A. James Clark School of Engineering
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/1654
The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations.
Browse
2 results
Search Results
Item Measuring the Impact of Training in the Implementation of Project Management Information Systems(2012) McCarty, Andrew; Skibniewski, Miroslaw; Civil Engineering; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Organizations can use training to maximize the benefits realized through the implementation of project, program, and portfolio management software. However, the relationship between Project Management Information System (PMIS) training and the creation of organizational value is not well understood. The goal of the research is to create a better understanding of current industry project management software training practices and outcomes. This research investigates training utilization and outcomes in the PMIS industry, the prevalence, relative effectiveness and efficiency of several commonly used training delivery methods at increasing PMIS outcomes, and the relationships of individual and organizational characteristics on outcomes. An expansive multi-disciplinary review of existing scholarly literature was undertaken to develop a framework for the measurement of project management software training outcomes. Expert input from a panel of 9 practitioners averaging 16.7 years of professional experience related to PM, and 15.1 years of years of professional experience related to PM software usage was used to objectively select a small number of the best-scoring elements of the proposed framework for inclusion in a survey to be administered to practitioners. In total, 1,021 completed surveys were collected and analyzed using statistical methods. Research findings suggest statistically significant differences in consumption rates, effectiveness and efficiency among the examined training delivery methods. This research may contribute to training that is more effective and more efficient, based on the unique requirements of each individual and organization, at a reasonable cost. The methodologies and findings of this research have immediate implications in improving the planning, delivery, and measurement of PMIS training.Item Performance Measurement, Simulation, and Analysis of the Cox Tee Dee 0.010, the World's Smallest Production Internal Combustion Engine(2006-12-15) Sookdeo, Troy; Cadou, Christopher; Aerospace Engineering; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The Cox Tee Dee 0.010 is a two-stroke 0.010 cubic inch model engine designed to power small propeller-based hobby aircraft. First manufactured in 1961, it remains the smallest working piston engine ever mass-produced, but no scientific measurements of its performance are available in the open literature. These measurements are important because they could facilitate the development of small unmanned air vehicles. This thesis reports measurements of power output and efficiency using a specialized dynamometer. An unsuccessful attempt is made to correlate the measurements with simulations based on Stanford University's Engine Simulation Program (ESP). Instead, the results are compared to the predictions of a simple zero-dimensional thermodynamic MATLAB simulation of an engine cycle developed at the University of Maryland. Differences and correlations are discussed and the engine performance is analyzed in the context of propulsion systems for small UAVs and for compact power generation.