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To streamline the management of thousands of users and proposals for synchrotron experiments at the Canadian Light Source (CLS), we developed a modern, web‐based user services software system that enables the facility to transition away from manual paper‐based processes. This user‐friendly system offers comprehensive features for managing users, proposals, reviews, sample safety and publications. It has been in active use at the CLS for six years and has simplified and significantly transformed user operations. The system is designed for integration into other large‐scale facilities with minimal effort, and the source code is publicly available. An open‐source software system for managing user office operations at a large‐scale research facility is presented.

While virtual reality (VR) has been explored in the field of architecture, its implications on people who experience their future office space in such a way has not been extensively studied. In this explorative study, we are interested in how VR and other representation methods support users in projecting themselves into their future office space and how this might influence their willingness to relocate. In order to compare VR with other representations, we used (i) standard paper based floor plans and renders of the future building (as used by architects to present their creations to stakeholders), (ii) a highly-detailed virtual environment of the same building experienced on a computer monitor (desktop condition), and (iii) the same environment experienced on a head mounted display (VR condition). Participants were randomly assigned to conditions and were instructed to freely explore their representation method for up to 15 min without any restrictions or tasks given. The results show, that compared to other representation methods, VR significantly differed for the sense of presence, user experience and engagement, and that these measures are correlated for this condition only. In virtual environments, users were observed looking at the views through the windows, spent time on terraces between trees, explored the surroundings, and even “took a walk” to work. Nevertheless, the results show that representation method influences the exploration of the future building as users in VR spent significantly more time exploring the environment, and provided more positive comments about the building compared to users in either desktop or paper conditions. We show that VR representation used in our explorative study increased users’ capability to imagine future scenarios involving their future office spaces, better supported them in projecting themselves into these spaces, and positively affected their attitude towards relocating.

In an ever-changing environment, Software as a Service (SaaS) can rarely protect users' privacy. Being able to manage and control the privacy is therefore an important goal for SaaS. Once the participant of composite service is substituted, it is unclear whether the composite service satisfy user privacy requirement or not. In this paper, we propose a privacy policies automatic update method to enhance user privacy when a service participant change in the composite service. Firstly, we model the privacy policies and service variation rules. Secondly, according to the service variation rules, the privacy policies are automatically generated through the negotiation between user and service composer. Thirdly, we prove the feasibility and applicability of our method with the experiments. When the service quantity is 50, ratio that the services variations are successfully checked by monitor is 81%. Moreover, ratio that the privacy policies are correctly updated is 93.6%.

A systematic process was used to develop a complete taxonomy of visual representation mechanisms applicable to the display of any kind of engineering information. The resulting twelve categories are broadly divided into eight related to graphical elements treated individually and four related to the arrangement of two or more graphical elements treated in conjunction with each other. The taxonomy is oriented to inform the further development of user interface software frameworks supporting the automated display of interactive engineering information in any form.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is typically a business process management software, which lets an organization to utilize a system consisting of integrated applications for the management of the business and automation of several back office functions concerned with technology, services and human resources. It has to be planned and developed in an efficient manner in order to assure the enhancement of the process of software development. In the new research framework, an optimal and reliable enterprise resource planning system, which is named analytic hierarchy process based requirement customization framework (AHP-RCF) is proposed. The main goal of this research method is to ensure the optimal and reliable construction of ERP projects with ensured customization requirements. In the new research technique, requirements of various types such as application requirement, process requirements and design requirements are ranked on the basis of their level of priority making use of AHP technique. The AHP is a multi-criteria decision making method that helps the decision-maker facing a complex problem with multiple conflicting and subjective criteria Moreover, in order to enhance the customization requirement and carrying out it in an effective manner, the user requirements are collected in a dynamic manner. Dynamic user interaction is facilitated in order to collect the user defined from requirements during run time that would be assessed and then learned dynamically making use of SVM classification algorithm to enhance the scenario of future software requirement. The overall assessment of the research approach is carried out in the java simulation environment, which proves that the new research methodology results in providing the optimal outcome compared to the available research techniques.

This research focuses on the evaluation of a heritage office building in the town of Kenadsa in the Southwest of Algeria (a famous oasis in the arid regions of the country). Emphasizing user’s perception as a metric key for performance assessment, this study aims to investigate the users’ perception and behaviors of a heritage office building on an oasis settlement. The research was conducted in 2023, and employing a multidimensional approach, both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, along with agent-based modeling, were integrated. One qualitative methodology is based on a series of field surveys and the other quantitative methodology relies on in situ measurements of the physical dimensions of the environment. The quantitative aspect involves an agent-based modeling framework, simulating user interactions by incorporating physical dimensions, spatial layout, historical context, and user behavior. The main findings of this study, examining perceptions and behaviors under varying luminous and thermal environments, show that this integrated approach provides insights into user satisfaction, spatial utilization, and the identification of user behaviors and productivity in each office.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a virtual reality (VR)-based and user-oriented decision support system for interior design and decoration. The four-phase decision-making process of the system is verified through a case study of an office building. Design/methodology/approach Different “spatial layouts” are presented by VR for users to decide their preference (Phase 1). According to the selected spatial layout, a “spatial scene” is constructed by VR and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is used to determine the spatial scene preference (Phase 2). Based on the binary integer programming method, the system provides the optimal preliminary solution under a limited decoration budget (Phase 3). Finally, the consistency between the overall color scheme and pattern is fine-tuned by VR in order to obtain the final solution (Phase 4). Findings The questionnaire survey results show that decision makers generally affirm the operation and application of VR, and especially recognize the advantages in the improvement of VR-based interior design feasibility, communication efficiency and design decision-making speed. The optimization of the costs and benefits enables decision makers to effectively evaluate the impact of design decisions on subsequent project implementation during the preliminary design process. Originality/value The VR-based decision support system for interior design retains the original immersive experience of VR, and offers a systematic multiple criteria decision- making and operations research optimization method, thus, providing more complete decision-making assistance. Compared with traditional design communication, it can significantly reduce cognitive differences and improve decision-making quality and speed.

Generative AI is bringing revolutionary changes to architectural design. From data-driven and sustainable perspectives, this study introduces scientific data analysis methods to explore the specific application scenarios and effectiveness of generative AI in the early, middle, and late stages of architectural project design, while also examining its potential value in the field of sustainability. The research first synthesizes industry viewpoints through online data analysis. Secondly, it selects three typical practical architectural projects of different scales and types in which the author participated in comparative testing, recording the time, operational processes, and outputs required for schemes generated by the “traditional creative workflow” vs. the “AI-assisted workflow” at various stages. A multi-dimensional evaluation is conducted combining subjective questionnaires and objective performance simulation data. This study finds that generative AI can significantly enhance design efficiency and scheme diversity and guide the construction of sustainability dimensions, but challenges exist in quality control and technology integration. This research will provide an empirical framework and data benchmarks for architectural practitioners, clarifying a new design path of “data-driven–human–machine collaboration–sustainable optimization”, which holds significant reference value for promoting the transformation of the construction industry towards high efficiency and low carbon.

While a large fraction of application code is devoted to graphical user interface (GUI) functions, support for reuse in this domain has largely been confined to the creation of GUI toolkits (\"widgets\"). We present a novel architectural style directed at supporting larger grain reuse and flexible system composition. Moreover, the style supports design of distributed, concurrent applications. Asynchronous notification messages and asynchronous request messages are the sole basis for intercomponent communication. A key aspect of the style is that components are not built with any dependencies on what typically would be considered lower-level components, such as user interface toolkits. Indeed, all components are oblivious to the existence of any components to which notification messages are sent. While our focus has been on applications involving graphical user interfaces, the style has the potential for broader applicability. Several trial applications using the style are described.

Virtual reality (VR) offers highly flexible spatial environments that can address the growing demand for personalized workspaces among knowledge workers. Despite this potential, the role and practical impacts of design personalization in a Virtual Reality Workspace (VRWS) remain underexplored, as space in VR has been merely underestimated as visual backdrops without practical support. This study aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the relationship of design personalization with knowledge workers’ psychological well-being and work performance using a VRWS prototype for participants to customize VRWSs within defined parameters. Using a mixed methodology that combined a within-subjects design, involving controlled exposure to multiple VRWS environments, with post-exposure qualitative interviews, the research reveals that design personalization enhanced participants’ psychological well-being, workspace satisfaction, and work performance. These findings underscore the importance of aesthetics and user-driven processes in designing VRWSs and position personalization as the critical factor for future VR-based work cultures.