Computing with nearly-consistent data. This project will help programmers correctly use data that originates at various times and places, and spreads unevenly through a system. Computation will combine data that comes from different situations, and is not exactly consistent. Capability to develop high quality software on platforms with this feature will enhance the value of the Australian IT industry. As well, the industries which use the software benefit from correctly working with their data. ....Computing with nearly-consistent data. This project will help programmers correctly use data that originates at various times and places, and spreads unevenly through a system. Computation will combine data that comes from different situations, and is not exactly consistent. Capability to develop high quality software on platforms with this feature will enhance the value of the Australian IT industry. As well, the industries which use the software benefit from correctly working with their data. Sensor networks have data like this, and they play a vital role in environmental monitoring. Cloud computing platforms also have this type of data, and these allow smaller enterprises to grow smoothly, without needing large up-front investments in computing infrastructure.Read moreRead less
New Developments for Bayesian statistical models and computational methods. Bayesian methods of statistical analysis provide a flexible theory for addressing inference in the presence of uncertainty. Consequently Bayesian methods have enabled scientific discovery in areas characterised as complex systems where new developments in modelling and computational methods have been crucial. Significant barriers to further success involve challenges in formulating and validating models, dealing with l ....New Developments for Bayesian statistical models and computational methods. Bayesian methods of statistical analysis provide a flexible theory for addressing inference in the presence of uncertainty. Consequently Bayesian methods have enabled scientific discovery in areas characterised as complex systems where new developments in modelling and computational methods have been crucial. Significant barriers to further success involve challenges in formulating and validating models, dealing with large data sets, and developing efficient computational methods. The principal aim of this project is to develop new Bayesian modelling and computational methodology which address these challenges with broad application.Read moreRead less
Enhancing computer user productivity of integrated enterprise wide systems: an intervention study. This project addresses a critical issue in IT investment and productivity. Current theoretical models of user training and acceptance have not contributed to the effectiveness of implementing new integrated enterprise wide systems. This study will identify key indiviudal differences that predict user motivation to learn and utilize such systems under mandatory conditions. A longitudinal study in ....Enhancing computer user productivity of integrated enterprise wide systems: an intervention study. This project addresses a critical issue in IT investment and productivity. Current theoretical models of user training and acceptance have not contributed to the effectiveness of implementing new integrated enterprise wide systems. This study will identify key indiviudal differences that predict user motivation to learn and utilize such systems under mandatory conditions. A longitudinal study in two field settings will test the impact of selected interventions on task performance following training. The outcomes will inform Australian industry on models of effective implementation and provide guidance to increase the productivity of personnel using software systems.Read moreRead less
Ontologically-based Evaluation, Comparison and Engineering of Integrated Process Modelling Techniques. Integrated process modelling techniques such as UML and ARIS form the conceptual platform for many management and IT projects. Though most IS development tools contain these techniques, anecdotal evidence indicates many shortcomings. This project uses a well-established theory developed in philosophy and applied in information systems domains for the evaluation of these techniques. The expec ....Ontologically-based Evaluation, Comparison and Engineering of Integrated Process Modelling Techniques. Integrated process modelling techniques such as UML and ARIS form the conceptual platform for many management and IT projects. Though most IS development tools contain these techniques, anecdotal evidence indicates many shortcomings. This project uses a well-established theory developed in philosophy and applied in information systems domains for the evaluation of these techniques. The expected outcomes are evaluations of ARIS and UML. Thus, this project contributes to the development of two of the most popular modelling techniques. Based on the theory used and the results of an international empirical study, suggestions for the further development of these techniques will be derived.Read moreRead less
Values-oriented Defect Fixing for Mobile Software Applications. This project aims to address critical problems with mobile applications that exhibit human values-based defects, by advancing our understanding, detection and fixing of such defects. Many mobile apps do not operate according to the essential values of their human users - e.g. inclusivity, accessibility, privacy, ethical behaviour, due care, emotions, etc - making them ineffective, underused, unfit for purpose or even dangerous. Exp ....Values-oriented Defect Fixing for Mobile Software Applications. This project aims to address critical problems with mobile applications that exhibit human values-based defects, by advancing our understanding, detection and fixing of such defects. Many mobile apps do not operate according to the essential values of their human users - e.g. inclusivity, accessibility, privacy, ethical behaviour, due care, emotions, etc - making them ineffective, underused, unfit for purpose or even dangerous. Expected outcomes include new theories, techniques and prototype tools for developers and end users to detect and help fix values-based defects in mobile apps. Benefits include better, safer mobile apps for people and organisations and improved app developer productivity and competitiveness.Read moreRead less
Adaptive Key-value Store for Future Extreme Heterogeneous Systems. Safe, lasting storage of data, and efficient access to it, is vital for all aspects of computing, ranging from e-commerce applications, and data-management in governments. For the storage of data, persistent key-value stores are central in modern computing platforms. However, contemporary key-value stores have not been designed for emerging extreme heterogeneous computational systems with future hardware accelerators and storage ....Adaptive Key-value Store for Future Extreme Heterogeneous Systems. Safe, lasting storage of data, and efficient access to it, is vital for all aspects of computing, ranging from e-commerce applications, and data-management in governments. For the storage of data, persistent key-value stores are central in modern computing platforms. However, contemporary key-value stores have not been designed for emerging extreme heterogeneous computational systems with future hardware accelerators and storage capabilities, including graphics processor and flash-based memory. This project will devise an adaptive key-value store framework for heterogeneous systems. Our new framework will adaptively harvest the performance potential of future hardware such that applications can cope with fast-growing data sets.Read moreRead less
Computational Methods for the Social Accounting of Teamwork. The cornerstone of the knowledge industries underlying the Australian economy is not just mechanical efficiency but also teamwork productivity. The increasing trend toward placing Australian employees nearer to their customers means that Australian companies face an even greater challenge in managing effective teamwork. This research examines the pragmatics and theoretical issues of developing computer-based systems that enable real-ti ....Computational Methods for the Social Accounting of Teamwork. The cornerstone of the knowledge industries underlying the Australian economy is not just mechanical efficiency but also teamwork productivity. The increasing trend toward placing Australian employees nearer to their customers means that Australian companies face an even greater challenge in managing effective teamwork. This research examines the pragmatics and theoretical issues of developing computer-based systems that enable real-time assessments of teamwork productivity. Automated assessments of how well relationships are progressing in teams will enable them to realise the same levels of productivity gains that automated workflow management has facilitated.Read moreRead less
Quality of Service-based Scheduling of e-Research Application Workflows on Global Grids. e-Research has the potential to offer Australia significant economic and social benefits as it enables researchers from different disciplines and organisations to engage in collaborative scientific investigation. In e-Research environments, users need to have secure access to remote resources owned by different organisations. Since these resources are not directly under the control of e-Research applications ....Quality of Service-based Scheduling of e-Research Application Workflows on Global Grids. e-Research has the potential to offer Australia significant economic and social benefits as it enables researchers from different disciplines and organisations to engage in collaborative scientific investigation. In e-Research environments, users need to have secure access to remote resources owned by different organisations. Since these resources are not directly under the control of e-Research applications, they need to negotiate with resource providers for access time, duration, and the level of quality of service expected to make sure that the interlinked operations are performed as required. This project develops information and communications technologies that enable the creation of such e-Research environments.Read moreRead less
Integrating Database Technologies and Visual Analysis in Bioinformatics for Genome Data. Solving modern biological problems, especially those involving genome data, requires advanced computational and analytical methods. The huge quantities of data and escalating demands of modern biological research increasingly require the sophistication and power of object-relational database tools. Key techniques include relational data management, pattern recognition, data mining and visualization of biolog ....Integrating Database Technologies and Visual Analysis in Bioinformatics for Genome Data. Solving modern biological problems, especially those involving genome data, requires advanced computational and analytical methods. The huge quantities of data and escalating demands of modern biological research increasingly require the sophistication and power of object-relational database tools. Key techniques include relational data management, pattern recognition, data mining and visualization of biological data. In this project we will develop efficient methodologies and data structures for gathering high-quality approximations of full genomic information, and will use these innovations as the foundation to develop novel, practical tools for clustering and visualization in genomic data mining and database management.
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A more intelligent knowledge-based system apprentice. Our previous techniques already had an impact on Australian industry, with five Australian companies marketing such technology, and for three of these it is a central technology. We expect an early uptake of the enhancements we propose by these companies, greatly increasing their international competitiveness against other rule technologies. Three of these companies are very recent, so we would expect other company uptake of the new enhance ....A more intelligent knowledge-based system apprentice. Our previous techniques already had an impact on Australian industry, with five Australian companies marketing such technology, and for three of these it is a central technology. We expect an early uptake of the enhancements we propose by these companies, greatly increasing their international competitiveness against other rule technologies. Three of these companies are very recent, so we would expect other company uptake of the new enhanced technology. In turn Australian companies using the technology will improve their competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-based economy by being able to more rapidly and easily deploy knowledge-based systems. Our previous techniques have already had a significant impact in medical practice.Read moreRead less