The emergence of content- and context-aware search engines, which not only personalize searching and delivery but also the content, has caused the emergence of new infrastructures capable of end-to-end ubiquitous transmission of personalized multimedia content to any device on any network at any time. Personalizing and adapting content requires pro

Realizing the growing importance of semantic adaptation and personalization of media, the editors of this book brought together leading researchers and practitioners of the field to discuss the state-of-the-art, and explore emerging exciting developments. This volume comprises extended versions of selected papers presented at the 1st International Workshop on Semantic Media Adaptation and Personalization (SMAP 2006), which took place in Athens in December 2006.

Semantics in Adaptive and Personalised Services, initially strikes one as a specific and perhaps narrow domain. Yet, a closer examination of the term reveals much more. On one hand there is the issue of semantics. Nowadays, this most often refers to the use of OWL, RDF or some other XML based ontology description language in order to represent the entities of problem. Still, semantics may also very well refer to the consideration of the meanings and concepts, rather than arithmetic measures, regardless of the representation used. On the other hand, there is the issue of adaptation, i.e. automated re-configuration based on some context. This could be the network and device context, the application context or the user context; we refer to the latter case as personalization. From a different perspective, there is the issue of the point of view from which to examine the topic. There is the point of view of tools, referring to the algorithms and software tools one can use, the point of view of the methods, referring to the abstract methodologies and best practices one can follow, as well as the point of view of applications, referring to successful and pioneering case studies that lead the way in research and innovation. Or at least so we thought. Based on the above reasoning, the editors identified key researchers and practitioners in each of the aforementioned categories and invited them to contribute a corresponding work to this book. However, as the authors’ contributions started to arrive, the editors also started to realize that although these categories participate in each chapter to different degrees, none of them can ever be totally obsolete from them. Moreover, it seems that theory and methods are inherent in the development of tools and applications and inversely the application is also inherent in the motivation and presentation of tools and methods.

"This book focuses on the customization of services and communication environments to advance user satisfaction--Provided by publisher.

Safety-critical systems, by definition those systems whose failure can cause catastrophic results for people, the environment, and the economy, are becoming increasingly complex both in their functionality and their interactions with the environment. Unfortunately, safety assessments are still largely done manually, a time-consuming and error-prone

The Handbook of Human Factors in Web Design covers basic human factors issues relating to screen design, input devices, and information organization and processing, as well as addresses newer features which will become prominent in the next generation of Web technologies. These include multimodal interfaces, wireless capabilities, and agents t

Addressing the rapid evolution of global communications, this book provides step-by-step guidance on how to configure, enact, and manage the process of integrating mobile technology within an organization. The mobile enterprise transition (MET) process presented considers input from the four significant dimensions of an organization - economic, technical, process, and social - making it a well-rounded and complete process. Based on extensive research, literature review, and practical experimentation, this comprehensive text presents emerging best practices, exhaustive case studies, and examples of successful transitions. It also provides detailed references, and a glossary of key terms and commonly used acronyms.

All too often, a simple lack of understanding of fundamental business concepts is enough to prevent capable scientists and engineers from receiving otherwise deserved promotions. These days, technical merit and hard work alone no longer guarantee upward mobility. For scientists and engineers with aspirations of moving up the corporate ladder a keen

Organization of data warehouses are vital but often ignored aspects of growing enterprises. This work merges technological know-how with managerial practices to show both the business manager and the IT professional how better alignment between data warehouse plans and business strategies can lead to a successful data warehouse adoption that will support the entire infrastructure. More complete than any other text in the field, this resource also addresses the managerial and strategic aspects of data warehouses, offering doable solutions that will allow for the strategic alignment of these warehouses while building them and ensuring that this alignment is sustained.

In early 2007, the Project Management Institute (PMI) piloted the now highly sought after Program Management Professional (PgMP) credential, reflecting the growing trend for organizations to coordinate the work done on numerous stand-alone projects into a cohesive program-type structure. Written by two successful PgMPs, Implementing Program Managem