Leader: Daniele Romano (UNIMIB); Other collaborator(s): Giorgia Tosi (UNIMIB - Assegnista Psicologia), Francesca Gasparini (UNIMIB), Alessandra Grossi (UNIMIB - assegnista Informatica)
Stakeholder requirements elicitation refers to the identification of the needs, expectations, and goals of the individuals who will use the new ICT system. Different techniques will be adopted, among them: interview, focus group, and survey. User interaction refers to the evaluation of how the end-users will interact with the end-product (and its prototypes). It is essential to consider both these aspects to ensure that the solution meets the needs of the stakeholders and is user-friendly. The activities of this task will support task 4.2 and 4.4 in defining the system architecture and developing the prototype.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Several meetings involving researchers of WP1 WP2 and WP3 have been organized.
The main activities developed are:
- A detailed reconnaissance of the type of data that will be handled by ICT, an activity that is being managed together with researchers from the clinical WPs. Finally, we are working on the standardization of the protocol flow, i.e., how the data go from the assessment clinical (which must be paper-based as requested by the Ethics Committee) to ICT. This includes who actually enters the data, when they do it, how long it takes, and how it can be facilitated.
- As in the clinical trials of WP1, WP2 and WP3 the involved subjects will also adopt technological solutions, we are interested in evaluating the attitude toward technologies of elderly belonging to different populations and distributed along the Italian territory.
To this end several psychometric tools for assessing digital literacy have been selected and are now under analysis to define the proper one to be adopted.
Moreover we are also investigating how to access user experience with technological tools. To this end we have selected and are now analyzing usability assessment tools.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
Coming soon
The stakeholders of this work package are the developers responsible for the multidomain interventions planned for WP1, WP2, and WP3, collectively known as the clinical WPs. We have defined the various measures that need to be assessed by each of the clinical WPs, particularly WP1 and WP2. In collaboration with the leaders of the clinical WPs, we ensured that the software for data entry is correctly capturing all the required information. We conducted pilot tests with a few individuals, and the software is functioning properly. From this standpoint, the project is now ready to begin full-scale data collection.
During this process, we also focused on standardizing the protocol flow, specifically how data moves from clinical assessments to the ICT system. This includes identifying who inputs the data, the timing of data entry, how long the process takes, and ways to streamline it.
User interaction activities have begun with a pilot study using wearable devices similar to those that will be employed by the clinical WPs. We initiated an observational study involving 60 individuals over the age of 65. Participants were asked to wear a Fitbit wristband to monitor their physiological parameters, as will be done in the full-scale studies. We are evaluating both the user experience and their compliance with our requests. Data collection will conclude at the end of the month.
We also leveraged the WP’s activities to investigate the neuropsychological progression of preclinical dementia symptoms. Using a network analysis approach on a publicly available international dataset (ADNI), we obtained results that were presented at a national conference and submitted a related scientific paper to an international peer-reviewed journal, which is currently under review.
A website dedicated to the three clinical trials is in the planning stage. The site has several purposes. First, it is an informational site that can communicate to participants, their families and caregivers the activities that will be carried out. Second, it is a training site for the specialists involved, containing training materials in a dedicated section. Lastly, the site will also be an important dissemination tool.
- Usability and acceptance of wearable devices. We were able to collect data from 60 subjects who participated in the experiment by wearing the tracker for two weeks. At the end of the experiment, a questionnaire consisting of three main parts was administered. The first includes general profiling questions. The second presents four standard assessment methods, including: System Usability Scale, Affinity for Technology Interaction scale, User Experience Questionnaire, and Technology-Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire, used to assess usability, User Experience, ability to use technology in daily activities, and affinity for technology. Finally, the third part includes specific questions about the two-week experience with the Fitbit device, mainly referring to the instructions and tasks assigned. Analysis of data collected in the pilot study on the usability of wearable device has been performed. From the study, it was also possible to identify difficulties and perplexities in the use of wearable devices by the older subjects, thus enabling refinement of the instructions and guides created to instruct participants and operators in the handling and use of such devices. A parallel study was conducted, among those who were dropped from the study or who deliberately decided not to participate, to investigate in depth the reasons why they did not participate. A questionnaire was administered to 17 people, and its analysis shows that those who did not participate were, in general, less educated, older, less fond of technology and less independent in its daily use.
- LISA website. Development and publication of the LISA website ( https://lisa.unimib.it/). LISA, an acronym for Long-lived, Healthy and Active, in Italian "Longevi, in salute e attivi", has been published and most of the content has been included. The site has three main objectives: 1) To be the reference for those involved in the three clinical trials, providing information and references to all planned activities. 2) To be the reference point for all professionals involved in the study, supporting them with informative material and documentation, available in a private section. 3) To provide, at the end of the project, the main take-home messages obtained from the trials, providing guidelines for cognitive training, dietary suggestions and physical exercises that promote healthy aging.
- Digital coach training. Training materials have been produced for operators to handle wearable devices, deliver them to the elderly, and use the platform to collect data from wearables. These materials were produced in both text and video format and were shared with all operators. Videos and texts will then also be uploaded to the dedicated section within the LISA website.Training sessions were held with those responsible for technological aspects in each of the centers involved in the activities of the three WPs.
- Configuration of the platform for wearable data managment and collection. The operation of the platform for managing data acquired with wearable devices was studied. Different configurations were defined for different centers (intervention and control) and for different WPSs.
Journals
Conferences
- Giorgia Tosi, Divergent Network Trajectories in MCI: Converters vs. Non-Converters to Alzheimer’s Disease, NeuroMI 2024, Milano, October 2024, (oral presentation).
Dissemination:
- https://lisa.unimib.it/, available from December 2024