In this book the authors aim to endow the reader with an operational, conceptual, and methodological understanding of the discrete mathematics that can be used to study, understand, and perform computing. They want the reader to understand the elements of computing, rather than just know them. The basic topics are presented in a way that encourages readers to develop their personal way of thinking about mathematics. Many topics are developed at several levels, in a single voice, with sample applications from within the world of computing. Extensive historical and cultural asides emphasize the human side of mathematics and mathematicians. By means of lessons and exercises on “doing” mathematics, the book prepares interested readers to develop new concepts and invent new techniques and technologies that will enhance all aspects of computing. The book will be of value to students, scientists, and engineers engaged in the design and use of computing systems, and to scholars and practitioners beyond these technical fields who want to learn and apply novel computational ideas.
In this book the authors aim to endow the reader with an operational, conceptual, and methodological understanding of the discrete mathematics that can be used to study, understand, and perform computing. They want the reader to understand the elements of computing, rather than just know them. The basic topics are presented in a way that encourages readers to develop their personal way of thinking about mathematics. Many topics are developed at several levels, in a single voice, with sample applications from within the world of computing. Extensive historical and cultural asides emphasize the human side of mathematics and mathematicians. By means of lessons and exercises on “doing” mathematics, the book prepares interested readers to develop new concepts and invent new techniques and technologies that will enhance all aspects of computing. The book will be of value to students, scientists, and engineers engaged in the design and use of computing systems, and to scholars and practitioners beyond these technical fields who want to learn and apply novel computational ideas.
Practical reference on the latest sensory and consumer evaluation techniques available to professionals and academics working in food and consumer goods product development and marketing This unique manual describes how to implement specific sensory and consumer methods based on context and objective. Presented in a direct and straightforward language that will speak to the industry professionals and academics who are on the ground attempting to solve technical questions, it reviews, step by step, the various stages of a product evaluation. Included are practical examples from many industries that practitioners can relate to. The book also shows how to build a sustainable short-, medium-, and long-term product evaluation strategy, and guides readers on how to create customized methods, or even completely new approaches. Consumer and Sensory Evaluation Techniques speaks to management and decision-makers within organizations and addresses the main questions (eg: "How much will it cost?" and "How quickly can it be achieved?") that are faced when developing and testing new products before a launch. Chapters cover: the pillars of good consumer and sensory studies; sensory profile of a product: mapping internal sensory properties; the foundations of consumer evaluation; study plans and strategy—sustainable short, mid and long-term vision; real-life anticipation with market factors: concept, price, brand, market channel; and internal studies versus sub-contracting. Uses examples from multiple sectors to show how to build a sustainable product evaluation strategy Analyses the critical milestones to follow and the pitfalls to avoid Supports the decision-making process while developing fast yet robust test strategies that will increase the likelihood of a product's success Consumer and Sensory Evaluation Techniques is the perfect resource for students, faculty and professionals working in product development, including formulators and marketers.
1. 1 Motivations Deciding is a very complex and difficult task. Some people even argue that our ability to make decisions in complex situations is the main feature that distinguishes us from animals (it is also common to say that laughing is the main difference). Nevertheless, when the task is too complex or the interests at stake are too important, it quite often happens that we do not know or we are not sure what to decide and, in many instances, we resort to a decision support technique: an informal one-we toss a coin, we ask an oracle, we visit an astrologer, we consult an expert, we think-or a formal one. Although informal decision support techniques can be of interest, in this book, we will focus on formal ones. Among the latter, we find some well-known decision support techniques: cost-benefit analysis, multiple criteria decision analysis, decision trees, . . . But there are many other ones, sometimes not presented as decision support techniques, that help making decisions. Let us cite but a few examples. • When the director of a school must decide whether a given student will pass or fail, he usually asks each teacher to assess the merits of the student by means of a grade. The director then sums the grades and compares the result to a threshold. • When a bank must decide whether a given client will obtain a credit or not, a technique, called credit scoring, is often used.
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