Innovate dementia: the development of a living lab protocol to evaluate interventions in context

Info ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 40-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rens Brankaert ◽  
Elke den Ouden ◽  
Aarnout Brombacher
Keyword(s):  
General Interest ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reminder System ◽  
Societal Challenges ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Living Lab ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Stakeholder Network ◽  
Set Up

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a Living Lab protocol to evaluate interventions for people with dementia in context. The number of people with dementia is continuously growing, resulting in all kinds of societal challenges. As there is no cure for the diseases today, there is a need to look at alternative ways to combat these challenges, like the design of suitable interventions. These can support people with dementia to live more independent, with a higher quality of life. The protocol is developed over three Living Lab cases. In this, the authors focus on how to involve people living with dementia and the Living Lab stakeholder network. Design/methodology/approach – Over three Living Lab cases, 26 people with dementia, and their caregivers, participated. In these cases, the authors focussed on three different interventions, namely: a reminder system, a daylight lamp and a mobile interface. Yet, a similar protocol was implemented that was built upon insights from its previous case. Hereby, the authors gathered hands-on insights concerning the design and implementation of a Living Lab protocol. Finally, the authors propose a protocol for those interested in pursuing similar goals. Findings – For the resulting proposal, the authors found that it is important to actively involve the relevant Living Lab stakeholders from the start of the process. Because, first, care stakeholders protect participants as gatekeepers, and have a general interest in the interventions. Second, for industry stakeholders, the in-context Living Lab set-up needs to be aligned with their needs to gather usable insights for their interventions. Finally, the authors propose to keep the users engaged beyond the studies by facilitating a Living Lab community. This leads to a higher user engagement and a wider pool to select from for future Living Lab sessions. Research limitations/implications – However, the authors have to be careful to base conclusions on this protocol, due to the limited number of participants and, therefore, the authors suggest this is investigated further. Additionally, the authors feel the role of stakeholders, and who is in the lead, should be investigated further. Practical implications – By reflecting on three Living Lab cases, the authors propose a ready-to-use Living Lab protocol that can be applied by anybody who is interested to design more suitable interventions for impaired users. Social implications – The building of a community as a basis of a Living Lab provides opportunities for all relevant stakeholders, and could reach beyond the development of interventions. Originality/value – The paper provides hands-on insights on applying and developing a Living Lab protocol. This is done by structurally involving relevant stakeholders, while continuously adapting to the user’s needs. Only by continuing to do so, the societal challenges can successfully be addressed.

Government-funded event organisations – good and bad practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 200-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Devine ◽  
Frances Devine
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Institutional Arrangements ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Event Tourism ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Government Level

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the structure of government-funded event agencies affected the development of the events industry in Northern Ireland. The institutional arrangements for two agencies which operated at different times in Northern Ireland were analysed. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 62 in-depth interviews were conducted with event organisers and public officials who had worked directly with these two organisations. Findings – The standalone National Events Agency which began operating in 1999 was found to be more hands-on and worked closely with event organisers to develop the quality of their event. As a quango it worked at arms length from government. Unfortunately it abused this freedom and used public monies to manage its own events, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability when managing this type of agency. In 2008 it was replaced by an Events Unit which was set up within the National Tourism Organisation. Under this structure event tourism and not event development was the priority. For the events industry this created development issues and reduced its clout at government level. Originality/value – This paper addressed a gap in the literature and found that the institutional arrangements did affect how a government-funded events agency operated and what it regarded as a strategic priority. This in turn had repercussions for the development of the events industry.

Hands-on instruction: the iPad self-guided library tour

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Foley ◽  
Katherine Bertel
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Class Discussion ◽  
Library Instruction ◽  
State University ◽  
Class Session ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Simple Activity ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Long Course

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how librarians at the State University of New York College at Buffalo used iPads during one class session of a semester-long library instruction course to increase student engagement, energize the traditional library tour, build collaboration and give students experience using tablet technology in an educational setting. Design/methodology/approach – Librarians provided iPads to groups of students and sent them to photograph different areas of the library during one class session of a semester-long course. Students then uploaded the photographs to a common Web site for class discussion. Findings – Formal and informal student feedback was positive. Students connected with the instructors and with each other, enjoyed discovering library spaces and services and became more comfortable with tablet technology. The project also increased student enthusiasm for the class. Originality/value – This paper is the first to systematically describe a simple activity that can be used by instruction librarians to incorporate tablets into the curriculum. The method requires minimal time to set up and implement, involves a very short learning curve and is easily adaptable to various mobile devices.

User engagement in living lab field trials

Info ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 26-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabel Georges ◽  
Dimitri Schuurman ◽  
Bastiaan Baccarne ◽  
Lynn Coorevits
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
End Users ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Functional Maturity ◽  
Living Lab ◽  
Depth Analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the factors playing a role in the engagement of end-users to participate in Living Lab field trials. Design/methodology/approach – Multiple case study analysis of three Living Lab cases in which field trials were organized. Findings – Based on academic literature on field trials, user engagement and the technology acceptance model, the authors argue that several factors play a role in the participation of users in field trials. An influential factor that emerged is the functional maturity of the innovation, the extent to which a prototype resembles the functionalities and the processes of the final, go-to-market product at the moment of the field trial. Within this exploratory paper, we propose the “user engagement model for field trials” to explain the factors that play a role in the engagement of end-users in field trials. Research limitations/implications – The methodological limitations of a case study design make it difficult to extrapolate the findings toward a larger sample. Therefore, this paper focuses on making an in-depth analysis rather than making general claims. However, the insights regarding user engagement for participation pave the way for future validation on a larger scale and suggest future research directions. Practical implications – The findings of this paper suggest that Living Lab field trials should carefully take into account the (perceived) functional maturity of the innovation and the specific characteristics of the innovation when engaging end-users for field trials. Interaction and trust between the test-users and the other stakeholders is of great importance for the active engagement of test-users during field trials. Originality/value – This exploratory paper adds to a general understanding of end-user involvement in innovation development processes and suggests guidelines to engage end-users to participate in field trials. In addition, it introduces the concept of functional maturity of innovations and the user-engagement model for field trials.

scholarly journals User engagement with political “facts” in the context of the fake news phenomenon

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 1082-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Marcella ◽  
Graeme Baxter ◽  
Agnieszka Walicka
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Government Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Subject Knowledge ◽  
Perceived Credibility ◽  
North East ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Quality Awareness

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study that explored human behaviour in response to political “facts” presented online by political parties in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach The study consisted of interactive online interviews with 23 citizens in North-East Scotland, in the run-up to the 2017 UK General Election. Findings Participants demonstrated cognitive and critical responses to facts but little affective reaction. They judged facts swiftly and largely intuitively, providing evidence that facts are frequently consumed, accepted or rejected without further verification processes. Users demonstrated varying levels of engagement with the information they consume, and subject knowledge may influence the extent to which respondents trust facts, in previously unanticipated ways. Users tended to notice facts with which they disagreed and, in terms of prominence, particularly noted and responded to facts which painted extremely negative or positive pictures. Most acknowledged limitations in capacity to interrogate facts, but some were delusionally confident. Originality/value Relatively little empirical research has been conducted exploring the perceived credibility of political or government information online. It is believed that this and a companion study are the first to have specifically investigated the Scottish political arena. This paper presents a new, exploratory fact interrogation model, alongside an expanded information quality awareness model.

Risks of financial abuse of older people with dementia: findings from a survey of UK voluntary sector dementia community services staff

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kritika Samsi ◽  
Jill Manthorpe ◽  
Karishma Chandaria
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Voluntary Sector ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Money Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Abuse ◽  
People With Dementia

Purpose – Financial abuse of people with dementia is of rising concern to family carers, the voluntary sector and professionals. Little is known about preventative and early response practice among community services staff. The purpose of this paper is to investigate voluntary sector staff's views of the risks of managing money when a person has a dementia and explore ways that individuals may be protected from the risks of financial abuse. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey of staff of local Alzheimer's Society groups across England was conducted in 2011 and was completed by 86 respondents. Open-ended responses supplemented survey questions. Statistical analysis and content analysis identified emergent findings. Findings – Most respondents said their people with dementia experienced problems with money management, with almost half the respondents reporting encountering cases of financial abuse over the past year. Most were alert to warning signs and vulnerabilities and offered suggestions relevant to practice and policy about prevention and risk minimization. Research limitations/implications – Adult safeguarding practitioners are likely to encounter money management uncertainties and concerns about exploitation of people with dementia. They may be contacted by community-based support staff from the voluntary sector about individual queries but could ensure that such practitioners are engaged in local training and networking activities to promote their skills and confidence. Practical implications – As with other forms of elder abuse, professionals need to be aware of risks of financial abuse and be able to suggest effective yet acceptable preventive measures and ways to reduce risks of harm and loss. Further publicity about adult safeguarding services may be needed among local community support services. Originality/value – There have been few studies investigating the views of people working with people with dementia in the community about adult safeguarding.

Sensor e-textiles: person centered co-design for people with late stage dementia

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Treadaway ◽  
Gail Kenning
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Late Stage ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Sensory Properties ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Grounded Practical Theory ◽  
The Moment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present design research investigating the development of sensory textiles with embedded electronics to support the wellbeing of people with late stage dementia in residential care. Design/methodology/approach – The research presented is qualitative and uses a mixed method approach informed by grounded practical theory and positive design methodologies. It uses an inclusive and participatory co-design process involving people with dementia and their families with an interdisciplinary team of experts. Findings – Both the co-design process and the artefacts developed have been beneficial in supporting wellbeing. The textile artefacts have been found to soothe, distract and comfort people with dementia. They have also been shown to facilitate in the moment conversational bridges between family members and carers with persons with dementia. Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on a small cohort of participants, observational reports and descriptive accounts from family members and carers. Practical implications – The paper proposes ways in which simple hand-crafted textiles can be used beneficially to support the wellbeing of people with late stage dementia. It provides examples of how technology can be used to personalise and extend the sensory properties of the artefacts created. Social implications – It promotes an inclusive co-design methodology involving care professionals, carers and people with dementia with designers and technologists. Originality/value – The paper describes new ways of extending sensory properties of textiles through the integration of technology.

Making the point? The audiovisual/digital media dissertation

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-118
Author(s):  
Coral Houtman ◽  
Maureen Thomas ◽  
Jennifer Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Film Theory ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Practice Based Research ◽  
The University ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
And Training ◽  
Practical Recommendations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the advantages of education and training in creating the “Audiovisual/Digital Media Essay” (AV/DME), starting from visual and cinematic thinking as a way of setting up, developing and concluding an argument. Design/methodology/approach – Recognising the advantages to education and training of the “AV/DME” this paper explores ways of enabling visually disciplined students to work on film theory within their chosen medium, and to develop arguments incorporating audiovisual sources, using appropriate academic skills. It describes a hands-on BA/MA workshop held at Newport Film School (May 2011) and subsequent initial implementation of an examinable DME. The paper contextualises the issue in the light of practice-led and practice-based research and of parity with written dissertations. Drawing on analysis of in-depth interviews with students and tutors, it makes practical recommendations for how to resource, staff and support the implementation and continuation of the AV/DME and/or dissertation. Findings – The paper feeds back from both students and staff on the running of an initial AV/DME workshop and finds that the Film School Newport is suited to running the AV/DME and suggests a framework for its support. Research limitations/implications – The study needs to be followed up when the students complete their full dissertations. Practical implications – The AV/DME needs sufficient technical and human resources to support student learning. Originality/value – The paper provides a clear and original framework for teaching, supporting and assessing the AV/DME. This framework can be disseminated beyond the University of Wales Newport, and can be used to teach the AV/DME in further contexts and to wider groups of students.

Washington will engage more with South-east Asia

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
East Asia ◽  
The United States ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
National Unity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Set Up

Significance She addressed two key issues during her trip: tensions in post-coup Myanmar and China’s growing regional footprint. Shortly after she left the region, the United States announced that it would donate unused COVID-19 vaccines abroad, including to South-east Asia. Impacts Washington will tighten its sanctions on the Myanmar military while supporting ASEAN’s five-point plan to ease the country’s crisis. The National Unity Government, a parallel administration to Myanmar’s junta set up by its opponents, will try to attract greater US backing. Manila and Washington may extend negotiations over renewing their Visiting Forces Agreement to prevent the pact expiring in August.

Using transfer learning for diabetic retinopathy stage classification

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enas M.F. El Houby
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Retinopathy ◽  
Transfer Learning ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stage Classification ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Retinal Fundus ◽  
Automated Methods

PurposeDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the dangerous complications of diabetes. Its grade level must be tracked to manage its progress and to start the appropriate decision for treatment in time. Effective automated methods for the detection of DR and the classification of its severity stage are necessary to reduce the burden on ophthalmologists and diagnostic contradictions among manual readers.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, convolutional neural network (CNN) was used based on colored retinal fundus images for the detection of DR and classification of its stages. CNN can recognize sophisticated features on the retina and provides an automatic diagnosis. The pre-trained VGG-16 CNN model was applied using a transfer learning (TL) approach to utilize the already learned parameters in the detection.FindingsBy conducting different experiments set up with different severity groupings, the achieved results are promising. The best-achieved accuracies for 2-class, 3-class, 4-class and 5-class classifications are 86.5, 80.5, 63.5 and 73.7, respectively.Originality/valueIn this research, VGG-16 was used to detect and classify DR stages using the TL approach. Different combinations of classes were used in the classification of DR severity stages to illustrate the ability of the model to differentiate between the classes and verify the effect of these changes on the performance of the model.

Research from China finds no significant difference in impact of public service motivation (PSM) in public and private sectors

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Intention To Leave ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The authors assumed PSM would be higher in the public sector, but they set up a trial to find out if this was the case. Design/methodology/approach To test their theories, the authors conducted two independent surveys. The first consisted of 220 usable responses from public sector employees in Changsha, China. The second survey involved 260 usable responses from private sector employees taking an MBA course at a university in the Changsha district. A questionnaire was used to assess attitudes. Findings The results found no significant difference between the impact of public sector motivation (PSM) on employee performance across the public and private sectors. The data showed that PSM had a significant impact on self-reported employee performance, but the relationship did not differ much between sectors. Meanwhile, it was in the private sector that PSM had the greatest impact on intention to leave. Originality/value The authors said the research project was one of the first to test if the concept of PSM operated in the same way across sectors. It also contributed, they said, to the ongoing debate about PSM in China.

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