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Publications

Publications by Frederico Branco

2017

An Initial Proposal for a Web 2.0 Information System that Supports a 360 degrees Customer Loyalty Assurance Process in Private Healthcare Organizations

Authors
Magalhaes, D; Martins, J; Goncalves, R; Branco, F; Oliveira, M; Moreira, F;

Publication
RECENT ADVANCES IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES, VOL 3

Abstract
This study translates how the potential exists for ICT and Web 2.0 to promote and improve the quality and efficiency of the supply of health services. The segmented and personalized access to individual clinical records is considered in the context of basic support information which simultaneously facilitates an initial screening by a health professional, to all those who fit in a universe of clients and patients of Private Healthcare Organizations - PHO. The context is of excellent customized health care which builds trusting relationships with the target market. The project does however recognize barriers to this change namely by making the health system more transparent clinicians who hitherto have gone mainly unquestioned and unnoticed will subsequently possibly be subject to more scrutiny and possible judicial action in case of mal practice. Nonetheless, with this work we aim to present an initial position relative to the need for the existence of information systems which support the process of creation of customer loyalty in private organizations delivering health care services.

2017

A global perspective on an emotional learning model proposal

Authors
Faria, AR; Almeida, A; Martins, C; Goncalves, R; Martins, J; Branco, F;

Publication
TELEMATICS AND INFORMATICS

Abstract
Existing literature argues that emotions have a significant impact on the majority of human activities and functions. The learning process is one of the activities on which emotions have a direct influence. Thus, understanding the manner in which emotions change the students' learning process is not only very important but it can also allow to improve the existing learning models. Currently, in the majority of situations, the teacher serves as a facilitator between the student and the learning course, and through a constant analysis of the student's behaviour, emotions and achievements, he constantly performs adjustments to the teaching process in order to meet the students' needs and goals. Thus far, in online learning environments there is no easy way for teachers to analyse students' behaviour and emotions. A possible solution to this problem can be the development of mechanisms that enable computers to automatically detect students' emotions and adapt the learning process in order to meet students' real needs. An emotional learning model was described and a software prototype was developed and tested, in order to find out whether it performs live identification of the students' emotions, by using affective computing techniques, and whether it automatically performs adjustments to their individual learning process. Through a deeper analysis and multi-disciplinary discussion of the achieved results it is possible to acknowledge that not only emotions impact students' learning, but also that an application that performs live emotion recognition and which integrates this feature with adjustable online learning environments will trigger improvements in students' learning.

2017

Information Management Through a Multidimensional Information Systems Architecture: A University of Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro Case Study

Authors
Bessa, J; Branco, F; Costa, AR; Martins, J; Goncalves, R;

Publication
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN INTERACTION

Abstract
Portuguese Higher Education Institutions have more and more data that needs to be processed in order to get information and, therefore, Knowledge. In order to respond to this need, over time there have been several types of IS supported by ICT, which enables them to achieve these features and, at the same time, help with their daily activities. However, the continuous evolution of this technological component has led to a current high degree of complexity, from which the Information Systems Architectures emerged as means of increasing the effectiveness of its management and maintenance. Using the University of Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro as a case study, the research team proposed a generic ISA that enabled it to have a transversal vision of its IS, allowing the validation of existence/need IS focused on Information Management and decision-making under a multidimensional perspective, i.e., geared towards the various organizational levels, since the Operational level to the Strategic level, taking into account the information needs associated with each player.

2016

Creativity as a Key Ingredient of Information Systems

Authors
Santos, V; Pereira, J; Martins, J; Goncalves, R; Branco, F;

Publication
TRENDS AND APPLICATIONS IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Abstract
Resorting to creativity technique and their use to help innovation in the area of information systems had a growing interest. In fact, the global competitiveness and the organizations ability to make effective use of information technology and to focus on innovation and creativity are recognized as being important. So, the perspective of using creativity techniques seems to be promising. In this research work we argue that is possible in all IS areas to take advantages of the use of creative processes. We give a pragmatic reasoning and examples for the introduction of creative processes in all the main IS areas.

2015

Decision Support System for the Agri-food Sector - The Sousacamp Group Case

Authors
Branco, F; Goncalves, R; Martins, J; Perez Cota, MP;

Publication
NEW CONTRIBUTIONS IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES, VOL 1, PT 1

Abstract
The agri-food organizations evolution, and its inherent need for well supported decision making, has led to an increase on the integration of IT/IS into their business and operational processes. With this in mind, an analysis was performed to the use of systems designed to support business decisions, thus allowing to acknowledge that there was none that answered to the needs inherent to organization from the mushroom production sector. This led to the definition and implementation of a DSS system, with the necessary features and qualities, which would help the mentioned activity sector needs. This DSS was designed and tested in a real environment through the implementation of a case study within a eatable mushrooms production company named "Sousacamp Group". With the implementation of the proposed DSS, the referred business group has reported an increased in their performance levels and decision making accuracy.

2017

Evaluation of Virtual Reality Navigation Interfaces using the Steering Law

Authors
Monteiro, P; Carvalho, D; Melo, M; Branco, F; Bessa, M;

Publication
2017 24 ENCONTRO PORTUGUES DE COMPUTACAO GRAFICA E INTERACAO (EPCGI)

Abstract
Navigation in virtual environments is important because it allows the exploration of the virtual worlds. This paper presents an objective performance evaluation (based on the Steering Law) of two types of navigation: natural (real walking) vs. not natural (gamepad). Steering Law was the objective performance metric chosen since it captures the relationship between the time to travel a path and the difficulty of that path. In addition to the performance, subjective metrics were also considered, namely the feeling of presence, cybersickness and user satisfaction. The participants had to complete a series of paths with different difficulty indices and the time that a participant took to go through each one was measured. Overall results show that navigation through real walking had better performance, presence, cybersickness, and satisfaction than the gamepad interface.

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