sem7 IT in the Building Process
IT tools

[home] [education] Last update 2010.06.01 (2010.03.09) [2009.12.18]


Design of user environments and user support systems

Civilingeniørspeciale i Byggeledelse/Building Management 2010
& Cand. Scient. Techn. i Byggeledelse/Building Management 2010


CONTENT
1. Background
2. Goal
3. Volume/Placement
4. Content
5. Learning Material
   5.1 Lectures
   5.2 Exercises/Mini-project
   5.3 Software
   5.4 Literature
6. Examination
7. Course Participants
8. Lecture Scheme

1. Background

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Since the introduction of the world wide web (WWW) and standardisation of Internet services and communication protocols we can see a huge shift in the way we communicate, collaborate and handle digital knowledge. In the semester 7 course we focused on models and representations of building products and processes. In this course we take an end user perspective on how ICT tools can support collaboration, communication and access to Internet based computer resources.


The anticipated ICT tools are only partly developed and must be designed tested and implemented in close collaboration with the building process end users. This requires that civil engineers get a deeper understanding of some knowledge domains that up till now only has been partly covered in the civil engineering curricula.

The ICT will strongly influence how we take advantage of and interact with the computer resources

  • information storage and interaction media will be more separated (paper is both)
  • it will be easier to adapt human computer interaction to user needs and usage context (multimedia, model access etc.)
  • human collaboration, team work and communication modes will be developed and partly changed
  • collaboration work spaces will get a added virtual dimension being less dependent of the physical room.

The mutual influence between practice and ICT progress is necessary to maintain. Civil engineers must posses both general and some specialised ICT related knowledge to be able to specify and participate in the development of new ICT tools and to be pro-active in the process of changing work routines and company and project organisation.

This course aims at providing general knowledge on how new user environments (UE) can be designed and implemented as well as deeper knowledge in certain key areas such as human computer interaction support, virtual work spaces, user driven user environment (UE) design, and user requirements capture and usability engineering.

2. Goal

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The goal of the 'IT in the Building Process - IT-tools' course is to mediate understanding of principles, methods and technologies for design and evaluation of user environments for computer supported interaction and collaboration as well as team work and knowledge transfer.

Efter kurset skal den studerende have opnået forståelse for principper, metoder og teknikker for design og evaluering af brugermiljøer for computerstøttet interaktion og samarbejde, teamwork, og videnudveksling.

3. Volume/Placement

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This 2 modules course is one of 2 with emphasis on IT during the semester 8 Master of IT in Building Management education. (Studieweb-BL, Studieweb-CSTBL).

4. Content

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Principles and technologies for computer supported collaboration, decision support and knowledge management.

Properties of ICT tools for collaboration. Collaboration in Virtual Reality environments.

Multimedia (MM) and Human Computer Interaction (HCI) history and development. Properties for MM communication channels. Standards and protocols to support HCI and collaboration. Virtual Reality systems.

Tools for graphic editing, Multimedia (MM) design and Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Digital video and interactive story telling. Web-based 3D models.

Design of User Environments (UE). Principles, guidelines, the Contextual Design method, incremental prototyping. User models. Usability engineering and evaluation of user environments.

Principper og teknologier for computer støttet samarbejde, beslutningsstøtte og viden håndtering.

Egenskaber for værktøjer for IT støttet samarbejde. Samarbejde i Virtual Reality omgivelser.

Multimedia (MM) og Human Computer Interaction (HCI) historik og udvikling. Egenskaber for MM kommunikationskanaler. Standarder og protokoller for støtte af HCI og samarbejde. Virtual Reality systemer.

Værktøjer for grafisk editering, Multimedia (MM) design og Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Digital video og interaktiv story telling samt web-baserede 3D modeller.

Design af bruger miljøer. Principper, vejledninger, Contextual Design metodikken, inkrementelle prototyping. Bruger modeller. Usability engineering og evaluering af bruger miljøer.

5. Learning Material

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The course content is delivered through the lectures, reading of literatur , and exercises/miniproject. It is impossible to find a set of literature that covers the course content completely. The lectures are supported by lecture slides available on the course web site. The slides with emphasized titles in the navigation bar has the same status as course literature (though not eventual references on the slide).

References to further reading is found in the lecture notes.

The coarse literature consists of both Lecture Slides and literature according to the list below.

The 'IT in Civil Engineering' site (http://it.civil.auc.dk/) also gives access to previous years courses and if applicable mini projects. You reach it from the top of this page.

5.1 Lectures

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The lectures are accessed from the lecture scheme below.

Each lecture has a easy to navigate slide bar and an opening slide with short content description, questions for self assessment, references to the literature according to the literure list below and proposals for further reading.

The four hour lecture/exercise followes the scheme
  • 1 hour lecture
  • 1 hour exercise in group
  • 2 hours exercise results presentation and follow discussions

5.2 Exercises/Mini-project

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The exercises are accessed from the lecture scheme below. Student group exercises results are continously updated.

The exercices may well take use cases from the ongoing semester project or even be contained in a mini-project defined by the group.

The following domains will be covered during the exercises

  • Prospects and barriers of future ICT tools
  • collaboration tools functionality
  • interactive web-based 3D-models
  • future User Environments, UE
  • interactive story telling
  • Contextual Design and user needs capture
  • evaluation of usability

5.3 Software

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The following ICT, Information and Communication tools, are available during exercises/minproject activity. (those marked with * only at the Media Lab at institute 6)

  • 3DStudio Viz to produce an interactive WWW-accessible VRML model (*)
  • 3DStudio Max and 3dCult to produce an interactive 3dCult model (*)
  • Cult3D modeller
  • ArchiCad to produce VRML models
  • Macromedia Director 8 (*)
  • QuckTime VR interactive image software
  • Adobe Premier to produce web accessible streaming video (*)
  • Adobe Photoshop for image editing (*)
  • Adobe Acrobat Distiller and Exchange to produce interactive PDF documents
  • Groove, Netmeeting, and Yahoo Messanger to establish shared workspaces

5.4 Literature

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Literature marked *bold is mandatory.

/1/ Christiansson, P, 1998, " Using Knowledge Nodes for Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining." Published in: Lecture Notes i Artificial Intelligence 1454. Ian Smith (Ed.). "Artificial Intelligence in Structural Engineering. Information Technology for Design, Collaboration, Maintenence, and Monitoring." Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1998. (pp. 48-59). http://it.civil.auc.dk/it/reports/ascona_98/ascona98.html

/2/ .....

*/3/ Christiansson P, 2001, "Experiences from Using Internet Based Collaboration Tools". 'Konference om Arkitekturforskning og IT'. Proceedings Conference on Architectural Research and Information Technology. Nordic Association for Architectural Research. Arkitektskolen i Aarhus 27.-29. april 2001. (pp. 103-112).
KEYWORDS: Virtual reality, collaborative work, ICT tools, design, intelligent buildings, knowledge transfer.

/4/ Mark Billinghurst, Hirokazu Kato. Collaborative Mixed Reality. Human Interface Technology Laboratory. University of Washington (20 pp)

/5/ Svidt K, Bjerg B, 2002: "Visualisation of CFD Results in a Virtual Reality Environment". Proceedings of ROOMVENT 2002, 8th International Conference on Air Distribution in Rooms, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2002 pp 77 - 80.
KEYWORDS: CFD, Virtual Reality, Immersive Environment, Visualisation

/6/ Cult3D education material. Cycore 2001. (123 pp.)

/7/ Svendsen J. O. S., 2001, "Video på din PC". IDG Forlag, Valby (pp. 79). [Pages 23-27, chapter 4 'Historiefortælling'].
[education/reports/historiefortalling.pdf]

*/8/ Nedergaard L, 2002, "Fortællingens svære kunst". Børsen, fredag 21 juni 2002 (pp. 3). (delivered).
[education/reports/snowden.pdf]

/9/ Mohr H L, 2001, "De nye medieformater", PCWorld, nr 22. (pp. 73, 74, 76)
[education/reports/mpeg.pdf]

/10/ Christiansson P, Skjærbæk J O, Svidt K, Aaholm R, 2000. " User Requirements Formulations and Human Computer Interface Design in the Divercity project. Context and methods." EU project Divercity. (Draft report, Dec 17, 2000. 31 pages). http://it.civil.auc.dk/it/reports/r_divercity_user_req_2000.pdf

*/11/ Sørensen K, Christiansson P, Svidt K (2009) "Prototype development of an ICT system to support construction management based on virtual models and RFID", ITcon Vol. 14, Special Issue Next Generation Construction IT:Technology Foresight, Future Studies, Roadmapping, and Scenario Planning , pg. 263-288, http://www.itcon.org/2009/19

*/12a/ Preece J, Rogers Yvonne, Helen Rogers, 2002, "Interaction Design - beyond human-computer interaction". John Wiley & Sons, New York (519 pp). (Amazon Books, 56 US dollars). http://www.id-book.com/. (page 295-306, 313-315)
[education/reports/interaction_design.pdf]
*/12b/ Preece J, Rogers Yvonne, Helen Rogers, 2002, "Interaction Design - beyond human-computer interaction". John Wiley & Sons, New York (519 pp). (Amazon Books, 56 US dollars). http://www.id-book.com/. (pp. 340 - 358)
[education/reports/interaction_design2.pdf]

*/13/ Faulkner Xristine, 2000, "Usability Engineering". MacMillan Press, New York (244 pp.). (EXTRACTS: pp. 21-28 'Usability - know the user', pp. 157-160 'Cooperative Evaluation', pp. 188-193 'Usability heuristics'.) (http://www.palgrave.com/science/computing/faulkner/)
[education/reports/faulkner.pdf] og [faulkner-1.pdf, faulkner-6.pdf]

6. Examination

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Oral individual test based on 15 minutes discussion on a mini project or exercises collection. There are no special preparation time set aside. Assessed with the grade "passed" or "failed" with internal censor participation. There is no time for preparation.

Examination will take place in room 1.201, Fibigierstræde 16, Tuesday June 1 and Wednesday June 2 20010. Examinator is Per Christiansson and censor Kjeld Svidt.
If you cannot come to examine please tell us no later than xxday May xx, 2010.

Tuesday June 1, 2010
12.30 Cathrine Engstrøm
12.45 Maja Rørbæk Nielsen
13.00 Rune Vestergaard Borrits
13.15 Mille Nielsen
13.30 Else Marie Boye Andersen
13.45 Nick Hjort Hellner Nielsen
15.00 Alex Vium Kristensen
PAUSE
15.30 Anders Kulmbach Sørensen
15.45 Kasper Lyngsø
16.00 Mats Thomassen
16.15 Michael  Glerup Jørgensen
16.30 Lise Rasmussen
16.45 Thomas  Bjørnskov
17.00 Trine Dahl
17.15 Maibrit Gjørup
17.30 Randi Brogaard Buus
17.45 Dan Chungshing  Ung
18.00 Sofie  Toftegaard
18.15 Atli  Runar Kristjansson
Wednesday June 2, 2010
8.30 Simon  Sterndorff Jessen
8.45 Kathrine  Linddahl Ryesgaard Jensen
 
Wednesday June 2, 2010 (CSTBL)
9.00 Thomas Lundgaard Poulsen
9.15 Rune Devantier Elfving
9.30 Kasper Dorin Jacobsen
9.45 Peter Heslop Christensen
10.00 Nhtat Trung Huynh
10.15 PAUSE
10.45 Mette Jensen
11.00 Kristian Bork
11.15 Lasse Pedersen
11.30 Mads Sølvsten Dahl
11.45 Peter Warrier Pedersen
FROKOST  
12.30 Martin  Pedersen
12.45 Hanne Howe-Rasmussen
13.00 Thomas Dalsgaard Hoff
13.15 Marianne Beedholm Rasmussen
13.30 Jens Højgaard

7. Course Participants

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7.1 Students



Cand Scient Techn - Byggeledlese, CST-BL
email: cstbl2@stud.production.aau.dk

3.120

Thomas Lundgaard Poulsen
Rune Devantier Elfving
Kasper Dorin Jacobsen
Peter Heslop Christensen
Nhat Trung Huynh

Vejleder: nn/nn
Projekt: xxxxx.
xxxxx.



3.122

Mette Jensen
Kristian Bork
Lasse Pedersen
Mads Sølvsten Dahl
Peter Warrer Pedersen


Vejleder: nn/nn
Projekt:xxxxx.
xxxxx.



3.124

Martin Pedersen
Hanne Howe-Rasmussen
Thomas Dalsgaard Hoff
Marianne Bredholm Rasmussen
Jens Højgaard Pedersen

Vejleder: Per Christiansson/Kjeld Svidt
Projekt: xxxxx.
xxxxx.



Byggeledlese, BL
email: bl1@stud.production.aau.dk

3.108

Cathrine Engstrøm
Maja Rørbæk Nielen
Rune Vestergaard Borrits
Mille Nielsen
Else Marie Boye Andersen

Vejleder: nn/nn
Projekt: xxxxx



3.110

Nick Hjort Hellner Nielsen
Alex Vium Kristensen
Anders Kulmbach Sørensen
Kasper Lyngsø
Mats Thomassen
Michael Glerup Jørgensen

Vejleder: nn/nn
Projekt: xxxxx



3.112

Lise Rasmusen
Thomas Bjørnskov
Kathrine Lindahl Jensen
Trine Dahl
Simon Stendorff Jessen

Vejleder: Torben Jul Jensen
Projekt: xxxxx

3.114

Maibrit Gjørup
Randi Brogaard Buss
Dan Chungshing Ung
Sofie Toftegaard
Atli Runar Kristjansson

Vejleder: Sven Vestergaard
Projekt: xxxxx






7.2 Teachers

Prof Per Christiansson (course responsible).

8. Lecture Scheme

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1

Wednesday 3.2 2010
08.15 -12.00
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.201
Aalborg University

(Per Christiansson)
SETTING THE SCENE

IT as communication support.
Human computer communication system form and function
Information content and format
User environment design
How to convey the message
Available IT/Multimedia tools

Literature

Exercise A
2

Wednesday 10.2 2010
08.15 -12.00
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.201
Aalborg University

(Per Christiansson)
COLLABORATION TOOLS

Principles and technologies for computer supported collaboration and competence co-operation.
Properties of IT-tools for collaboration.

Literature

/3/, /4/, /5/

Exercise B
3

Wednesday 17.2 2010
08.15 -12.00
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.201
Aalborg University

(Per Christiansson)
HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION

In this lecture we will study multimedia human computer interaction. The human computer interface to underlying applications explicitly or implicitly contains models of the users specifying the modes of interaction.

We will also learn how to build and distribute over the Internet compact interactive 3D models.

As a prerequisite you will have knowledge about capture, storage, editing and presentation of graphics and images (from semester 6).

Literature

/5/, /6/

Exercise C
4

Wednesday 24.2 2010
08.15 -12.00
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.201
Aalborg University

(Per Christiansson)
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

We explain why Knowledge Management issues are important to take into consideration as we design and implement the digitally supported user environements. What models (organisation, project, user etc.) are influenced and what ICT tools are available or even missing as focus on knowledge management is increased.

Literature

Exercise D

/1/,
5

Wednesday 3.3 2010
08.15 -12.00
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.201
Aalborg University

(Per Christiansson)
INTERACTIVE STORY TELLING AND DIGITAL VIDEO

It may be useful to regard a web presentation as a story. You have something you want to tell the 'reader'. It could be something about what services your company may offer, best practice for your intranet/projectweb, or a story to your employees on possible changes in you company to raise quality in services and working environments. Story telling is increasingly used by companies to deliver important information.

We will take starting point in linear story telling using video and move to multimedia based presentations at the same time introducing interactive story telling. You have also get hands-on experience on methods and techniques to plan, capture, edit and include a video element in a web based presentation.

Literature

/7/, /8/, /9/

Exercise E
6-7

Tuesday 09.3 2010
12.30 -16.30
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.208

Tuesday 11.3 2010
12.30 -16.30
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.208
Aalborg University

(Per Christiansson)
CONTEXTUAL DESIGN

We will during two lectures learn about the Contextual Design methodology to incrementally capture user requirements and specifiy a User Environment for accessing computer resources. We also make references to a parallel process with emphasis on the technical modelling and system implementation.

Literature

/10/, /11/, /12a/

Exercise F
8-9

Tuesday 16.3 2010
(NEW TIME)
12.30 -16.30
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.201

Tuesday 13.4 2010
12.30 -16.30
Fibigerstræde 16,
room 1.201
Aalborg University

Per Christiansson)
USABILITY ENGINEERING

During two lectures we explore the field of Usability Engineering including usability testing and evaluation of HCI tools and interfaces to application systems. We also cover alternative methods to defining and building User Environments.

Literature

/12b/, /13/

Exercise G
10

Tuesday 20.4 2010
12.30 -16.30
(fib16, 1.201)
Niels Jernes Vej 14,
room 3:119

Aalborg University

(Per Christiansson
Peter Skotte)

SPECIAL ISSUES

Questions hour

(Visit to the VRMediaLab, Niels Jernes Vej 14.)

Exercises/Mini project follow-up

Special issues on request.

Literature


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Per Christiansson