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User requirements for an ICT‐based system to provide care, support and information access for older people in the community

Simon Brownsell (Senior Research Fellow, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)
Steven Blackburn (Senior Research Fellow, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)
Mark Hawley (Director and Professor of Innovation and Knowledge Transfer/Health Services Research, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)

Journal of Assistive Technologies

ISSN: 1754-9450

Article publication date: 16 March 2012

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to identify the user requirements for an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based system to deliver care, support and information services to older people in the community.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured, mixed methods approach incorporating workshops, systematic literature reviews, surveys, and focus groups gathered user needs prior to a prototype being developed. This was then tested with users and their feedback used in further iterations of the product.

Findings

In total, five main user requirement themes were identified: information access; communication; self‐care; accessibility; and personalisation of services.

Practical implications

Details are provided of the user requirements for a health and care system to remotely deliver support. Additionally, the value of utilising a range of requirements gathering tools and prototyping is discussed.

Originality/value

Too often technology systems are developed which do not meet actual need. This paper reports the results of a formal user needs process and discusses the role of user requirements more generally.

Keywords

Citation

Brownsell, S., Blackburn, S. and Hawley, M. (2012), "User requirements for an ICT‐based system to provide care, support and information access for older people in the community", Journal of Assistive Technologies, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/17549451211214328

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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