History of Management Thought †Elton Mayo Essay

This essay covers the life and key contributions of Elton Mayo, a renowned figure in management science, and how his theories have made a significant impact in management today. BIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE ELTON MAYO George Elton Mayo was born in Adelaide, Australia on 26th December 1880. Under heavy family influence, Mayo embarked on a course in medicine. However, he failed an examination which ended his chances of having a medical career. He went on to study philosophy and psychology at The University of Adelaide and graduated in 1911. Following his graduation, he lectured at The University of Queensland from 1911 to 1923. In 1912, Mayo married Dorothea McConnel, a daughter of a respectable Australian family. They had two daughters, Patricia and Gael (Witzel 2005). During World War I, Mayo treated shell-shocked soldiers, families and acquaintances through which he gained invaluable insights. This became the foundation of his approach to the analysis of problems in modern industries (Smith 1974). In 1923, Mayo became a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Commerce and Finance where he examined the physical and psychological factors which caused high employee turnover at the Continental Mills (Merrill 1960). Mayo was also significantly involved in the research relating to The Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company from 1924 to 1932. This study formed the basis of Mayo’s views on industrial settings as a social system (Pugh & Hickson 2007). Mayo died in Guildford, Surrey on 1st September 1949. MAYO’S KEY WORKS AND THEORIES Mayo’s works and theories have made significant contributions to the evolution of management in organizations. One of Mayo’s key theories was derived from the research undertaken at the Continental Mills. He concluded that the central problem underlying the high turnover rate of employees in the spinning department was due to â€Å"pessimistic reveries†. According to Mayo, the term pessimistic reveries, is the state of mind in which negative thoughts and distractions dominate the minds of individuals, interfering with their work performance (Mayo 1947). It is caused by exhaustion and monotony in work routines. This led to Mayo’s theory of implementing rest periods to ease employees’ fatigue which would dismiss these pessimistic reveries (Mayo 1924). Another key point Mayo brought up from his studies at the Hawthorne plant was the significance of work groups in creating employees’ contentment (Smith 1974). According to Mayo, there is a tendency for groups to establish their own culture and build on their own ideologies, thereby influencing the way individuals behave at work (Tillett, Kempner & Wills 1970). An intimate environment created from these informal work groups provides a sense of belonging within individuals. This resulting recognition leads to higher productivity within organizations (Roethlisberger 1949). Mayo also emphasized on the need to work towards effective human collaboration to re-establish the diminishing social function within industries. Based on Emile Durkheim’s concept of anomie, he sees the term as the cause of social disorganization in society, raising a sense of inferiority and disenchantment within individuals (Wren & Bedeian 2009). To resolve this predicament, Mayo introduced the concept of managerial elites, who were trained to manage not only the technical aspects, but also the social aspects of industrial organizations (Smith 1998). Mayo’s key publications include, â€Å"The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization (1933)†, â€Å"The Social Problems of an Industrial Civilization (1945)† and â€Å"The Political Problems of an Industrial Civilization (1947)†. These books detailed the rationale for contemporary human relations movement and served as influential publications in the history of management theory (Wood & Wood 2004). FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCED MAYO AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS THEORIES The following factors will provide insights on how Mayo was influenced in the creation of his key works and theories. Political Factors During the First World War (1914 – 1918), Mayo gained invaluable experiences which assisted him to develop a basis towards his views on the complications in industrial society. These experiences arose from his psychotherapeutic treatment on the shell shocked soldiers, resulting in his assertion that rest periods given to the soldiers would significantly improve their mental state of health and performance. Drawing on this conclusion, Mayo believed that the introduction of rest periods to industrial employees could lead to higher productivity (Mahoney & Baker 2002). Furthermore, his experience in WWI paved the way to his illustrious career as a practitioner with patients for thirty years (Mayo 1947). In 1919, the rise in conflicts and fall of civilization was apparent in Australia. Government intervention was thought to be the cure to this predicament. However, Mayo disagreed with this belief and felt that political interference would only further aggravate class conflicts, and ultimately cause the fall of society. He claimed that the best way to restore the diminishing social code was through effective collaboration (Bendix & Fisher 1949). Economic Factor The economic depression in 1929 resulted in shortened working hours at the Hawthorne plant, as well as the termination of the relay assembly test room studies. Faced with a rapidly changing society, Mayo placed greater emphasis on the need for effective collaboration and the recovery of social solidarity. This change in perspective received greater support from the public, thereby giving Mayo further recognition for his ideologies (Wren & Bedeian 2009). Social Factor The Industrial Revolution brought about a change to the management of worker relations in organizations. Managers placed greater emphasis on productivity of employees and failed to recognize their social needs. This caused a disruption to the social organization within industries (Kennedy 1998). Mayo did not oppose to this change, he simply proposed the need for individuals to adapt accordingly. This could be accomplished through studying the industrial society first hand and attaining social skills so as to enhance effective collaboration in organizations (Robinson 1946). Intellectual Factors Mayo was primarily influenced in his approach to psychology by the French psychologist, Pierre Marie Fà ©lix Janet. He was intrigued by Janet’s works on Hysteria and Obsession and this interest led him to practice psychotherapeutic treatment on soldiers returning from the First World War (Mayo 1947). Frederick Winslow Taylor, widely regarded as the father of management science, had a very different approach towards scientific management as compared to Mayo. He had workers going through a series of incessant tasks and actions. This monotonous and demanding approach left workers with very little control, and contributed to extremely high rates of worker turnover within organizations (Mahoney & Baker 2002). Mayo believed that the â€Å"Taylorist Bossism† method of management would not be as productive as compared to his therapeutic methods (Hoopes 2003). Fritz Roethlisberger was acquainted with Mayo at the Harvard University and was introduced to Mayo’s ideas and theories. He went on to write a book based on Mayo’s beliefs and efforts entitled, Management and the Worker. Roethlisberger was a popular speaker and managed to carry on Mayo’s legacy as a spokesperson to the human relations movement (Mahoney & Baker 2002). RELEVANCE OF MAYO’S THEORIES TO MANAGERS TODAY Mayo’s theories still remain relevant to managers today in spite of the ever changing nature of today’s organizational environment. The following is a discussion of this relevance. Mayo’s theory of implementing rest periods, to counter fatigue and exhaustion contributing to pessimistic reveries, is illustrated in the leading Internet search engine company, Google. The headquarters of Google, The Googleplex, provides many recreational facilities such as volleyball courts, pool tables and gymnasiums to help employees unwind. This interrupts any form of pessimistic reveries that could be experienced by their employees. With a more positive state of mind while working, the level of productivity within the company ultimately increases. The success of Google has clearly shown that Mayo’s theory, based on the need to eliminate pessimistic reveries, is still relevant in today’s society (Google 2010). In addition, the relevance of Mayo’s key theory on the importance of work groups can be showcased in the global infrastructure, finance and media company, General Electric (GE). GE developed the Work-Out process which involves bringing staff together to identify areas in need of improvements. Within small groups, employees and managers discuss the issues and develop recommendations. This process helps create a vibrant working environment and has a positive influence on the way GE employees think and behave (Beam 2002). Based on the 1995 GE Annual Report, the annual dividends significantly increased to $1.4billion due to the incorporation of the Work-Out process (General Electric 1996). This example further highlights the relevance of Mayo’s theory in modern management. Finally, Mayo also believed that effective collaboration was an essential tool for building a functioning social system in a rapidly changing industry. Cisco Systems, an industry leader in networking solutions and information technology, is one such company that sees effective collaboration as a high priority business tool for attaining success. This is supported by a study, sponsored by Cisco Systems, highlighting the successful strategies to effective collaboration (Astle 2009). This view is in line with Mayo’s theory that a socially handicapped organization would bring about negative attitudes amongst workers and hence, restrict the maximum productivity that could be attained otherwise. The call for effective collaboration is apparent in Cisco Systems, thus, showing how Mayo’s theory is still widely practiced in contemporary management. CONCLUSION Mayo’s theories and views have made a significant impact in the study of management history. In an ever changing organizational setting, which inevitably disrupts the social code within industries, Mayo stressed the need to restore effective collaboration amongst the employees through managerial elites. He also emphasized on the importance of work groups within organizations. Mayo’s influence on management science was a vital part of his legacy and his theories are still widely practiced today as they were in the beginning.

Heuristic Evaluation

Usability Techniques Heuristic Evaluation – A System Checklist| By Deniese Pierotti, Xerox Corporation Heuristic Evaluation – A System Checklist 1. Visibility of System Status The system should always keep user informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 1. 1| Does every display begin with a title or header that describes screen contents? | O O O|   | 1. 2| Is there a consistent icon design scheme and stylistic treatment across the system? | O O O|   | 1. 3| Is a single, selected icon clearly visible when surrounded by unselected icons? O O O|   | 1. 4| Do menu instructions, prompts, and error messages appear in the same place(s) on each menu? | O O O|   | 1. 5| In multipage data entry screens, is each page labeled to show its relation to others? | O O O|   | 1. 6| If overtype and insert mode are both available, is there a visible indication of which one the user is in? | O O O|   | 1. 7| If pop-up windows are used to display error messages, do they allow the user to see the field in error? | O O O|   | 1. 8| Is there some form of system feedback for every operator action? | O O O|   | 1. | After the user completes an action (or group of actions), does the feedback indicate that the next group of actions can be started? | O O O|   | 1. 10| Is there visual feedback in menus or dialog boxes about which choices are selectable? | O O O|   | 1. 11| Is there visual feedback in menus or dialog boxes about which choice the cursor is on now? | O O O|   | 1. 12| If multiple options can be selected in a menu or dialog box, is there visual feedback about which options are already selected? | O O O|   | 1. 13| Is there visual feedback when objects are selected or moved? | O O O|   | 1. 4| Is the current status of an icon clearly indicated? | O O O|   | #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 1. 15| Is there feedback when function keys are pressed ? | O O O|   | 1. 16| If there are observable delays (greater than fifteen seconds) in the system’s response time, is the user kept informed of the system's progress? | O O O|   | 1. 17| Are response times appropriate to the task? | O O O|   | 1. 18| Typing, cursor motion, mouse selection: 50-1 50 milliseconds| O O O|   | 1. 19| Simple, frequent tasks: less than 1 second| O O O|   | 1. 20| Common tasks: 2-4 seconds| O O O|   | 1. 1| Complex tasks: 8-12 seconds| O O O|   | 1. 22| Are response times appropriate to the user's cognitive processing? | O O O|   | 1. 23| Continuity of thinking is required and information must be remembered throughout several responses: less than two seconds. | O O O|   | 1. 24| High levels of concentration aren't necessary and remembering information is not required: two to fifteen seconds. | O O O|   | 1. 25| Is the menu-naming terminology consistent with the user's task domain? | O O O|   | 1. 26| Does the system provide  v isibility:  that is, by looking, can the user tell the state of the system and the alternatives for action? O O O|   | 1. 27| Do GUI menus make obvious which item has been selected? | O O O|   | 1. 28| Do GUI menus make obvious whether deselection is possible? | O O O|   | 1. 29| If users must navigate between multiple screens, does the system use context labels, menu maps, and place markers as navigational aids? | O O O|   | 2. Match Between System and the Real World The system should speak the user’s language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order. | Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 2. 1| Are icons concrete and familiar? | O O O|   | 2. 2| Are menu choices ordered in the most logical way, given the user, the item names, and the task variables? | O O O|   | 2. 3| If there is a natural sequence to menu choices, has it been used? | O O O|   | 2. 4| Do related and interdependent fields appear on the same screen? | O O O|   | 2. 5| If shape is used as a visual cue, does it match cultural conventions? | O O O|   | 2. 6| Do the selected colors correspond to common expectations about color codes? | O O O|   | 2. | When prompts imply a necessary action, are the words in the message consistent with that action? | O O O|   | 2. 8| Do keystroke references in prompts match actual key names? | O O O|   | 2. 9| On data entry screens, are tasks described in terminology familiar to users? | O O O|   | 2. 10| Are field-level prompts provided for data entry screens? |   |   | 2. 11| For question and answer interfaces, are questions stated in clear, simple language? | O O O|   | 2. 12| Do menu choices fit logically into categories that have readily understood meanings? | O O O|   | 2. 13| Are menu titles parallel grammatically? | O O O|   | 2. 4| Does the command language employ user jargo n and avoid computer jargon? | O O O|   | 2. 15| Are command names specific rather than general? | O O O|   | 2. 16| Does the command language allow both full names and abbreviations? | O O O|   | 2. 17| Are input data codes meaningful? | O O O|   | 2. 18| Have uncommon letter sequences been avoided whenever possible? | O O O|   | 2. 19| Does the system automatically enter leading or trailing spaces to align decimal points? | O O O|   | 2. 20| Does the system automatically enter a dollar sign and decimal for monetary entries? | O O O|   | #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| . 21| Does the system automatically enter commas in numeric values greater than 9999? | O O O|   | 2. 22| Do GUI menus offer activation: that is, make obvious how to say  Ã¢â‚¬Å"now do it†? | O O O|   | 2. 23| Has the system been designed so that keys with similar names do not perform opposite (and potentially dangerous) actions? | O O O|   | 2. 24| Are function keys labeled cle arly and distinctively, even if this means breaking consistency rules? | O O O|   | 3. User Control and Freedom Users should be free to select and sequence tasks (when appropriate), rather than having the system do this for them.Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked â€Å"emergency exit† to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Users should make their own decisions (with clear information) regarding the costs of exiting current work. The system should support undo and redo. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 3. 1| If setting up windows is a low-frequency task, is it particularly easy to remember? | O O O|   | 3. 2| In systems that use overlapping windows, is it easy for users to rearrange windows on the screen? | O O O|   | 3. | In systems that use overlapping windows, is it easy for users to switch between windows? | O O O|   | 3. 4| When a user's task is complete, does the system w ait for a signal from the user before processing? | O O O|   | 3. 5| Can users type-ahead in a system with many nested menus? | O O O|   | 3. 6| Are users prompted to confirm commands that have drastic, destructive consequences? | O O O|   | 3. 7| Is there an â€Å"undo† function at the level of a single action, a data entry, and a complete group of actions? | O O O|   | 3. 8| Can users cancel out of operations in progress? | O O O|   | 3. | Are character edits allowed in commands? | O O O|   | 3. 10| Can users reduce data entry time by copying and modifying existing data? | O O O|   | 3. 11| Are character edits allowed in data entry fields? | O O O|   | 3. 12| If menu lists are long (more than seven items), can users select an item either by moving the cursor or by typing a mnemonic code? | O O O|   | 3. 13| If the system uses a pointing device, do users have the option of either clicking on menu items or using a keyboard shortcut? | O O O|   | 3. 14| Are menus broad (many items on a menu) rather than deep (many menu levels)? | O O O|   | 3. 5| If the system has multiple menu levels, is there a mechanism that allows users to go back to previous menus? | O O O|   | #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 3. 16| If users can go back to a previous menu, can they change their earlier menu choice? | O O O|   | 3. 17| Can users move forward and backward between fields or dialog box options? | O O O|   | 3. 18| If the system has multipage data entry screens, can users move backward and forward among all the pages in the set? | O O O|   | 3. 19| If the system uses a question and answer interface, can users go back to previous questions or skip forward to later questions? O O O|   | 3. 20| Do function keys that can cause serious consequences have an undo feature? | O O O|   | 3. 21| Can users easily reverse their actions? | O O O|   | 3. 22| If the system allows users to reverse their actions, is there a retracing mechanis m to allow for multiple undos? | O O O|   | 3. 23| Can users set their own system, session, file, and screen defaults? | O O O|   | 4. Consistency and Standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 4. | Have industry or company formatting standards been followed consistently in all screens within a system? | O O O|   | 4. 2| Has a heavy use of all uppercase letters on a screen been avoided? | O O O|   | 4. 3| Do abbreviations not include punctuation? | O O O|   | 4. 4| Are integers right-justified and real numbers decimal-aligned? | O O O|   | 4. 5| Are icons labeled? | O O O|   | 4. 6| Are there no more than twelve to twenty icon types? | O O O|   | 4. 7| Are there salient visual cues to identify the active window? | O O O|   | 4. 8| Does each window have a title? | O O O|   | 4. | Are vertical and horizontal scrolling possible in each window? | O O O|   | 4. 10| Does the menu structure match the task structure? | O O O|   | 4. 11| Have industry or company standards been established for menu design, and are they applied consistently on all menu screens in the system? | O O O|   | 4. 12| Are menu choice lists presented vertically? | O O O|   | 4. 13| If â€Å"exit† is a menu choice, does it always appear at the bottom of the list? | O O O|   | 4. 14| Are menu titles either centered or left-justified? | O O O|   | 4. 15| Are menu items left-justified, with the item number or mnemonic preceding the name? O O O|   | 4. 16| Do embedded field-level prompts appear to the right of the field label? | O O O|   | 4. 17| Do on-line instructions appear in a consistent location across screens? | O O O|   | 4. 18| Are field labels and fields distinguished typographically? | O O O|   | 4. 19| Are field labels consistent from one data entry screen to another? | O O O|   | 4. 20| Are fields and labels left-justified for alpha lists and right-justified for numeric lists? | O O O|   | #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 4. 21| Do field labels appear to the left of single fields and above list fields? | O O O|   | 4. 2| Are attention-getting techniques used with care? | O O O|   | 4. 23| Intensity: two levels only| O O O|   | 4. 24| Size: up to four sizes| O O O|   | 4. 25| Font: up to three| O O O|   | 4. 26| Blink: two to four hertz| O O O|   | 4. 27| Color: up to four (additional colors for occasional use only)| O O O|   | 4. 28| Sound: soft tones for regular positive feedback, harsh for rare critical conditions| O O O|   | 4. 29| Are attention-getting techniques used only for exceptional conditions or for time-dependent information? | O O O|   | 4. 30| Are there no more than four to seven colors, and are they far apart along the visible spectrum? O O O|   | 4. 31| Is a legend provided if color codes are numerous or not obvious in meaning? | O O O|   | 4. 32| Have pairings of high-chroma, spectrally extreme colors been avoided? | O O O|   | 4. 33| Are saturated blues avoided for text or other small, thin line symbols? | O O O|   | 4. 34| Is the most important information placed at the beginning of the prompt? | O O O|   | 4. 35| Are user actions named consistently across all prompts in the system? | O O O|   | 4. 36| Are system objects named consistently across all prompts in the system? | O O O|   | 4. 7| Do field-level prompts provide more information than a restatement of the field name? | O O O|   | 4. 38| For question and answer interfaces, are the valid inputs for a question listed? | O O O|   | 4. 39| Are menu choice names consistent, both within each menu and across the system, in grammatical style and terminology? | O O O|   | 4. 40| Does the structure of menu choice names match their corresponding menu titles? | O O O|   | 4. 41| Are commands used the same way, and do they mean the same thing , in all parts of the system? | O O O|   | 4. 42| Does the command language have a consistent, natural, and mnemonic syntax? | O O O|   | 4. 3| Do abbreviations follow a simple primary rule and, if necessary, a simple secondary rule for abbreviations that otherwise would be duplicates? | O O O|   | #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 4. 44| Is the secondary rule used only when necessary? | O O O|   | 4. 45| Are abbreviated words all the same length? | O O O|   | 4. 46| Is the structure of a data entry value consistent from screen to screen? | O O O|   | 4. 47| Is the method for moving the cursor to the next or previous field consistent throughout the system? | O O O|   | 4. 48| If the system has multipage data entry screens, do all pages have the same title? O O O|   | 4. 49| If the system has multipage data entry screens, does each page have a sequential page number? | O O O|   | 4. 50| Does the system follow industry or company standards for function key a ssignments? | O O O|   | 4. 51| Are high-value, high-chroma colors used to attract attention? | O O O|   | 5. Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover From Errors Error messages should be expressed in plain language (NO CODES). #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 5. 1| Is sound used to signal an error? | O O O|   | 5. 2| Are prompts stated constructively, without overt or implied criticism of the user? O O O|   | 5. 3| Do prompts imply that the user is in control? | O O O|   | 5. 4| Are prompts brief and unambiguous. | O O O|   | 5. 5| Are error messages worded so that the system, not the user, takes the blame? | O O O|   | 5. 6| If humorous error messages are used, are they appropriate and inoffensive to the user population? | O O O|   | 5. 7| Are error messages grammatically correct? | O O O|   | 5. 8| Do error messages avoid the use of exclamation points? | O O O|   | 5. 9| Do error messages avoid the use of violent or hostile words? | O O O|   | 5 . 10| Do error messages avoid an anthropomorphic tone? | O O O|   | 5. 1| Do all error messages in the system use consistent grammatical style, form, terminology, and abbreviations? | O O O|   | 5. 12| Do messages place users in control of the system? | O O O|   | 5. 13| Does the command language use normal action-object syntax? | O O O|   | 5. 14| Does the command language avoid arbitrary, non-English use of punctuation, except for symbols that users already know? | O O O|   | 5. 15| If an error is detected in a data entry field, does the system place the cursor in that field or highlight the error? | O O O|   | 5. 16| Do error messages inform the user of the error's severity? O O O|   | 5. 17| Do error messages suggest the cause of the problem? | O O O|   | 5. 18| Do error messages provide appropriate semantic information? | O O O|   | 5. 19| Do error messages provide appropriate syntactic information? | O O O|   | 5. 20| Do error messages indicate what action the user needs to take to correct the error? | O O O|   | 5. 21| If the system supports both novice and expert users, are multiple levels of error-message detail available? | O O O|   | 6. Error Prevention Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. | Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 6. 1| If the database includes groups of data, can users enter more than one group on a single screen? | O O O|   | 6. 2| Have dots or underscores been used to indicate field length? | O O O|   | 6. 3| Is the menu choice name on a higher-level menu used as the menu title of the lower-level menu? | O O O|   | 6. 4| Are menu choices logical, distinctive, and mutually exclusive? | O O O|   | 6. 5| Are data inputs case-blind whenever possible? | O O O|   | 6. 6| If the system displays multiple windows, is navigation between windows simple and visible? | O O O|   | 6. | Are the function keys that can cause the mos t serious consequences in hard-to-reach positions? | O O O|   | 6. 8| Are the function keys that can cause the most serious consequences located far away from low-consequence and high-use keys? | O O O|   | 6. 9| Has the use of qualifier keys been minimized? | O O O|   | 6. 10| If the system uses qualifier keys, are they used consistently throughout the system? | O O O|   | 6. 11| Does the system prevent users from making errors whenever possible? | O O O|   | 6. 12| Does the system warn users if they are about to make a potentially serious error? O O O|   | 6. 13| Does the system intelligently interpret variations in user commands? | O O O|   | 6. 14| Do data entry screens and dialog boxes indicate the number of character spaces available in a field? | O O O|   | 6. 15| Do fields in data entry screens and dialog boxes contain default values when appropriate? | O O O|   | 7. Recognition Rather Than Recall Make objects, actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate. | Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 7. 1| For question and answer interfaces, are visual cues and white space used to distinguish questions, prompts, instructions, and user input? | O O O|   | 7. 2| Does the data display start in the upper-left corner of the screen? | O O O|   | 7. 3| Are multiword field labels placed horizontally (not stacked vertically)? | O O O|   | 7. 4| Are all data a user needs on display at each step in a transaction sequence? | O O O|   | 7. 5| Are prompts, cues, and messages placed where the eye is likely to be looking on the screen? | O O O|   | 7. | Have prompts been formatted using white space, justification, and visual cues for easy scanning? | O O O|   | 7. 7| Do text areas have â€Å"breathing space† around them? | O O O|   | 7. 8| Is there an obvious visu al distinction made between â€Å"choose one† menu and â€Å"choose many† menus? | O O O|   | 7. 9| Have spatial relationships between soft function keys (on-screen cues) and keyboard function keys been preserved? | O O O|   | 7. 10| Does the system gray out or delete labels of currently inactive soft function keys? | O O O|   | 7. 11| Is white space used to create symmetry and lead the eye in the appropriate direction? O O O|   | 7. 12| Have items been grouped into logical zones, and have headings been used to distinguish between zones? | O O O|   | 7. 13| Are zones no more than twelve to fourteen characters wide and six to seven lines high? | O O O|   | 7. 14| Have zones been separated by spaces, lines, color, letters, bold titles, rules lines, or shaded areas? | O O O|   | 7. 15| Are field labels close to fields, but separated by at least one space? | O O O|   | 7. 16| Are long columnar fields broken up into groups of five, separated by a blank line? | O O O|   | 7. 17| Are optional data entry fields clearly marked? O O O|   | 7. 18| Are symbols used to break long input strings into â€Å"chunks†? | O O O|   | 7. 19| Is reverse video or color highlighting used to get the user's attention? | O O O|   | 7. 20| Is reverse video used to indicate that an item has been selected? | O O O|   | 7. 21| Are size, boldface, underlining, color, shading, or typography used to show relative quantity or importance of different screen items? | O O O|   | 7. 22| Are borders used to identify meaningful groups? | O O O|   | 7. 23| Has the same color been used to group related elements? | O O O|   | 7. 24| Is color coding consistent throughout the system? O O O|   | 7. 25| Is color used in conjunction with some other redundant cue? | O O O|   | 7. 26| Is there good color and brightness contrast between image and background colors? | O O O|   | 7. 27| Have light, bright, saturated colors been used to emphasize data and h ave darker, duller, and desaturated colors been used to de-emphasize data? | O O O|   | 7. 28| Is the first word of each menu choice the most important? | O O O|   | 7. 29| Does the system provide  mapping:  that is, are the relationships between controls and actions apparent to the user? | O O O|   | 7. 30| Are input data codes distinctive? | O O O|   | . 31| Have frequently confused data pairs been eliminated whenever possible? | O O O|   | 7. 32| Have large strings of numbers or letters been broken into chunks? | O O O|   | 7. 33| Are inactive menu items grayed out or omitted? | O O O|   | 7. 34| Are there menu selection defaults? | O O O|   | 7. 35| If the system has many menu levels or complex menu levels, do users have access to an on-line spatial menu map? | O O O|   | 7. 36| Do GUI menus offer affordance: that is, make obvious where selection is possible? | O O O|   | 7. 37| Are there salient visual cues to identify the active window? | O O O|   | 7 . 8| Are function keys arranged in logical groups? | O O O|   | 7. 39| Do data entry screens and dialog boxes indicate when fields are optional? | O O O|   | 7. 40| On data entry screens and dialog boxes, are dependent fields displayed only when necessary? | O O O|   | 8. Fexibility and Minimalist Design Accelerators-unseen by the novice user-may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions. Provide alternative means of access and operation for users who differ from the â€Å"average† user (e. . , physical or cognitive ability, culture, language, etc. ) #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 8. 1| If the system supports both novice and expert users, are multiple levels of error message detail available? | O O O|   | 8. 2| Does the system allow novices to use a keyword grammar and experts to use a positional grammar? | O O O|   | 8. 3| Can user s define their own synonyms for commands? | O O O|   | 8. 4| Does the system allow novice users to enter the simplest, most common form of each command, and allow expert users to add parameters? | O O O|   | 8. | Do expert users have the option of entering multiple commands in a single string? | O O O|   | 8. 6| Does the system provide function keys for high-frequency commands? | O O O|   | 8. 7| For data entry screens with many fields or in which source documents may be incomplete, can users save a partially filled screen? | O O O|   | 8. 8| Does the system automatically enter leading zeros? | O O O|   | 8. 9| If menu lists are short (seven items or fewer), can users select an item by moving the cursor? | O O O|   | 8. 10| If the system uses a type-ahead strategy, do the menu items have mnemonic codes? | O O O|   | 8. 1| If the system uses a pointing device, do users have the option of either clicking on fields or using a keyboard shortcut? | O O O|   | 8. 12| Doe s the system offer â€Å"find next† and â€Å"find previous† shortcuts for database searches? | O O O|   | 8. 13| On data entry screens, do users have the option of either clicking directly on a field or using a keyboard shortcut? | O O O|   | 8. 14| On menus, do users have the option of either clicking directly on a menu item or using a keyboard shortcut? | O O O|   | 8. 15| In dialog boxes, do users have the option of either clicking directly on a dialog box option or using a keyboard shortcut? O O O|   | 8. 16| Can expert users bypass nested dialog boxes with either type-ahead, user-defined macros, or keyboard shortcuts? | O O O|   | 9. Aesthetic and Minimalist Design Dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 9. 1| Is only (and all) information essential to decision making displayed on the screen? | O O O|   | 9. 2| Are all icons in a set visually and conceptually distinct? O O O|   | 9. 3| Have large objects, bold lines, and simple areas been used to distinguish icons? | O O O|   | 9. 4| Does each icon stand out from its background? | O O O|   | 9. 5| If the system uses a standard GUI interface where menu sequence has already been specified, do menus adhere to the specification whenever possible? | O O O|   | 9. 6| Are meaningful groups of items separated by white space? | O O O|   | 9. 7| Does each data entry screen have a short, simple, clear, distinctive title? | O O O|   | 9. 8| Are field labels brief, familiar, and descriptive? O O O|   | 9. 9| Are prompts expressed in the affirmative, and do they use the active voice? | O O O|   | 9. 10| Is each lower-level menu choice associated with only one higher level menu? | O O O|   | 9. 11| Are menu titles brief, yet long enough to communicate? | O O O|   | 9. 12| Are there pop-up or pull-down menus within data entry fields that have many, but well-defined, entry options? | O O O|   | 10. Help and Documentation Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation.Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user’s task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 10. 1| If users are working from hard copy, are the parts of the hard copy that go on-line marked? | O O O|   | 10. 2| Are on-line instructions visually distinct? | O O O|   | 10. 3| Do the instructions follow the sequence of user actions? | O O O|   | 10. 4| If menu choices are ambiguous, does the system provide additional explanatory information when an item is selected? | O O O|   | 10. | Are data entry screens and dialog boxes supported by navigation and completion instructions? | O O O|   | 10. 6| If menu items are ambiguous, does the system provide additional explanatory information when an item is selected? | O O O|   | 10. 7| Are there memory aids for commands, either through on-line quick reference or prompting? | O O O|   | 10. 8| Is the help function visible; for example, a key labeled HELP or a special menu? | O O O|   | 10. 9| Is the help system interface (navigation, presentation, and conversation) consistent with the navigation, presentation, and conversation interfaces of the application it supports? O O O|   | 10. 10| Navigation: Is information easy to find? | O O O|   | 10. 11| Presentation: Is the visual layout well designed? | O O O|   | 10. 12| Conversation: Is the information accurate, complete, and understandable? | O O O|   | #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 10. 13| Is the information relevant? | O O O|   | 10. 14| Goal-oriented (What can I do with this program? )| O O O|   | 10. 15| Descriptive (What is this thing for? )| O O O|   | 10. 16| Procedural (How do I do this task? )| O O O|   | 10. 17| Interpretive (Why did that happen? )| O O O|   | 10. 8| Navigational (Where am I? )| O O O|   | 10. 19| Is there context-sensitive help? | O O O|   | 10. 20| Can the user change the level of detail available? | O O O|   | 10. 21| Can users easily switch between help and their work? | O O O|   | 10. 22| Is it easy to access and return from the help system? | O O O|   | 10. 23| Can users resume work where they left off after accessing help? | O O O|   | 11. Skills The system should support, extend, supplement, or enhance the user’s skills, background knowledge, and expertise —-not replace them. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 1. 1| Can users choose between iconic and text display of information? | O O O|   | 11. 2| Are window operations easy to learn and use? | O O O|   | 11. 3| If users are experts, usage is frequent, or the system has a slow response time, are there f ewer screens (more information per screen)? | O O O|   | 11. 4| If users are novices, usage is infrequent, or the system has a fast response time, are there more screens (less information per screen)? | O O O|   | 11. 5| Does the system automatically color-code items, with little or no user effort? | O O O|   | 11. | If the system supports both novice and expert users, are multiple levels of detail available. | O O O|   | 11. 7| Are users the initiators of actions rather than the responders? | O O O|   | 11. 8| Does the system perform data translations for users? | O O O|   | 11. 9| Do field values avoid mixing alpha and numeric characters whenever possible? | O O O|   | 11. 10| If the system has deep (multilevel) menus, do users have the option of typing ahead? | O O O|   | 11. 12| When the user enters a screen or dialog box, is the cursor already positioned in the field users are most likely to need? O O O|   | 11. 13| Can users move forward and backward within a field? | O O O|   | 11. 14| Is the method for moving the cursor to the next or previous field both simple and visible? | O O O|   | 11. 15| Has auto-tabbing been avoided except when fields have fixed lengths or users are experienced? | O O O|   | 11. 16| Do the selected input device(s) match user capabilities? | O O O|   | 11. 17| Are cursor keys arranged in either an inverted T (best for experts) or a cross configuration (best for novices)? | O O O|   | 11. 18| Are important keys (for example,  ENTER  ,  TAB) larger than other keys? O O O|   | 11. 19| Are there enough function keys to support functionality, but not so many that scanning and finding are difficult? | O O O|   | 11. 20| Are function keys reserved for generic, high-frequency, important functions? | O O O|   | 11. 21| Are function key assignments consistent across screens, subsystems, and related products? | O O O|   | 11. 22| Does the system correctly anticipate and prompt for the user's probab le next activity? | O O O|   | 12. Pleasurable and Respectful Interaction with the User The user’s interactions with the system should enhance the quality of her or his work-life.The user should be treated with respect. The design should be aesthetically pleasing- with artistic as well as functional value. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 12. 1| Is each individual icon a harmonious member of a family of icons? | O O O|   | 12. 2| Has excessive detail in icon design been avoided? | O O O|   | 12. 3| Has color been used with discretion? | O O O|   | 12. 4| Has the amount of required window housekeeping been kept to a minimum? | O O O|   | 12. 5| If users are working from hard copy, does the screen layout match the paper form? | O O O|   | 12. | Has color been used specifically to draw attention, communicate organization, indicate status changes, and establish relationships? | O O O|   | 12. 7| Can users turn off automatic color coding if necessary? | O O O|   | 12. 8| Are typing requirements minimal for question and answer interfaces? | O O O|   | 12. 9| Do the selected input device(s) match environmental constraints? | O O O|   | 12. 13| If the system uses multiple input devices, has hand and eye movement between input devices been minimized? | O O O|   | 12. 14| If the system supports graphical tasks, has an alternative pointing device been provided? O O O|   | 12. 15| Is the numeric keypad located to the right of the alpha key area? | O O O|   | 12. 16| Are the most frequently used function keys in the most accessible positions? | O O O|   | 12. 17| Does the system complete unambiguous partial input on a data entry field? | O O O|   | 13. Privacy The system should help the user to protect personal or private information- belonging to the user or the his/her clients. #| Review Checklist| Yes No N/A| Comments| 13. 1| Are protected areas completely inaccessible? | O O O|   | 13. 2| Can protected or confidential ar eas be accessed with certain passwords. O O O|   | 13. 3| Is this feature effective and successful. | O O O|   | System Title:__________________________ Release #: __________________________ Evaluator: __________________________   Date: __________________________ Primary Source Making Computers-People Literate.  © Copyright 1993. By Elaine Weiss ISBN: 0-471-01877-5 Secondary Source Usability Inspection Methods.  © Copyright 1994. By Jakob Nielsen and Robert Mack ISBN: 1-55542-622-0 SCREEN SHOTS Homepage Navigations via Categories Shipping and Returns Policies Frequently Asked Questions Navigations via Hyperlinked Images External Links Result Filtering

Mental/Behavioral Case Study Essay

I am doing a case study for Jenny Stanson, who is a 20-year-old college student who that is currently living with her grandmother. Lately, she has been noticing that her grandmother seems to be confused at times, and often forgets things she has told her. She also informed me that her grandmother is often rather short-tempered. From what jenny says, this does not seem to be her usual manner and happens only infrequently, but Jenny is concerned. She stated that someone told her that her grandmother might be suffering from early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Upon doing research on the disease I learned that Alzheimer’s disease is perhaps the most common form of dementia, although several others exist. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease of the brain. In the early stages, people experience some memory loss which progresses to marked memory loss, then to a decrease in thinking ability such as decision making. Later the disease leads to the loss in the ability to perform activities of daily living or recognize loved ones. The changes in the brain that often mirror the decline in thinking are the development of plaques and tangles in the brain. These changes may begin in areas of the brain associated with memory, but later spread more widely throughout the brain. The plaques and tangles can lead to a gradual loss of connections between brain cells and eventually cell death. Based upon the information she shared with me, I’m placing her grandmother in the early stages of Alzheimer’s due to her age and the symptoms she’s currently presenting. Especially after learning that starting at age 65, the risk of developing the disease doubles every five years, and that by age 85 years and older, between 25 and 50 percent of people will exhibit signs of Alzheimer’s disease. I did inform Jenny though, that there are things she could do and practice and speak to her grandmother about as far as  prolonging the onset of Alzheimer’s. There are a number of studies that suggest behaviors that might lessen the risk of developing the disease. Among these are increasing physical activity, having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, maintaining social engagement, and participating in intellectually stimulating activities. I informed her that the approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are designed to enhance the communication between nerve cells. In some individuals, this will lessen the symptoms. However, these treatments will not prevent the progression of the disease. When it comes to cultural issues pertaining to this issue, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia affect all racial and ethnic peoples. Communities of color and other historically underserved groups often encounter problems when accessing services or information about Alzheimer’s disease. Because of this, the local chapter is working to increase awareness of the disease and understanding about the obstacles to service for rural communities, ethnic groups, and communities of color. This though should not be a reason people do not step out on their own and seek help In conclusion, I informed Jenny that there is a lot of information on the Alzheimer’s disease on the internet, libraries, hospitals and other places one can go to seek treatment. I told her that she and her grandmother are not alone. If she wants some really good information and help, she should turn to The Alzheimer’s Association, which is the most trusted resource for reliable information, education, referral and support to millions of people affected by the disease. She can Call their 24/7 Helpline number at: 800.272.3900 or she can locate a chapter in her community, she can use their virtual library or even simply just go to the Alzheimer’s Navigator within the associations website to create customized action plans and connect with local support services. References http://www.alz.org/alzwa/in_my_community http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics/mental-illness/dementia.htm

Haverwood Furniture Inc Case Study Essay

Background on the merger In April 2008 Haverwood Furniture merged with Lea-Meadows, a manufacturer of upholstered furniture for living and family rooms. The merger was not planned in any conventional sense. The merger proceeded smoothly since the two firms were located on adjacent locations and the two companies would maintain as much autonomy as was economically justified. The only real issue that still remained was merging the selling efforts. The question was straight-forward â€Å"do we give the upholstery line of chairs and sofas to our sales force, or do we continue using the sales agents?† Haverwood’s vice president said the line should be given to his sales group, but Lea-Meadows said the upholstery line should remain with sales agents. Lea-Meadows Inc. Lea-Meadows Inc. is a small, privately owned manufacturer of upholstered furniture for use in living and family rooms. The firm is more than 75 years old. The company has some of the finest fabrics and frame construction in the industry. Their net sales in 2007 were $5 million and the total industry sales in 2007 were $15.5 billion. A forecasted industry sale for 2008 is about $16.1 billion. Over the past 5 years sales had increased 3% annually, also believing that this trend would continue. Lea-Meadows employed 15 sales agents to represent its products. Sales agents found it necessary to deal with several buyers in a store in order to represent all the lines carried. On a typical sales call, a sales agent first visited buyers to discuss new lines, in addition to any promotions being offered by manufacturers. These new orders were sought where and when it was appropriate. Lea-Meadows paid an agent commission of 5 percent of net company sales for these services. Also were thought to have spent 10-15 percent of their in-store time on Lea-Meadows products. There is no influence on who to sell their products to but there is a stigma of not selling to discount houses. Records show that agents were calling on specialty furniture and department stores. An estimated 1,000 retail accounts were called on in 2006 and 2007. All agents had established relationships with their retail accounts and worked closely with them. Haverwood Furniture Inc. They are a manufacturer of medium- to high-priced wood bedroom, living room and dining room furniture. Their net sales in 2007 were $75 million; and the industry sales of wood furniture in 2007 were $12.4 billion. It is projected that in 2008 they will have $12.9 billion in industry sales. The company has 10 fulltime sales representatives, who call on 1,000 retail accounts. They perform the same activities as sales agents but were paid a salary plus a small commission. In 2007 the average sales representative received an annual salary of $70,000 and a commission of 5% on net company sales. Total administration costs were $130,000 Haverwood’s salespeople were highly regarded in the industry. They were known particularly for their knowledge of wood furniture and willingness to work with buyers and retail sales personnel. Sales representatives were presently making 10 sales calls per week with an average sales call running three hours. Their remaining time was accounted for by ad ministrative activities and travel. It was also recommended that the call frequency be increased to seven calls per account per year. Pros and Cons Points in favor for combing the two companies Haverwood has one of the most respected sales force in the industry. Their sales force could easily learn the lingo to interacting with upholstery buyers. Selling Lea-Meadows would only require 15% of present sales call times More control over sales efforts is possible and a combined sales forces fits with the belief that â€Å"only our people are willing and able to give† It would not look right if both representatives and agents called on the same stores and buyers because of the overlap on the companies on both companies’ accounts. Points in favor of keeping in the sales agents All sales agents had established clients and were highly regarded among the store buyers. Sales agents represent little cost beyond commission Sales agents were committed to the lea-meadows line. Sales agents were calling on buyers not contacted by haverwood sales force. Haverwood sales people would have a tough time learning the ways of lea-meadows because there are over 1 billion possible items to learn. Both companies make valid points but the main thing is to determine the cost and profitability. Financial calculations based off the cost of sales force,  and sales agents. Haverwood 10 (sales force members) x $70,000 (average salary) = $700,000 .005 (commission) x $75,000,000 (net sales) = $375,000 x 10 = $3,750,000 $130,000 (total sales administration costs) Total cost of sales force $4,580,000 Lea-meadows 5,000,000 (net sales) x .05 (commission) = $250,000 x 15 (sales agents) Total cost of sales agents $3,750,000 Although Lea-Meadows pays their sales agents less with 5 more employees, their profit margins fall 5% below that of Haverwood. It ultimately will affect them more than the cost for Haverwood affects them. If Lea-Meadows were to give their line to the Haverwood sales force, they would only need to pay for 15% of the cost for the sales force. Haverwood Total sales force cost = $4,580,000 Lea-Meadows $4,580,000 x .15 (percentage of time devoted to Lea-Meadows line) = $687,000 The decision to give the line to Haverwood saves Lea-Meadows $3,063,000. Haverwood’s sales process Haverwoods personal Sales forces Retail Consumer Lea-Meadows sales process Lea-Meadows Sales agency Retail Consumer

Kite Runner Racism Essay

Racism plays important roles in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. The author uses racism to describe the characters and the culture represented in the stories. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini uses prejudice as a tool to tell this story of betrayal and redemption. He pursues his story with prejudice and racism in Afghanistan as well as in the United States. While the author uses individual characters to tell the story, he portrays the general attitudes and history associated with the characters’ Hazara and Pashtun ethnic origins and the conflicts that arise in Afghanistan. Throughout history and even while the story was taking place in the 70’s the US of A was going through their tough times with racism and prejudice thoughts and acts towards other ethnical groups such as the blacks, Asians and Latino’s. Although during this present era these racist acts and thoughts have been cut down and have been limited to just some states in the south as where in Afghanistan these prejudice acts still exist. Ali and Hassan represent the marginalized group in this story. They are considered by the ruling class to be of lesser value due to their ethnic origin, religious beliefs, appearance and social standing. The author gives us a glance of this when Amir reads about the harassment of, and attempted uprising of the Hazara, and how Amir’s people, the Pashtuns had: â€Å"†¦quelled them with unspeakable violence†. The disregard that people have for the Hazara is reinforced when Amir asks his teacher about what he has read and he responds by saying, â€Å"That’s one thing Shi’a people do well, passing themselves as martyrs†. Assef shows how internalized this hostility is when he says to Amir and Hassan, â€Å"Afghanistan is the land of the Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here†.

Fall of the Roman Empire and How it relates to America today Research Paper

Fall of the Roman Empire and How it relates to America today - Research Paper Example To fight this imminent fall, the Americans ought to swing into action and defy the ill-governing principles and take their economy back to normal. The fall of the Roman Empire is its gradual societal breakdown. Many scholars have come up with numerous theories, aiming to describe the causality of its gradual collapse. Most of these theories base their focus on the military, political, social and economic disintegrations, in tandem with foreign intrusions and usurpers from amongst the empire occupants (Murphy, 2007). The gradual decline has culminated through a period of 4 centuries. Numerous vile events, which had happened in the entire Roman Empire history, have worsened its decline process. These gradual changes can better be termed as complex transformations. Rome went through detrimental transformations in the administration, which profoundly implicated the entire regime negatively. A critical stage arrived where Rome was no longer a suitable or effective administrative centre for the Emperor to administer fro. Consequently, Rome had several emperors administered rule effectively. The eastern emperor launched a gothic war, which was extremely perilous. It affected the eastern domain militarily and caused considerable harm to Italy. Due to these wars during the seventh century, Rome and other Italian municipalities collapsed to their detriment to an extent that Roman citizens completely vacated it. The Persian intrusion of the eastern empire, during the seventh century, further weakened the Roman Empire perilously. Progressively after the Persian invasion, Egyptian Muslim warlords waged heavy wars on the eastern empire (Bury & Gibbon, 2004). This major blow detrimentally hampered and curtailed much Mediterranean trade, in which Europe participated, Following thereafter was an epoch of dominance by the eastern empire, which were periods of cultural

The HafenCity core location has sustainable qualities Essay

The HafenCity core location has sustainable qualities - Essay Example These principles are essential in defining the continuity and integrity of urban designed systems. This eventually would result to the planners having a clue on how to plan and predict urban ecological and socio-economic developments perspectives. Furthermore, it will enhance the harmonization, integrity and mutual consistency with the prediction and urban development documents. Therefore, urban developments that are sustainable should focus on objectives that are long-term. In addition to that, it should address the existing environmental and socio-economic problems existing in the cities and also focus on future preconditions (Vanags and Grizans, 2010, p.1100). Cities are considered to be territorial and socio-economic unit in which economic and business activities are carried out, job opportunities are created, emergence of new technologies occur. Despite the advantages of Hafencity Humbug city expansion, it poses threats to the sustainability of the environment as it will lead to increased population and industrial expansion. In such cases, the demand for urban resources will drastically increase and consequently the amount of waste stream. The urban planners may attempt to provide improvements to the local environment while inadequately addressing issues such as the depletion of the ozone layer and global warming which are characterized by urban behaviour external impacts. Thus, in such a context, urban sustainable development should be perceived as a wider goal of integral ingredient, working towards achieving a sustainable global development. These goals are veered towards the promotion of inter-generational equity, geographical equit y, social justice and environmental stewardship (Haughton 1997, p.193). In addition to that, the documents used to formulate city strategies are wide and might ignore important information needed to monitor the