BackgroundDecision support in health systems is a highly difficult task, due to the inherent complexity of the process and structures involved.MethodThis paper introduces a new hybrid methodology Expert-based Cooperative Analysis (EbCA), which incorporates explicit prior expert knowledge in data analysis methods, and elicits implicit or tacit expert knowledge (IK) to improve decision support in healthcare systems. EbCA has been applied to two different case studies, showing its usability and versatility: 1) Bench-marking of small mental health areas based on technical efficiency estimated by EbCA-Data Envelopment Analysis (EbCA-DEA), and 2) Case-mix of schizophrenia based on functional dependency using Clustering Based on Rules (ClBR). In both cases comparisons towards classical procedures using qualitative explicit prior knowledge were made. Bayesian predictive validity measures were used for comparison with expert panels results. Overall agreement was tested by Intraclass Correlation Coefficient in case "1" and kappa in both cases.ResultsEbCA is a new methodology composed by 6 steps:. 1) Data collection and data preparation; 2) acquisition of "Prior Expert Knowledge" (PEK) and design of the "Prior Knowledge Base" (PKB); 3) PKB-guided analysis; 4) support-interpretation tools to evaluate results and detect inconsistencies (here Implicit Knowledg -IK- might be elicited); 5) incorporation of elicited IK in PKB and repeat till a satisfactory solution; 6) post-processing results for decision support. EbCA has been useful for incorporating PEK in two different analysis methods (DEA and Clustering), applied respectively to assess technical efficiency of small mental health areas and for case-mix of schizophrenia based on functional dependency. Differences in results obtained with classical approaches were mainly related to the IK which could be elicited by using EbCA and had major implications for the decision making in both cases.DiscussionThis paper presents EbCA and shows the convenience of completing classical data analysis with PEK as a mean to extract relevant knowledge in complex health domains. One of the major benefits of EbCA is iterative elicitation of IK.. Both explicit and tacit or implicit expert knowledge are critical to guide the scientific analysis of very complex decisional problems as those found in health system research.

Curricula designed in the context of the European Higher Education Area need to be based on both domain-specific and professional competencies. Whereas universities have had extensive experience in developing students' domain-specific competencies, fostering professional competencies poses a new challenge we need to face. This paper presents a model to globally develop professional competencies in a STEM degree program, and assesses the results of its implementation after four years. The model is based on the use of competency maps, in which each competency is defined in terms of competency units. Each competency unit is described by their expected learning outcomes at three domain levels. This model allows careful analysis, revision and iteration for an effective integration of professional competencies in domain-specific subjects. A global competency map is also designed, including all the professional-competency learning outcomes to be achieved throughout the degree. This map becomes a useful tool for curriculum designers and coordinators. The results were obtained from four sources: 1) students' grades (classes graduated from 2013 to 2016, the first four years from the new Bachelor's Degree in Informatics Engineering at the Barcelona School of Informatics); 2) students' surveys (answered by students when they finished the degree); 3) the government employment survey, where former students evaluate the satisfaction of the received training in the light of their work experience; and 4) the Everis Foundation University-Enterprise Ranking, answered by over 2000 employers evaluating their satisfaction regarding their employees' university training, where the Barcelona School of Informatics scores first in the national ranking. The results show that competency maps are a good tool for developing professional competencies in a STEM degree.

Data Mining (DM) is a fundamental component of the Data Science process. Over recent years a huge library of DM algorithms has been developed to tackle a variety of problems in fields such as medical imaging and traffic analysis. Many DM techniques are far more flexible than more classical numerial simulation or statistical modelling approaches. These could be usefully applied to data-rich environmental problems. Certain techniques such as artificial neural networks, clustering, case-based reasoning or Bayesian networks have been applied in environmental modelling, while other methods, like support vector machines among others, have yet to be taken up on a wide scale. There is greater scope for many lesser known techniques to be applied in environmental research, with the potential to contribute to addressing some of the current open environmental challenges. However, selecting the best DM technique for a given environmental problem is not a simple decision, and there is a lack of guidelines and criteria that helps the data scientist and environmental scientists to ensure effective knowledge extraction from data. This paper provides a broad introduction to the use of DM in Data Science processes for environmental researchers. Data Science contains three main steps (pre-processing, data mining and post-processing). This paper provides a conceptualization of Environmental Systems and a conceptualization of DM methods, which are in the core step of the Data Science process. These two elements define a conceptual framework that is on the basis of a new methodology proposed for relating the characteristics of a given environmental problem with a family of Data Mining methods. The paper provides a general overview and guidelines of DM techniques to a non-expert user, who can decide with this support which is the more suitable technique to solve their problem at hand. The decision is related to the bidimensional relationship between the type of environmental system and the type of DM method. An illustrative two way table containing references for each pair Environmental System-Data Mining method is presented and discussed. Some examples of how the proposed methodology is used to support DM method selection are also presented, and challenges and future trends are identified.

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One of the important issues related with all types of data analysis, either statistical data analysis, machine learning, data mining, data science or whatever form of data-driven modeling, is data quality. The more complex the reality to be analyzed is, the higher the risk of getting low quality data. Unfortunately real data often contain noise, uncertainty, errors, redundancies or even irrelevant information. Useless models will be obtained when built over incorrect or incomplete data. As a consequence, the quality of decisions made over these models, also depends on data quality. This is why pre-processing is one of the most critical steps of data analysis in any of its forms. However, pre-processing has not been properly systematized yet, and little research is focused on this. In this paper a survey on most popular pre-processing steps required in environmental data analysis is presented, together with a proposal to systematize it. Rather than providing technical details on specific pre-processing techniques, the paper focus on providing general ideas to a non-expert user, who, after reading them, can decide which one is the more suitable technique required to solve his/her problem.

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