Today, digitalization is a catalyst for economic growth. Digitalization opens huge opportunities
for service providers to create novel solutions for consumers. For example, consumers are willing to spend
more money and time to take care of themselves and this provides new business for wellness service providers.
The aim of this paper is to provide new knowledge on how user involvement and co-design can boost
development of digital wellness services, and what are their potential benefits for companies. The paper
introduces three case studies in which novel mobile wellness services were developed in collaboration with
users in Owela platform in different phases of the development process.
Without 'Digital Health for all', we can never achieve 'Healthcare for all - Universal Healthcare'. Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta
This article explores in depth about the current state of the digital health industry, and what the industry and the Government needs to do to transform it. We are at an inflexion point and we cannot lose any more time. We need to work together to make 'Digital Health for All' and 'Universal Digital Health' a reality to ensure 'Healthcare for all'. Without 'Digital Health for all', we can never achieve 'Healthcare for all - Universal Healthcare'. Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta
This global index provides the first-ever snapshot of digital health ecosystems throughout the world and lays the foundation for better informed and more coordinated investments in digital health
Challenges of Deploying Unified Communications and Integrated Collaborations ...idescitation
ccess to information holds the key to the
empowerment of everybody despite where they are living. This
research is to be carried out in respect of the people living in
developing countries, considering their plight and complex
geographical, demographic, social-economic conditions
surrounding the areas they live, which hinder access to
information and of professionals providing services such as
medical workers, which has led to high death rates and
development
stagnation.
Research
on
Unified
Communications and Integrated Collaborations (UCIC)
system in the health sector of developing countries comes in
to create a possible solution of bridging the digital canyon
among the communities. The system is meant to deliver
services in a seamless manner to assist health workers situated
anywhere to be accessed easily and access information which
will help in service delivery. The proposed UCIC provides the
most immersive telepresence experience for one-to-one or
many-to-many meetings. Extending to locations anywhere in
the world, the transformative platform delivers Ultra-low
operating costs through the use of general purpose networks
and using special lenses and track systems.
The aim is to identify challenges anticipated in the deployment
of the UCIC system in the health sector of developing countries
and recommend possible solutions. These recommendations
once adopted and implemented correctly will bring
enhancement to the speed and quality of services offered by
health workers. The capacities of UCIC will help health
workers shorten decision cycles, accelerate service delivery
and save lives by speeding access to information and by making
it possible for all health workers and patients to collaborate
everywhere.
In India, there is considerable potential to leverage mHealth as an alternative healthcare delivery channel. Structural, financial and behavioural factors have created a significant need for such a channel.
Implementation of Mobile Information Systems in Organizations: Practical StudyVinícius Caixeta
The present project aims to do a quick research on mobile information systems, looking for related literature based on this theme and managing to describe its definition, analyze its evolution, the advantages and disadvantages inherent to these systems and conduct a practical study of the implementation of the mobile information system in a company.
This was conducted by Master's students in Information Management and Curation at NOVA University Lisbon.
Authors: Fang Yihan; João Araújo; Maria Alexandra Coelho; Vinícius Caixeta
Without 'Digital Health for all', we can never achieve 'Healthcare for all - Universal Healthcare'. Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta
This article explores in depth about the current state of the digital health industry, and what the industry and the Government needs to do to transform it. We are at an inflexion point and we cannot lose any more time. We need to work together to make 'Digital Health for All' and 'Universal Digital Health' a reality to ensure 'Healthcare for all'. Without 'Digital Health for all', we can never achieve 'Healthcare for all - Universal Healthcare'. Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta
This global index provides the first-ever snapshot of digital health ecosystems throughout the world and lays the foundation for better informed and more coordinated investments in digital health
Challenges of Deploying Unified Communications and Integrated Collaborations ...idescitation
ccess to information holds the key to the
empowerment of everybody despite where they are living. This
research is to be carried out in respect of the people living in
developing countries, considering their plight and complex
geographical, demographic, social-economic conditions
surrounding the areas they live, which hinder access to
information and of professionals providing services such as
medical workers, which has led to high death rates and
development
stagnation.
Research
on
Unified
Communications and Integrated Collaborations (UCIC)
system in the health sector of developing countries comes in
to create a possible solution of bridging the digital canyon
among the communities. The system is meant to deliver
services in a seamless manner to assist health workers situated
anywhere to be accessed easily and access information which
will help in service delivery. The proposed UCIC provides the
most immersive telepresence experience for one-to-one or
many-to-many meetings. Extending to locations anywhere in
the world, the transformative platform delivers Ultra-low
operating costs through the use of general purpose networks
and using special lenses and track systems.
The aim is to identify challenges anticipated in the deployment
of the UCIC system in the health sector of developing countries
and recommend possible solutions. These recommendations
once adopted and implemented correctly will bring
enhancement to the speed and quality of services offered by
health workers. The capacities of UCIC will help health
workers shorten decision cycles, accelerate service delivery
and save lives by speeding access to information and by making
it possible for all health workers and patients to collaborate
everywhere.
In India, there is considerable potential to leverage mHealth as an alternative healthcare delivery channel. Structural, financial and behavioural factors have created a significant need for such a channel.
Implementation of Mobile Information Systems in Organizations: Practical StudyVinícius Caixeta
The present project aims to do a quick research on mobile information systems, looking for related literature based on this theme and managing to describe its definition, analyze its evolution, the advantages and disadvantages inherent to these systems and conduct a practical study of the implementation of the mobile information system in a company.
This was conducted by Master's students in Information Management and Curation at NOVA University Lisbon.
Authors: Fang Yihan; João Araújo; Maria Alexandra Coelho; Vinícius Caixeta
The role of patient-portals in hospitals - EU-project "ICT in health"Francis D'Silva
Presenting an Accenture PointofView on the role of patient-portals for hospitals in Norway. The setting was a meeting of the EU-project "ICT in Health" and Diakonhjemmet Sykehus played host.
Framework for Securing Educational E-Government Serviceijcisjournal
Enhancement in technology is leading to a change in the way governments, individuals, institutions and
business entities provide quality services to the citizen. Today's education system plays crucial role for
developing cognizance in society so e-government service is obliged to integrate with educational system.
In this work we proposed a novel framework for integrating educational service within e-government
services. One of the main tasks of this paper is to explore or propose a Secure Examination Management
System (SEMS). The system has been designed using cryptographic primitives, which enables students to
take the exam from anywhere. The student is allowed to take the exam after he gives his necessary
authentication details. In SEMS, it is important to exclude false students while ensuring the privacy for the
honest students. It allows evaluators to share student examination papers for evaluation with proper
authentication. This is done using digital signatures, authentication and confidentiality provided by public
key cryptographic system.
Australia e-health, e-education, e-governmentAmbikabasa
Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments are accelerating, and astonishing innovations will emerge during the next few years as more companies enter this sector and spend money on developing it. AI applications are already being used in healthcare and gaming, to name just two sectors adopting this cutting edge technology.
In the global business, there are producers as product sellers and consumers as product purchasers. These two people are interdependent; the business does not exist or successful if there is no one between them. Producers require consumers to purchase products to sell, so consumers require producers to satisfy their needs. Manufacturers sell goods at a market place, and when consumers want to buy their needs, they go to the market place. These have occurred hundreds or even thousands of years since the starting of business when technology not yet improved. When technology improved, affects the development business system. Currently, information technology is advancing very fast so that it is difficult to avoid it’s development. The advancement of information technology not only assist people’s life to become better every day but also support the global business.
Contemporary Health Information Technology (HIT): Opportunities and Challenges
Wullianallur Raghupathi1, Viju Raghupathi2, Joseph Tan3*
1Professor, Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University, USA
2Associate Professor, Koppelman School of Business, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
3Professor, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University
Journal of Current Trends in Nursing & Health Care
Contemporary Health Information Technology (HIT): Opportunities and Challenges
Wullianallur Raghupathi, Viju Raghupathi, Joseph Tan
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIAL WELFARE: EXPLORING INNOVATIONS AND POLICY IM...John1Lorcan
The digital transformation of social welfare systems is an area that is fast developing and has a lot of
potential to improve service delivery and improve outcomes for both people and communities. The goal of
this research paper is to examine the policy changes and innovations brought about by the digital
revolution of social welfare. It investigates the adoption of emerging technologies, such as artificial
intelligence, big data analytics, and blockchain, in various domains of social welfare, including healthcare,
education, employment, and social assistance programs. The paper examines the potential benefits of
digital transformation, including increased efficiency, improved access to services, and personalized
support. It also delves into the challenges and concerns associated with this transformation, such as data
privacy, equity, and the digital divide. By analysing successful case studies and lessons learned from
different countries, the paper highlights key policy considerations for ensuring the effective and equitable
implementation of digital innovations in social welfare. Policy implications discussed include the need for
robust regulatory frameworks to protect data privacy, the importance of ethical guidelines to guide the use
of emerging technologies, and the necessity of capacity building initiatives to equip stakeholders with the
necessary skills and knowledge. The paper emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive, people-centric
social welfare systems that leverage the potential of digital technologies to meet the evolving needs of
individuals and communities.
Overall, this research paper provides valuable insights into the digital transformation of social welfare,
offering policymakers and stakeholders a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities, challenges,
and policy considerations involved. By embracing digital innovations thoughtfully and responsibly, social
welfare systems can become more efficient, responsive, and equitable, ultimately improving the lives of
those in need.
The role of patient-portals in hospitals - EU-project "ICT in health"Francis D'Silva
Presenting an Accenture PointofView on the role of patient-portals for hospitals in Norway. The setting was a meeting of the EU-project "ICT in Health" and Diakonhjemmet Sykehus played host.
Framework for Securing Educational E-Government Serviceijcisjournal
Enhancement in technology is leading to a change in the way governments, individuals, institutions and
business entities provide quality services to the citizen. Today's education system plays crucial role for
developing cognizance in society so e-government service is obliged to integrate with educational system.
In this work we proposed a novel framework for integrating educational service within e-government
services. One of the main tasks of this paper is to explore or propose a Secure Examination Management
System (SEMS). The system has been designed using cryptographic primitives, which enables students to
take the exam from anywhere. The student is allowed to take the exam after he gives his necessary
authentication details. In SEMS, it is important to exclude false students while ensuring the privacy for the
honest students. It allows evaluators to share student examination papers for evaluation with proper
authentication. This is done using digital signatures, authentication and confidentiality provided by public
key cryptographic system.
Australia e-health, e-education, e-governmentAmbikabasa
Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments are accelerating, and astonishing innovations will emerge during the next few years as more companies enter this sector and spend money on developing it. AI applications are already being used in healthcare and gaming, to name just two sectors adopting this cutting edge technology.
In the global business, there are producers as product sellers and consumers as product purchasers. These two people are interdependent; the business does not exist or successful if there is no one between them. Producers require consumers to purchase products to sell, so consumers require producers to satisfy their needs. Manufacturers sell goods at a market place, and when consumers want to buy their needs, they go to the market place. These have occurred hundreds or even thousands of years since the starting of business when technology not yet improved. When technology improved, affects the development business system. Currently, information technology is advancing very fast so that it is difficult to avoid it’s development. The advancement of information technology not only assist people’s life to become better every day but also support the global business.
Contemporary Health Information Technology (HIT): Opportunities and Challenges
Wullianallur Raghupathi1, Viju Raghupathi2, Joseph Tan3*
1Professor, Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University, USA
2Associate Professor, Koppelman School of Business, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
3Professor, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University
Journal of Current Trends in Nursing & Health Care
Contemporary Health Information Technology (HIT): Opportunities and Challenges
Wullianallur Raghupathi, Viju Raghupathi, Joseph Tan
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIAL WELFARE: EXPLORING INNOVATIONS AND POLICY IM...John1Lorcan
The digital transformation of social welfare systems is an area that is fast developing and has a lot of
potential to improve service delivery and improve outcomes for both people and communities. The goal of
this research paper is to examine the policy changes and innovations brought about by the digital
revolution of social welfare. It investigates the adoption of emerging technologies, such as artificial
intelligence, big data analytics, and blockchain, in various domains of social welfare, including healthcare,
education, employment, and social assistance programs. The paper examines the potential benefits of
digital transformation, including increased efficiency, improved access to services, and personalized
support. It also delves into the challenges and concerns associated with this transformation, such as data
privacy, equity, and the digital divide. By analysing successful case studies and lessons learned from
different countries, the paper highlights key policy considerations for ensuring the effective and equitable
implementation of digital innovations in social welfare. Policy implications discussed include the need for
robust regulatory frameworks to protect data privacy, the importance of ethical guidelines to guide the use
of emerging technologies, and the necessity of capacity building initiatives to equip stakeholders with the
necessary skills and knowledge. The paper emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive, people-centric
social welfare systems that leverage the potential of digital technologies to meet the evolving needs of
individuals and communities.
Overall, this research paper provides valuable insights into the digital transformation of social welfare,
offering policymakers and stakeholders a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities, challenges,
and policy considerations involved. By embracing digital innovations thoughtfully and responsibly, social
welfare systems can become more efficient, responsive, and equitable, ultimately improving the lives of
those in need.
Digital Innovation in Healthcare - MIT ID InnovationPankaj Deshpande
Want to know the benefits of digital innovation in healthcare? Have a look. MIT ID innovation works on pioneering creative and experimental techniques that help designers become better doers.
To know more details, visit : https://mitidinnovation.com/recreation/digital-innovation-in-healthcare/
MHEALTH APPLICATIONS DEVELOPED BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH FOR PUBLIC USERS INK...hiij
mHealth applications have shown promise in supporting the delivery of health services in peoples’ daily
life. Recently, the Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MOH) has launched several mHealth
applications to develop work mechanisms. Our study aimed to identify and understand the design of
mHealth apps by classifying their persuasive features using the Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model
and expert evaluation method. This paper presents the distinct persuasive features applied in recent
applications launched by MOH for public users called “Sehha & Mawid” Apps. The results revealed the
extensive use of persuasive features; particularly features related to credibility support, dialogue support
and primary task support respectively. The implementation and design of social support features were
found to be poor; this could be due to the nature of the apps or lack of knowledge from the developers’
perspectives. The findings suggest some features that may improve the persuasion for the evaluated apps.
iMinds insights on citizen health empowermentiMindsinsights
As more people are living longer than before and with chronic disease on the rise, disease prevention alone is no longer enough. Citizens need to take more control over their health – by giving them greater access to their personal health information and equipping them with tools and insights to better manage their lifestyles.
iMinds insights is a quarterly publication providing you with relevant tech updates based on interviews with academic and industry experts. iMinds is a digital research center and incubator based in Belgium.
Usability Lessons From National Healthcare AppsCyber-Duck
From our webinar, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Usability Lessons From National Healthcare Apps.
Discover our presentation for World Usability Day, as we shine a light on the impact of digitalisation on public health services, specifically through the lens of delivering great user experiences and better patient care with healthcare apps.
E health in Nigeria Current Realities and Future Perspectives. A User Centric...Ibukun Fowe
In this era of the digital revolution, innovative computer software programs and Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are disrupting different industries of most economies and the healthcare sector is one of the nascent and emerging opportunities for technology disruption and innovation. This is an “inevitable” welcome development as Global health innovation is at the forefront of embracing the use of technology solutions in various parts of the world to improve access to health services and medicines, and Nigeria is not to be an exception. This symposium is focused on asking the fundamental questions; how much impact are e-health applications making in the Nigerian health sector and how do we improve the level of impact and
effectiveness of these applications via a user-centric approach?
Taking these proactive steps serve to ensure that we focus on the real needs of the Nigerian people and put in place quality and safety measures that will give users the confidence needed to use e-health applications and solutions adequately and appropriately. This symposium invites key-stakeholders in the e-health
ecosystem to share their views on the pains and gains of e-health as of today and how to shape the future of e-health in Nigeria (and similar countries). Some of the presentations and panelist sessions will include real field experience and user-centered qualitative research that will elicit the current level of impact and the real needs of e-health users in the southwest region of Nigeria.
Digital technologies are rapidly being integrated into almost every area of the healthcare industry. It is a broad umbrella term that refers to the use of digital technologies to enable universal healthcare access, improve healthcare quality, and enhance wellness. It may be regarded as the systematic application of digital technologies to support informed decision making by individuals, the health workforce, and health institutions, in order to improve health outcomes and wellness for all. It is becoming a pervasive component of healthcare practice, with applications in almost all areas of the healthcare sector. It has attracted lots of attention in the past decade in several nations worldwide. This paper provides an introduction to digital health. Matthew N. O. Sadiku | Uwakwe C. Chukwu | Abayomi Ajayi-Majebi | Sarhan M. Musa "Digital Health" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-5 | Issue-6 , October 2021, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd46453.pdf Paper URL : https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/electrical-engineering/46453/digital-health/matthew-n-o-sadiku
The Impact of Using the Information Technology on the Quality of Health Servi...inventionjournals
International Journal of Business and Management Invention (IJBMI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Business and Management. IJBMI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Business and Management, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online.
New Era Solutions - The Melding Of Technology, Health And Active AgingBryan K. O'Rourke
From The ICAA Journal Of Active Aging in 2018, Colin Milner Interviews Bryan O'Rourke To Understand Emerging Technologies And Their Impact On The Quality Of Life .
explores the evolving landscape of technology and its profound effects on how individuals live, work, and interact. This concise overview delves into the shifts towards mobile-centric lifestyles, personalization, data privacy concerns, sustainability, remote work, and the integration of health and wellness tech. Discover how these trends shape our daily experiences and drive innovation across various sectors.
Efforts made in many countries to stop the COVID-19 pandemic include vaccinations. However,
public skepticism about vaccines is a pressing issue for health authorities. With the COVID-19 vaccine
available,
SARS-CoV-2, as the causative agent of COVID-19, has spread throughout the world after becoming
a pandemic in March 2020. In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are also faced with another
serious health problem
This paper discusses the construction and implementation of a system for the measurement of
electrical power parameters; amperage and voltage of the hybrid system photovoltaic solar-wind, to evaluate
the system parameters and performance. The basis of the development of the measuring apparatus is the use of
an Arduino Mega 2560 to provide the interface between the electrical circuits of the sensors and the dynamics
of the voltage-amperage as well as collect data in an analog format as well as development of functional
dependence relationships. The collected data is converted into digital format and stored it in an Excel format
through the "PLX-DAQ Spreadsheet" that connects the Arduino and the PC for display and analysis of the
system parameters. The proposed technique for power measurements of AC and DC proved to be reliable and
can predict the power amperage and voltage within relative error of 1.63 % for AC and 4.16% for DC,
respectively.
The optimum speed required for mass-size reduction of shells to produce most sizes that are small
comparable with kernel sizes; coupled with retention of kernel wholeness in cracked palm nut mixture under
repeated impact was investigated. This is to enhance whole kernel separation by dry method, reduce maintenance
and production cost of palm kernel oil (PK0); and lower the risk of oil rancidity associated with split kernel
production and wet method of separation. A static nut cracker and centrifugal nut cracker were used in this study as
Test Rigs while sieves were used to grade cracked shells and whole kernels. The data generated were evaluated. A
model was developed for energy via speed required to retain kernels wholeness following repeated impact in the
crackers. Technical analysis revealed that the maximum allowable speed to retain kernel wholeness is 27.93 m/s;
the minimum allowable average speed to fragment cracked shells is 24.95 m/s. Further analysis showed that the
optimum speed and energy required for cracked nut mixture under repeated impact to have kernel wholeness
retention and production of small sizes of cracked shells relative to kernel sizes are 25.71 m/s and 0.4 J,
respectively.
This review was written to provide a comprehensive summary of the suggested etiologies of Chronic Kidney
Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka. In this review, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is explained
in detail and its known etiologies are discussed. CKDu is defined and its epidemiology is discussed, with the
compilation of statistic from over 15 research papers through the years 2000 to present.
This work contributes to the monitoring of water pollution of some selected Dams in Katsina
State, North western Nigeria by assessing the degree of heavy metal pollution in the Dams sediment samples.
The study was conducted in the year 2017 within some selected Dams in the State (Ajiwa, Zobe,
Sabke/Dannakola) that are beehives of fishing and Agricultural activities in Katsina State. Analysis for the
concentration of these heavy metals; Cr, Cd, Fe, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn was conducted by the use of AAS (by
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry) method. Several indices were used to assess the metal contamination
levels in the sediment samples, namely; Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF),
Contamination Factor (CF), Degree of Contamination (Cd), Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Potential
Ecological Risk Index (PERI). The result of this study has shown that generally among the heavy metals
evaluated, the highest concentration was observed for Fe (range: 2.6718-4.2830 ppm), followed by Zn (range:
0.4265-0.7376 ppm), Cr (range: 0.1106-0.1836 ppm), Cd (range: 0.1333-0.1273 ppm) and Mn (range: 0.1136-
0.1271 ppm). While Pb has the lowest concentration (range: 0.0472-0.0598 ppm). For all the site sampled the
heavy metal Ni was below detection level (BDL). From the results of heavy metals I-geo values, according to
Muller’s classification, all the sediment samples from the selected dams were unpolluted (class 0). The result for
the enrichment factor has shown that for all the selected dam sediment samples the heavy metals show
deficiency to minimal enrichment. Also based on the contamination factors for all sediment samples the heavy
metal Cd has a CF values range of 0.5430-0.6665 (~1), indicating that the sediment samples are moderately
contaminated with Cd. In contrast, the rest of the heavy metals exhibit low contamination in general. The value
of PLI ranges from 0.2408 to 0.4935, indicating unpolluted to moderate pollution. The Eri values for all
samples are all < 40, presenting low ecological risk. The results suggest that the sediment samples from the
selected dams in Katsina state has low contamination by the heavy metals evaluated.
Using QR Decomposition to calculate the sum of squares of a model has a limitation that the number of rows,
which is also the number of observations or responses, has to be greater than the total number of parameters used in the
model. The main goal in the experimental design model, as a part of the Linear Model, is to analyze the estimable function
of the parameters used in the model. In order not to deal with generalized invers, partitioned design matrix may be used
instead. This partitioned design matrix method may be used to calculate the sum of squares of the models whenever the total
number of parameters is greater than the number of observations. It can also be used to find the degrees of freedom of each
source of variation components. This method is discussed in a Balanced Nested-Factorial Experimental Design.
Introduction:It has been proven twice that the Hambantota District has the highest life expectancy in male
population. This study focused to find and identify reasons for Hambantota District people to have high life
expectancy at birth.
Methodology: Research was carried out in both qualitative and quantitative phases in five MOH (Medical
Health Officer) divisions in HambantotaDistrict. Study focused on 3 age categories, 55-65 Years, 66-75 Years,
and above 76 Years. Main objectives and key information areas are Life Style and Social Behaviors, Food
Consumption and Diet, Familial Trait and Physical and Mental Health.
Findings: Majority of the male population have educated up to grade 5and most are engaged in the agriculture
while others engaged in fishery and self-employment etc. Almost everyone reachestheir workplaces by foot or by
bicycle. Many of them work less than six hours. They spend their free time with their family members and watch
TV. Most of them do not consume alcohol and smoke. Almost everyone take part in social activities. Majority eat
red rice for all three meals. Almost everyone eats fish every day. They have a high salt intake. Their parents and
ancestors have also have had a high life expectancy. Only a minority suffer from chronic illnesses. They all have
a good physical and mental health condition. They spend happy and relaxed lifestyle.
Conclusion: Healthy diet, low alcohols consumption and smoking, high iodine intake, physical activeness and
their social wellbeing effect for high life expectancy within the male population of selected five MOH divisions
in Hambantota District. They have a free and happy life. Genetics of these people also may contribute for high
life expectancy. Abundance of neem trees in this area also may effect on their high life expectancy.
A clay deposit in Chavakali of western Kenya was evaluated for its potential as refractory raw
material. The collected clay sample was crushed, sieved and the chemical composition determined in
percentage weight (wt %) of (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, etc) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The
samples were moulded into rectangular shaped bricks of 40mm height, 40mm width and 80mm length, allowed
to dry and later fired up to a temperature of 10000C. Refractory properties like Compressive strength,
Hardness, Linear shrinkage on firing, Apparent porosity and Density were determined using standard
techniques. The result of chemical analysis indicated that the clay was composed of Silica (SiO2), 67.3%;
Alumina (Al2O3), 16.67%; Iron Oxide (Fe2O3), 3.87%; Calcium Oxide (CaO), 0.37%; Potassium Oxide (K2O),
2.30%; Sodium Oxide (Na2O), 1.39%; and other traces. The physical and mechanical tests show that the clay
has Cold Crushing Strength of 10.36MPa, Hardness of 40.080 GPa, Linear shrinkage of 6.17%, Apparent
Porosity of 32.71% and Bulk Density of 2.77g/cm3
. Chavakali clay can make better local refractory
Nihon University challenged world record of the human-powered aircraft flight based on the
regulation of Fédération Aérionautique Internationale in Kasumigaura Lake, Japan, 2014. The wing fell off in
midair immediately after take-off, the pilot landed to the lake for safety. So, the challenge failed. It guessed the
operational errors were correlated with the wing falling in midair, which had not happened in our experience.
The flight recording camera and the salvaged airplane were investigated. The fault tree analysis was conducted
for cause investigation. The wing falling was the result as the chain destruction starting from the coupling parts
being damaged in take-off. The defective take-off was caused by composite factors on only operational errors.
The risk that the ultralight airplane might disintegrate in midair by only operational error became apparent.
Due to the large-scale exploitation of mineral resources and the unreasonable human activities, the
geological disasters in Jiaozuo City have become increasingly prominent and the degree of harm increased. This
leds to a tremendous threat to human life and property safety. Jiaozuo City, the main types of geological
disasters, landslides, ground subsidence, debris flow and ground fissures. It has great significance to the
development of the city and the protection of people's life and property to explore the hidden dangers of
geological disasters and actively take preventive and control measures. The establishment of geological
hazard group measurement system of prevention and control to achieve the timely detection of geological
disasters, rapid early warning and effective avoidance.
Dangerous gas explosion accidents result in considerable amount of casualties and property damage.
Hence, an investigation on the generation of poisonous gases in gas explosions exerts important implications
for accident prevention and control and in the decision-making processes of fire rescue. Therefore, a gas
explosion piping test system is established in this paper. Experimental research on gas explosion is conducted by
selecting methane/air premixed gases with concentrations of 7%, 9%, 11%, 13%, and 15% in the gas explosive
range. This research aims to reveal the regularity of CO generation after gas explosion in pipelines.
Experimental results showed that when the gas concentration is small (< 9%), 1500–3000 ppm CO will be
produced. When the gas concentration is large (> 9%), the CO amount will reach 3000–40000 ppm. The
variation trend in CO concentration and the quantity of explosive gas are also obtained.
To evaluate the influence of the entry speed to flow field above the water surface on an object
high-speed entering into water, the flow field was measured experimentally by using an optical visualization
method. The entry speed was ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 km/s. In case that the entry speed was higher than the
sound speed of gas above the water surface, the vertical velocity of the tip of a water splash was linear to the
vertical location of the tip. The ratio between the initial vertical velocity of a water splash and the entry speed
was independent from the entry speed and was constant.A shock wave was driven above the water surface by the
entry even thoughthe entry speed was lower than the sound speed of gas above the water surface.A scaling law
for the propagation of a shock wave driven by explosion of an explosive was applicable to the propagation of
the shock wave driven by the water entry by using the kinetic energy of the entry object instead of the explosive
energy.
Pingdingshan Coal Mine district is one of the six mining areas of Henan Province, which is a
large coal base in China. After 60 years of exploitation, it has brought great benefits, at the same time,
serious geological disasters have been occurred. It has seriously damaged the normal production of the
masses, life, restricting the development of Pingdingshan coal mine economy. In this paper, the
geological disasters such as ground collapse, ground fissures and ground subsidence in Pingdingshan coal
mine are analyzed, and the degree of geological disasters in the mining area is analyzed in combination
with the severely affected mining area. Finally, reasonable and feasible countermeasures have been put
forward.
Kelud volcano is located in East Java Province, Indonesia. According to Geochemical study of
Kelud Volcano, it could be divided into 3 periods which are Kelud I (older than 100 ky BP), Kelud II (40 – 100
ky BP), and Kelud III (younger than 40 ky BP). A specific petrogenesis of Kelud are dominatad by magma
mixing and fractional crystalization. New petrological data from Kelud volcano was taken through products of
the eruption in 1990 (Vulkanian type), 2007 (Lava plug forming) and 2014 (Plinian type). Petrographic study
on these rocks showed that reverse and oscilatory zoning on plagioclases, Shieve-like and corroded textures on
plagioclases and pyroxenes are common. However, normal zoning textures were also found on plagioclases and
pyroxenes. Whole rock study on these rocks showed all rocks were classified into Basalt to Andesite in
composition with calc-alkaline group. The study indicated that their magma origin derrived from slab with
fractional crystallization during in the magma reservoir, and magma mixing processes are dominant expecially
in magma pockets. Concequently, the magma origin and petrogenesis of Kelud magma after the 1966 eruption
are still the same as those of old magma of Kelud.
Black cotton soils are among a group of soils termed as problematic soils. These soils have
undesirable characteristics in relation to construction works and therefore need some form of improvement
when encountered in construction projects. Techniques for improvement of black cotton soils include
replacement, moisture control or adding a stabilizer. Cement and/or lime has been commonly used in soil
stabilization for ages. However, due to the associated cost, required quality control and the need to utilize waste
materials in construction, new stabilizing materials are emerging. This paper presents a study on application of
quarry dust for improving properties of black cotton soil in Mbeya region, Tanzania. The targeted improvement
was to achieve minimum acceptable characteristics for road subgrade as per Tanzania standards. It was
determined that 40% by weight of quarry dust added to the black cotton soil was able to improve the
characteristics by increasing CBR value from 3.8 to 15.7 and reducing PI from 32% to 15%. It will be worthy
studying the cost implication of the suggested improvement in relation to other techniques before application of
the study findings.
High intensity rain and morphometri in Padang city cause at Arau. Morphometri
geomorphologi that is related to wide of, river network, stream pattern and gradien of river. The form wide
of DAS will be by stream pattern and level.This will influence to the number of rain. Make an index to
closeness of stream depict closeness of river stream at one particular DAS. Speed of river stream influenced
by storey, level steepness of river. Steepness storey, level is comparison of difference height of river
downstream and upstream. Ever greater of steepness of river stream, excelsior speed of river stream that
way on the contrary. High to lower speed of river stream influence occurence of floods, more than anything
else if when influenced by debit big. By using rainfall from year 2005 to year 2015, and use Thiessen method
got a rainfall. Use the DEM IFSAR, analysed sofware ARGIS, and with from earth map, the result got DAS
in at condition of floods gristle and sedimentation. There are band evakuasi for resident which data in
floods area.
The chemical (extractives and lignin) content and histological property (microscopic structure)
of tissues of Ricinodendron heudelotii (Baill, Pierre ex Pax), an angiosperm, were investigated for its potential
as a fibrous raw material for pulp and paper production. Bolts of about 70 cm were cut from the felled trees at
three different merchantable height levels of 10%, 50%, and 90% to obtain: corewood, middlewood and
outerwood samples. The fiber characteristics of the selected trees viz: the fiber length, fibre diameter and lumen
diameter were measured while the cell wall thickness was derived from the measured fibre dimensions. The
average fiber length, cell wall thickness, and lumen width, were 1.40 mm, 4.6 µm, and 32.3 µm, respectively.
The extractive and lignin contents were determined. Klason lignin content was about 30%. Extractive content of
R. heudelotii ranged from 0.41 to 0.5%. Based on these findings R. heudelotii is suitable for pulp and paper
production.
The prolific Niger Delta Basin is a mature petroleum province. Therefore, further prospectivity in
the basin lies within deeper plays which are high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) targets. One of the
main characteristics of the Niger Delta is its unique diachronous tripartite stratigraphy. Its gross onshore and
shallow offshore lithostratigraphy consists of the deep-seated Akata Formation and is virtually exclusively
shale, the petroliferous paralic Agbada Formation in which sand/shale proportion systematically increases
upward, and at the top the Benin Formation composed almost exclusively of sand. This stratigraphic pattern is
not exactly replicated in the deep offshore part of the delta.
A low-carbon steel wire of AISI 1022 is used to easily fabricate into self-drilling tapping screws,
which are widely used for construction works. The majority of carbonitriding activity is performed to improve
the wear resistance without affecting the soft, tough interior of the screws in self-drilling operation. In this
study, Taguchi technique is used to obtain optimum carbonitriding conditions to improve the mechanical
properties of AISI 1022 self-drilling tapping screws. The carbonitriding qualities of self-drilling tapping screws
are affected by various factors, such as quenching temperature, carbonitriding time, atmosphere composition
(carbon potential and ammonia level), tempering temperature and tempering time. The quality characteristics of
carbonitrided tapping screws, such as case hardness and core hardness, are investigated, and so are their
process capabilities. It is experimentally revealed that the factors of carbonitriding time and tempering
temperature are significant for case hardness. The optimum mean case hardness is 649.2HV. For the case
hardness, the optimum process-capability ratio increases by about 200% compared to the original result. The
new carbonitriding parameter settings evidently improve the performance measures over their values at the
original settings. The strength of the carbonitrided AISI 1022 self-drilling tapping screws is effectively improved.
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Collaborative Design Boosting Development of Digital Wellness Services
1. International journal of scientific and technical research in engineering (IJSTRE)
www.ijstre.com Volume 2 Issue 2 ǁ February 2017.
Manuscript id. 388949328 www.ijstre.com Page 36
Collaborative Design Boosting Development of Digital
Wellness Services
Kaisa Vehmas1
, Maarit Tihinen1
, Anu Seisto1
1
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, PO BOX 1000, 02044 VTT, Finland
ABSTRACT: Today, digitalization is a catalyst for economic growth. Digitalization opens huge opportunities
for service providers to create novel solutions for consumers. For example, consumers are willing to spend
more money and time to take care of themselves and this provides new business for wellness service providers.
The aim of this paper is to provide new knowledge on how user involvement and co-design can boost
development of digital wellness services, and what are their potential benefits for companies. The paper
introduces three case studies in which novel mobile wellness services were developed in collaboration with
users in Owela platform in different phases of the development process.
KEYWORDS -wellness, mobile services, digital transformation, user involvement, co-design
I. INTRODUCTION
Today, digitalization is everywhere and affects our everyday life enormously. Digitalization has had a
transformational effect on production, services, and business processes around the world [1]. Earlier, digital
technology was seen as a niche market for specialists but now it is merely an everyday technology that affects
all sectors of the economy and society [2]. Digital technology is also accelerating economic growth. For
example, in Europe the Big Data sector is growing by 40% per year, seven times faster than the IT market [3].
Digital transformation, combining digital technologies into business processes, has potential to renew business
models, create new innovations and services.
Thus, digital technologies and the use of data for wellness and healthcare purposes offer huge
opportunities for consumers, healthcare providers, and the industry, benefitting from the trend of consumers
being willing to spend time and money to take care of themselves. Health and well-being are determinants of an
individual‟s quality of life. Many corporations as well as government agencies have entered the digital health
market. For example, in 2014 Google, Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft all announced plans for digital health
initiatives [4].
This study was conducted as part of the Digital Services (DS) program (http://www.digital-services.fi).
In the wellness theme of the program, it was concentrated on the development of mobile wellness services for
consumers to expand the offering of the companies involved. For example, novel applications were designed for
preventative healthcare providing consumers versatile knowledge of their health, and wellness status. This paper
introduces three different case studies: wellness application for employees to support exercising during work, a
game for activating memory, and an application for strengthening the relationship of couples. Potential users of
these novel wellness services were involved in a collaborative design process together with developers of the
digital services and researchers through an online Owela platform. Even though co-development of mobile
services has been studied earlier [5], mobile wellness services are a fairly new application area. The main goal
of this paper is to provide new knowledge on whether there are some user related issues that differentiate mobile
wellness services from mobile services in general that need to be considered by the service developers.
The paper is structured in the following way. In the second section, background information about
digitalization in general and its effects on developing wellness services are presented as well as the importance
of user involvement in the development process. In the third section, the research method is presented and the
services studied are shortly described. In the fourth section, the findings for all three case studies are introduced
and the results are then discussed in section five. Finally, the main findings are summarized and concluded in
the sixth section.
2. Collaborative Design Boosting Development of Digital Wellness Services
Manuscript id. 388949328 www.ijstre.com Page 37
II. BACKGROUND
The Internet and, recently, mobile network infrastructures have promoted digitalization as the
technological backbone of our society. Today, digitalization has changed the world considerably, affects
consumer‟s everyday lives and is increasingly a significant part of company strategy. It has been estimated that
the Internet and digital technologies have become more and more integrated across all sectors of our economy
and society [2]. Digitalization has been stated to strengthen the existing business, create new business and
increase the value of the products and services besides the user experience [6]. Furthermore, the potential of
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and digitalization to accelerate economic growth will have
to come primarily from the use of these technologies by other industries in the non-ICT sector [7], like
transportation, retail, public sector, banking and healthcare. It is expected that the number of digital applications
will grow explosively from one million apps (2015) to 500 million apps until 2035 [6].
Digitalization in wellness and healthcare domains offers opportunities and new potential services for
consumers, healthcare providers, and industry. For example, new digital solutions can provide users motivating
ways to manage their health, and healthcare systems can improve their efficiency and cope with the increasing
demand from aging individuals [8]. Services based on wearable sensors and mobile applications for individuals
to increase physical activity, eat a healthier diet, better manage their sleep and stress, and engage in social lives
with family and friends are increasing [9].
At the moment, digital services are increasingly being developed for the wellness sector as supportive
activities of public healthcare, such as appointment services, health education, self-care, and information
services. Many of these digital services provide enhancements for the original physical services without the
need to exchange medical patient data. Furthermore, various digital wellness services such as Web services,
mobile applications, or personal monitoring devices are designed for individuals to manage their own health and
wellness. These types of health services are also expected to enable more cost-effective health promotion and
disease prevention. In addition, personal wellness services have been found to support face-to-face interventions
[10]. The data collected could potentially increase information sharing between individuals and healthcare
professionals. However, because of the lack of interoperable ICT solutions and standards, most e-health and e-
care solutions cannot benefit from the large potential of the internal European Union (EU) market. For example,
the lack of technical and legal interoperability of information systems is limiting the use of data collected from
many mobile wellness applications in the public healthcare systems since patient data cannot be easily
transferred [3].
Mobile phones provide an important and promising platform for applications that support users in their
wellness and health-related activities, as noted e.g. by Ahtinen et al. [11]. The use of technology for improving
wellness and motivating users in their wellness activities has expanded remarkably within the last few years.
More than 100,000 health and medical-related applications for mobile digital devices have been developed for
commercial use [4]. Mobile applications may for example support and enhance user‟s motivation to exercise
more, eat healthier, lose weight, relax and care for their mental health. In addition, a range of other digital
products currently on the market can be worn on the body to self-track biometric data. Such body functions,
sensations, and indicators as blood glucose, body weight and body mass index, physical activity, energy
expended, mood, body temperature, breathing rate, blood chemistry readings, and neural activity can be
monitored using portable wearable and internal sensors that have been placed in wristbands or headbands,
woven into clothing, laminated on ultrathin skin interfaces, or even inserted into ingestible tablets that can
monitor the body from within.
Ahtinen et al. [11] formulated four user-centric design principles that are relevant in designing mobile
wellness applications: 1) Be my advisor, 2) Acknowledge my efforts, 3) Grow with me, and 4) Keep me
engaged. The results indicated that these principles are relevant in the design of wellness applications for
motivating physical activity but must be adapted to individual needs and local context. Mattila et al. [10] listed
the key requirements for personal health technologies: ease of use, simplicity, integration in daily life, and clear
feedback.
In recent years, technology has been increasingly utilized for motivating users and providing support
for various individual and collective beneficial behaviours. Perhaps the most popular development in this area
has been gamification, which has been implemented in various contexts, including well-being. Gamification
3. Collaborative Design Boosting Development of Digital Wellness Services
Manuscript id. 388949328 www.ijstre.com Page 38
refers to technologies that promote intrinsic motivations for various activities by employing the design
characteristics of games. Previous studies outlined positive effects from utilizing gamification elements in
digital exercise and health services, such as physical activity and healthy eating habits[12].
Companies are increasingly interested in collaborating on innovations with customers and users [13].
User involvement is expected to lead to more accurate user requirements, features that meet users‟ needs,
increased acceptance of the system, and enhanced ease of use [5, 14, 15]. Customers are also expected to add
value to the product or service when they are involved in the co-creation even during the early phases of the
innovation process [16, 17]. The greater the consumers‟ role in the innovation process, the higher the product
quality and the likelihood of its success, since consumers‟ own ideas are more likely to be valued by them [18].
In addition, users do not accept the role of passive consumers anymore but look for opportunities to
contribute to a better world and better products, becoming active co-designers [19, 20]. This is largely due to the
fact that social media has become a part of everyday life; it is used for communicating among friends and
family, organizing events, sharing opinions, and collecting the power of individuals to act together. Consumers
feel more empowered whether it comes to media, consumption, innovation, or civic participation [21].
Designing mobile wellness applications requires a multifaceted approach that combines wellness service design
with knowledge of the technological possibilities. In this study, we aimed at a practical approach in which
companies could test agile ways of service development in different phases of the development process.
III. METHODS
In this study, qualitative case study approach was chosen. This article provides evidence from various
single-case studies. A case study research approach [22] was selected as the literature on user involvement and
co-design of mobile wellness services is not yet well-formulated. Järvinen [23] emphasizes the ability of case
studies to examine complex and not repeatable circumstances and, in this way, to gather information for the
creation of new knowledge. Furthermore, case studies are especially appropriate when the context is expected to
play a role in the phenomena of focus, or when effects are expected to be wide-ranging or to take a long time
(e.g., weeks, months, or years) to appear [24]. In addition, the case study methodology has been stated to be
well-suited for software engineering research, as it typically studies contemporary phenomena in its natural
context [25].
The main goal of this paper is to provide new knowledge based on experiences in co-design in
developing novel digital wellness services. The research questions for this research are as follows:
Q1. What are the important issues that need to be considered while developing mobile wellness services in
comparison with mobile services in general?
Q2. What kinds of concrete benefits can be gathered from involving potential users of the service and
developers in different phases of the development process?
3.1 Owela tool
An online Open Web Laboratory, Owela (http://owela.fi), was utilized in the three case studies
presented in this paper to involve potential users in the collaborative design process of the wellness services.
Owela is an online innovation space which helps companies to develop products and services together with their users
[26]. Owela supports active user involvement in the innovation process from the early ideas to piloting and actual use.
The Owela platform is technically based on the open source content management system WordPress and is a
constellation of plugins that can be flexibly taken into use, depending on what kinds of features are required in each
project workspace. At the moment, Owela has thousands of registered users. The Owela user database can be used for
recruiting participants for new projects among those users who have expressed their willingness for further
participation and whose profile match with the target group of the new project. Owela consists of blog-based
discussion tools, user diaries, chats, questionnaires, and polls that can be combined for different innovation and
design purposes. Owela can be utilized to involve users in all phases of a development process for an
innovation, see Figure 1.
4. Collaborative Design Boosting Development of Digital Wellness Services
Manuscript id. 388949328 www.ijstre.com Page 39
Fig. 1. Use of Owela during the phases of the innovation development process.
In the previous projects it has been found out that Owela makes it possible to quickly and cost-
effectively evaluate different versions of possible new services with potential users [27]. It has also been very
useful for companies to create rich interaction with consumers in Owela to identify the needs and expectations
of their potential customers that provide the basis to build novel services with superior user experience [28].
Owela can be utilized as a part of a design process and can be combined with other participatory design methods
like workshops, scenario work and interviews and face-to-face discussions [29].
In this project, Owela was utilized to gather information about users‟ attitudes and expectations
towards three different mobile wellness services to give feedback and guidance on how the services should be
developed. Table 1. summarizes the differences in the three services studied, identified as Case A, B and C. The
services were in different development phases, and therefore there were differences in how the services were
presented to the users.
Table 1. Summary of the mobile wellness services developed and evaluated in this study.
Case A Case B Case C
Idea
Wellness service for
employees
Memory game
Relationship Strengthening
Method
Development phase of the
service
Concept Prototype Nearly ready to be launched
Length of the study
period in Owela
2 weeks 2 weeks 6 weeks
Number of participants 46 112 9 couples
Gender of participants M
(%) / F (%)
57 / 43 48 / 52 50 / 50
Age variation of
participants
30-90 18-89 27-47
Number of comments 225 325 90
Companies involved
Valmius Hyvinvointiin
Group Oy
(www.valmius.fi) and
Innvolve Oy
(innvolve.fi/en/)
Valitut Palat CIL Suomi Oy
(http://www.rd.fi/)
Olento Life Ltd
(www.olentogames.com/)
Users register on the Owela platform to participate in discussions but can create a user name and
participate anonymously. Only researchers have access to the participants‟ personal data. In the case of wellness
services, which deal with very personal issues user involvement is sensitive and their privacy has to be
respected. Even though the developers were able to join the discussion with users, they were not able to access
all data. The final analysis was in each case carried out by researchers.
3.2 Case descriptions
In this study novel applications were designed for preventative healthcare providing consumers
versatile knowledge of their health and wellness status. The business case included three different case studies
5. Collaborative Design Boosting Development of Digital Wellness Services
Manuscript id. 388949328 www.ijstre.com Page 40
presented in this paper: wellness application for employees to support exercising during work, a game for
activating memory, and an application for strengthening the relationship of couples.
In the Case A, a mobile user-oriented and self-motivational service for employees well-being, was
created. The idea was to develop a service, Taskuvalmius, which helps users adopt small, yet efficient,
improvements in their daily routines. The digital service supports the physical well-being programs Valmius
offers to companies and enables a continuous way to change the daily routines. In the Owela study background
information about the users was collected related to their well-being at work, possible work-related
musculoskeletal disorders, as well as their habits of using digital devices. Information about their previous
experience of physical well-being programs was also gathered in addition to feedback on four different service
concepts presented in this study. The concepts were presented to the participants in Owela with a picture and a
short description of the service. The different service concepts (see Figure 2.) were as follows:
c1. a written wellness guide in a pdf version that can be read electronically on a computer, tablet device, or
mobile phone;
c2. a workplace-specific welfare manual that includes an instructional video, ergonomics tips, break
workouts, home workouts, preliminary tasks, to-do list, exercises, etc.;
c3. a quick guide that summarizes the relevant instructions with illustrations; and
c4. a wellness diary that includes a communication channel with personal trainers and a physiotherapist and
integration with all sport and meal trackers.
c5.
Fig. 2. Different service concepts presented to the participants in Owela discussion in Case A.
In Case B, the memory game, the goal was to develop a novel mobile memory game application that
enables a consumer to activate her or his brain in order to prevent memory disorder. The Muistimestari memory
game is an interactive application that is divided into three themes: short-term memory, remote memory, and
other memory games for everyday life. The application consists of various exercises ranging from numeric to
visual tasks and music. The game aims to provide additional value for the readers of the Valitut Palat magazine.
In Case B Owela was utilized to determine users‟ attitudes and expectations towards the application prototype,
consumers‟ interest in the game in general, and more specifically in the layout and usability of the user
interface. The participants followed a link from the Owela page to the prototype. The game and the idea of the
game were first described briefly, after which the users were allowed to test the game freely and navigate the
application without any specific instructions. Then they were asked to test different game types inside the
application and to give feedback.
The layout and user interface of the memory game (in Finnish) are presented in Figure 3. The first
screen is the first page of the memory game. On the second screen a simple layout of the navigation panel is
presented. An example about number sequences game type where the user is asked to try to remember different
number sequences, is presented on the third screen. On the fourth screen there is a layout of one of the games
presented, in this case a lyrics game, where the user is asked to fill in missing words from popular songs.
Together with the game, some purchase options were also presented e.g. a possibility to buy a CD where the
song from the lyrics game is included.
6. Collaborative Design Boosting Development of Digital Wellness Services
Manuscript id. 388949328 www.ijstre.com Page 41
Fig. 3. The layout and user interface of Case B.
In the case of the relationship strengthening method (Case C), a new mobile version of the Wedidit®
relationship method was created. Wedidit® is an online tool that provides an effective and entertaining method
for improving and building a healthy and satisfying relationship for couples. The method is based on positive
psychology and cognitive therapy and was one of the first digital methods to challenge the traditional therapy
and couching methods. In this studythe test couples participated in a 4-week program. The method begins with
an analysis, a simple test in which users assess their satisfaction with various areas in their relationship. The
result gives an overall picture of the current state of the relationship and sheds light on areas in which both
parties could improve. After completing the analysis phase, the service starts to suggest different exercises. In
this case, Owela was utilized to involve users in a discussion of their experiences with the service and to give
feedback about the layout and usability of the service. Users also described the influence of the service in their
relationship and their time consumption with the service. The Owela discussion was open for six weeks for
comments. During that period, 19 couples started with the service. Nine couples completed the whole test period
and gave feedback through the Owela platform.
Fig. 4. The layout of relationship strengthening method in Case C.
IV. RESULTS
In all three case studies, the Owela platform was utilized to involve consumers in the innovation and
development process and to give an opportunity for the developers to participate in the discussion. In Case A
(wellness service for employees), consumers were involved during an early stage of development when the
company had created different service concepts. Based on the discussions, the company could fail fast with
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some service concepts and focus their development efforts on the ones that gained the most interest. In Case B
(the memory game), the participants were involved during the development phase when a prototype of the
service was available for evaluation. It made it possible to take into account users‟ comments and development
ideas in the game development process and change some elements in the game according to the consumers‟
needs and expectations. In Case C (the relationship strengthening method), consumers were involved in an
evaluation of an application that was almost ready to be launched. They could base their comments on actual
user experience with the method.
4.1 Case A: Wellness Service for Employees
Consumers are nowadays using different digital devices both at work and during their leisure time.
Most of the participants that took part in the Owela discussion worked in offices and did sedentary work with
digital devices (75%). Eighty-nine percent of the respondents told that they suffer from some degree of
musculoskeletal disorder. But, they have understood that “I have to take care of my own health so that I’m still
fit to work”. Fourty-four percent of the respondents had used occupational healthcareservices to treat the
symptoms, out of which 40% were satisfied with the treatment they received from occupational healthcare
services. Training related to the prevention or facilitation of musculoskeletal disorders was available only in
20% of the workplaces. Ninety-one percent of respondents would be interested in receiving the type of coaching
presented in the concepts. Still, some of them pointed out that “Instructions related to health and well-being are
easy to take into use, but keeping up with these practices is challenging”. According to the participants‟
experience, employers are well disposed towards well-being, but these services are easily reduced in poor
economic situations.
The participants were especially interested in concepts c2 and c4 (the workplace-specific welfare
manual and the wellness diary). Related to the diary, some participants pointed out that“The advantage of the
wellness diary is that I have to be active by myself and not just read the instructions”. According to the
participants, the most important factors in digital wellness services are easy to download, easy and fast to use,
and useful. To ensure long-term use of the service, the content has to vary, and users expect to get
encouragement and feedback through the service. The service has to be workplace-specific so the users can
realize the advantages of the guide. Only 12% of the participants were not interested in any of the concepts.
Some of them commented that“I don’t like to use digital applications during my leisure time due to the fact that
I’m sitting beside my computer all day at work”. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents would like to use the
service on a mobile phone, 28% on a computer, and 22% on a tablet device.
Interactivity with other users in this context did not play a major role. Most of the respondents (70%)
were not willing to share their personal results with their colleagues. Sharing was seen as an element to increase
stress and competition, and hence more as a negative than positive feature. However, there were some
comments in favour of interactivity with other users presented by the participants; some participants found it
nice to work together with colleagues for well-being, and to receive encouragement inside the team.Team work
was seen as making it easier to challenge yourself with new habits, and as a positive feature to be able to share
your experiences with others.
4.2 Case B: Memory Game
In the Owela discussion related to Case B, memory game application, most of the participants (83%)
mentioned that they had played computer games or other digital games by computer (45%), tablet device (29%),
and smart phone (26%). The prototype of the service was tested on a desktop computer (52%), laptop (36%),
tablet device (8%), and smart phone (4%). Generally, the participants were interested in improving their own
memory, testing their short-term memory and remote memory, and getting information about memory
techniques, like “I know my memory is weak and I really want to develop myself”.
According to the participants, the game should include more variation in the types of games and they
would like to get encouraging feedback about their success. There should also be different levels in the game to
challenge the user‟s memory. For example, “There should be lots of content in the application and always
something new and challenging. Otherwise I would remove this application from my mobile phone”. Half of the
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participants were interested in collecting points from the exercises, 29% were not interested in collecting points
at all, and 21% were interested in collecting points just to track their own success.
According to the participants, playing the game would be time-consuming. Users estimated the amount
of time they would be willing to spend on playing the memory game; the estimates varied from five minutes to
several hours. They pointed out that “I’m willing to use my time with the application if it is interesting and feels
worthwhile”. Some of the participants would like to play daily, some only every once in a while. Users felt the
mobile application was valuable because they were interested in playing the game when they are commuting or
e.g. waiting at a bus stop. They were used to the fact that mobile games can be acquired free of charge, and they
would not be willing to pay for the game or only a small amount. Participants commented that“I could pay for
feedback or extra game content”.
The participants also stated that they would like to compare their results to other users results. For
example, “I’m quite competitive so it would be an extra bonus if I could compare myself to others” but at the
same time some of the participants felt that “I have no need to share these kinds of results with others, and I’m
not interested other’s results”. More than half of the respondents (63%) would like to receive feedback about
their success in verbal form (43%) or an anonymous list (38%) of results, e.g.“It would be nice to get response
on e.g. that my memory is equal to that of average middle-aged woman”. Most of the participants were not
interested in sharing their results (64%) through social media.
4.3 Case C: Relationship Method
On the basis of the Owela discussion, users generally liked the relationship strengthening method. At
first, the idea was felt to be funny, but using the method many participants stated that they had been really
surprised: The application had exceeded their expectations. One of the participants told that“In the advance, the
idea of a relationship game felt pretty stupid, so, we didn’t expect much. But this application was actually nice
and useful. Particularly good was the fact that the application forces you to pay attention to the small things in
everyday life and makes you understand that they specifically have an impact on happiness”.
According to the couples, the analyser part of the application was easy, fast, and effortless, and the
analysis covered all relationship areas well. Most felt that “After completing the analysis part I think we had
discussed various areas of our relationship, more than we had in a long time”. Couples observed quite easily
the areas of the relationship in which both hoped to improve. The couples also stated that it was gratifying to
observe how small things and actions already affected everyday life in a good way. The analysis made
communication easier. Still, some stated that“The application could also include guides for discussion”. They
also asked for clearer instructions on how the results from the analysis affect the process in the program, the
weekly tasks.
All couples stated that happiness in their relationship increased after they used the method. The effect
of the application was most valuable in communication and sex and intimacy domains but had also a positive
influence in all the other domains: housework, actions, and quality time. Couples who had been the most
dissatisfied with their relationship in the beginning felt that they had been able to improve their relationship by
using the method. Still, the method was clearly also useful for couples who had better a starting point in the
beginning of the program. During the program, the increase in happiness was studied in repeated tests, in which
the couples rated the emotions in different sub-regions in their everyday lives (satisfaction percentage). The
satisfaction rate rose for all the couples during the program.
Participants liked the simple and modern layout of the application but criticized the main picture in
which the couple is arguing; “I would prefer pictures of happy couples, something to be sought for by using the
application”. Links inside the application should be more visible, and navigation and scrolling easier. Users
liked the feature that the application sent reminders about the tasks. Many tasks were available in the program;
users usually optimized the task by choosing the ones that were realistic to fulfil during the week. In general, the
participants did not pay a lot of attention to the graphics presented in the application.
Users spent several minutes online while using the application. They felt that it was a suitable amount
of time and “The most important parts were done offline with the spouse”. Opinions about the optimal length of
the program varied among the participants. Some got bored during the four weeks; they felt that there should be
more variation in tasks and in the content of the application. Some users mentioned that they would like to use
the application continuously. Still, all asked for surprises, some unexpected content for the application.
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V. DISCUSSION
Digitalization is everywhere; it is the technological backbone of our society. Digitalization and mobile
phones as a platform in health and well-beingdomain offers opportunities and new potential services for
consumers, healthcareproviders, and industry. The use of technology for improving wellness and motivating
users in their wellness activities has expanded remarkably within the last few years. Users are able and willing
to utilize digital devices and digital services in their everyday lives. They also want to contribute to better
products and services. This is an advantage for companies that have understood the importance of involving the
end users of the product or service in the innovation and development processes. Consumer behaviour has
changed due to digitalization, and this change must be taken into consideration when developing services for
customers. Traditional, physical wellness services may benefit from digitalization significantly as service
providers have the opportunity to offer added value to their customers, reach a large number of users, follow
users‟ progress, and continuously interact with their customers.
In this study, a group of consumers tested and evaluated different digital wellness services. The
services were in the different development phase, so, they got a bit different kind of feedback. For example, in
Case A, users evaluated different concepts and the feedback from them was more like what kinds of features
should the novel service include and how the participants would like to use the service. In Case B, participants
understood the prototype of the service is quite an early phase and the ideated how to develop the service more.
In Case C, the service was almost ready to be launched and users commented more in detail e.g. the layout of
the service, pictures and colours and also the navigation properties.
Generally, consumers were positive about digital wellness services; they would like to use these types
of digital services to improve their own health and well-being. It was also preferred to use the wellness services
by a mobile phone. People have used to use their smart phones more and more in different situations and they
are carrying the devices almost always with them. When developing digital services, there are several issues the
service provider has to pay attention to. Generally, the rules in developing digital services are the same, but in
the case of wellness services there are also some issues that are more sensitive. Table 2. summarizes the
important issues for development of digital wellness services, pointed out in this study, answering research
question Q1. Most of these issues have to take into consideration also in digital service development in general.
Table 2. Important issues in digital wellness service development.
Mobile Wellness Service
Advantage,
Usefulness
Users have to realise the advantages they are gaining from the service.
Integration of the service in daily life is important to enable the
behaviour change.
The service also need to guide how to do the change, “Be my advisor”.
Easiness The user interface of the service has to be clear and easy. Users do not
want to read any instructions.
The implementation of the service has to be fast and easy.
Variation Users get bored if the content of the service is too similar week after
week.
There also has to be different levels in the service, it has to challenge
enough.
Personalization Users prefer services that can be personalized for their own purpose.
Feedback Users want to receive feedback on their personal success.
Users are willing to compare themselves to others, but in the case of
wellness service, it has to be done in a sensitive way (see, Privacy).
Feedback has to encourage them to gain their goals.
Interactivity Users like to have an active role in using the wellness service. It is not
enough e.g. to passively read the guides. They have to do it by
themselves and get an own experience.
Reminders from the service may encourage to use the service also in
long term.
Privacy Health and well-being are private issues for users, there has to be a
possibility to use the service alone.
Users are not necessarily willing to share their results with others.
Users have to have a control in what kind of use feels comfortable.
Real-time Users want to have access to the service anytime and anywhere, they
have to have a control when the time is right for using the service.
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First, the users of the mobile wellness service have to realize the advantage of using the application. As
van der Heijden [30] and Mattila et al. [10] presented in their studies, integration of the service in consumers‟
daily lives and the usefulness of the service in certain environments are important. This is also the case in Case
A, the work environment, where the content of the service has to fit the environment where the service is
utilized. This was also the challenge in user involvement in the development process in this study, as generic
content suitable for any user was utilized. Advantage of the memory game was clear to the users, and they
expressed a wish to know in more detail how good their memory capabilities were. Also the advantage of the
relationship strengthening method was clear, and the couples using the method could get an evaluation of the
starting point, i.e. the state of their relationship when beginning to use the method.
Ease of use positively affected consumers‟ attitude regarding the service [12] and is a key requirement
for personal health technologies [10], as was also noted in the present studies. Easy and modern layout was
preferred. In the case of wellness services where sensor technology is combined with the mobile service it is
important that also the sensors and wearable technology should be designed to be easy and unobtrusive to carry
along [5].
Variation in the service is also necessary, users get bored if the content of the service does not change
or surprise them. This is closely related to “Keep me engaged” [11]. Users expect that when they invest in
increasing their health and well-being, they can reach different levels in the service. The service has to challenge
them enough; it cannot be too simple. The service can get harder when the user succeeds on her or his tasks:
“Grow with me,” as Ahtinen et al. (ibid) formulated this issue. Game-like elements may be utilized to make the
application feel more personal, for example reaching a more difficult level when easier tasks have all been
completed. Ahtinen also pointed out the individual needs of the users that rose also in this study. In the case of
well-being, the challenges and goals are very personal.
Motivating and encouraging users to reach their own goals in the form of feedback has also risen in
many previous studies: clear feedback [10] with advice combined with recognition of users‟ success and effort
[11, 12]. In this study, feedback was mentioned as an important issue for ensuring the long-term use of the
service. Also for this, game-like elements may be useful and motivating, and at the same time as they encourage
the users to keep on trying, they may also serve as a positive surprise for the users. According to previous
studies [31, 32], optional rewards affect the level of contribution and time spent with the service. However, this
depends on the user. In this study, the memory game users collected points from successfully completed
exercises; half of the participants were interested in collecting points, whereas 29% were not at all interested in
collecting points. In the case of the relationship method, some couples stated that they competed with each other
to complete more tasks and do more things than the spouse had hoped for. However, feedback in the form where
the users compared their own progress with that of others was also seen as negative and stressful, e.g. by some
users of the employee well-being service. In our study, the importance of active role of the user was also
mentioned. Users felt that they want to be active and experience things, not just passively read information
related to health and well-being.
Generally, services including gamification often include strong social features [33] and affect attitude
formation positively [12]and also, increase motivation [9]. Even if consumers are surrounded by thousands of
digital applications available for their mobile phones and even if they use social media to share their pictures
and feelings, it is important to understand that when dealing with such private issues as personal health and
well-being, users can be more distant. According to the present study, personal health and well-being issues are
considered as private, and users do not necessarily want to share them with everyone, maybe not even with their
closest friends. This really has to take into consideration in the case of wellness services, the service provider in
this area must act very sensitively. Based on our study, it is important that the users have control on whether
they wish to keep data of the progress to themselves or whether they wish to share it. Some users the possibility
on team work in the case of employee well-being (Case A) attractive, and some users of the memory game
(Case B) were interested in getting more information of their results compared to others playing the same game.
Even if the user could stay anonymous in the latter case, it would still require sharing of personal data at least
with the service provider. Naturally, one part of privacy topic is also the data gathered by service providers and
the utilization of the personal data by second and third parties [4].
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The selection of digital services is wide and they compete with the time that users may spend with
them. Even if the digital wellness services developed in this project are unique, the challenge is to engage users
to spend time with the application in the long term. If the user interface is clumsy or the service does not create a
solution for the users‟ needs and fulfil their expectations, they quickly stop using the application. This was
noticed with the relationship strengthening application, as 9 out of 19 couples finished the 4-week method. The
ten couples that quit using the application possibly didn‟t have a clear need for improving the state of their
relationship or they did not see the usefulness of the service.
The amount of time spent on the service depends on the type of the service. In this study, the memory
game application aimed at getting the users to spend plenty of time with the application. The application was
built to be entertaining at the same time as being useful. Users wanted to use this application everywhere, and
were willing to spend time with it. In the case of the wellness service for employees and the relationship
strengthening method, the idea was to get instructions and tasks digitally, but the work itself was in the physical
world, and users wanted to avoid spending time online. Hence, digital services can be built to a link the digital
and physical worlds and, in the ideal case, be a seamless continuum of the service package.
The companies that participated in this study had previous experience in involving users mainly
through interviewing their customers or sending them questionnaires. In this study, the Owela platform was
utilized for collaborative design of the services. Companies got more interactive relationship with the
participants and more valuable information about users‟ needs and expectations. According to the company
representatives, they received valuable feedback from their potential customers through Owela discussions and
the results were utilized in further development of the mobile services and marketing of them. Company
representatives implemented the feedback from Owela from the first day the platform was open to users and
they were able to start planning the next steps right away. The companies performed development work
continuously in addition to the co-development work.
Valitut Palat (Case B) and Olento Life (Case C) have modified their application, the user interface, and
the layout based on ideas from the users. Valmius Hyvinvointiin Group (Case A) received clear feedback on
which digital service concepts to develop further and offer to their customers. They also got confirmation to
their service idea; people would like to use this kind of wellness service at work.In all cases, the feedback from
consumers confirmed the expectations the companies had had for their services. In their opinion, it is possible
that they would have ended up with similar solutions even without consumer involvement, but they estimated
that this could have lengthened the development process considerably, and in the worst case, some important
issues might have risen just after the service was released. The feedback the companies received from the study
was seen as extremely important for their development work.
Kujala and Mao et al. found that user involvement leads to more accurate user requirements, features
that meet users‟ needs, increased acceptance of the system, and enhanced ease of use [14, 15]. As the services
tested in this study were in different development phases, the benefits from user involvement could be
compared. Involving the users in concept phase resulted in the company using the research data for decision
making and in drawing strategic conclusions on how to move forward with service development. A qualitative
user discussion functioned well for fail fast purposes, as the participants in Owela discussion were able to justify
their opinions and the developers could ask for more reasoning when needed. In the prototype phase and with a
service nearly ready to be launched the benefits from user discussion for the companies were very similar. Ideas
received from the users were more specific and more incremental than in the concept phase, although some
ideas could have been used in a more strategic way (e.g. larger utilization of gamification). In these cases, it was
also very important for the companies to hear critical comments from the users before entering the market.
These findings give answer to research question Q2.
The research shows that this type of collaborative design process provides concrete benefits for service
providers: they receive valuable feedback about customers‟ opinions towards their services to be used in
developing and marketing the services. The companies modified the applications, the user interface, and the
layout of the service based on ideas generated by the user study. In this study, companies also pointed out the
importance of continuing to interact with their customers after the wellness services have been released. As its
best, participatory research is an ongoing dialogue with customers, a natural part of the company‟s operations.
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In addition, according to Hoyer et al. [18], the greater the role of consumers in the innovation process, the higher
the product quality and the likelihood of its success.
Challenges in well-being, both at work and in relationships, as well as in memory disorders are
universal, and hence, digital wellness services can potentially be developed for international markets to offer
cheaper, easier, and more private options and solutions for the users. Digital services can create a link to
physical services and in the ideal case be a seamless part of the service package. The biggest challenges are to
reach the right users for the service who are also willing to pay for it. Digital services are sensitive to being
copied for use by the competitors.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
Digitalization has affected production, services, and business processes and caused clear differences in
ways that companies interact with their customers. Digital technology is recognized to be one of the successful
themes for economic growth. The use of technology for improving wellness and motivating users in their
wellness activities has expanded remarkably within the last few years; digitalization offers opportunities and
new potential services for consumers, healthcare providers, and industry to enable more cost-effective health
promotion and disease prevention. Digital services are developed to enhance or support traditional physical
services or for self-care purposes. At the same time, users are willing to spend money and time to take care of
themselves.
In this study, three casestudieswere introduced. In all the three cases, consumers were involved in the
development processes of novel digital wellness services, and the Owela platform was utilized in the co-
innovation and co-development processes. In early development phases companies may test different service
concepts to fail fast with ideas that don‟t attract the desired focus group (Case A). In later development phases
they may receive detailed comments for refining the service and have a possibility for reacting with critical
viewpoints prior to launching the service (Cases B and C).
The case studies showed that companies significantly benefited from involving users; they got valuable
feedback about the users‟ opinions of the services to be used in developing and marketing the service. In all
cases, for example, the feedback from consumers confirmed the companies‟ expectations for their service. In
addition, using collaborative design, companies were able to speed up their development processes, learn which
solutions were favoured by the consumers and why, failed early, and directed their service development
according to consumers‟ needs and expectations.
Digitalization has changed the world and consumer behaviour. Users use digital devices and the
selection of digital entertainment services is wide; more than 100,000 health- and medical-related applications
are available for mobile digital devices. Deeper integration of sensors and interactive tools would allow us to
foresee drastic changes in new services.
Even if the digital wellness services developed in this project are unique, the challenge is to habituate
users to utilize the application for the long term. If there are mistakes in the user interface or the service does not
create a solution for users‟ needs, or they do not see the advantages of the service, they easily stop using it.
Service providers have to think carefully how to entice users, how to encourage them to reach their goals and to
develop themselves. This study concluded that the following principles were relevant in the design of mobile
wellness applications: 1) advantage for the user, 2) ease of use, 3) variation in context, 4) personalization, 5)
feedback, 6) interactivity, 7) privacy, and 8) real-time availability. These findings correlate well with the results
from previous studies. Compared to digital service development in general, interactivity, privacy and real-time
issues seem to be the facts to be specially paid attention to when developing services for health and well-being.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (http://www.tekes.fi/en) and DIGILE
(http://www.digile.fi). We also want to thank the companies, Valmius Hyvinvointiin Group Oy, Innvolve Oy, Valitut Palat CIL Suomi Oy,
and Olento Life Oy, for their co-operation during this study.
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