Authors:
Soraia Teles
1
;
Diotima Bertel
2
;
Andrea Ch. Kofler
3
;
Stefan H. Ruscher
2
and
Constança Paúl
1
Affiliations:
1
University of Porto and Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Portugal
;
2
SYNYO GmbH, Austria
;
3
Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland
Keyword(s):
AAL Stakeholder Ecosystem, User-centred Design, Participatory Design, ActiveAdvice European Project, Stakeholder Requirements.
Abstract:
This paper discusses the process of including a multi-perspective view on stakeholders’ needs into a specific project, namely the European project ActiveAdvice. It highlights the factors supporting and hindering the development and the implementation of the ActiveAdvice platform – as an integrated communication tool targeted at bridging the gaps between AAL stakeholders by facilitating cooperation and information exchange – regarding user requirements, preferences, acceptances and expectations. For this, a qualitative study was carried out, taking into account not only the older adults as primary end-users but the whole AAL stakeholder ecosystem. 23 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders of different groups – older adults and their relatives, business as well as government representatives – were conducted. The results show that even though different stakeholders can have conflicting needs, e.g. regarding online communication or feedback, those can be integrated into the require
ments analysis, thus including the whole stakeholder ecosystem in the designing process. Furthermore, all three included stakeholder groups agree on the importance of raising awareness of AAL solutions, technologies and products. In including not only consumers but other secondary and tertiary stakeholders as well, ActiveAdvice has the chance to reach a broader audience and thus raise public awareness of AAL.
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