TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY: THE CASE OF \u27MY HEALTH RECORD\u27

In this paper we address the challenges faced when new e-health components are introduced within an existing infrastructural arrangement by focusing on the delicate balance between immediate usefulness and forward-looking preparedness. While e-health solutions are currently seen as a core element of on-going health sector reforms in most European countries, much of the challenges related to their design, development and implementation remain understudied. Based on an interpretive case study of technology innovation in the Norwegian healthcare context, we study the practices of building and putting to use a novel web-based platform for communication between users and providers of healthcare services. In particular, we analyse the conceptual design, the association with the installed base, and the relationship with users as core enacting practices of the project team members. We make use of the concepts of generativity and robustness to bring into focus and articulate possible approaches for change anticipation

Envisioning Digital Europe 2030: Scenarios for ICT in Future Governance and Policy Modelling

The report Envisioning Digital Europe 2030 is the result of research conducted by the Information Society Unit of IPTS as part of the CROSSROAD Project - A Participative Roadmap on ICT research on Electronic Governance and Policy Modelling (www.crossroad-eu.net ). After outlining the purpose and scope of the report and the methodological approach followed, the report presents the results of a systematic analysis of societal, policy and research trends in the governance and policy modelling domain in Europe. These analyses are considered central for understanding and roadmapping future research on ICT for governance and policy modelling. The study further illustrates the scenario design framework, analysing current and future challenges in ICT for governance and policy modelling, and identifying the key impact dimensions to be considered. It then presents the scenarios developed at the horizon 2030, including the illustrative storyboards representative of each scenario and the prospective opportunities and risks identified for each of them. The scenarios developed are internally consistent views of what the European governance and policy making system could have become by 2030 and of what the resulting implications for citizens, business and public services would be. Finally, the report draws conclusions and presents the proposed shared vision for Digital Europe 2030, offering also a summary of the main elements to be considered as an input for the future development of the research roadmap on ICT for governance and policy modelling.JRC.DDG.J.4-Information Societ

A pilot study investigating research design feasibility using pre-post measures to test the effect of music therapy in psychiatry with people diagnosed with personality disorders

Introduction: The objectives of the pilot study were (a) to investigate the feasibility of the research design (referral procedure, data collection procedure, measurement tools, and treatment doses/frequency); (b) to develop and evaluate the PROMT treatment manual; and (c) to test the use of flexible and or multiple interventions as part of the treatment options. Findings from this investigation aim to prepare for a future outcome study of music therapy treatments for patients with personality disorders, that are inspired by analytically oriented music psychotherapy and mentalization-based treatment. Methods: Four participants assessed and diagnosed with personality disorder received 40 sessions of individual music therapy. Pre and post measures of outcome variables looking at attachment style, helping alliance, symptom severity, interpersonal problems, and quality of life were evaluated for inclusion in the design. Interviews with clinicians were used to further evaluate the manual. Results: All participants completed treatment. Outcome measurement provided usable information and also showed some positive changes in the four cases. The research design was found to be usable for a larger study. The treatment manual was evaluated as usable, but specification on how to use mentalization-based treatment in music-based interventions is required in a future manual. Discussion: In light of the current findings, we discuss several factors relevant to a possible future outcome study, including the research design, theoretical model, and specific elements of the treatment manual. We also discuss the potential of using flexible and/or multiple interventions as part of the treatment options. We conclude that integration of mentalization-based treatment into music therapy seems promising, but further development of the treatment manual is needed

Designing an architecture for secure sharing of personal health records : a case of developing countries

Includes bibliographical references.While there has been an increase in the design and development of Personal Health Record (PHR) systems in the developed world, little has been done to explore the utility of these systems in the developing world. Despite the usual problems of poor infrastructure, PHR systems designed for the developing world need to conform to users with different models of security and literacy than those designed for developed world. This study investigated a PHR system distributed across mobile devices with a security model and an interface that supports the usage and concerns of low literacy users in developing countries. The main question addressed in this study is: “Can personal health records be stored securely and usefully on mobile phones?” In this study, mobile phones were integrated into the PHR architecture that we/I designed because the literature reveals that the majority of the population in developing countries possess mobile phones. Additionally, mobile phones are very flexible and cost efficient devices that offer adequate storage and computing capabilities to users for typically communication operations. However, it is also worth noting that, mobile phones generally do not provide sufficient security mechanisms to protect the user data from unauthorized access

Advanced design methods for successful innovation

Innovation is the key to our future, for the companies we work for, for us as designers, and for the universities educating new generations of designers. The tools we use are becoming increasingly sophisticated, macthing the complex intricacies of the products, services and solutions we are working on. The world we work in is changing and so are we: our field of design is coming of age. Our message is simple and straightforward: to help organisations adopt advanced design methods, equipping then to deal with the dynamic development environments we encounter as practitioners. This supports Design United's mission: to stimulate and increase interaction between design practitioners and the university design schools. This is vital, as the implementation of advanced design methods requires intensive collaboration when defining and resolving research challenges, and developing new research methods and tools. This is meant to be a hands-on book. It has been written by researchers working in the field of innovative design questions. They tell us what they have done and how they did it, based on real-life cases. This book provides readers with a clear overview of recently researched and developed design methods that have the potential of making many individuals and organisations more successful in achieving their goals

Advanced design methods for successful innovation

Innovation is the key to our future, for the companies we work for, for us as designers, and for the universities educating new generations of designers. The tools we use are becoming increasingly sophisticated, macthing the complex intricacies of the products, services and solutions we are working on. The world we work in is changing and so are we: our field of design is coming of age. Our message is simple and straightforward: to help organisations adopt advanced design methods, equipping then to deal with the dynamic development environments we encounter as practitioners. This supports Design United's mission: to stimulate and increase interaction between design practitioners and the university design schools. This is vital, as the implementation of advanced design methods requires intensive collaboration when defining and resolving research challenges, and developing new research methods and tools. This is meant to be a hands-on book. It has been written by researchers working in the field of innovative design questions. They tell us what they have done and how they did it, based on real-life cases. This book provides readers with a clear overview of recently researched and developed design methods that have the potential of making many individuals and organisations more successful in achieving their goals