Monday, May 25, 2009

[ARG] (AML Reading Group) We're back on business

Kruchten, P. 1995. Architecture blueprints—the “4+1” view model of software architecture. In Tutorial Proceedings on Tri-Ada '91: Ada's Role in Global Markets: Solutions For A Changing Complex World (Anaheim, California, United States, November 05 - 10, 1995). D. Cook, Ed. TRI-Ada '95. ACM, New York, NY, 540-555. DOI= http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/216591.216611

Abstract
This article presents a model for describing the architecture of software-intensive systems, based on the use of multiple, concurrent views. This use of multiple views allows to address separately the concerns of the various ‘stakeholders’ of the architecture: end-user, developers, systems engineers, project managers, etc., and to handle separately the functional and non functional requirements. Each of the five views is described, together with a notation to capture it. The views are designed using an architecture-centered, scenario- driven, iterative development process.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Metochi study trip - paper discussion - Day 5

Hartmann, J., Sutcliffe, A., and Angeli, A. D. 2008. "Towards a theory of user judgment of aesthetics and user interface quality". ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact. 15, 4 (Nov. 2008), 1-30. DOI= http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1460355.1460357

Abstract
The article introduces a framework for users' design quality judgments based on Adaptive Decision Making theory. The framework describes judgment on quality attributes (usability, content/functionality, aesthetics, customisation and engagement) with dependencies on decision making arising from the user's background, task and context. The framework is tested and refined by three experimental studies. The first two assessed judgment of quality attributes of websites with similar content but radically different designs for aesthetics and engagement. Halo effects were demonstrated whereby attribution of good quality on one attribute positively influenced judgment on another, even in the face of objective evidence to the contrary (e.g., usability errors). Users' judgment was also shown to be susceptible to framing effects of the task and their background. These appear to change the importance order of the quality attributes; hence, quality assessment of a design appears to be very context dependent. The third study assessed the influence of customisation by experiments on mobile services applications, and demonstrated that evaluation of customisation depends on the users' needs and motivation. The results are discussed in the context of the literature on aesthetic judgment, user experience and trade-offs between usability and hedonic/ludic design qualities.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Metochi study trip - paper discussion - Day 4

J. Scott, J. Crowcroft, P. Hui, and C. Diot, “Haggle: a Networking
Architecture Designed Around Mobile Users
,” Proceedings of the Third
Annual Conference on Wireless On-demand Network Systems and Services,
2006, pp. 86, 78.

Abstract
Current mobile computing applications are infrastructure-centric, due to the IP-based API that these applications are written around. This causes many frustrations for end users, whose needs might be easily met with local
connectivity resources but whose applications do not support this (e.g. emailing someone sitting next to you when there is no wireless access point). We identify the general scenario faced by the user of Pocket Switched Networking (PSN), and discuss why the IP-based status quo does not cope well in this environment. We present a set of architectural principles for PSN, and the high-level design of Haggle, our asynchronous, data-centric network architecture which addresses this environment by
“raising” the API so that applications can provide the network with application-layer data units (ADUs) with high-level metadata concerning ADU identification, security and delivery to user-named endpoints.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Metochi study trip - paper discussion - Day 3

D. D. Clark, J. Wroclawski, K. R. Sollins, and R. Braden, "Tussle in cyberspace: defining tomorrow's internet", IEEE/ACM Trans. Netw., vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 462-475, June 2005. [Online]. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TNET.2005.850224

Abstract
The architecture of the Internet is based on a number of principles, including the self-describing datagram packet, the end-to-end arguments, diversity in technology and global addressing. As the Internet has moved from a research curiosity to a recognized component of mainstream society, new requirements have emerged that suggest new design principles, and perhaps suggest that we revisit some old ones. This paper explores one important reality that surrounds the Internet today: different stakeholders that are part of the Internet milieu have interests that may be adverse to each other, and these parties each vie to favor their particular interests. We call this process "the tussle." Our position is that accommodating this tussle is crucial to the evolution of the network's technical architecture. We discuss some examples of tussle, and offer some technical design principles that take it into account.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Metochi study trip - paper discussion - Day 2

Campbell, A.T.; Eisenman, S.B.; Lane, N.D.; Miluzzo, E.; Peterson, R.A.; Hong Lu; Xiao Zheng; Musolesi, M.; Fodor, K.; Gahng-Seop Ahn, "The Rise of People-Centric Sensing", Internet Computing, IEEE , vol.12, no.4, pp.12-21, July-Aug. 2008
URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=4557974&isnumber=4557967

Abstract
Technological advances in sensing, computation, storage, and communications will turn the near-ubiquitous mobile phone into a global mobile sensing device. People-centric sensing will help drive this trend by enabling a different way to sense, learn, visualize, and share information about ourselves, friends, communities, the way we live, and the world we live in. It juxtaposes the traditional view of mesh sensor networks with one in which people, carrying mobile devices, enable opportunistic sensing coverage. In the MetroSense Project's vision of people-centric sensing, users are the key architectural system component, enabling a host of new application areas such as personal, public, and social sensing.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Metochi study trip - paper discussion - Day 1

Paper 1


I. G. Niemegeers and S. M. Heemstra de Groot, "From Personal Area Networks to Personal Networks: A User Oriented Approach," Wireless Personal Communications, vol. 22, pp. 175-186, 2002.

Abstract
This paper introduces Personal Networks (PN), a new concept related to the emerging field of pervasive computing that extends the concept of a Personal Area Network (PAN). The latter refers to a space of small coverage (less than 10 m) around a person where ad-hoc communication occurs, typically between portable and mobile computing devices such as laptops, Personal Digital Assistants, cell phones, headsets and digital gadgets. We envision a PN to have a core consisting of a PAN, which is extended on-demand and in an ad-hoc fashion with personal resources or resources belonging to others. This extension will physically be made via infrastructure networks, e.g., the Internet, an organisation’s intranet, or a PAN belonging to another person, a vehicle area network, or a home network. The PN is configured to support the application and takes into account context and location information. The resources, which can become part of a PN, will be very diverse. These resources can be private or may have to be shared with other people. They may be free or one may have to pay for their usage. They can be physically close or far away. In this paper, we discuss a number of challenging research problems and potential directions for solutions. Specifically we address the architecture of PNs, techniques for resource and environment discovery, self-organisation, routing, co-operation with fixed infrastructures, and security and accounting.


Paper 2


G. Kortuem and Z. Segall, "Wearable communities: Augmenting social networks with wearable computers," Pervasive Computing, vol. 3, pp. 11-19, January 2003. [Online]. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1.1.65.5202

Abstract
Wearable communities—social networks based on augmented face-toface encounters—present both social and technical design challenges. Our WearCom design methodology permits rapid prototyping of wearable community systems to facilitate community building.