martha Lane Fox, commissioned the report.
The organisation aims to do more to improve digital literacy in the UK."
Millions in UK 'lack basic online skills' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20236708 - 8 November 2012 -
"Some 16 million people in the UK lack basic online skills, a survey suggests.
The report, conducted by consultancy firm Booz & Company, defines basic skills as using a search engine, sending and receiving emails, completing online applications and accessing information online.
Go ON UK, a charity chaired by the UK digital champion Martha Lane Fox, commissioned the report.
The organisation aims to do more to improve digital literacy in the UK."
Friday, November 09, 2012
IT and the curse of managerialism - British Computer Society
This is an interesting blog post - IT and the curse of managerialism - British Computer Society - Future Tech Blog - 31st Oct 2012 -
"What is the biggest barrier to innovation in your organisation? Each year, I am involved in around 10-20 workshops on innovation in both the public and private sector. I ask that question every time.IT and the curse of managerialism."
"What is the biggest barrier to innovation in your organisation? Each year, I am involved in around 10-20 workshops on innovation in both the public and private sector. I ask that question every time.IT and the curse of managerialism."
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Journal paper - User-driven modelling: Visualisation and systematic interaction for end-user programming
I've submitted my version of this paper to the University of the West of England Research Repository this is the link - http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/17817/. There is a downloadable word document.
I'm lead author - Hale, P., Solomonides, A., Beeson, I., 2012. Journal of Visual Languages and Computing Volume 23 Issue 6 December 2012 354–379 - 'User-Driven Modelling: Visualisation and Systematic Interaction for end-user programming'.
The official version of the paper is here -http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1045926X12000572.
The abstract and figures are available to all. Access to the full text depends on your personal or institutional entitlements.
I'm lead author - Hale, P., Solomonides, A., Beeson, I., 2012. Journal of Visual Languages and Computing Volume 23 Issue 6 December 2012 354–379 - 'User-Driven Modelling: Visualisation and Systematic Interaction for end-user programming'.
The official version of the paper is here -http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1045926X12000572.
The abstract and figures are available to all. Access to the full text depends on your personal or institutional entitlements.
Saturday, November 03, 2012
Treat social media as a shop window for employers, but be careful
This BBC Technology/business article is useful - Treat social media as a shop window for employers, but be careful - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20155192 - By Raj Samani, Chief technology officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa, McAfee.
This explains how online social media can be used to promote yourself to potential employers.
"Hiring practices within many modern organisations today are placing greater emphasis on the social networking presence of candidates.
This tactic may be used to uncover potential indiscretions, or an attempt to assess the true 'value' of the candidate."
This explains how online social media can be used to promote yourself to potential employers.
"Hiring practices within many modern organisations today are placing greater emphasis on the social networking presence of candidates.
This tactic may be used to uncover potential indiscretions, or an attempt to assess the true 'value' of the candidate."
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