Our research group presented two papers at the 18th International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology in Pretoria, South Africa.

Design Science Research for a New Society: Society 5.0

Humanity has experienced unprecedented technological developments during the past few decades. Few can argue that the lives we live and the societies we are part of are undergoing vast, often unexpected adjustments and transformation. More voices are requesting a rethink of the relationship we – as humans – have with technology in this new world.

Conference Proceedings: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-32808-4

Paper Abstracts

Measuring the Actual Office Workspace Utilization in a Desk Sharing Environment Based on IoT Sensors

Businesses that follow the trend of flexible work arrangements with home offices and hybrid work models are increasingly utilizing desk sharing to allocate available desks in the office efficiently. In this work, we investigate the utilization of flexible work arrangements, specifically the implementation of desk sharing in hybrid work models. To optimize the occupancy rate of shared desks and simultaneously meet demand and save costs, it is crucial to have real-time knowledge of their availability which can be obtained by recording occupancy over time. We utilize the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology to develop a prototype solution for real-time monitoring of shared desks occupancy in hybrid work models. The proposed prototype is a low-cost solution utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technology consisting of a motion sensor and accelerometer that collect occupancy data and transmit it via Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN). Signal processing utilizing cloud computing is employed to enhance the quality and accuracy of the data, which is subsequently made available through a web dashboard. The prototype’s effectiveness is evaluated through a small-scale pilot deployment in a real-world environment over a two-week period, with reference values obtained during periods of non-use serving as a benchmark for the evaluation.KeywordsInternet of Things.

Designing Virtual Conference Venues Through Integration of Game Engine Technologies and Event Management Information Systems

In a human-centered society 5.0, participation in events such as trade fairs and academic conferences should fit the consumer’s profile and enable restriction-free participation by addressing potential economic, spatial, temporal, and individual constraints. Global challenges that have emerged or intensified in the past few years have caused a transformation in the event industry. Solutions that make the industry more resilient to future global challenges are now being explored. Within this transformation, the shift from physical to digital spaces gained importance. However, creating an environment that can satisfy the participants’ needs in interaction and immersion remains a challenge for both, academia and the event industry. This paper introduces an integration framework for game engine technologies and event management systems to enable restriction-free participation while strengthening the collaboration between participants in a virtual event. The use of the integration framework is demonstrated in an industry setting where a state-of-the-art game engine accessed through browser technologies is used to recreate a physical conference venue and populate it with content from an open-source event management information system.