Triangulating design science, behavioural science and practice for technological advancement in tele-home health

This study exemplifies the integration of information systems (IS) behavioural science in the area of technology adoption and diffusion into the design science paradigm. We first present a research framework for triangulating design and behavioural science paradigms. From the design science perspective, we introduce an intelligent interface (Model Of User’s Emotions – MOUE) aimed at discerning emotional state from processing sensory modalities input. We contextualise MOUE within the tele-home healthcare setting as a means to provide the caregivers with an assessment of the patient’s emotional state. We use an IS adoption model in an exploratory field study as theoretical foundation to integrate behavioural science into the design science process of adapting MOUE to the context. Data analysis indicates that future iterations of MOUE user interfaces for the tele-home health context should augment rather than replace the existing processes and interfaces. Data also indicates efforts related to adoption and implementation should address anxiety regarding artificial intelligence. To address the prototype phase of the research framework, we propose future work to expand the application of ‘Wizard of Oz’ type studies in which researchers simulate system interaction with subjects who believe they are interacting with the system to afford realism in prototypical experimentation.