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How could we grasp the complexity of interrelated processes in space and time in order to intervene in it? How to distinguish elements without losing their relation to others and the whole? These questions reach far beyond the field of architecture and music, however, the isomorphism between music and architecture could reveal some of this before mentioned complexity.

This thesis is about improvement of software test process using the Testability Maturity Model (TMM) model in a small global software organization.

The Front End Tools (FET) Project's goal is to create a software application which should aid the process engineer in creative design of process plants. Since this application will be written using object-oriented techniques, an object model has been designed by Akzo-Nobel Engineering. This document describes the verification procedure of this object model, which should be able to contain chemical engineering process design data and methods. During this verification (which included examining separation processes and reactors as well as writing two C++ applications) several elements of the original model have been modified. The conclusions made at the end of the project state that the currently developed object model can be used for its intended purpose. Apart from this conclusion, several concepts were proposed for further development in conjunction with the FET project.

A project in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Canada. The three key points here are: - adaptability - sustainability as a way of life - integrated whole These key points are values that pertain to experience, and therefore have their own building language and own image. The project therefore is a sustainable community, built with natural materials according to a framework of patterns in which the earlier mentioned values are present, maintained and protected.

In this report the range of compounds that can be considered for simultaneous optimisation of process parameters and molecular structure through the CoMT-CAMD method is largely increased. The approach is extended by expanding a database of component PCP-SAFT parameters and development and implementation of a group contribution method GCP-SAFT. Before implementation of these approaches, the amount of structures for consideration was about one hundred, but it was shown here that this amount can be increased to over 1,000 and 100,000 respectively through implementation of an expanded PCP-SAFT parameter database and development of a group-contribution method (GCP-SAFT) respectively. An expanded PCP-SAFT parameter database was created by fitting measurements from the DIPPR database When this expanded database, containing PCP-SAFT parameters for 1371 components, is used for structure mapping, the value of the minimisation goal function (Second order Taylor Expansion approximation) can be decreased by an order of magnitude, compared to results obtained by Steur (2009). This indicates that the potential process performance, utilising real molecules, can be further increased by increasing the amount of molecules taken into consideration. The thermodynamic behaviour of components, for which no measurements have been performed, can be predicted through the development of a group contribution method for a physically based equation of state: Group Contribution Polar Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (GCP-SAFT). Three related group contribution approaches, derived from homogeneous fluid theory, showed very similar accuracy for the prediction of adapted non-associative PC-SAFT parameters. Therefore the approach developed by Vijande et al (2004) was adopted here as well, where the molecular parameters m , ms 3 and me k are linearly dependant on contributions for thecontained functional groups. This approach was expanded to associative and polar components constituting a maximum of a single dipolar or associative group. Molecular quadrupolar moments and binary interaction parameters were left out of consideration. Both dipolar and associative group contribution parameters were obtained by simple averaging. The prediction of dipole moments was relatively accurate, with AARE values for this parameter generally below 10% (36 out of 45 polar functional groups). Furthermore it is shown that the assumption of constant relative associative volume is rather strong for the homologous series of alcohols, whereas it is not well, statistically, supported for acids and amines. This is mainly due to the rejection of associative behaviour (negligible converged e AB k and k AB values) for a large portion of these series of compounds by the algorithm that fits PCP-SAFT parameters. AARE values for molecular adapted PCP-SAFT parameters m ,ms 3 and m2s 3e k are 9.28; 2.87 and 5.58% respectively for the GCP-SAFT method that takes dipolar and associative behaviour into account. This is less accurately than literature values obtained for the same model but can be largely explained through the incorporation of associative components. It is expected that Simultaneous Process Optimisation and Molecular Design overall prediction accuracy for mixtures will increase through the added prediction of dipolar and associative parameters. Model constants were fitted to 593 component PCP-SAFT parameter sets, which contained data for 75 associative components. This produced a set of 66 first order functional groups for which GCP-SAFT contributions are known. The confidence of this method is limited to components with a maximum of three branches, as the linear equations for m ,ms 3 and m2s 3e k are biased for cyclic and highly branched structures. These 66 functional groups were utilised in a sample structure generation algorithm to conveniently generate over a 100,000 different non-linear, non-aromatic structures and corresponding GCP-SAFT parameter sets that can be taken into account in simultaneous process optimisation and molecular design.

Process technology is in development for the long term. This thesis presents an agent concept, part of an agent-based model, specified to the conceptual level, that deals with technical complexity of process technology, and can help to assess the economic value of combinations of connected process technology.

Improving service level at the lowest possible costs is and will always be one of the key objectives of Philips Electronics. This research illustrates how a part of the Philips supply chain control is setup /designed to support this objective. Within Philips, the business unit called Lumileds supplies LED’s to its customers. One of the components used to manufacture LED’s is made at the component manufacturer that is subject to this thesis. The objective of improving service levels at the lowest possible cost can be enabled by supply chain control. Of course superior service levels can be realized with excessive inventory levels. However that ignores the objective of lowest costs, because inventory cost money. Therefore an optimal balance between service level and inventory must be achieved. This balance depends on a number of different drivers like lead-time, lead-time variability, manufacturing quality and demand pattern. This research will define a model that generates advice to achieve the desired balance, taking into account all relevant drivers.

Because many errors still exist in information systems for organizations, professional companies like CEPO are needed for testing information systems on their fit to the organization. To do so, one usually applies a testing framework. The existing (CEPO-way) framework is the result of ten years of experience. The DEMO methodology (Dietz [1]) is a methodology that has proven itself successful in modelling organizations. DEMO is a powerful tool for identifying all important transactions of an organization (as well as communication with external actors). From this point of view, it could be possible to use DEMO as an aid to check the completeness of an information system, i.e. whether it covers the essential business processes. Note that the coverage need not be full; in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises it may be partial. The existing CEPO-way framework is based on the DEMO methodology, but on only one model. In this study two models were added. The new, so-called DEMO-way, framework was discussed and one test case was used to demonstrate the added value. The new framework is supported by a tool that was built by the author, DEMO-way Script Creator (DSC tool). This tool is a valuable addition to the derivation of testing scripts, because the process model as well as the state model can be placed into the scripts with little effort. Several criteria were determined at the start of this study in order to evaluate the use of extra DEMO models in the framework: development time, walkthrough time, understandability, reproduction possibilities and lacking functionality / error detection. Ultimately, the DEMO-way scored better for many of these criteria, especially the detection of lacking functionality / errors in information systems. Although the DEMO testing script encompasses more testing instructions than the CEPO testing script, the testers did not spend more time walking through the scripts, due to more detailed navigation. Therefore, the recommendation is to start using the two extra DEMO models in combination with DSC tool.

Ecatepec, Mexico City presents the challenge of uniform, low-density peri-urban sprawl in the form of privately developed gated communities for the lower income groups. The main objective of this project is to propose alternatives to low-income housing, amplifying local skills and cultural consciousness, facilitating autonomy through local production and trade, as well as creating the possibilities of political manifestation through the strengthening of communal facilities. The wasteland in between the Las Americas gated community and the dried-out Lake Caracol is zoned for industrial use as in its current condition, it is not fit for housing developments due to soil and dust pollution. The proposal is to improve the environmental condition by making the 900 ha former lake productive through water-based agriculture with related processing facilities along its border. The proposed agricultural model is based on chinampas, a pre-Hispanic agricultural system with productive fields within a large body of water, which is still practiced in contemporary Mexico City. This will allow to urbanize the wasteland in order to propose an alternative model for urbanization with 14 000 units, approximately the same as Las Americas. The aim of the architectural design proposal is to develop a new model for urbanization that will counter previously mentioned urban problematics, based on higher urban density, meaning not only volumetric built density, but also mixed functions, less open space and rather more usable public space which will ultimately lead to an increase in density of social relations. Specifically, housing typologies will be developed that relate closely to the production and processing project mentioned above as well as other small-scale commercial activities. Seeing the low density and the mono-functionality of Las Americas, densification and introduction of new planned land uses within its suburban fabric becomes a key strategy. As the priority given to cars is what provides this low density, the proposal is to invade excessive public space of roads through the addition of housing as well as commercial functions. The final objective is to link the existing suburban fabric to the new mid-high density urban development that is proposed above.

At the rear of a tunnel-boring machine (TBM), the tail void - the annular space between the concrete lining and soil - is injected with grout. This grout has a number of functions, the most important being settlement control, maintaining the primary stress in the ground and fixation of the segmented concrete lining. At the Green Heart tunnel in The Netherlands, a 7,2 km long bored tunnel with an external diameter of 14,5 meter, a research project was carried out on these grout functions. The tunnel is part of the new high-speed railway link between Paris and Amsterdam. An inventory was made of the grouting process at five bored tunnels with co-operation of contractors and design teams. The grouting process in total was considered, consisting of the fabrication of grout, transportation to the TBM and the injection of the tail void. The influence of different grouting materials, mixtures and system configurations were analysed to obtain an overall insight in the grouting process, and extract the possible risks involved in these matters. As a result guidelines and recommendations for adequate grout mixtures and grouting process were produced. Using this information will help minimise the risks of lining damages and delays during construction (short-term effects) and tunnel deformation and leaking (long-term effects) at the Green Heart tunnel and other future projects.

Favela Fabric is a consultancy that enables companies to involve their customers in innovation through online co-creation. However, customer-generated ideas are often not the best solution to their associated needs and more important, they are seldom producible. Due to the complexity of the offer system, customers’ perception of the service remains restricted to their experienced interactions. As a consequence, regular customers possess too little knowledge of the functioning of this system to generate valuable ideas for innovation. However, customers do possess vital knowledge about encountered problems and needs (knowledge of use), whereas employees mainly possess knowledge about the functioning of the service (knowledge of system). Online dialogue between a company and its customers presents the opportunity to exchange both types of knowledge that are necessary for innovation. Still, two challenges are to be overcome. First, knowledge of use is often experience-based and consequently largely tacit. In other words, customers have difficulties expressing this knowledge or might take it for granted. Second, due to their dominant logic, employees disregard or misinterpret valuable information. Therefore, a method called the “Fostering Stage” is developed. This method enables customers to access and express tacit knowledge through experience-based ideation and facilitates employees to better understand customer needs through co-exploration of Problem and Solution Spaces. By facilitating a reciprocal learning process that enlarges the range of imaginable solutions and creates a better understanding of the underlying problems, online co-creation becomes a valuable tool for service innovation.

As companies have increasingly become dependent on IT to interact with clients, the issue of business agility has become one of IT agility. Companies look for agility in their business for flexibility and adaptation with respect to changing environments. They seek to make use of the market competencies and deliver customer-centric services to gain the competitive advantage by providing a one-stop mall where customers can experience several kinds of integrated services. With the opportunity of Integrated Service Delivery (ISD), companies can support clients in an integrated environment possibly reducing cost and time. Doing so, service providers face a number of challenges related to organizational integration, resistance towards change and being customer-centric. With a structured process, collaboration and coordination of activities in ISD can be efficient, reducing the complexities in those challenges. Research has shown adoption of Agile methodologies has reduced complexities in software development and focused on collaboration and coordination to achieve performance gain. Therefore, in this case, adopting Agile management principles will be highly beneficial in ISD. To the best of our knowledge there has not been research on how to manage the service lifecycle of ISD in a holistic view and focus on the collaboration of parties involved in the process and coordination of activities, by working in an Agile approach. Therefore, the main research question of this research is: "How can Agile management and service development principles be incorporated together for effective collaboration between parties and coordination of activities in Integrated Service Delivery?" Following a design science research methodology and case study research, this research was conducted to develop a conceptual process model, namely Agile Process for Integrated Service Delivery (APISD), which was evaluated by three cases conducted in three organizations. From the case study findings, the APISD model was enhanced. Furthermore, an illustration of APISD was given to materialize the model in practice.

This thesis is developed within the framework of the graduation studio ‘Urban Regeneration in the European Context’ for the master’s track Urbanism at the architecture faculty of Delft University of Technology. The central subject of this study is a spatial and functional fragmented area located on the outer edge of the S-bahn ring in Berlin, Germany. The location is enclosed by the ringbahn and two branching tracks that give the site a characteristic triangular shape. For a long time the area has been uninteresting for investors and a lack of integral vision has made various unrelated functions accumulate in the area. The opening of the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport and the introduction of the A100 highway extension through the area, however, will change its position within the city. It can be expected that this new position will lead to new development within the location. Berlin has however plenty of open space, so the pressure for development will be low and it is hard to predict what type of development will occur and over which time span. This thesis therefore strategically explores the potentials and weaknesses of the area, in order to guide mostly unknown future development, and to understand the nature of the location before real pressure on the area arises.

Sustainable construction is about a new manner of thinking. This research defines a sustainable construction process as a cyclic manner of organizing a process, opposed to the current construction process which is organized in a linear manner. The achievement of a sustainable construction process involves various obstacles. This research provides a step-by-step plan on how to achieve sustainable construction.

IHC Metalix, a producer of machined steel kits for the shipbuilding industry, is currently in the process of improving production efficiency by modifying an existing crane as well as by installing two additional cranes, a pallet conveyor, and a pallet storage rack. The exact effects of these improvements on the production process have not been quantified. Furthermore, the influences of the order properties on the production process not known. The goal of this project is to analyze the effect of the process upgrades and order properties on the production process. This project also aims to generate and test the effect of additional process improvements. Different order portfolios were created to represent the current order book of IHC Metalix and possible changes in the order book in the next few years. The influences of these order portfolios on the production process were determined using a sub-process capacity calculation and simulation model. The simulation model was also used to implement and test further improvements to the process. This study found that the process improvements installed in the past year should increase production capacity by approximately 25%. The plate cutting machines were found to be the process bottleneck for all of the order portfolios. Large ship types with simple structures (such as pipelaying vessels and construction projects) have a positive effect on the production capacity. Small vessels with complex structures (such as yachts, tugs, and inland cruise vessels) reduced the total production capacity. Coasters and dredgers were found to have little effect on the total production capacity. To improve the production process, it is recommended that two large part finishing tables are removed to make space for two additional flatrack positions. The printing algorithm of the vector plotters mounted to the cutting machines should also be improved as much as possible. If additional production capacity is required, a separate plate printer could also be installed. These improvements can increase the production capacity up to 18%.

Many knowledge intensive small and medium size organizations have already implemented knowledge management tools and approaches, but often in an unstructured and intuitive fashion. This makes managing knowledge processes difficult, may hinder adoption by support workers, and reduces the effects on organizational performance. Observations at the support department of Adyen, combined with recent literature, yield success factors relevant for medium size SaaS companies to implement effective knowledge processes. Firstly, knowledge processes should be embedded in the business processes. Secondly, double-loop learning is supported by descriptive knowledge which is required for challenging the standing assumptions about the business process. A ticket issue categorization tool adhered to these two success factors. Based on the lessons of this research this categorization tool has been re-embedded, and therefore readopted. Thirdly, knowledge process interventions should be participative, incremental, and continuous. This research implemented one, and quantitatively evaluated two such interventions. The data for evaluation has been gathered using a continuous time-series design with heterogeneous groups. Knowledge capturing, storing, organizing, and sharing provided the insights needed to perform both interventions. The first intervention – performed by the knowledge workers of Adyen support – resulted in a 70% improvement of the number of shoppers that got to hear the right information in the call menu. This improves the support department’s performance through more accurate classification of the shopper issues, and provides important lessons for future improvements. The second intervention was performed at the sales department, in cooperation with an expert support worker. As a result, the amount of captured sales leads at the sales department almost doubled. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that there is an indirect positive effect of descriptive embedded knowledge processes on organizational performance in medium size SaaS companies. The business process intervenes between knowledge processes and organizational performance, because this is where customer value is created.

In the last decade the building industry in the Netherlands has received a lot of attention and has been the subject of high level media attention, particularly with respect to contracting out public works to private contractors and their efficiency and performance. Not only in the Netherlands, but in most countries too, nowadays, contractor evaluation and selection is a difficult task with many uncertainties and complexities. It is hard to decide what the most important factors are that influence the decision making in choosing the contractors. Holt (1994) and Jennings (1998) consider reputation and experience as critical factors where Singh (2006) refers to one single criterion as price or quality. Only one article (Watt, 2009) gives an overview on how clients actually choose their contractors based on a five question survey. In The Netherlands, the region of South Limburg, wants to gain insight in the tendering processes (ANP, 2009; Fascotte, 2009; Dohmen, 1996). Goal of this research in municipal tendering processes in the public construction sector and the (practical) execution from this is to gain insight in the tendering process, organising and financial aspects of this process. It serves as a motivation for this paper

The result of this graduation project is a growth strategy and a roadmap for a German product development company, INDEED, which wishes to move towards the Fuzzy Front End of the innovation process. An internal company analysis, along with 8 case studies of the current business unit “Brand Innovation”, gave insights into the company’s explicit and implicit practiced culture, resources and working process. The future prospects suggest to take advantage of the innovation needs of German companies which concern strategic, organizational and cultural related issues. This can be achieved by leveraging the company’s current resources and adopting a process oriented consultation style.

frog, a globally operating design and innovation agency, delivers a wide range of design-driven solutions to its clients, many of whom belong to the fortune 500. frog wants to engage in long-term relationships with their clients and this project is aimed creating a strategic approach to these long-term engagements.This is done by creating a toolkit frog can use to engage its clients and to educate them about design.