Information Delivery, User Decision Approach, and Choice Environment: Examining the Effectiveness of Non-Compensatory and Customization-based Online Decision Support.

Decision support research has largely focused on the mechanics of tool design, with less attention paid to the way the alternatives are presented to the user - that is, the format of the output, how the decision tool design can play a role in it, and the output content (characteristics). Furthermore, little research has examined specific decision contexts and user’s cognitive aspects pertinent to the choice task, and their role during an online purchase. This study addresses these issues by investigating the impact of output format and content of a non-compensatory (NC) tool and a customization-based tool on user’s decision quality in the context of a health insurance purchase. It also examines the moderating role of context (perceived risk) and user’s decision approach (price heuristics) – both salient in a health plan choice. Drawing from risk perception, decoy effect, price order effect, and options framing, this research carries out 2 studies: 2x3x2 full factorial between subjects experiments. Study 1 examines the effect of NC Descending (price High-Low) choice sets with asymmetrically dominated alternatives, while Study 2 examines NC Descending, NC Ascending, and customization-based tools. Both studies also investigate the roles of perceived risk (high vs low), and user’s decision approach (price heuristics-driven strong vs weak). Results of Study 1 demonstrate that output content characterized by price anchoring differentially affects user’s decision quality. These dynamics change for users under different levels of perceived risk and with disparate decision approaches. Study 2 indicate that by subjecting the user to reference dependence, usage of NC Descending tool can have a negative impact on decision quality (highest price paid), and usage of NC Ascending and Financial tool have a positive impact (lower price paid). Usage of a customization-based tool, as per the design delineated here, mitigates the negative impact of NC Descending, and further lowers, the influence of NC Ascending tools, by enforcing cost-utility analysis, adopting base-level reference point, and enabling more flexible item composition. The study contributes to: a) information systems, by uncovering detailed dynamics of the interactions between information delivery and the user; and b) boundaries of reference dependence, thus, loss aversion

Redefining online biology education: a study on interactive branched video utilisation and student learning experiences

This study evaluated the use of interactive, branched videos compared with traditional passive linear delivery for enhancing student engagement and learning in online courses. Undergraduate biology students were provided with either branched decision‐based or linear videos on cell biology and protein purification as self‐guided or consolidation activities. While the interactive branched videos did not improve learning gains, thematic analysis revealed that students found them more enjoyable and preferable for revision. However, most students felt linear passive videos were more logically structured for core content delivery. In a revised format, with clearer scaffolding, the interactive branched videos were perceived as significantly more engaging and useful when utilised for a problem‐solving activity. Students welcomed the autonomy of directing their learning path but desired support to avoid missing critical information. Overall, thoughtfully designed branched videos can increase student motivation, but their utility depends on context. Our findings indicate the importance of balancing interactivity, clear organisation and purpose when incorporating these innovative formats into online learning. Branched videos show promise for increasing engagement but require intentional instructional design tailored to learning objectives

Redefining online biology education: a study on interactive branched video utilisation and student learning experiences

This study evaluated the use of interactive, branched videos compared with traditional passive linear delivery for enhancing student engagement and learning in online courses. Undergraduate biology students were provided with either branched decision‐based or linear videos on cell biology and protein purification as self‐guided or consolidation activities. While the interactive branched videos did not improve learning gains, thematic analysis revealed that students found them more enjoyable and preferable for revision. However, most students felt linear passive videos were more logically structured for core content delivery. In a revised format, with clearer scaffolding, the interactive branched videos were perceived as significantly more engaging and useful when utilised for a problem‐solving activity. Students welcomed the autonomy of directing their learning path but desired support to avoid missing critical information. Overall, thoughtfully designed branched videos can increase student motivation, but their utility depends on context. Our findings indicate the importance of balancing interactivity, clear organisation and purpose when incorporating these innovative formats into online learning. Branched videos show promise for increasing engagement but require intentional instructional design tailored to learning objectives

Land Use Strategy (LUS) Delivery Evaluation Project : Volume 1: Main Report

Scotland’s first Land Use Strategy (LUS) – Getting the best from our land – was published in March 2011. The LUS is a requirement of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, highlighting the important contribution that Scottish Ministers expect land use and land management to make towards the climate change agenda in Scotland. The crucial component of the LUS are its ten principles for sustainable land use – the LUS Principles. The LUS Principles are the key mechanism by which the strategic intent of the national level LUS can be translated into regional and local level planning and decision-making, through existing land use delivery mechanisms, to inform action on the ground. The overall aim of the LUS Delivery Evaluation Project therefore was “to evaluate the range of current land use delivery mechanisms, to ascertain their effectiveness in translating the strategic Principles of the LUS into decision-making on the ground”. The evaluation considered eleven case study land use delivery mechanisms ranging from an urban Local Development Plan (LDP) to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Partnership Plan

Adaptation of WASH Services Delivery to Climate Change and Other Sources of Risk and Uncertainty

This report urges WASH sector practitioners to take more seriously the threat of climate change and the consequences it could have on their work. By considering climate change within a risk and uncertainty framework, the field can use the multitude of approaches laid out here to adequately protect itself against a range of direct and indirect impacts. Eleven methods and tools for this specific type of risk management are described, including practical advice on how to implement them successfully

Qualitative website analysis of information on birth after caesarean section

Date of Acceptance: 10/08/2015 © 2015 Peddie et al.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Creation of a Decision Support Tool for Expectant Parents Facing Threatened Periviable Delivery: Application of a User-Centered Design Approach

Background Shared decision-making (SDM) is optimal in the context of periviable delivery, where the decision to pursue life-support measures or palliation is both preference sensitive and value laden. We sought to develop a decision support tool (DST) prototype to facilitate SDM by utilizing a user-centered design research approach. Methods We convened four patient and provider advisory boards with women and their partners who had experienced a surviving or non-surviving periviable delivery, pregnant women who had not experienced a prior preterm birth, and obstetric providers. Each 2-h session involved design research activities to generate ideas and facilitate sharing of values, goals, and attitudes. Participant feedback shaped the design of three prototypes (a tablet application, family story videos, and a virtual reality experience) to be tested in a final session. Results Ninety-five individuals (48 mothers/partners; 47 providers) from two hospitals participated. Most participants agreed that the prototypes should include factual, unbiased outcomes and probabilities. Mothers and support partners also desired comprehensive explanations of delivery and care options, while providers wanted a tool to ease communication, help elicit values, and share patient experiences. Participants ultimately favored the tablet application and suggested that it include family testimonial videos. Conclusion Our results suggest that a DST that combines unbiased information and understandable outcomes with family testimonials would be meaningful for periviable SDM. User-centered design was found to be a useful method for creating a DST prototype that may lead to improved effectiveness, usability, uptake, and dissemination in the future, by leveraging the expertise of a wide range of stakeholders

Telling the market story through organic information interaction design and broadcast media : submitted to the College of Creative Arts as requirement for the degree of Master of Design, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand, 2007

Interaction Design, which is essentially story-creating and telling, is at once both and ancient art and a new technology. Media have always effected the telling of stories and the creation of experiences. (Shedroff, N., 1994, p. 2) Advances with visual representations within broadcast design have been applied to areas such as weather simulations, sporting events, and historical reconstruction's. However, financial market information presentation is fairly uniform in television news broadcasting, showing little progression in pace with other news information catego­ries. While stock market news segments make limited use of supporting graphics, addi­ tional information that may assist the viewer is filtered out, effecting viewers interest, understanding and decision making process often associated with market related stories. Research to date has been limited to single visualisations. There has been little re­search into the use of multiple information views that are composed to support news presentations. People use many different information sources on a daily basis. News sources are used to stay informed about events, to some sources, viewer evaluation of informa­tion is a part of that process. News information and other data commodity sources are now more accessible, allowing designers to look at ways of transforming them into new or improved information services. This research explores the display of stock market information by looking at ap­propriate media delivery methods combined with Organic Information Interaction Design to enhance information relationships. Organic Design and Information Inter­action Design 1 principles are combined. This denotes a 'living' relationship between elements, incorporating hierarchy principles with enhanced information delivery and user experiences. Four themes are tied together through the use of a conceptual prototype. [FROM INTRO

‘Maybe we can turn the tide’ : an explanatory mixed-methods study to understand how knowledge brokers mobilise health evidence in low- and middle-income countries

Background: Little is known about how knowledge brokers (KBs) operate in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to translate evidence for health policy and practice. These intermediaries facilitate relationships between evidence producers and users to address public health issues. Aims and objectives: To increase understanding, a mixed-methods study collected data from KBs who had acted on evidence from the 2015 Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference in Mexico. Methods: Of the 1000 in-person participants, 252 plus 72 online participants (n=324) from 56 countries completed an online survey, and 20 participants from 15 countries were interviewed. Thematic analysis and application of knowledge translation (KT) theory explored factors influencing KB actions leading to evidence uptake. Descriptive statistics of respondent characteristics were used for cross-case comparison. Findings: Results suggest factors supporting the KB role in evidence uptake, which include active relationships with evidence users through embedded KB roles, targeted and tailored evidence communication to fit the context, user receptiveness to evidence from a similar country setting, adaptability in the KB role, and action orientation of KBs. Discussion and conclusions: Initiatives to increase evidence uptake in LMICs should work to establish supportive structures for embedded KT, identify processes for ongoing cross-country learning, and strengthen KBs already showing effectiveness in their roles

The organizational dynamics enabling patient portal impacts upon organizational performance and patient health: a qualitative study of Kaiser Permanente.

BackgroundPatient portals may lead to enhanced disease management, health plan retention, changes in channel utilization, and lower environmental waste. However, despite growing research on patient portals and their effects, our understanding of the organizational dynamics that explain how effects come about is limited.MethodsThis paper uses qualitative methods to advance our understanding of the organizational dynamics that influence the impact of a patient portal on organizational performance and patient health. The study setting is Kaiser Permanente, the world's largest not-for-profit integrated delivery system, which has been using a portal for over ten years. We interviewed eighteen physician leaders and executives particularly knowledgeable about the portal to learn about how they believe the patient portal works and what organizational factors affect its workings. Our analytical framework centered on two research questions. (1) How does the patient portal impact care delivery to produce the documented effects?; and (2) What are the important organizational factors that influence the patient portal's development?ResultsWe identify five ways in which the patient portal may impact care delivery to produce reported effects. First, the portal's ability to ease access to services improves some patients' satisfaction as well as changes the way patients seek care. Second, the transparency and activation of information enable some patients to better manage their care. Third, care management may also be improved through augmented patient-physician interaction. This augmented interaction may also increase the 'stickiness' of some patients to their providers. Forth, a similar effect may be triggered by a closer connection between Kaiser Permanente and patients, which may reduce the likelihood that patients will switch health plans. Finally, the portal may induce efficiencies in physician workflow and administrative tasks, stimulating certain operational savings and deeper involvement of patients in medical decisions. Moreover, our analysis illuminated seven organizational factors of particular importance to the portal's development--and thereby ability to impact care delivery: alignment with financial incentives, synergy with existing IT infrastructure and operations, physician-led governance, inclusive decision making and knowledge sharing, regional flexibility to implementation, continuous innovation, and emphasis on patient-centered design.ConclusionsThese findings show how organizational dynamics enable the patient portal to affect care delivery by summoning organization-wide support for and use of a portal that meets patient needs