Leader: Cristina Mele (UNINA)
Other collaborators: all the researchers involved in WP5
"Smart nudging to foster actors' wellbeing and support community health prevention and promotion" explores how cognitive technologies can enhance decision-making and promote value co-creation.
Method
Action research methodology with an iterative process of planning, action and learning. The researcher will conduct three related action studies: (1) analysing community of practices and contexts; (2) adopting smart technologies; (3) fostering ageing people and caregivers’ experience and engagement and (4) assessing actors’ well-being.
The study will develop in three phases.
Phase 1.a. Design an action research method to nudge community health prevention. b. Identify 3/4 nursing homes and study community practices (patients, caregivers, families, service providers, etc.). c. Identify needs, weaknesses and opportunities in community practices. (Mar 2023-Dec 2023).
Phase 2. a. Analysis and proposal of smart technologies (AI, devices, sensors, chatbots, mobile apps) to nudge community practices. b. Mapping of choice architecture to design innovative conditions and contexts that promote smart behaviors, by amplifying capacities for self-understanding, control, and action; 3. Identify new nudge-based practices to widen resource accessibility, improve actors’ experience; extend actors’ engagement, and augment actors’ capabilities. (Jan 2024 – Dec 2024)
Phase 3. a. Implement new nudge-based practices to improve ageing actors’ well-being (psychological, physical, social). b. Offer a conceptualization of actors’ value co-creation practices, to inform new health and social care policies. c. Dissemination of results (publications, videos, MOOC). (Jan 2025 – Feb 2026)
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
To conduct the interviews and subsequent phases of the project in the province of Naples, a framework agreement was signed with the Municipality of Liveri and a framework agreement with the Municipality of Terzigno. This agreement enabled researchers from the University of Naples Federico II to select individuals and contact them for an initial meeting.
The project involved 80 older adults in the municipalities of Terzigno and Liveri, all over the age of 65, for whom the municipalities provided a set of social and health-related data.
The project data was analyzed by the UNINA team to identify potential clusters and select a sample of older adults to be contacted for interviews. The analysis was sent to the municipalities of Terzigno and Liveri, and contact with the older adults by the municipalities began in July 2024.
Main policy, industrial, and scientific implications
Task 5.4 depends on the activities currently being carried out in Task 5.1, Task 5.2 and Task 5.3. After the first phase of field research (interviews), the researchers will work on co-design. Therefore, this task will fully develop in the next phase of field research (cooperative inquiry and co-design), scheduled for 2025.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
By the end of June, the phase of interviewing older adults started, aimed at exploring their experiences, needs, support networks, and use of welfare services and technology. These initial interviews were conducted as "test interviews" to identify potential gaps and refine future interviews.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The task will fully develop in the next phase of field research (cooperative inquiry and co-design), planned for 2025.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
By the end of September, the researchers continued to conduct interviews with older adults across the geographical area of Liveri, reaching a total of 12 completed interviews. These interviews were part of the ongoing data collection process aimed at exploring the experiences, needs, and challenges faced by the local elderly population. The researchers focused on understanding the participants' use of social services, support networks, and their perspectives on aging and well-being. The interviews also provided valuable insights into the availability and accessibility of local resources, as well as identifying any gaps in services and unmet needs. These findings are helping to shape the development of subsequent phases of the research, especially in relation to the co-design approach. The collected data is being carefully analyzed to refine the research process for the next stages, ensuring that the upcoming steps are aligned with the needs and concerns identified through this preliminary phase. The team also worked on analyzing emerging patterns and clusters among the participants to better define the groups for further interviews and focus areas. The data from these interviews will be instrumental in planning the next steps of the project and providing a clearer understanding of the local context, which will inform the cooperative inquiry and co-design phases of the project.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The task will fully develop in the next phase of field research (cooperative inquiry and co-design), planned for 2025.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The 26 interviews conducted so far in the Naples area (Liveri and Terzigno), which have been transcribed, are currently under analysis.
This phase involves the development and application of a codebook to highlight the following aspects for each identified cluster:
The preliminary findings from the analysis will be shared and discussed with the municipalities in a meeting scheduled for March 2025.
Based on the final results, a personas approach (Patalano et al., 2021; Gentile et al., 2022) will be used to develop fictional profiles representing distinct segments of the population studied (socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics, needs, desires, etc.).
These personas will serve as the foundation for co-design sessions with community stakeholders, aimed at identifying solutions to address emerging needs.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The task will fully develop in the next phase of field research (cooperative inquiry and co-design), scheduled for 2025.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Preparation for the march 2025 meeting – Municipality of Terzigno and Municipality of Liveri
· Analysis of interview data, focusing on emerging needs, available services, and gaps.
· Preparation of materials to present the objectives and methodology of Phase II to local authorities (municipalities) and stakeholders.
· Preliminary identification of institutional stakeholders to be discussed and refined during the meeting.
· Coordination with local authorities, including the mayor and parish priest, to ensure effective meeting organization.
· Development of a stakeholder engagement strategy for Phase II.
· Finalization of the list of institutional stakeholders to be involved.
· Presentation and discussion of interview findings with stakeholders.
· Preliminary planning of Phase II meetings, defining timelines and logistics.
The preparatory work in January ensures an effective implementation of the January meetings, laying the foundations for stakeholder collaboration and implementation of Phase II.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The task will be fully developed in the next phase of field research (cooperative inquiry and co-design).
In March 2025, a series of preparatory activities were carried out to organize the stakeholder meetings with the Municipality of Terzigno and the Municipality of Liveri, scheduled for June 2025. These preparatory meetings were fundamental to align the project’s next steps with local authorities and ensure the active participation of institutional actors in the forthcoming co-design phase.
During these meetings, the UNINA research team presented the preliminary findings from the analysis of the interviews conducted with older adults in the municipalities of Liveri and Terzigno. The interviews, previously transcribed and coded, were analyzed to identify key themes related to the experiences, needs, and perceptions of aging actors regarding health services, support networks, and use of technologies.
In parallel with the organization of the stakeholder meetings, the analysis of the interview data continued. A structured codebook was applied to systematically categorize and interpret the qualitative data. Through this process, the research team identified the main emerging needs of older adults, mapped the currently available services in the communities, and highlighted significant service gaps and barriers encountered by the elderly population.
The findings were summarized and presented through the development of detailed personas — fictional yet evidence-based profiles representing different segments of the elderly population based on socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral patterns, needs, desires, and challenges. The personas approach enabled a more accessible and practical communication of complex data, facilitating stakeholders’ understanding of the diversity of experiences and needs among older adults.
This phase also involved refining the map of relevant institutional stakeholders (e.g., municipal authorities, healthcare providers, voluntary associations, religious organizations) who will be engaged in the upcoming co-design workshops. A strategy for stakeholder engagement was developed, focusing on fostering collaboration, ensuring inclusive participation, and creating a shared sense of ownership in identifying innovative solutions for promoting active aging and community well-being.
The activities conducted in March 2025 ensured that the project is aligned with the local context, prepared the ground for effective stakeholder involvement, and consolidated the knowledge base necessary to guide the cooperative inquiry and co-design processes that will start in the next project phase.
Keynote/Plenary Speakers on the topic of Aging & Technologies
- SKEMA Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), 2024
- 800 Years of Culture and Innovation, Cornell Tech, Roosevelt Island, New York, 2024
- Innovation Conference, Università Carlos III di Madrid, 2024
- Sixth Digital Transformation Workshop, University of Naples, 2024
Journal articles
1. Mele, C. and Russo-Spena, T. (2024), "Agencement of onlife and phygital: smart tech– enabled value co-creation practices", Journal of Service Management, Vol. ahead-of- print No. ahead-of-print.
2. Andreassen, T. W., Heinonen, K., Kurtmollaiev, S., Lervik-Olsen, L., Mele, C., & Streukens, S. (forthcoming). Responsible aging: Fostering intergenerational well-being and flourishing. Journal of Service Management.