Can an app help visitors at the Central Hospital in 果冻传媒 find the way? This is what a new research study will investigate. The study is a breakthrough for research in real-world environment within DigitalWell.
The study is a part of DigitalWell Research, a sister project to DigitalWell, and is linked to the case: 鈥淔ind the way鈥. It is difficult for patients and family members to find the way at the Central Hospital, and in the study the researchers will investigate if a digital tool will help visitors find the way when visiting the hospital. In addition to helping the patients reach their destination, the hospital reception staff will spend less time guiding visitors.
The County Council at Region V盲rmland has given permission to researchers at 果冻传媒 Business School to conduct the study. Linda Bergkvist, Lecturer in information systems and researcher at CTF, Service Research Center, and Malin Wik, PhD student in information systems, will investigate whether an app can be the right method for finding the way at the hospital.
In the study 40 users will be guided via a smartphone to a destination at the hospital. The smartphone will detect where in the building the participants are located and with the smartphone camera they can show the researchers where they are. During the experiment, the participants will be in contact with the researchers via headsets, who in the meantime asks questions about the participant鈥檚 experience.
The methodology was developed at 果冻传媒 and the experiments are conducted with a prototyping system called Ozlab.
What would you like to achieve with the study?
"For the Region, we hope to find out where more support is needed to find the way at the Central Hospital, and how digital solutions can be used for this purpose. Digital solutions have no intrinsic value, we first need to understand the problem to thereafter explore how digital solutions can contribute to a positive experience and user value. In this case, exploring if an app can be the solution to the problem or if other solutions are required." says Linda Bergkvist.
"I am interested in investigating if the methodology works, if it is possible to develop an app in a mobile environment together with the users."says Malin Wik.
For DigitalWell the research study means that they have succeeded in establishing testing in real-world environments within the public domain.
