September 1999
The following represents the latest in a series of short monthly updates
outlining activities and progress on the CME 03601-CZ, to be distributed directly
to the partners within the project, and to be made available to all other
interested parties, whether from the partner institutions involved, other academic
institutions, and/or industry or non academic bodies
This month was once again marked by project visits taking place, namely by the
representative of the University of the West of England (UWE) travelling to
Prague. This visit to the Czech Republic was focused on the following areas
1. Data collection, knowledge base development and evaluation
Meeting were held at the Czech Technical University between Dr.Jones, Dr.Bauer,
Ing.Vcelova, and Miss Vanekova on the development of the knowledge base. Aspects
of the presentation of the knowledge base were discussed, and also the methods
by which its effectiveness and use should be evaluated. It was decided that the
most appropriate from of evaluation should be via streamlined methods, involving
the minimum of intrusion. In order to eliminate interruption and disturbance of
the normal working activities of staff at either location it was agreed that
activities should be focused upon the presentation of the already collected data,
rather than the continued collection of further information, so as to avoid
information overload of the user, and to ease without he user assimilation of
the information being presented.
2. Project evaluation
As mentioned above, during this visit it was decided that part of the method
by which the project will be evaluated will be by direct contact with staff
members. This visit thus saw the design of a data collection instrument being
set into motion. To be developed principally by the University of the West of
England, this will enable an assessment of the overall view of how the staff at
both universities (potentially the greatest users of the information resource)
feel about the concept, or how useful they believe such a resource to be, how
often they use it, the extent to which they would use it in the future, and they
ways by which this use could be increased. The evaluation instrument will be
constructed in the English language, via reference to established social science
procedures. It will then be translated into Czech and will be administered
individually by the native Czech speaking administrators of the projects.
3. Internet Site
Due to her unavailability at this time, the designer of the internet site,
Ing. Zaleska, was unable to meet personally, but was contacted remotely over
the web. In accordance with the above, it was requested that the internet site
be modified in order to accurately record the number of hits to the site, and
also to provide the opportunity for users to interact - to provide comments and
feedback on the site and the aims of the project. Such enhancements would
therefore not only allow the visitor to the site to find and assimilate the
required information more quickly, but also to enable the site to assume a more
interactive quality, enabling visitors to participate in its development by
offering reactions and feedback. Such enhancements would hopefully result in
increased usability of the web pages, and to also increase the amount of visitors
to the site.
Next month is: October
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