Use of an agile bridge in the development of assistive technology

Engaging with end users in the development of assistive technologies remains one of the major challenges for researchers and developers in the field of accessibility and HCI. Developing usable software systems for people with complex disabilities is problematic, software developers are wary of using user-centred design, one of the main methods by which usability can be improved, due to concerns about how best to work with adults with complex disabilities, in particular Severe Speech and Physical Impairments (SSPI) and how to involve them in research. This paper reports on how the adoption of an adapted agile approach involving the incorporation of a user advocate on the research team helped in meeting this challenge in one software project and offers suggestions for how this could be used by other development teams

Agile development of a virtual reality cognitive assessment

In recent years user-centered design, participatory design and agile development have seen much popularity in the field of software development. More specifically, applying these methods to user groups with cognitive and motor disabilities has been the topic of numerous publications. However, neuropsychological assessment and training require special consideration to include therapists and brain-injured patients into the development cycle. Application goals, development tools and communication between all stakeholders are interdependent and outlined in a framework that promotes elements of agile development. The framework is introduced by example of a virtual reality cognitive assessment for patients with traumatic brain injuries. The assessment has seen a total of 20 iterations over the course of nine months including changes in task content, task difficulty, user interaction and data collection. The framework and development of the cognitive assessment are discussed.Peer Reviewe

WHAT MOTIVATES TEAM MEMBERS AND USERS OF AGILE PROJECTS?

Users and teams members of agile projects have consistently shown higher motivation and satisfaction compared with projects that use plan-driven methods. User satisfaction is a key measure of IS success if not synonymous with it (Delone and McLean, 1992; Seddon, 1997) and higher team member motivation is known to foster productivity, company loyalty and higher levels of engagement (Locke and Latham, 1990; Meyer and Allen, 1997; Pinder, 1998). Various explanations have been offered for this salutary phenomenon and have as their basis the specific characteristics of Agile methodologies such as people focus, higher levels of user involvement and collaborative development approach (Boehm and Turner, 2005; Dybå and Dingsøyr, 2009; Mann and Maurer, 2005). In this study we apply the approach-avoidance theory to suggest “closure effect” as another explanation for the phenomena

Implementation of Pre-Marriage and Parenting Education Information System with Android-Based Agile Method

A lot of couples do early marriage, but most of them do not understand what marriage really means. The unpreparedness of the couple in marriage can have a big impact on their married life which leads to divorce and also have a negative impact on their children. An Android-based pre-marriage and parenting education information system can be an alternative to simplify the preparation and learning process for couples and parents. The method used for the analysis and design of the pre-marriage and parenting education information system uses the literature study method and data collection methods such as: observation and questionnaires to married couples and their parents, the aimed as a source for designing and building information systems related to pre-marriage and parenting education. The results of the method used include couples and parents being able to learn and prepare for married life as well as increasing knowledge about child parenting through their Android smartphones with the materials sourced from experts and there was a forum that can be used to discuss with other users or discussion with educator. The method used for the analysis and design of the pre-marriage and parenting education information system uses the literature study method and data collection methods such as: observation and questionnaires to married couples and their parents, the aimed as a source for designing and building information systems related to pre-marriage and parenting education. The results of the method used include couples and parents being able to learn and prepare for married life as well as increasing knowledge about child parenting through their Android smartphones with the materials sourced from experts and there was a forum that can be used to discuss with other users or discussion with educator

Qualitative software engineering research -- reflections and guidelines

Researchers are increasingly recognizing the importance of human aspects in software development and since qualitative methods are used to, in-depth, explore human behavior, we believe that studies using such techniques will become more common. Existing qualitative software engineering guidelines do not cover the full breadth of qualitative methods and knowledge on using them found in the social sciences. The aim of this study was thus to extend the software engineering research community's current body of knowledge regarding available qualitative methods and provide recommendations and guidelines for their use. With the support of an epistemological argument and a literature review, we suggest that future research would benefit from (1) utilizing a broader set of research methods, (2) more strongly emphasizing reflexivity, and (3) employing qualitative guidelines and quality criteria. We present an overview of three qualitative methods commonly used in social sciences but rarely seen in software engineering research, namely interpretative phenomenological analysis, narrative analysis, and discourse analysis. Furthermore, we discuss the meaning of reflexivity in relation to the software engineering context and suggest means of fostering it. Our paper will help software engineering researchers better select and then guide the application of a broader set of qualitative research methods.Comment: 30 page

One Sky SharePoint Form Flow

In today\u27s competitive economy, organizations are reliant on technology to maximize efficiency. One method of maximizing efficiency is automation, the technique of making a system operate automatically. Through automation, manual processes can be streamlined to eliminate waste. This project outlines the automation of the Individual Service Agreement (ISA) process at One Sky Community Services. The three stages of this process, Creation, Review, and Approval, were prototyped and implemented into a digital management system, Microsoft SharePoint Online, using Agile methodologies

Deployment of a smart telecare system to carry out an intelligent health monitoring at home

Information and Communication Technologies together appropriate reasoning tools can add value to current telecare systems, including smart tele-monitoring solutions to enhance the capability for identifying risk situations at home. Cooperation between Home Area Networks (HAN) and Body Area Networks (BAN) at home can provide smart systems to support effective health solutions for ageing people living alone, improving service quality and security to the users and relatives. This paper details the development of a reasoning platform to monitor situations of the person at home, and react in risk situations that demanding care support of remote careers. The system integrates BAN and HAN with intelligent agents, whose behavior is defined by ontologies and rules. The system manages environmental and user data to proactively detect risk situations, and dynamically adjust its behavior to trigger the adequate problem solve mechanisms. A development methodology was also adapted to sustain knowledge acquisition process from experts in all stages of the development process and to create the reasoning logic adapted to the users in telecare scenario. Thus, the platform is flexible and easily customizable, according hardware conditions and user profile

Human Machine Interaction

In this book, the reader will find a set of papers divided into two sections. The first section presents different proposals focused on the human-machine interaction development process. The second section is devoted to different aspects of interaction, with a special emphasis on the physical interaction

L’APP Mind Inclusion: la tecnologia assistiva per promuovere l’inclusione sociale delle persone con disabilità intelletive nella loro comunità

Information and Communication Technologies have been widely used to enhance evidencebased interventions in the education and training of individuals with intellectual disabilities. The use of Information and Communication Technologies for these purposes is called Assistive Technology. Assistive technology is able to support persons with intellectual disabilities to live fuller and richer lives in their communities, supporting more successful functioning across multiple domains: independent living and inclusion in community.This study has the aim to present and explain the development of an assistive technology tool for persons with intellectual disabilities, the Mind Inclusion APP which can allow persons with intellectual disabilities to search and reach for a location or an activity in their community. The APP was co-created through the support of a participatory design and a person centred approach.A sample of 48 people, including persons with disabilities, caregivers, educators and business owners, was involved at all stages of the project. This study has shown that persons with disabilities can interact better, be part of their society more easily, and learn new skills reducing the impact of disability on daily functioning by using the Mind Inclusion APP

Design of a Mobile Application to Improve the Therapy Process in Children with Autism

Autism is a spectrum disorder that affects communication and social interaction. It has increased in recent decades, especially among children, and has had a significant impact on their lives, necessitating attention and appropriate support. A prototype mobile application was developed using the Scrum methodology, which allows for flexibility, adaptability, incremental delivery, and quality, as well as continuous improvement. The result obtained was a prototype with a design and features that facilitate patient and specialist access to healthcare areas. The quality of the prototype was evaluated by experts, who assessed its efficiency, usability, design, and functionality and obtained an average score of 4.61. This indicates that, according to the established quality range, it is high. In conclusion, the prototype enhances the therapeutic process for children with autism. It is efficient, easy to use, and has good functionality and an attractive design. This provides a solution that facilitates patients’ access to health services for their well-being