Pache.co Information Technologies

More than 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home. Overcoming language barriers in healthcare, commerce, and government, including the court system, is an engine of our state economy and defining point of civic progress over the past 60 years.

It’s also a point of pride for thousands of highly trained interpreters and translators, more than 75 percent of whom are freelancers, who do the expert work to bridge communication gaps. Yet that doesn’t stop a small union claiming to represent full-time interpreters from threatening our state’s progress by putting its own self-interest ahead of Californians’ and putting colleagues out of business.

This year they aim to pass a pair of laws, one to give preferential treatment to union trainees in the court system and a second to restrict the ability of independent contractors to deliver services. Both passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee at a hearing on Thursday, May 18.

Together, these two bills, Assembly Bill 432 by Asm. Mike Fong and Assembly Bill 1032 by Asm. Blanca Pacheco, will decimate the ability of professionals with hard-earned state credentials and even certifications to work in California. Both are sponsored by Democrats from the L.A. area—Fong from Monterey Park and Pacheco from Downey—who covet the endorsement and campaign dollars of this offshoot’s parent union, the Communications Workers of America.

Each of the two bills tries to change state code so as to sideline freelance interpreters from being hired by the courts.

Why does this misuse of the law matter to ordinary people? Because skill, availability, and accuracy matter. And because taxpayers are left holding the bag for errors of meaning or understanding that occur during depositions, pleadings, trials, or appeals. Re-trials can cost millions.

With languages other than Spanish, for which it is cost-prohibitive for courts to retain a full-time interpreter, a well-trained freelancer must fill the need to interpret. To block such mutually beneficial freelance arrangements could prove detrimental to timeliness and quality. It would also impose exorbitant costs on the courts and the public.

Courts set the bar not only for justice in our state, but also for compensation and working conditions for skilled linguists. Depriving freelance interpreters who derive an increment of their pay from work in courts could force them out of business entirely.

That is not conjecture. It happened in 2019 after a union-backed law, AB 5, failed to grant an exemption to freelance interpreters and translators in the state as it did for other highly skilled professionals who traditionally work independently, such as attorneys or physicians.

Fixing that failure took an additional year and a statewide campaign uniting Democrats, Republicans, and independents to force the author of that bill and the follow-up measure to stop screwing around with lawmaking power and respect common sense. More than three out of four professional interpreters and translators in the state are freelancers. They deserve, as do the clients and community members who depend on them, the capacity to practice in California.

In a maneuver that has become sadly familiar in Sacramento, this union has resorted to peddling falsehoods to sway lawmakers. In March, the union sought to deny it was sponsoring the two measures, only to own up later after legislative documents showed their involvement. In May, when concerned freelance interpreters met with a legislative author of one of the bills, a lobbyist for the union rewrote history to say they had OK’d its terms.

Lawmaking is supposed to be an area where fact, not fabrication, holds sway and evenhandedness, not hypocrisy, prevails. When unions who say they want to stand up for women or immigrants or skilled workers misuse their influence to hurt the capacity of highly trained professionals—many of whom are women and immigrant small business owners like me—that is shameful.

All Californians have a stake in saying no to bills like AB 432 and AB 1032 that set back our progress on language access and put self-interest ahead of the public interest.

Lorena Ortiz Schneider is the founder and president of the Coalition of Practicing Translators and Interpreters of California (CoPTIC). An immigrant and small business owner, she led efforts in 2020 to safeguard the capacity of professional linguists who are independent contractors to continue to work in the state.

SANTA CRUZ — Word spread like wildfire Thursday that legendary Santa Cruz High coach Bill Dodge passed away a day earlier in his sleep. He was 94.

Stories of greatness were shared about the teacher, one of the most successful and iconic coaches in Santa Cruz County history. Colorful anecdotes spilled from his former players’ mouths between hearty chuckles and flowing tears. They all, to a man, attempted to imitate their slender leader’s unforgettable, uniquely deep voice. Some of them hadn’t heard it in decades; others just before the COVID-19 pandemic. His voice, like his lessons, were seared into their minds, as well as their heavy hearts.

“It was from the guts,” Mike DiTano, a Dodge protégé, said of his coach’s voice. “He was not a big man. It was from the diaphragm.”

Time and again, Dodge proved that his bite matched his bark. His basketball and baseball players learned that firsthand. They also learned that effort, as well as respect for themselves and the game, were paramount. If they followed those rules, success was sure to follow.

“He was a constant for generations of athletes to achieve goals they didn’t think they could reach,” said Daniel Dodge, his son.

A celebration of life will be held this summer.

Dodge’s tenacious efforts to get the most out of his students, on the field and in the classroom, will not be forgotten anytime soon. Santa Cruz High made sure of that when they named its new baseball field in his honor in 2000.

“They built that field for his memory,” said Bob Kittle, an assistant baseball coach at West Valley College after serving as head coach at Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College. “He meant a lot to a lot of people. He earned it. They guy is a legend, more than a legend. He will be missed.”

A former catcher at Watsonville High and Hartnell College, he suffered a career ending knee injury. He married his high school sweetheart, Roberta Luce, in 1950, three years removed from high school, and started a family. They had two children.

The family moved to Santa Cruz after Dodge earned a degree and took a teaching job at Santa Cruz. He coached varsity baseball for the Cardinals from 1957-’86, lightweight basketball from 1956-’59, and varsity basketball from 1960-72, but, really, he never stopped offering instruction, solicited or not, after giving up his job titles.

Former Cardinals baseball player Jerry Malmin can attest to that. Decades after graduating, he ran into Dodge at a gas station, which Dodge deemed an opportune location to give him hitting lessons.

In 30 seasons on the baseball diamond, Dodge earned a 515-264 record with 14 league crowns, a Tournament of Champions title in 1963, and three appearances in the Central Coast Section finals (1969, ’70 and ’76). His varsity basketball program won four league championships, including three straight from 1966-’68.

Dodge always deferred credit for his success. “The players are the ones who do it,” he told the Sentinel in 2013. “The coach is like, ‘Who’s here?,’ ” he added, as he pretended like he was taking attendance.

He was elected into the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2013, Santa Cruz High Athletics Hall of Fame in ’18, and California Coaches Association Hall of Fame in ’19. The coach believed that Dodge Field and his awards were as much his players’ as they were his.

“He spent an untold number of hours with all kinds of athletes,” Daniel. said. “He helped generations of families from our community.”

DiTano, a 1981 Santa Cruz graduate, not only played for Dodge, he also lived next door to his coach in his youth.

“Everything I know about about baseball came from playing for him and, later, coaching with him,” DiTano said. “He was the king of fundamentals, and he was relentless.”

DiTano said the coach had standards and stuck to them. If you couldn’t bunt, you didn’t play. If you couldn’t slide, he’d having you execute 50 slides in foul territory during the middle of a game. And if you were a minute late to practice or a game, you ran all day.

He rarely waited for an excuse for the tardiness. “Run,” he’d immediately bellow. Or, “Take off.”

He had the same rules for all his players, whether they were stars or reserves, one of his former players, ex-MLBer Glenallen Hill, told the Sentinel. Everyone, Dodge believed, needed to be accountable and game ready.

It wasn’t uncommon for DiTano, a pitcher, to throw a bullpen session outside Dodge’s accounting classroom — located on the third floor of the historic main building on campus.

“I was stupid enough to take his accounting class,” said baseball player Steve Pacheco, a teammate of DiTano’s. “He’d have me working on my swing with a ruler in another room, teaching me how to go opposite field. He was like a father figure to me because he was the next thing in my life as far as discipline.”

DiTano remembers he had a regrettable exchange with one umpire ahead of a playoff game against Watsonville and was ejected before a pitch was ever thrown. Dodge made DiTano spend the entire game running laps around the field, which included a route along the warning track in the outfield, for all spectators to witness.

Not everyone ran, said Kristian Sorensen, a ’69 Santa Cruz graduate who played basketball and baseball for Dodge. He recalled when star teammate Gary Ghidinelli, who went on to play basketball and baseball at San Jose State University, showed up one minute late to baseball practice because he was getting a special haircut. Dodge made him duck walk for 15-20 minutes. (Those who’ve done it know the exercise is torture on the lower body.)

“He was never late again,” Sorensen said. “Neither was anyone else.”

For Dodge, attention to detail was key, as was maximum effort. His players respected him because what he taught was for their benefit, and translated into success.

“It was the little things and the repetitions,” Pacheco said. “He’d have you do things until they became second nature.”

DiTano said he often heard Dodge’s deep voice calling out to him from over the fence, asking his pitcher to join him at the ballpark on a Sunday afternoon, before he attended church. The lanky coach didn’t wear catcher’s gear for the sessions and took a beating as he blocked curve after curve that DiTano bounced in the dirt.

“He was just so tough,” DiTano said. “He worked so hard for you, so you worked hard for the guy.”

Dodge saw something in each of his players, long before they saw it in themselves.

Sorensen was the ninth or 10th man on the lightweight basketball team’s depth chart as a freshman. Dodge called him up to train on varsity.

“I was the tallest player, but I could barely walk and chew gum,” said Sorensen, pausing as he fought back tears. “By the end of the year, I was the sixth man on a championship team.”

Dodge always knew how to get his players motivated. Sorensen remembers a basketball game against Seaside during his senior year. The Spartans always seemed to have different players each year, likely because of the school’s proximity to Fort Ord, a former U.S. Army post.

“They had some pretty big guys,” Sorensen said.

Dodge pulled Sorensen from the game nice and early. “I don’t think you can take that guy,” he said during Sorensen’s rare benching. When Sorensen re-entered the game, he had one of his best games and the Cardinals won.

Even when things went well, Dodge found something to harp on during his passionate halftime speeches. After the Cardinals dominated rival Soquel in the first half of a game at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, they fully expected Dodge to tear into them.

The players gathered in the cramped locker room, which was being used to store a piano, and waited for their coach to enter. “What the (frick) is he going to get mad about this time?” said Sorensen, recalling he and his teammates’ chatter.

When Dodge entered, he pointed to a talented musician on the team and had him play the piano for the entire half. “He was full of surprises sometimes,” Sorensen said.

But nothing surprised Sorensen more than after he graduated. He suffered an arm injury pitching for San Jose State, and was sidelined two seasons. It was Dodge, not one of his SJSU coaches, who played catch with him daily so that he could build up his arm strength and return to the field.

It wasn’t an isolated instance. Kittle had a third baseman, Chris Kelly, who had issues making the throw across the diamond. He asked Dodge if he could help his player out. Dodge showed up for an hour ever day for the next eight weeks to help fix Kelly’s throwing mechanics and remedy the problem.

Dodge was the same way as a teacher. He used to pound the pavement in Downtown Santa Cruz, seeking internships and job placement for his accounting students.

“His service and dedication went well beyond the diamond,” his son said.

An avid newspaper reader and always in the know, Dodge penned hundreds of hand-written letters to athletes or others throughout the community, voicing his support, or offering congratulations on one of their recent accomplishments.

Santa Cruz historian Geoffrey Dunn, a former Soquel baseball player who later coached at Santa Cruz, received one such letter.

“He was a character, an opponent, and a friend,” Dunn said. “He wrote me a letter when I had cancer. It was about being a fierce competitor. … It’s a sad day for me.”

After retiring from coaching, Dodge and his wife continued to show up at basketball and baseball games until her passing in 2015. Their daughter, Suanne, died in ’16.

It was around that time that Dodge was diagnosed with dementia.

Dodge stayed away from Santa Cruz those two years, but returned with fervor. So much so, that Cardinals athletics director Erik Redding contacted all his coaches and let them know that if Dodge walked in on any of their practices, that he had carte blanche.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Kittle said of Dodge’s attendance at games. “He watched more games that I was a part of than my parents.”

Javier Felix, a senior on the Cardinals’ baseball team, and his parents, Hector and Erica, served as caregivers for Dodge after his wife passed. They took turns picking him up from La Posada Retirement Community and ushered him to West Cliff Drive for daily walks, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They took him out for meals, and treated him dessert — plenty of Cardinals events.

Dodge always ran into someone he knew. He struggled remembering names, but his face lit up when he saw a familiar face, particularly a former player.

Dunn, who helped Dodge research Santa Cruz sports to help start the school’s athletics Hall of Fame, remembers attending a funeral for Soquel coach Ken Thomas in 2015. Dunn, seated next to Pete Hamm, a ’65 Soquel graduate who went on to pitch for Stanford University and MLB’s Minnesota Twins, saw Dodge a few rows back and waved.

“Is that Bill Dodge?” asked Hamm, who played for Dodge as a freshman, before being forced to transfer to Soquel after it opened in ’62.

Dunn nodded.

“I learned more from that man my freshman year at Santa Cruz High than I did from anyone else in my entire career,” Hamm told Dunn.

“They talked for one and a half hours after the funeral,” Dunn said. “They hadn’t seen each other in 50 years and bonded immediately.”

If you were a former Cardinals player, you were family. And if you were family, you were also a player.

“I had batting practice every day,” said Daniel Dodge, making it sound like a punishment. “My sister could switch hit by the time she was 7 years old.”

Suanne played softball at Cabrillo and San Diego State after shining as a Cardinal.

Dodge took accounting jobs and continued to coached baseball each summer. It was his life.

“A vacation for us was Candlestick Park,” his son said.

The sport consumed Dodge. And he made sure he passed his love for it onto others, until his final breath.

“He never quit being a coach,” Daniel said. “He never quit his love for it.”

Biodiesel The Alternative Fuel

What Is Biodiesel?

Biodiesel is a gas made from veggie oils. Rapeseed and also soybean oils are one of the most generally made use of, although various other veggies oils such as mustard, hand hemp, oil and also jatropha have actually been attempted as well as appear to reveal a great deal of possibility. These are provided or called Virgin Oil Feedstock.

We have the waste veggie oils which are by-products from pet fats like tallow, lard and also yellow oil. It is recommended by several that waste grease is the most effective resource of oil to create biodiesel.

Biodiesel is an eco-friendly choice to the oil diesel we make use of today which as greater discharges that contaminate our communities, cities as well as atmosphere.

Biodiesel nevertheless is old information in one feeling since Dr Rudolf Diesel the creator of the diesel motor was revealing his freshly developed engine at the Paris event, it was working on peanut oil.

Throughout a speech at the very same event he was estimated as claiming “the diesel motor can be fed with veggie oils as well as will certainly assist substantially in the advancement of the farming of the nations which utilize it.” It appears that the diesel engine was made to run on biodiesel gas right from the start.

Biodiesel is a tidy burning gas which would certainly decrease the co2 exhausts these days lorries by as much as 100%. Biodiesel is safe as well as additionally naturally degradable.

Using biodiesel is most definitely coming to be a lot more prominent in America as well as the UK, a growing number of fuel terminals are starting to offer biodiesel in the UK. Also stars like Willy Nelson, is not just utilizing it to run his trip buses, he as likewise opened up a chain of fuel terminals to market biodiesel as well.

To sum up some of the advantages of utilizing biodiesel:

1. Biodiesel is an eco-friendly gas.
2. It is a tidy burning gas.
3. It will certainly minimize co2 exhausts
4. Biodiesel is made from waste veggie oils

CFFC 112 goes down tonight from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

The Main Event is for the Interim CFFC Featherweight Championship between Frank Wells (3-1) vs Jose Perez (6-1) and a very exciting Co-Main Event Featherweight bout between two of North America’s top 125ers in American and SMASH Global Flyweight Champion Aaron La Forge (5-2) vs Canadian and former BTC & B2 Flyweight Champion James “The Suplex Kid” Clarke.

Frank Wells who is 3-1 as a Pro is on a two-fight win streak with back-to-back Unanimous Decision wins over William Rentz & Damion Nelson. Wells who trains out of Renzo Gracie’s Academy in New York has really put together a solid career with his ability to show his durability to take the fight into deep waters while mixing his ability to strike and grapple. Wells’s opponent is Jose Perez who has all the tools to leave Philadelphia as the CFFC Interim Champion as Perez like Wells has the ability to go the distance but Perez has proven to have a better game in MMA competition as 3 of his 6 wins have come by way of submission including hitting the ultra-rare Banana Split. The winner of this fight may have the Interim phrase dropped sooner than later as current Featherweight Champion Blake Bilder fights this Tuesday on Dana White’s Contender Series. This Main Event should really deliver between two of the best Featherweights in America.

The Co-Main event also has fight fans frothing at the mouth with a sensational Featherweight Bout between Aaron La Farge & James Clarke.

La Farge is coming off an impressive decision back in May to become the Inaugural SMASH Global Flyweight Champion and is hungry for more. La Farge has a solid wrestling base but can mix it up with his hands and is looking to showcase those skills against the Human Suplex Kid James Clarke. Clarke is a very talented fighter coming out of Lindsey Ontario and is riding a five-fight win streak picking up the BTC Fight Promotions Flyweight Championship & the B2 Flyweight Championship. Clarke has excellent wrestling and the ability to have heavy pressure on his opponents to try and break their will. This fight should be a barn burner, especially with some trash talk between the two. The winner of this fight should put themselves in the front of the line for the CFFC Flyweight Championship.

CFFC 112 starts at 7 PM EST with early prelim action on the CFFC YouTube Channel & then at 8 PM EST rest of the card will air on UFC Fight Pass

Results:
CFFC Interim Featherweight Championship

Frank Wells (3-1) vs Jose Perez (6-1)

Jose Perez def Frank Wells via 3rd Round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:53

Flyweight Bout

Aaron La Farge (5-2) vs James Clarke (6-3)

James Clarke def Aaron La Farge via Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

Featherweight Bout

Angel Pacheco(6-1) vs Vilson Ndregjoni (5-2)

Angel Pacheco def Vilson Ndregjoni via 2nd Round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:27

Heavyweight Bout

Marcus Leach (1-0) vs Ian Allston (1-0)

Ian Allston def Marcus Leach via 1st Round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:05

Catchweight Bout

Ibrahim Kallie (1-1) vs Eric Nolan (1-1)

Eric Nolan def Ibrahim Kallie via 1st Round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:32

Featherweight Bout

Elijah Humes (1-0) vs Thomas Picciano (1-1)

Thomas Picciano def Elijah Humes via Unanimous Decision (30-27 30-27 & 29-28)

Welterweight Bout

Ty Miller (1-0) vs Manny Morales (1-0)

Ty Miller def Manny Morales via Unanimous Decision (30-27 29-28 & 29-28)

Heavyweight Bout

Edwin Smart (3-4) vs Alex Myers (2-2)

Alex Myers def Edwin Smart via 2nd Round TKO (Strikes ) at 4:03

Bantamweight Bout

Kelvin Sterling (0-0-0 1NC) vs Keron Reed (Pro Debut)

Keron Reed def Kelvin Sterling via Unanimous Decision (30-26 30-27 & 29-28)

NextGEN Light Heavyweight Championship

Luke Fernandez (5-0 Amateur) vs Reeves Davis Jr (8-1 Amateur)

NextGEN Bantamweight Championship

Luke Fernandez def Reeves Davis via 2nd TKO (Excessive Strikes) at 1:37

Steve Phelan (7-3 Amateur) vs Riley Palmer (4-0 Amateur)

Riley Palmer def Steve Phelan via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3) to Retain the CFFC Next GEN Bantamweight Championship

NextGEN Flyweight Championship

Matthew Heller (3-1 Amateur) vs Jerry Lleshi (3-0 Amateur )

Jerry Lleshi def Matthew Heller via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3) to win the CFFC NextGEN Flyweight Championship

Optimizing the performance of software applications is a crucial aspect of software development. Developing applications requires striking a balance between functionality, user experience, and processing efficiency. Understanding the best practices of application optimization can lead to better-performing software with a streamlined workflow and faster processing times. In this article, we will explore Pacheco’s secrets to streamlining application optimization, encompassing various techniques and strategies to achieve the best possible performance for your applications.

Table of Contents

1. Background and Importance of Application Optimization
2. Key Performance Factors
3. Tools and Techniques
4. Best Practices and Strategies
5. Common Challenges and Solutions
6. Conclusion
7. FAQs

Background and Importance of Application Optimization

Development and improvement of software applications have seen exponential growth. Optimizing these applications is necessary to maintain a competitive edge, user satisfaction and achieve desired results. Application optimization is the process of identifying, analyzing, and improving essential components of an application, thus enhancing its overall performance. Pacheco’s secrets to streamlining application optimization focus on understanding, implementing, and perfecting these strategies for better-performing applications.

Why is Application Optimization Important?

• Enhanced User Experience: A well-optimized application offers a smooth experience for the end-user, increasing user satisfaction.
• Faster Processing Times: Optimized applications utilize system resources more efficiently, leading to faster processing speeds.
• Improved Scalability: Optimization efforts ensure a stable and consistent application performance even at higher levels of operational load and increased user access, thus allowing an application to grow.
• Better Resource Utilization: By optimizing application performance, resources like memory, and processing power are used more effectively, resulting in a higher return on investment.

Key Performance Factors

An effective optimization process should consider several performance factors including load time, code quality, resource usage, and responsiveness, balancing them to ensure optimal overall performance.

Load Time

Load time is the total time an application takes to completely load and become responsive to user actions. It’s essential to minimize the load time for a better user experience and improved SEO ranking on search engines.

Code Quality

Code quality affects the maintainability, security, and stability of an application. Writing clean, well-structured, and efficient code is essential to optimizing your application’s performance.

Resource Usage

Efficient resource usage ensures that an application makes optimal use of available system resources such as memory, CPU, and storage without overloading the system and sacrificing performance.

Responsiveness

A highly responsive application enables users to interact with it swiftly, without experiencing lag or delays—optimizing the application to prioritize user experience and ensuring fast response times is vital.

Tools and Techniques

To fully optimize an application, developers must utilize various tools and techniques that help them identify performance bottlenecks, refactor the code for efficiency, and validate the optimization efforts.

Code Profilers

Code profilers help identify performance bottlenecks, allowing developers to focus on specific areas of improvement. These tools provide valuable insights into the application’s performance by measuring execution times, memory usage, and CPU load.

Code Review and Refactoring

Regular code reviews can help spot coding mistakes and inefficiencies that slow down performance. Refactoring code for better performance involves eliminating redundancies, simplifying complex code structures, and optimizing algorithms for faster execution.

Load and Stress Testing

Load and stress testing simulate heavy user load and extreme conditions to gauge the application’s performance, helping developers identify optimization opportunities to enhance scalability and stability.

Best Practices and Strategies

Implementing best practices for application optimization can create a significant positive impact on your application’s performance.

Optimizing Server Configurations

Ensuring that your server is configured for optimal performance can help reduce application load times and improve overall stability. Techniques for server optimization include implementing caching, optimizing server settings, and reducing the number of server requests.

Optimizing Network and Database Interactions

Optimizing network and database interactions minimizes response times by reducing the overhead of excessive requests and data transmission. This can be achieved through techniques such as data compression, connection pooling, and query optimization.

Optimizing Frontend Performance

Frontend optimizations include reducing file sizes, deferring the loading of non-critical resources, and using efficient CSS and JavaScript code to improve rendering times and reduce the overall page weight.

Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

Continuous monitoring and improvement ensures that your application remains optimized and can adapt to changing user requirements and system updates. Employ performance monitoring tools and establish a regular optimization schedule based on collected data.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Application optimization can be a complex process, often encountering several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure efficient implementation.

Inadequate Testing and Profiling

Proper testing and profiling are necessary to identify performance bottlenecks and areas of improvement. Using the right tools and methodologies can help developers accurately diagnose problems and optimize application performance.

Legacy Code and Older Technologies

Legacy code and older technologies can hamper modern optimization efforts. Identifying and refactoring these outdated components, replacing them with up-to-date technologies, can lead to significant performance improvements.

Insufficient Resources and Knowledge

Application optimization requires resources and specialized knowledge to be effective. Developers should invest in professional development and encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing to overcome this challenge.

Conclusion

Application optimization is a continuous process that requires constant attention and effort. By utilizing Pacheco’s secrets to streamlining application optimization, developers can expect improved performance, better resource utilization, and enhanced user experiences. By identifying key performance factors, using the right tools and techniques, implementing best practices and strategies, and addressing common challenges effectively, developers can create high-performing applications that stand out in today’s competitive market.

FAQs

1. What is application optimization?

   Application optimization is the process of identifying, analyzing, and improving key components of a software application to enhance its overall performance, leading to better user experiences and more efficient resource utilization.

2. Why is application optimization important?

   Optimizing applications offers benefits such as enhanced user experience, faster processing times, improved scalability, and better resource utilization, all of which contribute to the success and competitiveness of a software product.

3. What are the key performance factors in application optimization?

   Key performance factors include load time, code quality, resource usage, and responsiveness. These factors must be carefully balanced to ensure optimal application performance.

4. What tools can help with application optimization?

   Tools for optimizing applications include code profilers, code review and refactoring tools, and load and stress testing tools, which aid in diagnosing performance issues, improving code efficiency, and validating optimization efforts.

5. What are some best practices for application optimization?

   Best practices for application optimization include optimizing server configurations, network and database interactions, frontend performance, and implementing ongoing monitoring and continuous improvement processes.

Francisco Francisco Pacheco: The Geological Pioneer of the 19th Century

Biography:

Introduction:
Francisco Francisco Pacheco, an eminent geologist of the 19th century, is remembered for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of geology. Born in 1838, Pacheco’s relentless passion for studying the Earth’s structure and history elevated him to a prominent position among his contemporaries. Throughout his illustrious career, he played a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of geological processes and their impact on our planet.

Early Life and Education:
Francisco Francisco Pacheco was born on July 12, 1838, in a small village near Oporto, Portugal. Even from an early age, Pacheco exhibited a natural curiosity about the world around him. Fascinated by rocks and minerals he encountered while exploring rugged terrains during his childhood adventures, he developed an innate interest that would shape his future endeavors.

Recognizing her son’s insatiable hunger for knowledge, Pacheco’s mother enrolled him at a renowned local school where he excelled in various scientific subjects. His academic prowess continued throughout high school until finally gaining admission to Lisbon University at the age of eighteen.

At Lisbon University:
Pacheco’s time at Lisbon University significantly broadened his intellectual horizons as he studied under some of Portugal’s most esteemed scientists. Here he delved into fundamental areas such as mineralogy and petrology under Professor Manuel Ferreira da Costa Macedo e Silva. This formative period solidified both his theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for future geological exploration.

Professional Achievements:
After graduating with honors from Lisbon University in 1860, Francisco Francisco Pacheco embarked on numerous critical expeditions across Europe that further refined his understanding of geological phenomena prevalent across different regions. These experiences led him to publish several seminal papers that received considerable acclaim within scientific circles.

Following these initial successes, Pacheco joined the Geological Survey of Portugal in 1865 and rapidly ascended through its ranks. His sharp analytical skills and incisive observations allowed him to identify new geological formations, decipher complex stratigraphy, and construct accurate geological maps for various regions across Portugal.

Pacheco’s work extended beyond domestic boundaries as he contributed significantly to the understanding of the Iberian Peninsula’s geology. Through joint projects with Spanish geologists, he conducted extensive surveys and created comprehensive geological frameworks that remain invaluable resources even today.

However, Pacheco’s most enduring legacy lies in his pioneering work on paleontology. His meticulous excavation efforts unearthed numerous fossil specimens, ranging from marine invertebrates to early dinosaurs. He meticulously documented these discoveries alongside precise descriptions of their geologic context, leaving a lasting imprint on our knowledge of prehistoric life.

Later Life:
In recognition of his exceptional contributions, Pacheco was appointed Director-General of Geological Services in 1892. Under his leadership, Portugal witnessed a renaissance in geological research and exploration throughout the late 19th century.

Francisco Francisco Pacheco lived an accomplished life dedicated to unraveling Earth’s mysteries until his untimely death on April 4th, 1900. His groundbreaking contributions continue to inspire countless geologists worldwide and have laid a solid foundation for further scientific inquiry into our planet’s intricate history.

Legacy:
Francisco Francisco Pacheco left an indelible mark on the field of geology with his tireless dedication to expanding our understanding of Earth processes. Today, his published works serve as crucial references for budding researchers while his extensive fossil collection acts as a treasure trove for paleontologists worldwide.

Beyond academia, Pacheco’s remarkable career underscores the significance of curiosity-driven inquiry and unwavering pursuit of knowledge – qualities that continue to shape scientific excellence even today.

In conclusion, Francisco Francisco Pacheco was not only a distinguished geologist but an intellectual pioneer whose passion for uncovering Earth’s secrets accelerated the field of geology during the 19th century. His legacy as a meticulous scientist, educator, and explorer remains unmatched, solidifying his place among the

More than 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home. Overcoming language barriers in healthcare, commerce, and government, including the court system, is an engine of our state economy and defining point of civic progress over the past 60 years.

It’s also a point of pride for thousands of highly trained interpreters and translators, more than 75 percent of whom are freelancers, who do the expert work to bridge communication gaps. Yet that doesn’t stop a small union claiming to represent full-time interpreters from threatening our state’s progress by putting its own self-interest ahead of Californians’ and putting colleagues out of business.

This year they aim to pass a pair of laws, one to give preferential treatment to union trainees in the court system and a second to restrict the ability of independent contractors to deliver services. Both passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee at a hearing on Thursday, May 18.

Together, these two bills, Assembly Bill 432 by Asm. Mike Fong and Assembly Bill 1032 by Asm. Blanca Pacheco, will decimate the ability of professionals with hard-earned state credentials and even certifications to work in California. Both are sponsored by Democrats from the L.A. area—Fong from Monterey Park and Pacheco from Downey—who covet the endorsement and campaign dollars of this offshoot’s parent union, the Communications Workers of America.

Each of the two bills tries to change state code so as to sideline freelance interpreters from being hired by the courts.

Why does this misuse of the law matter to ordinary people? Because skill, availability, and accuracy matter. And because taxpayers are left holding the bag for errors of meaning or understanding that occur during depositions, pleadings, trials, or appeals. Re-trials can cost millions.

With languages other than Spanish, for which it is cost-prohibitive for courts to retain a full-time interpreter, a well-trained freelancer must fill the need to interpret. To block such mutually beneficial freelance arrangements could prove detrimental to timeliness and quality. It would also impose exorbitant costs on the courts and the public.

Courts set the bar not only for justice in our state, but also for compensation and working conditions for skilled linguists. Depriving freelance interpreters who derive an increment of their pay from work in courts could force them out of business entirely.

That is not conjecture. It happened in 2019 after a union-backed law, AB 5, failed to grant an exemption to freelance interpreters and translators in the state as it did for other highly skilled professionals who traditionally work independently, such as attorneys or physicians.

Fixing that failure took an additional year and a statewide campaign uniting Democrats, Republicans, and independents to force the author of that bill and the follow-up measure to stop screwing around with lawmaking power and respect common sense. More than three out of four professional interpreters and translators in the state are freelancers. They deserve, as do the clients and community members who depend on them, the capacity to practice in California.

In a maneuver that has become sadly familiar in Sacramento, this union has resorted to peddling falsehoods to sway lawmakers. In March, the union sought to deny it was sponsoring the two measures, only to own up later after legislative documents showed their involvement. In May, when concerned freelance interpreters met with a legislative author of one of the bills, a lobbyist for the union rewrote history to say they had OK’d its terms.

Lawmaking is supposed to be an area where fact, not fabrication, holds sway and evenhandedness, not hypocrisy, prevails. When unions who say they want to stand up for women or immigrants or skilled workers misuse their influence to hurt the capacity of highly trained professionals—many of whom are women and immigrant small business owners like me—that is shameful.

All Californians have a stake in saying no to bills like AB 432 and AB 1032 that set back our progress on language access and put self-interest ahead of the public interest.

Lorena Ortiz Schneider is the founder and president of the Coalition of Practicing Translators and Interpreters of California (CoPTIC). An immigrant and small business owner, she led efforts in 2020 to safeguard the capacity of professional linguists who are independent contractors to continue to work in the state.

One of the most heated research issues in management science is decision-making, which is strongly associated with experts’ scientific and accurate judgment (Bolger, 1996). Prior research has affirmed that the advice and judgment of experts are prominent in situations with limited data, enormous uncertainty, timely solutions, and unpredictable trends (Burgman et al., 2011). For example, there is a need for expert-aided decision-making in natural resource management to assess hazards (Victoria et al., 2018). In this sense, expert performance is highlighted to describe the process of providing quality services to meet societal demands. An expert’s satisfactory performance depends on whether the expert has sufficient expertise, qualifications, professional morality, and experience. For simplicity, Mcpherson and Kernodle (2007) called these factors “inherent cognition.”

However, given inherent cognition, experts may not provide quality judgments. Havers et al. (2019) suggested that the reason could be the conflicts of stakeholders’ interests and relationships. As a result, the expert is intended to make a biased decision and causes poor performance. Recent studies have further argued that personal reputation and fatigue deserve closer attention as they misguide experts to make incomplete decisions in the peer review process (Rodriguez et al., 2007; Burgman et al., 2011). Experts advocate balancing motivational and external constraints (e.g., external pressure, scenario perception, institutional systems; Ericsson et al., 1993). Thereby, expert performance can be improved. According to Araújo et al. (2006), such factors are external and related to material and social environments.

The synthesis of inherent cognition and external environmental factors suggests that expert performance is dynamic, systematic, interactive, and characterized by multiple feedbacks. As ecological cognition theory elaborates, experts prefer to build their decisions on the interaction between inherent cognition and external environmental factors (Vanda et al., 2013). Victoria et al. (2018) argued the protocol for structured expert elicitation is more conducive to coping with external impacts on inherent cognition than randomly capturing changes in dynamic environments. Therefore, attempts to promote expert performance should consider the interaction between inherent cognition and the external environment.

The enhancement of expert performance is fueled by an increase in inherent cognition and the ability to adapt to the external environment. However, there is scant research on the interaction between inherent cognition and the external environment (Ericsson, 2007; Baker et al., 2010; Li et al., 2014; Helfrich et al., 2018). It is also unsure about how inherent cognition and external environmental factors advance expert performance and how these factors drive one another in an industrial setting. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by examining expert performance-related factors. The research objectives are to identify the key factors of expert performance in bid evaluation and evaluate the interrelationships between the identified factors using a driving/dependence power graph. Our findings shed some light on a shift of expert performance concepts from cognitive to management science. Furthermore, we laid a foundation for future studies to generalize expert performance determinants, considering the uncertainty of environmental factors rather than merely psychological representations and cognitive scientific calculations.

Literature review

Rethinking expert performance definitions

Expert performance was coined as a key construct for theorizing expert performance (Ericsson, 2007; Debarnot et al., 2014; Hashimoto et al., 2015). Experts are engaged in providing knowledge-intensive professional services for complex questions. Traditionally, a closed system perspective is adopted to interpret experts’ long-time superior performance (Ericsson, 2008; Ericsson and Harwell, 2019). The long-time superior performance is tied to the accumulation of deliberate practices and feedback that they encode and the refinery of inherent representations memorized for effective use in a determinate world (Ericsson and Kintsch, 1995). Similarly, novices may be likely to produce opinions and judgments as experts do for the same matters if they have enough knowledge and experience (Spence, 1993). As revealed in scientific judgment and the improvement of learning patterns (Krueger et al., 2012; Campitelli et al., 2015; Friedman and Korman, 2019), inherent cognition, including knowledge and experience, pertains to the generation of expert performance. In a closed system, experts’ performances are evaluated without considering the fluctuations in situations they are working with. Unexpected emergencies are precluded in the determination of expert performance.

However, the “closed system” perspective is subject to considerable flaws, as indicated by quantum physics and social and psychological science (Glimcher, 2005). Researchers have thus claimed to advance the closed system to embrace indeterminacy in the research area of brain and behavior (Gigerenzer et al., 2000; Hastie, 2001; Schall, 2004). An open system is consequently framed. Based on the tenet of the open-system philosophy, the determinants of expert performance are beyond the boundary of inherent cognition. For example, an expert’s performance does not necessarily exceed that of a novice, regardless of whether the problem is relatively simple or complicated. Chi (2006) and Spence (1993) indicated that inherent cognition might not realize better performance in judgment and decision making as experts must adapt to a new environment. Over the years, with the development of ecological cognitive science, Araújo et al. (2006) proposed an effective way to obtain superior expert performance by capturing specific environmental and perceptual information. Therefore, improving perceptions about environmental factors and owning privileged access to refined inherent representations are crucial to expert performance (Ericsson and Kintsch, 1995).

Expert performance in bid evaluation

When decision-making time and support resources are stretched, the external environment becomes a predominant factor in the formation of expert performance. This is the case in competitive bidding in the construction sector, where experts are highly involved in evaluating submitted bids. As a result, experts must produce professional services to underpin the determination of winners in competitive bid evaluations. To address the issue, previous studies have proposed approaches and models to aid experts in evaluating bids (Liu et al., 2017; Semaan and Salem, 2017). However, they often face inadequate information and uncertain circumstances (Zhen-Song et al., 2021), suggesting that the interaction between inherent cognition and the external environment is not monotonic.

Previous studies have offered a few approaches to examining the links between inherent cognition and the external environment, such as measuring eye movements and verbal reports (Macmahon and McPherson, 2009; Afonso et al., 2012). The approaches address bid evaluation task constraints and behavior settings in experimental. However, laboratory-based simulations represent a real-life situation where experts are vulnerable to biases in decision-making (Araújo et al., 2006). Notwithstanding the complex factors of bid evaluation, expert performance has been paid extensive attention, Kardes (2006), Burgman et al. (2011), and Connor et al. (2020) proposed that it was better to redefine expert performance to account for those contextual and relational factors of expert performance.

A conceptual framework

Person–environment system

According to the open-system concept, we outlined two dimensions of expert performance: inherent cognition and the external environment. A conceptual framework is proposed below to describe the mechanism of expert performance (Figure 1).

Figure 1. The formation mechanism model of expert performance in bid evaluation.

As Figure 1 tells, the formation mechanism of expert performance contains two parts: memory and ecological psychology. Inherent cognition is grounded on theories of memory, of which the main components are knowledge, experience, and qualifications (Ericsson, 2003). The formation of inherent cognition contains a loop in which knowledge, experience, and qualifications give a stimulus to memory. A changed memory enlarges the packet of knowledge, experience, and qualifications. This loop mirrors the formation of inherent cognition (Ericsson, 2007). To align with the enlargement, deliberate practice, encoding, and transformation transform external stimuli into meaningful representations (Kording and Wolpert, 2006). Meanwhile, ecological psychology is referred to explain the impacts of the external environment on expert performance, assuming a person–environment system (PES; Araújo et al., 2006). As Turvey et al. (1981) pointed out, actions, judgment, and performance are based on the lawful connections between individuals and the environment in which they act. Therefore, experts are engaged in social culture, rules, and regulations belonging to the external environment.

Experts utilize external environmental factors to avoid biased decisions (Fischhoff et al., 1982; Ludger and Erik, 2016; Contreras-Pacheco et al., 2020). However, the factors also pose physical, goal-related, and task-related constraints to expert performance (Araújo et al., 2006). These constraints cause experts to feel physical discomfort (Liu et al., 2015), peer pressure (Bohannon, 2013), motivation deviation (Ericsson et al., 2009), loose supervision (Gonsalvez et al., 2017), and weak feedback (Kardes, 2006). Furthermore, given a specific external environment, expert performance may combine inherent cognition with the external environment to present a holistic “person–environment system.” Expert performance results from dynamic, continuous interaction within the PES, which is influenced by inherent cognition and external environmental perceptions.

Interaction between PES and expert performance in bid evaluation

According to ecological psychology theory, bid-evaluation experts’ inherent cognition and perception of the external environment are embedded in each other, emphasizing that the interaction between experts and the environment is an important motivation for expert performance. In the PES, bid-evaluation experts have many opportunities to address the opportunities or possibilities for actions, known as affordances, and seize a set of objective and physical external environmental factors to improve their performance (Costall, 1984). Regarding bid-evaluation experts, perceiving an “affordance” means perceiving how one can make decisions under specific bid evaluation conditions (Araújo et al., 2019).

In the bid evaluation process, experts are supposed to integrate multiple attributes into the overall description of bidders. This is a perceptual process in which bidders’ redundant and irrelevant attributes are removed, and their core attributes are framed. Finally, the experts form inherent cognitive “representations” of the bidders. Interweaving in the environment and perceptual processes (from reactions to relevant external objects and events), this cognitive process is dynamic. Therefore, a bid evaluation task is one in which “affordance” captures the interaction between experts and the environment (e.g., peer pressure, time pressure, supervision system, and opportunity cost) with a concatenation of interdependent decisions over time. At the end of bid evaluations, experts provide feedback by reflecting on or summarizing the results from the external environment to change inherent cognition. For example, whether a bid award decision is passable is determined not by its absolute attribution representation (whether measured in performance, qualification, or scale) but rather by how it relates to the substantive responses of an individual bidder to the rules, including technical requirements, economic indicators, and commitments.

Research methods

Expert performance impacts have been examined by exploratory research, including conceptual research (Ericsson and Ward, 2007) and case analysis (Araújo et al., 2006), with a focus on the influence of inherent cognitive or external environmental factors. However, based on experimental research methods, most quantitative research designs lead to the emergence of artificial decisions and behaviors (Sozzo, 2020). Therefore, we adopted a new perspective by investigating the determinants of on-the-job performance of experts within specialist domains in the workplace. First, two-dimensional factors: inherent cognition and the external environment, were identified. Second, we detected expert performance factors through a literature review. Third, in-depth interviews with experts were implemented to confirm the reliability of the factors. Fourth, factors were refined based on the experts’ evaluations of the similarity and necessity of the factors. Finally, we compiled a list of bid-evaluation expert performance factors. Consequently, the applicability and usefulness of the factors to attain a hierarchical structural framework were confirmed.

Interpretative structural modeling

We detected these factors’ dependency/driving power using cross-impact matrix multiplication, which is often applied to classification and interpretative structural modeling (MICMAC-ISM). Warfield (1974) established a computer-assisted learning process called interpretive structural modeling (ISM) to transform unclear and poorly articulated mental models into well-defined multi-level structural models through experts’ practical experience and knowledge. As many interrelated factors affect expert performance in bid evaluation, we selected ISM for our research methodology. The reason not only goes to a well-established methodology for identifying relationships among specific items but also to providing a fundamental understanding of complex situations. Therefore, this study established an ISM-based hierarchical structure model to clarify the dynamics of relationships among expert performance factors encountered in the bid evaluation practices. The technical route of the ISM is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. The technical route of interpretive structural modeling.

Expert performance factors in bid evaluation

Following the literature review, we categorized expert performance dimensions into 16 factors. A questionnaire was designed, and 34 experts (from construction, design, cost consulting enterprises, research institutions, and government departments) were interviewed to test the reliability of these dimensions and factors. The interviewees were selected based on their bid-evaluation qualifications and experience, and a deep understanding of construction contracts. The profiles of the interviewees are given in Table 1. To allow them to understand the relationships among the factors, we conducted face-to-face interviews with all the experts. As a result, three factors were removed, and a new one was added. Finally, the remaining 14 bid-evaluation expert performance factors were compiled. A summary of these factors is presented in Table 2.

Table 1. Identification of expert performance factors per dimension.

Table 2. Background profiles of interviewed experts.

Generation of the adjacency matrix A

The relationships among the 14 factors were confirmed via interviews with 34 experts. Using ISM, a “leads to” (one factor leading to another) contextual-type relationship was chosen to identify the interacting position of each factor for analysis. An adjacency 14*14 matrices of the identified impact factor elements (1 = Yes; 0 = No) was developed as an option for paired comparison between elements. The presence or absence of a relationship directed from element i to j was indicated by placing “1” or “0,” respectively, in the corresponding intersection of row i and column j. After that, information was sent to experts for comments. Based on their responses, we used the Delphi technique to obtain common views from the participants. When 80% of the interviewees agreed upon the relation, it was thought to have a consensus. The threshold value for the reliability of factors was 0.80. Adjacency reachability matrix A, indicating the relationship between elements, is presented in Table 3.

Table 3. Adjacency reachability matrix A of expert performance factors.

Reachability matrix calculation

From the adjacency reachability matrix A, redundant relationships between elements were eliminated through an iterative process. A diagram established the final relationship level between elements in a hierarchical form. As the adjacency reachability matrix A is a Boolean matrix, we calculated it by applying the following Boolean algorithm:

where $R={\left(A+I\right)}^n$ is the reachability matrix R of matrix A.

According to adjacency reachability matrix I of the bid-evaluation expert performance, the calculation process was implemented in MATLAB (Lindfield and Penny, 2012). When $n=5$
, the equation
$M={\left(A+I\right)}^{\left(n+1\right)}={\left(A+I\right)}^n\ne \cdots \ne {\left(A+I\right)}^2\ne \left(A+I\right)$ held. The derived result and the reachability matrix are shown in Table 4.

Table 4. Reachability matrix of expert performance factors.

Reachability matrix R analysis

The reachability matrix obtained above was partitioned by deriving the reachability set and the antecedent set to establish the hierarchy model of the ISM. The reachability set for each element represented a set of elements (i.e., several risk elements, including itself) upon which the current element had an impact. For example, in the ith horizontal row Si of reachability matrix R, if $S_{ij}=1\left(j=1,2,\cdots ,n\right)$
, the element Sij is placed in the reachability set, expressed as Si. The antecedent set reflects a set of elements that affected the current element. Along the same lines, in the jth column Sj of reachability matrix R, if $R_{ij}=1\left(i=1,2,⥂\cdots ,n\right)$
, the element Rij is placed in the antecedent set, expressed as Aj. The intersection of these sets $S_i\cap A_j$ was derived for all elements. If Si is a complete subset of Aj, the element or elements were moved from the reachability matrix and assigned a specific level.

After the iteration, the reachability set for the elements Expertise (S1) and Number of bid evaluations (S5) was a complete subset of the antecedent set; therefore, it was considered the highest level of the elements removed from the reachability matrix. On the other hand, the elements Stress situations (S10), Natural Environment (S11), and Distance (S12) occupied the reachability sets and the antecedent sets on their own, which implies that these factors were isolated from other elements. They were, therefore, removed from the reachability matrix and placed on the first level. The iterative processes were continued in this manner to identify the different levels. Consequently, the hierarchy model of the ISM consisted of all these levels. The results of the final iteration are given in Table 5.

Table 5. Level partition of reachability matrix.

Development of a diagram

A diagram explains the contextual relationship between an impact factor element and its hierarchy. First, as shown in Table 5, the elements taken from the reachability matrix in the previous step were placed at the highest level of the hierarchy. Thus, Expertise (S1), Number of bid evaluations (S5), Stress situations (S10), Natural environment (S11), and Distance (S12) appeared at the top. Next, the elements of Academic ability (S2), Motivation preference (S3), Years qualified as an expert (S4), and Rewards (S14) were removed before the next partition at the second level and placed below the top level. This process was repeated until all the elements were rearranged, creating a four-layer hierarchical structural diagram of the expert performance factors in bid evaluation (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Diagram of expert performance factors in bid evaluation.

Using MICMAC analysis, it is necessary to prove the relationships among impact factor elements based on the attained diagram. We used this approach to analyze a factor’s dependency and driving power. The analysis complements experienced users’ impressions drawn from the visual analysis of influence structures. To better understand the significance of certain elements and their influence on others, we used the MICMAC to classify the factors into four clusters (autonomous, dependent, linkage, and independent) according to their driving and dependence power. The driving-and-dependence power of an element was computed via the summation of the corresponding rows. Similarly, the dependence power was computed via the summation of the corresponding rows and columns, respectively. Finally, each element was plotted on the driving-dependence power matrix (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Classification of factors.

The first cluster represents “autonomous factors” (weak driving and dependence power). It includes Stress situations (S10), Natural environment (S11), Distance (S12), Strength (S13), Rewards (S14), Academic ability (S2), Motivation preference (S3), Years qualified as an expert (S4), Morality (S6), and Objective (S7). This set of factors reflects complicated situations. The “dependent factors” belonged to the second cluster (weak driving, strong dependence power) and ranked highest in the importance levels of the ISM-based hierarchical model. Two factors were assigned: Expertise (S1) and the number of bid evaluations (S5). Their dependence indicates that they depended on other factors to be resolved during the bid-evaluation expert performance. Therefore, bid-evaluation experts should consider all other factors to achieve the dependent factors and retain superior expert performance. The third cluster specifies the “linkage factors” (strong driving and dependence power). Any change occurring to these factors would significantly impact other factors in return. No factors correlated with this category in our study, implying that none of them had strong driving and dependence power. The “independent factors” (strong driving, weak dependence power) in the fourth cluster formed the foundation of the ISM hierarchical model and should be given priority. The two factors in this set, Situation perception (S8) and Supervision system (S9), are vital, and bid-evaluation experts and policymakers should focus on them for superior bid-evaluation expert performance.

Findings and discussion

It is important to enhance expert performance in bid evaluation. The derived model reflects the relationships among expert performance factors in bid evaluation practices.

A holistic picture of expert performance factors

The two dimensions of internal cognition and the external environment were independent through theoretical deduction. In the PES, the interaction between the “perceptions” and “affordance” of experts is manifested as expert performance, which feeds back or verifies internal cognition and external environment, forming a “closed system” (Figure 1). However, in the context of engineering, 14 factors affect expert performance, seven of which are from the internal cognitive dimension and seven from the external environmental dimension. We could observe that the two-dimensional factors were scattered on four levels (Figure 3). Inherent cognitive factors influenced each other and were scattered at the 1–3 level. Most of them had strong dependence and were driven and influenced by external environmental dimension factors. Level 2–4 was PES, with perception (e.g., body perception) and supply (e.g., the regulatory system) at the lowest end, the most important driving force in the structural system that influences other factors to work together.

The three factors under the heading of the external environment, namely pressure, natural environment, and working distance, together with expertise and bid evaluation times (internal cognitive dimensions), were at the first level of the hierarchical structure system and were the most direct influencing factors. However, the three factors of the environmental dimension existed independently of any other factors, leaving the structure in an open form. These phenomena reflect the organic integration of memory and ecological cognition theories and completely describe the factors affecting expert performance in engineering. These influencing factors differ from the characteristic cognitive ability mentioned in the ecological dynamics theory of sports decision-making with the help of regularity and universality (Araújo et al., 2006). For expert-performance factors with engineering characteristics, inherent cognition has a dynamic influence on expert performance under the constraint of a unique external environment. In contrast, the external environmental factors are more strongly driven or have a direct and independent influence.

Hierarchy of expert performance factors

In the bid evaluation, considering independent factors (strong driving and weak dependence power from cluster four), situation perception reflects the experts’ feelings regarding the environmental properties, including seating, air humidity, and physical comfort. Negative feelings will hinder expert performance as perception, cognition, and behavior are integrated processes. The nature and type of cognition are influenced by the interaction between the body and the external environment. For example, situation perception, relating to concepts such as fatigue (Orazbayev, 2017), is a hidden expert-performance-influencing factor that few researchers focus on. The perception of “affordance” has a dynamic quality and can change (Fajen et al., 2009). Improved working conditions can maintain enhanced situation perceptions and effectively obtain sustainable and superior expert performance. The other independent factor with strong driving power, a sustainable supervision system rather than self-restriction, is also confirmed to improve expert performance. Environmental properties directly inform experts about what they can and cannot do in a performance context (Michaels, 2000). In essence, the confluence of constraints and perception determines the stability and instability of expert performance.

At level III of the ISM, the factors of morality, objective, and strength precede motivation preference (Figure 3, Level II), while motivation preference, academic ability, and years qualified as an expert (all level II) affect each other bilaterally. Regarding the level II factor, rewards are influenced by the factor of strength. Therefore, these factors with higher driving power in the autonomous cluster (such as Strength) can impact each other. Therefore, their promotion should be given priority in attaining superior expert performance. In contrast, the factors with higher dependence on power are influenced by other factors. Consistent with current studies, academic ability, motivation preference, and years qualified as an expert (Figure 3, Level III) are key factors determining expert performance as acquired skills and experience in bid evaluation.

More factors from inherent cognition and the external environment are plotted at the top of the four-level diagram (Figure 3, Level IV), indicating that factors from the two dimensions collectively determine expert performance. These factors include the inherent cognition dimension (expertise, number of bid evaluations) and the external environment dimension (stress situations, natural environment, and distance).

Previous studies have demonstrated that expertise and exceptional performance are highly reproducible regarding inherent cognition. There is no doubt that unfailed successful learning is necessary for experts to achieve an improved or higher level of performance (Ericsson and Lehmann, 1996). In this regard, of all the factors at the top level, expertise and the number of bid evaluations, both belonging to the inherent cognition dimension, are viewed as the most natural elements influencing expert performance. The other factors: stress situations, natural environment, and distance, which belong to the external environment, are isolated and have no relationship with other factors. This phenomenon shows that the factors affecting experts’ performance are in an open system, and some external environmental factors will directly impact them in some situations. Especially in the bid evaluation process, the pressure from peers or the physical impact of the natural environment on experts (e.g., fatigue caused by long-distance travel to the workplace or bad weather) will make expert performances deviate.

Key expert performance factors

The situation perception and supervision system factors (Figure 3, Level IV) may forego morality, objective, and strength (Figure 3, Level III), determining expert performance in the bid evaluation. These are key issues to be addressed to realize superior expert performance. Moreover, Ericsson and Lehmann (1996) showed that situation perception affects labor intensity, whereas a strict supervision system initiates moral restraint. Thus, morality and some other factors (including procedural fairness, technical competence, and general reputation) impact and interact with expert performance. Still, illegalities often occur despite the vital importance of limiting moral deviation during expert behavior. For instance, bid-evaluation experts and bidders collude to manipulate the bidding of private customers (forcing the client to pay high prices). In addition, they colluded on certain municipal contracts, causing huge economic losses to New York taxpayers (TargetedNewsService, 2018). It has been reported that experts’ antagonistic feelings may hinder objectivity and obscure experts’ fairness (Lindfield and Penny, 2012).

In particular, three environmental constraint factors (stress situation, natural environment, and distance), located in the top layer, are mainly manifested as physical perception in the natural environment. They do not participate in the PES due to no correlation with any factor in internal cognition and other factors in the external environmental dimension. They make the system open, and these factors show that they directly, solely, and openly affect expert performance in engineering. This contrasts with the traditional information processing methods for decision-making in the “open system.” When decision-makers calculate and select options in the psychological or neural model, the influence of more uncertain external environment factors should be considered to maximize performance effectiveness.

Implications

Our results show that inherent cognitive and external environmental factors are characterized by high dependence and strong driving power, respectively (Figure 4). For example, Figure 3 Level IV shows that situation perception and supervision system (external environment dimension) are antecedent variables driving expert performance factors and should not be precluded first. However, the classification of factors (Figure 4) shows that morality and objective (internal cognitive dimension) also have higher driving and lower dependence power. This finding suggests that these two special factors bridge the inherent cognitive and external environmental dimensions. Moreover, morality and objectivity (Figure 3, Level III), controlled by the supervision mechanism (Figure 3, Level IV), influence inherent cognition dimension factors.

We confirmed the relationship and hierarchical structure of the two dimensions, suggesting that environmental constraint factors other than inherent cognition contribute to individual expert performance differences in bid evaluation. Furthermore, they show that external environmental factors strongly influence the externalization of inherent cognition. At a practical level, our findings on the two dimensions affirm existing research, supporting the notion that expert performance depends on professional knowledge and the environment in engineering. Furthermore, the findings also provide a basis for exploring ecological cognition based on the idea that the “brain–body-environment system is embedded and embodied.”

Several uncertainties and factors of expert performance in bid evaluation make its improvement to be a complicated matter. An individual’s performance in a domain is determined by multiple interactions between experience, training, and biological factors. This study produced a comprehensive list of expert performance factors. It identified and examined two dimensions of factors occurring in bid evaluation, and the results indicated that external environmental factors are prominent for expert performance. Furthermore, we also found evidence of cognition-environment interactions, which revealed environmental effects as the most important driving factors of expert performance in bid evaluation. The suggestion is that external environmental factors drive expert performance to change through the role of practice. Thus, poor expert performance can be resolved by fostering a friendly work environment for bid evaluation experts.

Morality and objective can be ranked as factors of ensuring expert performance in bid evaluation. Expert performance should be promoted by driving power factors such as academic ability, motivation preference, and years of qualification. Meanwhile, situation perception and supervision systems are deemed to form the hierarchical foundation, suggesting the need for an eco-friendly environment and enhancement of supervision intensity for good situation perception to support expert performance. In summary, the study sheds some light on the influence relationship and driving relationship among the factors of expert performance to reveal the interaction mechanism between inherent cognition and the external environment. It also extends the concept of expert performance from cognitive science to management science.

Although the study obtained findings on expert performance in bid evaluation, more factors related to the bid evaluation context should be detected to prevent deviations. Furthermore, our research was based on the experience and opinions of interviewees, of which bias and prejudice are unavoidable. Besides, the factors’ interactive relationships have not been quantitatively examined and can be further investigated in future research. Finally, expert performance involves many cognitive–psychological activities. Therefore, it is expected to investigate these activities in future studies to promote expert performance in the engineering context.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Author contributions

KY and LW: conceptualization. WW: supervision. LW: writing–original draft preparation. KY and YL: writing–review and editing. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

The authors are grateful to the panelists in this research, and thank all the experts who participated in our research and Y.E. Yanling for assistance in the initial stages of the study. We especially thank the reviewers for their insightful suggestions to improve the final paper.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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