The Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Perceived Performance
The menstrual cycle (MC) phase has a significant impact on athletes’ perceived performance. Carmichael et al. (2021) indicate that menstrual cycle phases have adverse effects on training and competition for 50–71% and 49–65% of athletes, respectively. Additionally, certain phases of the MC, such as follicular and late luteal stages, change the apparent speed, power ratings, and strength of athletes. The decline of perceived performance in the mentioned phases is associated with menstrual symptoms like pain and concern about flooding. Serotonin production during early follicular and late luteal phases explains the augmented perception of fatigue and distraction, which are risk factors for reduced performance. Carmichael et al. (2021) note that low levels of estrogen during these phases reduce the amount of serotonin produced, leading to fatigue and impairing competition and training performance among female athletes.
Effects of MC Phase on Anaerobic Performance
The effects of the MC phase on anaerobic performance vary among female athletes. While few studies reviewed by Carmichael et al. (2021) show that anaerobic performance varies with the MC phase, most of them demonstrated that the latter has no effect on the former. Most performances that take a maximum of 3 minutes are rarely affected by any phase of the MC. However, Carmichael et al. (2021) found that sprint performance, peak power, and vertical jump height increased during mid-luteal, ovulatory, and follicular phases, respectively. Elevated levels of estrogen during the ovulatory phase raise force production, leading to increased peak power. Notably, tasks such as multiple jumps and sprinting remain as well as performances that demand rapid force production unaffected across MC phases because tissue stiffness does not change.
Effects of MC Phase on Muscular Strength
The MC phase has a varying effect on the athletes’ muscular strength. Carmichael et al. (2021) indicate that hormone concentration is an essential factor that can explain the change in muscular strength during certain phases of the MC. Estrogen and progesterone concentration during the early late follicular phase increases strength performance. However, other studies reviewed by Carmichael et al. (2021) show that muscular strength outcome is higher in the mid and late luteal phases than in the early follicular phase. The MC phase effects on muscular strength also depend on limbs. The dominant handgrip strength increases during the menstrual cycle’s late follicular phase. Additionally, changing the hamstring to quadriceps strength ratio is insignificant in the dominant limb but is lower in the non-dominant one during the late follicular than in the late luteal phase.
Effects of MC Phase on Aerobic Performance
Menstrual cycle phases have varying effects on the athletes’ aerobic performance. While few studies reviewed by Carmichael et al. (2021) demonstrate that MC impacts aerobic performance outcomes, most of them concluded that it has no effects on the latter. For instance, the MC does not alter various endurance performances such as rowing and maximal trending mill. Nevertheless, the MC phase influences the intermittent endurance performance. Carmichael et al. (2021) indicate that the performance and fatigability increase and decrease, respectively, during the early and late follicular phases. Such outcomes are associated with the possible absence of high cardiovascular and thermoregulatory strain in the luteal phase. The shift towards greater cardiovascular, metabolic, and thermoregulatory strain in the mid-luteal phase impairs the running economy, leading to reduced efficiency.
Overall Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Physical Performance
Menstrual cycle phases have mixed impacts on athletes’ physical performance. Carmichael et al. (2021) found that MC phases do not enhance or impair physical performance after reviewing 20 and 35 studies. Conversely, 15 pieces of research confirmed that MC phases affect at least one physical performance outcome. Unlike other MC phases, early follicular and late luteal phases lower performance, possibly because of menstrual symptoms. Nevertheless, McNulty et al. (2020) indicate that MC’s early follicular phase slightly lowers athletes’ overall performance compared to other stages. Although there are inconsistent findings on the effects of MC phases on physical performance, it is evidence that muscular strength, aerobic, anaerobic, and endurance performances are either enhanced or impaired by MC’s follicular, luteal, and ovulatory phases.
References
Carmichael, M., Thomson, R., Moran, L., & Wycherley, T. (2021). The impact of menstrual cycle phase on athletes’ performance: A narrative review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1667. Web.
McNulty, K., Elliott-Sale, K., Dolan, E., Swinton, P., Ansdell, P., Goodall, S. Thomas, K., & Hicks, K. (2020). The effects of menstrual cycle phase on exercise performance in eumenorrheic women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 50(10), 1813-1827. Web.
Texting is one of the most preferred modes of communication among students due to the ease and speed of communicating using texts. Texting has been criticized because of its negative effects on the performance of students. Academic critics argue that it causes distraction, affects the grammar skills of students, and lowers productivity as well as performance. However, several studies have shown that texting improves note-taking skills, fosters spelling, and enhances reading and writing. The use of abbreviation and manipulation of the phonological sounds of words improves the imagination and creativity of students. Opponents of texting among students argue that it fosters bad grammar because of the omission of capitalization, punctuation, and certain words in texts. Several studies have revealed that these omissions are not related to the academic performance of students in standardized grammar tests.
Introduction
Texting is one of the most common forms of communication among young people that gained popularity with the emergence of mobile technology (Ochonogor, Alakpodia & Achugbue, 2012). Since the development of this technology, several research studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of texting on the academic performance of students. Cognitive psychology has revealed that one of the downsides of texting during class is poor performance. It encourages multitasking, which reduces performance because of divided attention. Opponents of testing argue that it reduces productivity, results in poor performance, promotes bad grammar, and worsens the spelling skills of students. On the other hand, proponents argue that it helps students improve their summarizing skills, increase creativity, sharpen communication skills, and enhance reading and writing skills (Dansieh, 2011).
The activity has been criticized by many experts in the academic field for its negative effects on the academic performance of students. Several research studies have validated the argument that texting is beneficial to academic performance because it makes students creative, improves their spelling and summarizing skills, improves their communication skills, and helps them read and write.
Benefits of texting
One of the benefits of texting is that it improves academic performance by promoting the spelling and note-taking skills of students (Dansieh, 2011). One of the most important skills that students in higher education need are note-taking. Students are required to take notes during lectures. Texting is a special form of shorthand writing that is valuable, especially to students whose instructors do not provide handouts or dictate notes during lectures. In that regard, texting improves note-taking in two main ways. First, it helps students learn how to use abbreviations in order to improve their writing speed. Second, it teaches them how to communicate big and complex ideas using few words (Dansieh, 2011).
Several studies have been conducted to study the relationship between texting and spelling skills. One such study was conducted by Bushnell, Kemp, and Martin in 2011 among Australian children. The study involved 227 children aged between 10 and 12 years. 82% of the participants informed the researchers that they sent more than five text messages daily (Bushnell, Kemp, & Martin, 2011).
In the study, the students were required to use different text message abbreviations. The study revealed that the types of abbreviations used by the children were positively correlated with their spelling abilities. They also found out that spelling ability improved with an increase in the number of text messages sent by participants (Bushnell et al., 2011). The findings of this study invalidated the claims by media outlets and certain academic experts that texting has a negative influence on the spelling abilities of students. Allowing students to use their mobile phones to text is likely to increase their spelling skills according to the findings of the aforementioned study.
Secondly, texting helps students to read and write (Dansieh, 2011). A recent study revealed that the use of abbreviations in texting is an indication of the acquisition and development of writing and reading abilities. One of the reasons for this correlation is that the elation and freedom of communicating through texts increase the delight of reading and writing (Bushnell et al., 2011). More reading and writing lead to greater engagement and achievement in various literary activities that influence academic performance (Bushnell et al., 2011).
Some critics argue that embracing the culture of texting does not affect conventional literary tasks that involve reading and writing. However, they ignore the fact that engagement with texting more often than not increases exposure to the written word. More exposure increases their appreciation of literary work and has a positive influence on their reading habits (Ochonogor et al., 2012). The positive influence of texting on reading and writing is primarily based on the frequency of involvement in sending and receiving text messages (Bushnell et al., 2011).
A study published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning revealed that there is a direct relationship between texting and literacy. It noted that texting improves reading skills and phonological awareness. In order to create abbreviations for certain words, it is necessary for an individual to comprehend the phonology of words. Composing messages encourages students to think about the phonological basis and development of certain words (Bushnell et al., 2011). Spelling is closely associated with the phonology of words. Therefore, improved phonology improves the spelling skills of students (Dansieh, 2011). Researchers have found out that children who text frequently are more likely to possess superior writing and reading skills compared to children who rarely text (Bushnell et al., 2011).
The ability to abbreviate and manipulate words depends on phonological awareness. These arguments were validated by a study conducted by Wood et al. in 2011. The study involved 119 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years and evaluated the reading, spelling, and phonological awareness of participants. The children were requested to provide the text messages that they had sent in a span of two years before the study. Analysis of the messages revealed that texts that were sent at the beginning of the academic years were positive predictors of significant improvements in spelling skills at the end of the academic year (Clare et al., 2011).
Texting has affected the formal writing of students significantly because it has improved creativity and thus enhanced creative writing. Abbreviations were created in the 1940s and have been applied in different fields since then. Developing abbreviations is a difficult activity that needs a lot of creativity and imagination. It involves breaking down a message into captivating phrases that fit a certain word limit allowed for a text message. Text messages have a 160-character limit. Therefore, students have to come up with ways to shorten their messages in order to fit the character limit. On the other hand, texting involves playing with different aspects of words such as their phonology and spelling (Dansieh, 2011).
In addition to improving spelling and phonology awareness, texting makes students more creative. This creativity is useful in creative writing courses and other disciplines that require critical thinking. The creativity associated with texting emanates from the length constraint of texts, which encourages the economy of expression. This is similar to the economy of expression associated with poetry. Moreover, the brevity of text messages necessitates the eradication of complexity and verbosity. A student finds a way to reduce the most complex message into a simple form that can fit the 160-character limitation.
Creating abbreviations, decoding text messages, shortening messages, and eradicating complexity requires both creativity and imagination. The development of these mental faculties is beneficial because they can be applied in other academic activities such as note-taking and research. Brevity is an important component of clear, accurate, and assertive expression in writing. Through texting, students learn how to write briefly and summarize complex statements into concise messages without altering the original meaning.
Counterargument
Despite the aforementioned positive benefits of texting on academic performance, there are negative influences too. The main disadvantage of texting is that it lowers the grammar standards of students because it involves the use of shortcuts and the omission of essential punctuation marks that are important grammar components (Cullington, 2011). The use of homophones and the omission of non-essential letters affect the grammar skills of students negatively. Punctuation and capitalization errors are common grammatical mistakes that students make in texts (Cullington, 2011).
Academic critics argue that texting worsens grammar and academic performance. However, several studies have shown that the grammar made in texts do not impact the grammar skills of students negatively. A study conducted by Wood and Kemp (2013) among 210 primary schools, secondary school, and undergraduate students revealed that the tendency to make grammatical errors in texts does not affect the students’ performance on grammar tests. The study did not find any relationship between the students’ understanding of grammar rules and the grammar violations they made when texting (Wood & Kemp, 2013).
The presence of errors in texts among secondary school students was associated with improved spelling abilities. The results showed a correlation between texting and low scores in undergraduate students. The omission of punctuation and capitalization was linked to lower test scores on standardized tests given to the students. The negative correlation validated past studies that associated texting with poor grammar. However, the researchers noted that the links were weak and explained their existence by citing the varied ability levels of different students who participated in the study (Wood & Kemp, 2013).
Conclusion
Texting is a common activity among students that emerged with the development of mobile technology. It has both negative and positive impacts on their academic performance. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the relationship between texting and academic performance. The findings have revealed that the advantages of texting outweigh the disadvantages. Students benefits by improving their reading and writing abilities, acquiring better spelling skills, and learning how to summarize complex statements into simple texts without altering the original message. Critics have argued that texting fosters bad grammar among students because of the tendency to omit punctuation and capitalization in texts.
However, several studies have shown that there is no correlation between such omissions and the performance of students in standardized grammar tests. According to the findings of the aforementioned studies, texting is good for students and should be encouraged in order to improve their spelling abilities, creativity, and note-taking skills.
References
Bushnell, C., Kemp, N., & Martin, F. H. (2011). Text-Messaging Practices and Links to General Spelling Skill: A Study of Australian Children. Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology, 11, 27-38. Web.
Cullington, M. (2011). Spotlight on First-Year Writing: Texting and Writing. Young Scholars in Writing, 8, 90-95. Web.
Dansieh, S. A. (2011). SMS Texting and Its Potential Impacts on Student’s Written Communication Skills. International Journal of English Linguistics, 1(2), 222-229. Web.
Ochonogor, W. C., Alakpodia, N. O., & Achugbue, I. E. (2012). The Impact of Text Message Slang (Tms) or Chartroom Slang on Students Academic performance. International Journal of Internet of Things, 1(2), 1-4. Web.
Wood, C., & Kemp, N. (2013). Text Messaging and Grammatical Development. Web.
A sport can be defined as any organized and more so an entertaining activity that entails competition and requires a lot of strategy, commitment and fair play for success and sustainability (Magee, 2003, p. 178). As far as different sports are concerned, a winner is supposed to be defined by acceptable and objective means that will not create any problem. Most common sports are defined and governed by a set of rules that are supposed to be adhered to by participants as time goes by.
There are a wide number of sports that suit each individuals needs. In this case, there are games that are classified as either mind sports or Olympic sports. Mind sports involve a lot of skilful thinking while Olympic sports are characterized by a lot of physical and mental involvement (Lacey, 2007, p. 148). There are other non-competitive activities that may be referred to as recreation games or sports. As a matter of fact, there are certain games that require a lot of skills for one to excel.
In extreme cases, there are other sports that don’t need a lot of skills but there is a well defined criterion that is used to judge them. Some sports are normally played for fun but others are purely professional and in this case they have been known to bring in a lot of revenue (Magee, 2003, p. 174). As a matter of fact, professional sports have emerged as a major source of entertainment to many people.
As much as some sports may require a lot of skills for one to succeed, participants are supposed to show and display a lot of good sportsmanship in the games that they are participating in (Weinberg and Gould, 2003, p. 15). In this case, they are expected to observe the standards of conduct as stipulated in the rules and regulations that guide the game.
Therefore, there has been a general argument that there are various factors that determine the success of a given individual in his/her preferred sport. These factors may always vary depending on an individuals sport or activity. Personality is very important as far as sports performance is concerned. This is because it gives an individuals trait and general behavior (Magee, 2003, p. 173). As a matter of fact, it is an attribute that might vary in different individuals.
Personality development is wholesomely related to character development in all perspectives. This is because it studies different individual characters over a given period of time. In this case, it is quite undeniable that one can be able to predict sports performance from personality measurement (Spalding, 2010, p. 9). This is despite the fact that different sports have a well defined set of practice that is supposed to be followed and adhered to as time goes by for one to be fully acquainted with what he/she is supposed to do.
In recent years, there have been conflicts as per to why some sports are being changed to make them popular and in the process enhance their profitability. In this case, such sports have ended up loosing their traditional and valued traditions. As much as these issues have arisen as time goes by, the general aspect of sportsmanship has not been eroded (Magee, 2003, p. 175). This has been guided by the general attitude that revolves around fair play, ethical behavior and integrity.
Since there has been a lot of professionalism in sports, we need to look at the guiding principles that have an impact on the performance of sports. These are factors that help a sportsman to be successful in that particular game or sport (Cox, 2002, p. 11). It has been argued that sports performance can be measured based on ones personality. In this case, a participant’s personality will be defined by various psychological factors that revolve around him.
Such psychological factors that will mould a person include self confidence, anxiety and stress. The relationship between personality and performance is always hard to understand but needs to be well evaluated and looked at. Personality is very important in sports development and needs to be harnessed and modeled for success (Spalding, 2010, p. 14). A sportsman needs to be well behaved and this is directly related to his personality. If a sportsman believes that his team is not good, he can not perform well as expected.
People are supposed to be committed to sports to achieve good and sustainable results. This is mostly applicable to professional sportsmen who earn their living from sports. For instance, if one is a workaholic, he will likely perform to his best as time goes by (Weinberg and Gould, 2003, p. 16). Sportsmen are not supposed to be selfish as they are expected to work together as a team. Selfishness is directly related to personality and needs to be avoided at all costs.
This is because a team is supposed to work together and if one is nice to others, the whole team will work together with him to develop his/her talent and performance in the sport. In this case, it is easy to help out a team mate who has been nice to you all along than to help an individual who has always been selfish (Lacey, 2007, p. 134). As a matter of fact, the teams’ performance is highly dependent on people’s personality.
Sportsmen are supposed to have a high morale when they are going to play at a given period of time. In this case, they are supposed to be happy as it will have an impact on their general performance in the field or pitch (Magee, 2003, p. 170). There are two aspects of personality that are supposed to bee looked at. This includes positive personality and negative personality.
Personality can also be grouped into two types. This is ether type A or type B. Type A sportsmen are always impatient and have been known to lack tolerance towards other individuals or team mates. These people always have high levels of anxiety that can not enhance their performance in sports (Spalding, 2010, p. 29). This means that a highly anxious individual will not concentrate on what he/she is supposed to do in the field.
Type B individuals are always tolerant to others and more relaxed. This means that they can accommodate anybody in the team. Such individuals can always encourage their team mates to keep up with their spirit even when they are not performing well (Lacey, 2007, p. 137). As a matter of fact, they have low levels of personal anxiety. This means that they can always be ready to accommodate and deal withy any challenge that might come by as they go about their business and activity of sportsmanship.
By looking at the two types of personality, it is quite evident that personality can be used to measure performance. This is because we can always look at the teams’ personality as a whole and predict if they will be able to perform as expected (Cox, 2002, p. 11). As a matter of fact, sportsmen are supposed to be highly tolerant for them to perform well in their teams and on an individual basis.
Therefore, we can say that personality greatly effects how a sportsman performs in a given sport. It should be known that we have different personalities that need to be understood for sustainability in sports (Lacey, 2007, p. 177). As a matter of fact, personality measurement has been used by various organizations and institutions to select teams that are supposed to participate in games and sports.
Personality defines the emotional and mental traits of sportsmen. Therefore, it is easy to measure a team’s performance by evaluating ones emotional traits. An emotional person can not perform well as expected (Cox, 2002, p. 19). This is because they will not be ready to accept mistakes that they have done and they will always be ready to come up with blame games instead of embracing collective responsibility.
As far as sports are concerned, personality is a distinctive trait that has a direct bearing on the teams overall performance. There are various factors that affect an individual’s personality in sports (Weinberg and Gould, 2003, p. 36). Gender limits the kind of games that different people can participate in but it does not have a direct impact on personality. Wholesomely, there is a very big relationship between personality and sports performance in a broad way.
As much as skills and abilities have an impact on sports performance, an individual needs to have unique and distinctive traits to be successful in sports. Despite the fact that personality is complex it needs to well understood for long term sustainability in sports performance (Cox, 2002, p. 35). This therefore justifies the fact we can easily predict sports performance based on personality measurement.
Reference List
Cox, R.H. (2002). Sport Psychology: Concepts and applications (5th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Lacey, D. (2007). It takes a bad loser to become a good winner. Journal on enhancing the advancement of sports, 3(6), 121-174.
Magee, S. (2003).101 Ways to Be a Terrific Sports Parent. Journal on sports development, 2, 168- 180.
Spalding, A. (2010). Without a governing body, cheerleaders face identity crisis. New Jersey: Herald.
Weinberg, R.S., & Gould, D. (2003). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. (3rd ed.) United States: Human Kinetics.
A performance-evaluation data flow diagram (DFD) is a software-based application allowing data access depending on the login side; administrators and employees access evaluation reports on separate platforms. As summarized by Mukunda (2019), the specific software requirements for the data storage process are scripting tools, the operating platform, which can be Windows™ or its equivalent, and the front and back-end programming tools. Johnson et al. (2021) noted that the first step to creating a data flow management system is determining the required technology and supporting hardware for storage purposes.
Moreover, a performance evaluation process is procedural, where the human resource administrator in charge of initiating the review must clarify the criteria and job requirements to be analyzed (Mukunda, 2019). Performance review is so holistic that, apart from evaluating on provided appraisal criteria, the process also entails employee strengths and weaknesses identification for further assistance (Mukunda, 2019). The Mukunda (2019) data flow diagram, albeit designed for a learning institution, has a critical relevance in the universality of performance evaluation in any workplace. Functional requirements that are important for a comprehensive evaluation are the administrators, the staff, and supervisors.
The functional differences are distinct when considering appraisal responsibilities in the two diagrams. Whereas in the first data flow diagram, the admin controls a wide array of data characteristics and entries, the second DFD shows the role of employees and supervisors in making data personal entries and saving/printing reports by administrators. Mukunda (2019) approved the data flow diagram for workplace applications, given that it covers the entire scope of a performance evaluation process, including employee self-reflection and collaborative coordination between top managers and their subordinates. The staff side shows how employees can access their performance data, whereas the self-appraisal function promotes idea exchange between administrators and subordinates.
References
Johnson, R., Carlson, K., & Kavanagh, M. (2021). Human resource information systems. SAGE Publishing.
Mukunda. (2019). Performance appraisal. International Journal of Current Engineering and Scientific Research (IJCESR), 6(4), 63-69.
Fire protection engineering is an important concept that was integrated into the design and construction of the Lowry building which is an arts center that took three years to construct beginning in 1997.
The architects and fire safety engineers of the time knew well the cost of destroying the building by accidental fires. Thus the incorporated fire safety designs solutions for the building as discussed below. The paper discusses in detail about various design strategies, continues to evaluate the difference between prescriptive design and performance based designs.
Passive and active fire protection systems are discussed, an evaluation fire fighting installations, building materials and ends with a documents used in the construction of the building. There is need, however, to conduct much research on the behavior of construction materials under different load conditions and associated thermal effects.
Fire safety designs solutions
Fire safety design solutions are critical components in ensuring the integrity of a building in mitigating against hazards due to fires as was detailed by the architect (The Building, n.d).In addition to that, the fire control officer concurred with the architect reinforcing the rationale for fire safety design solutions, typical of the Lowry building (Lowry, n.d).
The architect detailed that fire safety design solutions included considering design aspects such as the provision of adequate means for escape doors in the event of a fire, integrating reliable signage mechanisms to ensure a flexibly high standard systems consistent with fire safety standards. In the building, escape mechanisms that can accommodate disabled persons and children were incorporated into the design.
The design provides for lifts and associated communication mechanisms as set out in the design and fire safety standards (The Building Regulations 2000, 2006).In a detailed discussion between the architect and the fire control officer, emergency folders as one of the cost effective approaches of fighting fires formed the basis of designing the building for fire protection.
The architect detailed that for a means of escape doors, corridor fire doors have been used to partition adjacent corridors incorporating self closing mechanisms. However, the design allows for fire resisting construction materials that measure up to the standard requirements outlined in building regulations and legal requirements (The Building Regulations 2000, 2006).
It is important to fit a ½ hrs fire resisting door based on the fundamental principles of designing for performance, besides prescriptive design requirements. On the other hand, several circumstances allow demand that electromagnetic device integrated into doors and staircases helps to minimize damage to fires.
Through the eye of the architect, the fire control, officer could see other fire safety designs solutions to incorporate means of escape stairs. In the design, each step is designed with distinguishing edges that include contrasting nosing with an appropriate slip resistant surface. In line with construction standards, the architect revealed that escape stairs are sustainably maintained to ensure protection from adverse weather effects such as algae and frost among other factors.
Typically, the design and construction limits the use of spiral and helix stairs. However, they have been incorporated into the design for their aesthetic appeal and plenty of space (The Building. n.d). In addition to that, the architect asserted that such stairs were used to accommodate the needs of escaping children and disabled people who could be in the building in the event of a fire.
Boarding and lodging areas are installed with fire alarm systems that allow for real time reporting of the incident of a fire. These installations comply with standard architectural provisions and legal requirements. Any alarm is directly communicated to an alarm receiving office which is continuously manned by well trained and experienced technical fire fighting staff that is made up of a quick response team in the event of a fire (Information Policy Team, 2006).
Information about the occurrence of a fire is continuously relayed to the remotely located centre to provide information about the status and progress of any fire. In addition to that, the alarm center is computerize and logs all events of fires in a database for future analysis.
The design includes refugee areas that are typically provided with communication systems and staircase enclosures. That allows people who are disabled to communicate with the fire fighting personnel in the event of a fire. At this point it is evident that the architects worked consultatively with fire control officers in informing the design for fire safety protection focusing at the disabled and children.
According to the architect, the fire safety designs solutions focused at direct access to fire fighting equipments specifically including a range of equipments and devices. That was in particular inclusive of height restrictions, the weight capacity of the building according to the building codes and regulations used at the time of construction.
On the other hand, fire fighting installations are in accordance with fire fighting regulations and standards discussed later on. These installations provide solutions in fighting fires by the use of extinguishing agents that are discussed elsewhere in this paper (The Building Regulations 2000, 2006).
The design of ducting and ventilation systems incorporates fire fighting equipments that were carefully integrated into the system at the design and construction stages. In addition to that, Intumescent grills were used in the compartmentalization process to attain standard escape ducts as outlined in the fire safety regulations and standards discussed elsewhere.
However, the architect agreed with the fact that both prescriptive and performance based designs borrowed from each other to form the basis of the design. Therefore, a brief comparative analysis of both approaches is necessary as discussed below.
Prescriptive and performance based design
A strong distinction between performance based design and prescriptive design could further inform the research process into the fire safety designs solutions specific to the building in question (ABS. 2004). Under the prescriptive approach, designer engineers are more concerned with adhering to the specifications laid down in the building codes and regulations without caring about the ultimate performance of the design.
These codes lay stringent restrictions on designers and leave them with little or no flexibility to develop a design that incorporates fire safety elements particularly when buildings on limited space (Galati, Vollintine, Nanni, Dharani, & n.d). The prescriptive approach relies on escape means, construction of fire resisting structures, and the best means to reach required fire fighting equipments.
In addition to that, prescriptive codes prescribe standards for the design of a structure, and provide a preliminary structure due for consideration during the design for fire engineering.
On the other hand, performance based design begins without caring about established codes and standards, factors items that may not be compliant in the design, factors a comparative evaluation of alternative designs, creates a fire safety report that is evaluated by a sitting committee, and gradually submits the document for use by the fire protection engineers.
Performance based designs must, however, be quantitatively evaluated before it is adopted and integrated for use in a structure Galati, N. Vollintine, B., Nanni, A., Dharani, L.R.& V, M., A. n.d).. It is also important to design methods must incorporate tested results, necessary redundant methods, issues related to fire dynamics, and the quantification of the level of safety has to be done by appropriate fire control personnel. However, both designs must factor both the active and passive fire fighting systems as discussed below.
Passive and active fire protection systems
Active and passive fire protection systems safety typically formed an integral part of the strategy used for fire protection as revealed to the fire safety officer by the architect. In the discussion with the architect, a number of active fire protection systems were identified.
The systems identified specific to the building included fire extinguishers, emergency lighting, pressurized stairwells, emergency exits, automatic sprinkler installation to LPC rules – BS 5306 Part 2 1990 / BS EN 12845, and automatic fire detection to BS 5839 Part 1 2002 a fire protection strategy in agreement with the view presented by (Robinson, n.d).
These systems were, in the architect’s argument, appropriately integrated into the building to optimize their integration in ensuring fire safety standards are adhered to and the risk of a fire are minimal in the event a fire occurring, early action could be taken to minimize the likelihood of any potential destruction.
On the other hand, the architect further identified passive fire protection methods as being integral to the fire protection methods used in the building. These included the use of noncombustible construction typically involving fire barriers, fire resistant cabling, large capacity buildings and fire dampers as discussed below.
According to the architect’s arguments, the use of active and passive fire protection methods were performance based though a theoretical basis reinforced the prescriptive approach as underlying the performance based approach.
The architect continued to indicate that passive forms were reflective of the use of fire resistant electrical cabling. Referring to documents that were available, the architect clarified that appropriate cabling was done to ensure that hazards due to the risk of fire from wrongly done electrical installations could be mitigated.
Fire barriers integrated into the building included fire insulations on the roofs and other fire protection linings, dampers particularly built into ducts and other non-structural materials layered in between building elements to curb the possibility of a spreading fire.
Various metal cases used with different board materials cemented with spray materials to prevent the spread of a fire away from its source. It is important to realize that structural steel used in the construction of the building met standard requirements for steel that could maintain its structural strength and other mechanical properties when subjected to intense heat.
It is argued in theory and observed in practice that door posts used for the doors are made of fire resisting door sets and doors that incorporate into their designs roller shutters to enhance the resistance and protection from hazards related to the risk of the occurrence of fires.
Further importance is attached to the regular maintenance of hardware components that make up the structure and use of self-closing does to curb the spread of a fire from a given source. In addition to that, the structure is critically identifiable with rolling shutters that provide easy escape in the event of a fire. On the other hand, fire separating elements are used within the fire walls to ensure the risk of fires spreading through the walls is curbed.
The architect further argued that the floor areas engineering requirements are met in the use of fire resistant flooring materials. Concrete floors are reinforced with steel and other fire resistant materials and reinforced with composite steel reinforcements.
On the other hand fire resistant ceilings are incorporated which meet and satisfy the requirements spelled out in fire protection engineering standards. These characteristics are also evident in the design and construction materials of cavity barriers particularly for those fires that are spread through smoke and related effects.
The architect argues that the design of the building could be complete with the use of active fire protection measures. These include the use of fire extinguishers positioned at strategic points to enable easy access to any source of fire. In addition to that, the use of fire detection mechanisms is a critical component of early sensing of the possibility of the occurrence of a fire and looking for measures to prepare against the likely event of a fire.
Fire detection mechanisms integrate smoke detection devices which automatically triggers a fire warning in the event of its occurrence. On the other hand, well provided for lighting provides a clear visibility for escape and with adequate escape routes. It is important to continuously maintain lighting throughout the building no blockage occurs when escaping in the event of fire.
Typically, the fire detection systems are installed in the building to allow early sensing of a fire to allow contingency measures to be employed to curb any occurrence of a fire. They are, according to the architect, at various levels. These include Flammable and Toxic Gas Detection Systems which incorporates an electronic sensor that is able to identify the leaking of gas or smoke and trigger information about the risk of a fire (Robinson, n.d).
The architect concludes this part by being categorical that emergency lighting was critical in determining the saving of lives in the event of fire. Thus, an automated mechanism that could trigger the lighting mechanism in the event of a fire was integrated into the structure to address an emergency situation.
However, in theory and practice, it has been identified that the complexity of the building and the occupying population were determinant factors in the design of the lighting system. Other issues integrate into active fire protection measures include emergency exits, smoke ventilation and exit systems, pressurized stair-walls and automatic sprinkler systems (Robinson, n.d).
Appraisal of the different types of fixed fire fighting installations
An appraisal of different fixed fire fighting installations within the building revealed a number of issues. One of the methods involved the use of a sprinkler water system. A critical evaluation of the system indicates that the sprinkler system has been established to be a cost effective fire fighting system and reliability figures indicate up to 99% efficiency in putting off fires, a technique doubtlessly integrated into the Lowry building (Robinson, n.d).
The performance design of the sprinkler is meant to reduce the size of a fire by optimizing its design in controlling the spread of smoke hence minimizing the rise in temperature as a likely source of fire. However, sprinklers have limitations in optimizing their efficiency in tall ceilings and the inability to be functionally efficient in front of obstructions, and inflexibility in the event of electric fire breakouts.
Typically, the design mechanism of a sprinkler is characterized by a water source that is reliable, control valves, pressure upping pumps in the face of inefficiently pressurized water, and a piping mechanism. On the other hand, sprinklers fall into the category of wet pipe, dry pipe, wet and dry, tail end, among others.
In their design, sprinklers exit pressurized water in the form of deluge water systems where medium capacity nozzles are used, water mist systems that discharges mist at a fire, and foam enhanced systems that use foam that is mixed with water and directed at a fire at either low, medium or high expansion levels (Robinson, n.d).
Building construction materials and impact of heat on the structure
The building materials used to construct the Lowry included 48,000 tons of concrete giving the building the aesthetics of a ship when viewed from the outside, 2,466 tons of steel forming a massive investment in steel, and 5,263 square meters of glass (Teacher’s Resource Pack. n.d). Milke, Kodur and Marrion (n.d) detail the behavior and properties of different materials when subjected to effects of fire.
The fire rating of the Lowry building is strongly related to the building codes and materials that were used in its construction (Milke, Kodur, & Marrion, n.d).
Typically, steel formed one of the basic construction materials used in the building. Steel, when subjected to heat, the thermal properties and the thermal performance of steel varies proportionally. In accordance with ASTM E119 provide laboratory results on the analysis of these materials when subjected to heat treatments. The yield strength of steel changes with increasing heat before it yields at 500 ºC, typical of steel frame measuring 11×10-6 mm/mm ºC.
Steel reaches a melting point at 1400 ºC. To mitigate against the effects of fire, fire protection measures were used in protect steel against the effects of heat. These include insulating steel members by use of sprays and use of other mineral fibers such as concrete and other masonry materials as was seen appropriate. Another method used to protect steel was the captive method.
Here, the heat capacity of other protective materials was exploited to conduct away heat from its point of application. Other approaches used included end strain methods, applying appropriate loads, and using connections that could allow flexibility for expansions in the face of heat to minimize the overall effect on the building. Other protective measures included the use of tensile membrane actions, structural interactions, and temperature distributions (Welcome to The Lowry. n.d).
Concrete, as another structural component respond to the application of heat in different ways depending on the type of concrete used. Concrete maintains its strength at high temperatures more profoundly than steel. However, the spalling characteristics of concrete influence its behavior under the conditions of heat. That varies the compressive strength with changes in temperature particularly for the lightweight concrete used in the construction of the Lowry building (Hasija, 2010).
In conclusion, therefore, the building is modeled to accommodate every aspect of structural safety and able to withstand the effect of heat on the application of heat. In addition to that, the design assures that to a greater extent, the safety of occupants in the event of a fire is guaranteed.
Appropriate building codes and approved documents used in the design and construction of the premises
In the design and construction process, a number of fire protection codes were used. Typically, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides standards to be adhered to when designing or procuring water tanks that are used for private fire protection. These tanks include water tanks, pressure tanks, gravity tanks and a number of others as were seen appropriate during the design and construction process.
Each of these tanks has to meet standers inspection requirements typically in relation to the fire resistant materials they are made of. The NFPA 101, Life Safety Code provided a guide in the fire protection equipments used in the building, furnishings, means of egress, building materials, and structure and other constructions.
On the other hand, 2003 International Fire Code® (2002) details administrative issues in the design of a structure relating to structures and all other issues related to premises for fire protection. It details requirements for fuel fired installations and appliances, refrigeration systems, ventilations, and a host of other fire protection systems, and means of egress in details (2003 International Fire Code®, 2002). However, appropriate authorities have to approve a specific code to use for a specific building.
Approved documents used in the design and construction of the building
In the construction of the Lowry project, fire protection engineering was based on standard codes that were adopted for use in the construction process. The document details the design of the building such as cavity requirements, ceiling lift in dwelling areas, fixtures, maximum loading conditions, and several other details (Glasroc F fire protection solutions, n.d).
In the Glasroc F fire protection solutions (n.d) document construction details are highlighted while and the performance different materials are detailed. Other areas of detail include Board fixings, system support components, and other steel ceiling membranes (Glasroc F fire protection solutions, n.d).In addition to that, construction details are shown in the Glasroc F fire protection solutions (n.d) for further informative analysis.
References
ABS. 2004. Alternative design and arrangements for fire safety. American Bureau of Shipping. Houston, TX.
Galati, N. Vollintine, B., Nanni, A., Dharani, L. R. & V, M., A. n.d. Thermal effects on bond between frp rebars and Concrete. Web.
Analyzing sports activities represents a critical element in the future success of the team and its performance. Performance analysis in sports serves as an instrument for the coaches to determine the effectiveness of the players, their strong and weak sides, potential tactics, and others. According to Nelson and Groom (2012:687), ongoing analysis helps to generate “vital information for the prescription of training and rehabilitation programs.” Thus, analyzing the performance of the team, and sometimes of the opposing team, provides valuable data for further coaching techniques and about the aspects that require additional attention. The purpose of this paper is to observe qualitative and quantitative analyses of sporting performance, and reliability, objectivity, and validity in sports performance evaluation.
First, it is crucial to identify the essence of sports performance analysis, its purpose, and its value in football. The emergence of the necessity to analyze performance in sports came when the amount and type of practice became significant components in the success of a team (Hendry and Hodges, 2013). In such a way, the coaches had to find the best training methods that would also be optimal for the players to achieve high results.
As a result, the analysis of performance became an integral technique, in which actual performance is analyzed “through observation of the performance which could be live or post-competition” (O’Donoghue, 2014:4). Hence, coaches started to see value in conducting observation and analyzing the findings because it generates useful suggestions.
It is also essential to understand that performance analysis is widely used in different types of sports. The primary purpose of the examination of performance is to gather evidence that will be utilized to make decisions about training and practice (O’Donoghue, 2014). Moreover, performance analysis contributes to overcoming the limited recall of coaches, in case they rely only on personal observations (O’Donoghue, 2014). In other words, various qualitative and quantitative analysis methods are actively used to withdraw information that will be valid and accurate, which helps coaches and athletes to make different decisions.
Quantitative Analysis of Sporting Performance
Quantitative analysis provides objective information gathered from monitoring and evaluating sporting performance. The quantitative examination of performance in sports includes match statistics, charts, and diagrams portraying the events’ locations, and other useful aspects of the game (O’Donoghue and Mayes, 2013). Collected numbers and activities help to determine the areas of the sports performance that require additional focus and to come up with the most effective playing tactics.
Different quantitative methods allow collecting such data as the number of passes made and the number of passes reaching a player, which can be converted into a percentage (O’Donoghue, 2014). Thus, conducting this type of analysis generates a substantial amount of information that the coaches and other parties involved can use for the benefit of the team’s future performance.
Different approaches to quantitative analysis exist in the field, and one of the most used ones is notational analysis. Notational evaluation represents an objective technique of recording the critical elements of performance so that they “can be quantified validly and consistently” (Nelson and Groom, 2012:688). It is crucial to gather structured feedback through notational analysis because it can provide the answers and recommendations for the fundamental aspects of the game.
Today, working analysts use both hand and computerized notation systems, which allows conducting tactical and technical evaluation and movement analysis, and developing a database and necessary models (Hughes and Bartlett, 2015). Thus, the notational method of quantitative analysis offers numerous advantages for coaching and helps to collect large volumes of information. However, it is crucial to remember about possible errors that can occur with the usage of applied software and that this approach can miss on environmental and other significant factors in the game.
Another approach of quantitative analysis in sporting performance is time-motion. This type of evaluation focuses on the quantitative side of the characteristics of the player’s activity and movement throughout the game and “seeks to understand the physical component of sporting performance” (Nelson and Groom, 2012:688). Hence, the time-motion method emphasizes the significance of the individual’s movement patterns and aims to examine the physical capabilities and weaknesses of the player. The Time-motion technique involves various tools that help to conduct precise analysis without missing any details.
With technological advancements, professionals started to incorporate such tools as satellite tracking, multiple procedures for automatic monitoring, and different electronic devices (Carling et al., 2012). The Time-motion method is a practical technique that can provide reliable and pertinent data. Still, this type of analysis focuses on a single player, which implies substantial time and labor resources involved.
Qualitative Analysis of Sporting Performance
In comparison to quantitative analysis, qualitative evaluation provides subjective observations and has been criticized because of potential inaccuracy and the presence of personal bias and emotions. Qualitative analysis of sporting performance includes such methods as individual interviews, ethnography, focus groups studies, and observations (O’Donoghue, 2014). Hence, the coaches or other observers evaluate the team’s or player’s performance based on their knowledge and preferences, which can create prepossessions and generate subjective findings.
Still, qualitative analysis can be interpretive and naturalistic, offers “a detailed description of how athletes make sense of their world”, and accounts “for the athlete’s subjective experience” (Poizat et al., 2013:310). Qualitative methods of evaluating performance in sports allow seizing more complex moments and aspects of the game and the players and noticing the insights of the changes and significant movements.
Qualitative analysis is widely used along with quantitative methods in sports performance observation. According to Nelson and Groom (2012), qualitative evaluation remains to occupy a substantial part in coaches’ activities, and they highlight its significance. In other words, many coaches believe that this type of analysis can provide the aspects of athletic performance that might be invisible in the quantitative findings.
It is also suggested that coaches continue to integrative qualitative observation methods because it offers detailed feedback, integrates the points about biomechanics and motor development, and touches tactical and behavioral aspects (Nelson and Groom, 2012). Therefore, the qualitative analysis offers an understanding of numerous elements involved in athletic performance, which makes it practical within the field. However, besides being subjective, qualitative approaches also imply dependency on the observer, their knowledge and expertise, emotions, and personal position.
Professional coaches and observers aim to provide useful qualitative analysis and feedback, which can be done through the four stages. A practical qualitative assessment includes preparation, observation, evaluation and diagnosis, and intervention (Knudson, 2013). Thus, throughout the four stages, it is possible to conduct adequate analysis and develop improvement strategies. Moreover, it is beneficial to integrate various technical tools throughout the observation and evaluation stages.
For example, recording the videos can be a useful technique because it allows to have access to the sequence of events and activities and “facilitates qualitative analysis of motion technique” (Baca and Grober, 2020:185). Hence, this four-stage model allows going through necessary steps of performance, and includes knowledge and relevant strategies, different types of observation, helps to identify strengths and weaknesses and come up with appropriate strategies.
Reliability and Sports Performance Analysis
Other crucial elements in sporting performance analysis are reliability, objectivity, and validity. As far as different examination techniques do not involve “fully automated data capture,” it is possible that errors throughout data collection can occur (O’Donoghue, 2007:35). Both quantitative and qualitative analysis methods are not protected from problematic issues with those criteria. The errors can have a significant impact on the information’s reliability and objectivity, which deters the results of the analysis. Besides, such aspects as the observer’s memory limitations or constraints of viewing the environment can also limit the findings’ reliability, which generates more obstacles (Cobb et al., 2018).
Reliability in sporting performance analysis implies the consistency of the outcomes, and validity focuses on whether the instruments measure the desired aspects. Thus, it is critical to establish the validity and reliability of the findings while formulating analysis methods and techniques to reduce potential burdens and ensure the best suggestions derived from the analysis.
One of the possible solutions for establishing those criteria is employing professional coaches to conduct an analysis. It is crucial to ensure that the information is reliable, objective, and valid to avoid potential risks in future performance, to enhance the team’s efficiency in the right direction, and to produce trustworthy outcomes. Different statistics of measuring reliability and validity are used in the field. The reliability statistic that shows “the known group difference between two different types of pair of observation with no overlap in values” gains the characteristic of valid and reliable (O’Donoghue, 2007:40).
Another practical tool for evaluating the content is the introduction of small-sided games (SSGs), which also aims to ensure validity and reliability (Cobb et al., 2018). Consequently, with the help of various testing tools, it is possible to measure the reliability of the collected data. In conclusion, qualitative and quantitative analyses serve as practical assessment tools in sporting performance and, despite their limitation and the challenges they impose, they are critical to use for the coaches.
Reference List
Baca, A. and Gröber, M. (2020) ‘Qualitative biomechanical analysis of technique. In Hughes, M. and Franks, I.M. (eds.) Essentials of performance analysis in sport. 3rd ed., New York: Routledge, pp. 184-195.
Carling, C., Bloomfield, J., Nelson, L. and Reilly, T. (2012) ‘The role of motion analysis in elite soccer: contemporary performance measurement techniques and work rate data.’ Sports Medicine, 38(10) pp. 839-862.
Cobb, N.M., Unnithan, V. and McRobert, A.P. (2018) ‘The validity, objectivity, and reliability of a soccer-specific behaviour measurement tool.’ Science and Medicine in Football, 2(3) pp.196-202.
Hendry, D.T. and Hodges, N.J. (2013) ‘Getting on the right track: athlete-centred practice for expert performance in sport.’ In McGarry, T., O’Donoghue P. and Sampaio, J. (eds.) Routledge handbook of sports performance analysis. London: Routledge, pp. 5-20.
Hughes, M. and Bartlett, R. (2015) ‘What is performance analysis?’ In Hughes, M. and Franks, I.M. (eds.) Essentials of performance analysis in sport. 2nd ed., New York: Routledge, pp. 1-28.
Knudson, D.V., 2013. Qualitative diagnosis of human movement: improving performance in sport and exercise. 3rd ed., Stanningley: Human Kinetics.
Nelson, L.J. and Groom, R. (2012) ‘The analysis of athletic performance: some practical and philosophical considerations.’ Sport, Education and Society, 17(5) pp. 687-701.
O’Donoghue, P. (2014) An introduction to performance analysis of sport. London: Routledge.
O’Donoghue, P. (2007) ‘Reliability issues in performance analysis.’ International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 7(1) pp.35-48.
O’Donoghue, P. and Mayes, A. (2013) ‘Performance analysis, feedback and communication in coaching.’ In McGarry, T., O’Donoghue P. and Sampaio, J. (eds.) Routledge handbook of sports performance analysis. London: Routledge, pp. 173-182.
Poizat, G., Sève, C. and Saury, J. (2013) ‘Qualitative aspects in performance analysis.’ In McGarry, T., O’Donoghue P. and Sampaio, J. (eds.) Routledge handbook of sports performance analysis. London: Routledge, pp. 309-320.
The first issue that arises with modern databases is the framework they are built on. Many database-backed applications use an Object Relational Mapping (ORM) framework, which affects the database performance (Yan et al., 2017). ORMs are used in application construction that correlates with database management systems (DBMSs) (Yan et al., 2017). It seems to ease the application development through abstracting persistent data instead of embedding SQL queries, but it also lowers the performance (Yan et al., 2017). Hiding specific query processing details leaves the programmer unaware of how the database works, making it more challenging to optimize the system. Thus, the following problem needs to be addressed in future databases.
Alternative databases
One of the possible solutions starts to arise with alternative database technologies such as NoSQL and Hadoop appearing. The cloud database platforms are also projected to provide a more significant workload without performance costs. Even general-purpose databases are now enabled to support several data models with extended capabilities such as in-memory storage and data virtualization. The future databases are expected to go even further and support a broader range of workloads and functions such as stream processing and secondary functionality.
Database performance tuning
The changes necessary for developing future databases require discovering the patterns in modern ones and improving them. The system’s functional components need to be in tune to provide a qualitative change (Zimniak et al., 2015). Since the database workload continually adapts, the information about modifications in the structure and intensity is essential in forecasting the effectiveness of future databases (Zimniak et al., 2015). The workload information can be reached through audit trails, sequences of dynamic performance views, and traces of user applications analysis.
The following data collection allows the analysts to evaluate the intricate patterns to predict the future workload levels and adapt the database. One of the essential features to be taken into account is estimating future query execution time that predominantly affects the monitoring and scheduling of query processes (Zimniak et al., 2015). The information about the possible workload levels can then be used to automate performance improvement or change the future database design (Zimniak et al., 2015). The following information about the past workloads can be collected from a database management system.
Real-Time Database Analytics
However, due to a large amount of information needed to be processed, a database’s analytics and tuning present a complex and irregular problem. Today there appear to be no visible patterns for database assessment. Many database operations processes remain unclear because of this. The following issue of the inability to identify all the intricate periodic patterns will be solved in the future databases.
Future database development predicts the appearance of real-time analytics. The current issue of complex database assessment process creates the demand for modern real-time analytics on transactional data. The hybrid systems require a more convenient technology for analysis. The following technology of the future would allow not only to increase the speed and simplicity of data transfer and sharing but also enable real-time targeting, fraud detection, and recommendations. This can significantly impact the future and make the maintenance of a database system much more manageable.
Enhanced data management
The future databases will soon evolve to manage completely disparate data sources to increase the system’s functionality. The present-day data pools are already quite massive with merging updating data from the internet. However, such a vast amount of information constrains its analysis. Modern data scientists develop new data architectures to make it easier to manage and orchestrate the data flow pipelines (Zheng, 2018). The new solutions are essential to solve the issue and organize evolving disparate data sources. Hybrid transactional databases are one of the possible future databases untangling the problem (Zheng, 2018).
Future database
Overall, future databases would develop systems, which utilize a broader amount of diversified data in real-time (Zheng, 2018). New technology will also emerge with the introduction of databases. Extensive data analysis would be needed as the system more and more intricate. Data analysts and statisticians will have a significant role in developing the system and giving market insights. Even now, many companies sponsor the innovations in the data industry to use them in e-commerce and media portals and make critical business decisions (Zheng, 2018). Future databases would go further than that and make precise predictions about the future based on the ongoing data analysis
System performance can be defined as an essential aspect of a computer system determining its efficiency and productivity. Performance testing refers to a non-functional software testing process that evaluates the key measurements of a software application, such as speed, stability, response time, resource usage, scalability, reliability, and others. According to Takanen et al. (2018), “performance testing attempts to prove that a system can handle a specific amount of load (traffic, sessions, transactions, etc.)” (p. 18). Alternatively, this process can be referred to as load or stress testing. Performance testing is important since it estimates whether the application’s performance meets the customer’s expectation, thus affecting business success and continuity.
Performance engineering is a crucial discipline aiming to provide business value by utilizing efficient practices and techniques throughout software development. The purpose of performance testing as a subcategory of performance engineering is to integrate performance standards into the system’s implementation, architecture, and design. There are several types of performance testing, such as:
load testing,
stress testing,
soak testing,
spike testing,
breakpoint testing,
configuration testing,
isolation testing,
internet testing (Takanen et al., 2018).
Load testing is usually carried out to evaluate the application’s behavior under a given expected load. Stress testing is used to assess the system’s reliability during extreme or disproportionate loads and test system performance if the current load exceeds the anticipated maximum. Soak testing is a load test that establishes whether the application can sustain the continuous load. Alternatively, spike testing can be carried out to assess the software’s behavior in situations when it receives an extreme variation in traffic, such as a rapid increase or decrease. Breakpoint testing can alternatively be called capacity testing since it evaluates the maximum capacity of a system under which it can perform accordingly to the required specifications. Configuration testing is another type of traditional performance testing, where the influence of changes in the configuration on the performance is tested. Isolation testing allows for locating and fixing bugs and defects since it breaks down the system and isolates separate modules. Finally, internet testing is a recent type of performance testing conducted by large applications which requires substantial preparation and monitoring.
As can be seen, each performance testing type pursues the goal of ensuring that a software application will demonstrate satisfactory performance under the expected workload. Furthermore, there are two approaches to software performance testing. Regarding workload, the software is tested in conditions involving various scenarios and cases. Alternatively, real end-users can test the system as part of beta testing. It is worth noting that the performance requirements need to be detailed and documented in a performance testing plan. As to the performance testing methodology, several steps can be implemented for successful outcomes. To begin with, planning, test configuration, and validation must be conducted as the first step, followed by baseline testing and scaling of the tests. Ongoing performance testing and automation are the final steps of the recommended methodology.
Overall, performance testing is an important process in software engineering. Primarily, it aims to determine how an application performs under a specific load (Takanen et al., 2018). It can also be used to check and validate other attributes of system quality such as scalability, reliability, resource consumption, speed, or response time. This process is critical since it reveals the system’s behavior and response during various scenarios and situations and thus defines customer satisfaction.
Reference
Takanen, A., Demott, J. D., Miller, C., & Kettunen, A. (2018). Fuzzing for software security testing and quality assurance (2nd ed.). Artech House.
The Everest simulation was a web based group exercise of a group of students with an aim of reaching the peak of Mount Everest. This simulation powerfully exemplified the concepts of the importance of attitudes, power, communication, perception and personality and group structures in influencing the dynamics in a group and the success of a group.
This report dwells on the experiences of the group of students encountered in the simulations as well as it identifies the way these experiences contributed to the success of the team attained in the two simulations.
The report includes the analysis and description of the simulation processes and the experiences of the students in the simulation. The report also incorporates a very detailed analysis of the team performance, the dynamics of the students in the team and the effectiveness of communication within the team of students in the simulation exercise.
Upon taking part in the two simulations, the performance of the group of students in the second simulation was better than in the first simulation. This improvement can be attributed to enhanced performance of the team due to their better organization.
In the second simulation, the group had past the development stages of group formation. Alteration in the structure of the group by delegating roles to each member of the group and a defined structure also contributed to better performance in the second simulation.
A change from a directive decision making to analytic mode of decision making other than forcing and imposition in decision making also led to a better outcome in the second simulation. Finally, a change in communication strategies and sharing of knowledge made the outcome of the second simulation better than the first.
Although the performance of the group in the second simulation was better than in the first simulation, the performance in the second simulation was still not satisfactory because the group of students still recorded below average performance.
From these two simulations, it was noted, therefore, that effective communication in groups, good leadership, good decision making processes and good measures of resolving conflict are essential for a group to achieve good performance.
Introduction
Everest simulation utilizes an online framework of a demanding voyage to the peak of Mount Everest to underpin the importance of good quality dynamics within a team and superior leadership in a team or a group. “A group is a team of two or more individuals who unite to achieve specific goals” (Levi, 2010).
In this every simulation, a group of 6 students simulated an attempt of climbing to the peak of Mount Everest together as a group in two simulations (ABS, 2011).
In each simulation, each student had his or her own objective of fulfilling in the simulation. The aim of these two simulations was to use these simulation exercises to impart the skills of coping with the challenges of developing a team and working together.
The simulations were a way of making the students learn how to use their decision making process, their conflict resolution techniques and their leadership skills in virtual reality as a way of making them use these skills in real life situations (ABS, 2011).
The performance of the simulations was determined by the successful completion of the objectives of the team, individual goals of the team and the health condition of each competitor upon reaching the summit. Both simulations were not carried out on a face to face meeting but on a virtual interface.
This simulation enforced the students to use the concepts and theories being taught during their “teamwork, leadership and decision making skills” (ABS, 2006). The simulation exemplified the utility of working together in groups and offered a parallel example to the students of what it takes to work together in a group.
Discussion
Description of the team’s experience
The first contact made among the group members in the forming stages of the group was in the exchange the phone numbers of the group members. The group consisted of five group members and an observer.
The group then organized to handle the simulation through a virtual interaction rather than meeting to hold the simulation in one location. The group had one leader and the group unanimously agreed that the decisions in the simulation would be made through a voting process (ABS, 2006).
The goals set by the group of students were reaching the mountain top without the need to rescue and spend extra days at camp 1 and camp 2 on the mountain path. The main challenges indentified by the group included medical challenges, weather challenges and allocation of oxygen tanks.
The group recorded very poor performance on the first simulation because of communication breakdown and none of the group members reached the mountain top or spent an extra day at camp 1 or camp 2 (ABS, 2011).
The second simulation was relatively efficient than the first simulation because of improved team dynamics. It was easier to reach people this time than in the first simulation. The group became more organized because of encountering the same challenges in the first simulation.
The decision making process was also better because the group had shifted from a voting system of decision making to analytical style of decision making. Analytic style of decision making allows a group to critically evaluate alternatives before making a decision which can enhance the success of a group.
The change from a voting process of decision making to a process of analytic mode of decision making meant that there was more time for the group to calculate and weigh the consequences of each decision made and the alternatives of the decision. There was also more harmony in the group in the second simulation and there were no problems of communication breakdown as in the first simulation.
Another factor that made the second simulation better than the first was better conflict resolution strategies. In the first simulation, conflict was resolved through pushing other members of the group because they were more concerned with reaching the summit than the needs of the other people in the team.
In the second simulation, there was collaboration and concern for the needs of others in the team of students which improved the performance of the second simulation by a slight margin. Effective communication is the reason for the team success (O’Connell et al, 2009).
Effective communication in the second simulation allowed the team to achieve some of the goals. Ineffective communication and withholding of some information led to the failure of the first simulation.
The most serous problems in the simulation was information sharing. The chief cause of poor information sharing is personal bias which makes team members consider their needs first rather than the needs of the whole team (Correi, 2005).
This made people seek better outcomes for themselves rather than the needs of the group. This makes people accept only information that fits their need. This is one of the factors that made the simulation carried out by the students in the team to record dismal performance.
Individuals express emotions through their voices, choice of words and facial expressions (Catherine et al, 2004). In all simulations, the group members expressed emotions in many ways. Members would shout at each other, get angry at each other and point towards each other. Such intense emotion led to poor cooperation in the group and is also one of the factors that led to poor performance of the group in the simulations.
Group dynamics are very critical in the success of a group (Brown, 2006). The group of students in the two simulations had poor group dynamics.
In the first simulation, communication between the groups was poor because there was no consensus on most of the issues. Although the process improved a little in the second simulation, the group members did not engage well with each other and there was no group cohesion in both simulations.
Conflict resolution methods can make or break a group (Brilliant, 2006). The team of students in the simulation exercise had poor methods of conflict resolution especially in the first simulation. Each conflict was resolved through pushing and forcing others to accept the opinion of others.
The embrace of the dialogue as conflict resolution greatly improved the score in the second simulation. In each round there was a conflict that was not resolved the mistake eventually led to the failure of the simulation in the next process of the simulation process.
There was no good sharing of roles in the simulation process by the team of students in the simulation exercise. It was possible to find people talking the roles of each other in the simulation process that eventually led to confusion in the process.
The whole process was flawed eventually leading to the failure of the first simulation and the poor performance of the second simulation. There was no clear following of roles assigned in the preparation stage of the simulation process.
The entire planning of the simulations was flawed. The team did not follow the rules assigned in the preparative stage of the simulation process. Good performances in teams require proper thinking and planning such as clear allocation and assigning some tasks among the team members (O’Connell et al, 2009).
The whole process in the simulation was organized hastily due to poor planning and time constrains. Without very good planning and clear organization structure, every student in the group made their own decisions that eventually led to the poor performance recorded by the group.
The decision making process of the team in the simulation was also flawed especially when the team faced a difficult situation. The group did not believe that it was necessary to make some beneficial tradeoffs to benefit the whole group.
Everybody in the group fought for his own interests in the group rather than its wider interests. In any group, if members do not consider the underlying interests of others then it is likely that the success of the team will not be realized.
Open communication and positive feedback are the main factors that contribute significantly to the creation of an Effective team (Levi, 2010). This was not evident in the team of students in the simulation. Team members should always be willing to accommodate the opinion of others and accept constructive criticism.
Successful teams are always, motivated, engaged and are aimed to achieve the collective goals of the group rather than personal goals (ABS, 2011). The members of the group in the simulation were not able to engage properly with each other in both simulations because of focus on an individual rather than group goals.
Analysis of the team’s performance
The team of students in the simulation exercise performed poorly in the first simulation and only recorded average success in the second simulation. The main reason was poor group dynamics in the team. However, in the second simulation the group was able to achieve some successes because the group had matured through the stages of group development.
Better decision making practices, better conflict resolution techniques and better leadership are also factors that contributed to better performance in the group in the second simulation. The effectiveness of groups increases with time AS groups undergo forming and storming stages where they record poor successes to a period of performing and normalization stages (ABS, 2011).
This was evident in the team of students in the simulation because the performance of the group in the second simulation was better than the first. In the first simulation, the team of students was not well organized and the team was not acquainted well with each other.
Power struggle was another factor that led to the poor performance of the group of students in the simulation. There was no clear group structure and everybody did things in their own way. In the second simulation, there was a clear assigning of the roles and clear group structure that made the group to function better.
A better decision making procedure from directive to analytic method also made the group to function better in the second simulation.
Analysis of communication strategies in the team
The team used satellite communication in the Everest simulation, satellite communication was not very convenient because it broke down for some time during the simulation experiences which made coordination of the team members difficult (ABS, 2011).
In the first Everest simulation, there was no effective communication because there was no sharing of information and knowledge. The failure of the first simulation exemplified the importance of effective communication in-groups.
Effective communication entails the exchange of ideas and knowledge and understanding their meaning (Brilliant, 2006). Improved communication in the second simulation made the team to achieve some successes by achieving some of the team’s goals.
This simulation, therefore, exemplifies the importance of effective communication to the success of a group. The performance of the team was enhanced a little through the team advancing through the stages of group development and a change in group structure, a change in decision and conflict resolution techniques.
If the team of students had followed these principles of good organization and planning of the simulation, the team would have recorded better performance in all the simulation exercise.
Conclusion
Through the Everest simulation, the team of students in the simulation exercise was able to utilize the knowledge they have learnt in class in real life situations.
The group members learnt that a mix of effective communication, good group structure, good decisions making practices and conflict resolution techniques are very essential ingredients for the success of a team. This group exercise also exemplified the importance of good group dynamics in the work processes of a group.
Positive feedback and effective communication are key factors that lead to increase in the cohesiveness of a group. It is essential for group members to value the needs of others and accommodate differing opinions and accept constructive criticism.
The team members in a group should be highly motivated and should engage well with each other. It is also essential that each group member to keep their selfish interests at bay for the success of the group. If team members can focus on the needs of a group rather than their own individual gains, a team can attain a commendable success.
The performance of the group in the two simulations was poor. This simulation offered valuable lessons to the group of students on the barriers to effective team management.
The simulation offered a window of learning to the students from their mistakes and offer insights of understanding the functioning of groups. The Everest simulation was an exercise that offered the group of students a first hand experience of what it takes to work as a team and the challenges of forming effective group that performs exceptionally.
References
Australian Business School (2006) Individuals in organizations. South Wales: ASB.
Australian Business School (2011) Individuals in organizations. South Wales: ASB.
ABS (2011) Power and conflict. South Wales: ASB.
ABS (2011) The Everest simulation. South Wales: ASB.
Brilliant, R. (2006). Group dynamics. Michigan: New Press.
Brown, R. (2000). Group processes: Dynamics within and between groups. Blackwell: John Wiley & Sons
Catherine, H et al. (2004). Group dynamics. New York. Pearson custom.
Correi, A. (2005). Understanding conflict in teamwork contributions of a technology rich Environment to Conflict management. Indiana: Indiana University.
Levi, D. (2010). Group dynamics for teams. London: Sage.
O’Connell et al. (2009). Group dynamics in leisure and recreation. London: Human Kinetics.
It is no secret that aviation technology is one of the most complex fields of higher education. It requires a lot of attention, highly developed skills, and significant knowledge on the topic from the student for one to become a professional. Analyzing related research articles and case studies can help one to acquire these. This paper will explore, summarize, and criticize the main points of the case study about aircraft maintenance by Ward et al..
Summary of Research Problem and Rationale
Aircraft maintenance and its topical issues are the main focus of the case study. In the article titled “A performance improvement case study in aircraft maintenance and its implications for hazard identification,” its authors point out several times that “aircraft maintenance is a highly regulated, safety-critical, complex industry currently facing unprecedented challenges” (Ward et al., 2010, p. 247). They argue that in order to overcome these challenges, innovative improvements must be made in the process efficiency area (Ward et al., 2010). Their work provides a unique model that will allow achieving significant positive results without sacrificing other aspects of aircraft maintenance.
Readers can find the research problem, rationale, and purpose statement at the very beginning of the article. The abstract and introduction sections include all-important background information about aircraft maintenance and related aviation technology topics (Ward et al., 2010). Writers use multiple sources to describe and explain the status quo of the aircraft maintenance industry and to support their claims about the need for innovations. However, the authors do not make any clear hypotheses and research questions.
Summary of Methodology
Participatory action research is the methodology that was applied in the analyzed case study. According to Ward et al. (2010), “the overall methodology of this work was participatory action research” (p. 251). This approach “focuses on the effects of the researcher’s direct actions of practice within a participatory community, with the goal of improving the performance quality of the community or an area of concern” (Ward et al., 2010, p. 251). Necessary information was collected through the use of focus groups.
In order to ensure the credibility of the data, the authors applied several well-established frameworks for better data collection and interpretation. These include Human Integration into the Lifecycle of Aviation Systems (HILAS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, as well as key performance indicators (KPIs) (Ward et al., 2010). The description of the data collection process indicates that the sampling strategy that the authors have utilized was convention sampling. The authors note that many hangar workers and the entire base maintenance department served as data sources for the study (Ward et al., 2010). It is safe to say that the authors’ clear understanding of how to use different research methods, approaches, and models and a detailed description of each aspect of the research process provide a significant level of credibility to their case study. However, the transferability of the findings raises concerns since the survey was conducted in the context of the Western aviation industry. Some of the described management models and frameworks may be inapplicable or have a different effect on aircraft maintenance businesses in other countries due to cultural or religious nuances.
Summary of Research Findings
Ward et al. divided the data analysis process into several steps in their study. Initially, all aircraft maintenance processes and actors were analyzed through four different perspectives, including system levels, process activities, dependencies, and stakeholders (Ward et al., 2010). The researchers then created several reports to evaluate the effect of the intervention on performance and safety in aircraft maintenance, which hangar workers later completed. There were two types of them, which are the self-compiled performance reports and the blocker ones (Ward et al., 2010). The first group included amendment reports, quality discrepancy reports, accident occurrence reports, and forward driver reports (Ward et al., 2010). Blocker reports described the process of how hangar workers faced various difficulties in the workplace and solved those (Ward et al., 2010). After this, researchers and management analyzed multiple aspects of the reported working processes and developed the most effective solutions for blockers. The case study authors later incorporated many of the developed methods for solving blockers into their model.
Significant theoretical knowledge and the right approach to practical research allowed the researchers to achieve positive results. The writers argue that the proposed operating system model positively influenced the performance and safety in the hangar and boosted the process efficiency of aircraft maintenance in the company where the study took place (Ward et al., 2010). The proposed model increases the engagement of hangar workers in decision-making and allows employees and managers to quickly identify and solve various workflow blockers (Ward et al., 2010). Researchers conclude that a large number of diverse sources within the systematized reporting model in aerospace companies can not only significantly reduce various risks but also create an extensive and flexible database of working processes (Ward et al., 2010). The limitations of their work are its narrow sphere, namely aircraft maintenance, and the cultural context of the study. Trying the proposed model in other countries or other areas of the aerospace industry may be topics for subsequent research.
Critique of the Work by Ward et al.
Ward et al. conducted comprehensive and exciting research on a topic crucial for the aviation technology industry. Researchers have shown that they have excellent theoretical knowledge of aircraft maintenance and well-developed managerial skills. The choice of tools for collecting and analyzing data is brilliant and even unique in some sense. I also liked that Ward et al. encouraged other researchers to conduct a quantitative study on the discussed topic in the implications section (Ward et al., 2010). The flow of information and reasoning is consistent and logical; the data shown supports the authors’ conclusions. The authors indirectly argue that their proposed model is universal. It is partially true; their approach would be applicable to many Western aerospace companies, but its applicability in other cultural environments raises doubts. It is also worth mentioning such a minor flaw in the work as a poor choice of words.
Conclusion
This paper describes the key points of the case study made by Ward et al. and criticizes the authors’ approach to research. It is safe to say that the authors conducted comprehensive but narrowly focused research. The discovery they made has the potential to facilitate significantly many working processes in aircraft maintenance and related industries within aviation technology. The proposed model also makes work in this area much safer. It can be said that research by Ward et al. not only saved a lot of money for aerospace companies but also many lives for the families and relatives of aerospace workers.
References
Ward, M., McDonald, N., Morrison, R., Gaynor, D., & Nugent, T. (2010). A performance improvement case study in aircraft maintenance and its implications for hazard identification. Ergonomics, 53(2), 247-267. Web.
