Brainstorming Sessions Research Articles

When academic impact is not enough: a concept mapping study characterising excellence in practice-based research

Background: Research quality is often discussed in terms of excellence, emphasising replicability and trustworthiness. Practice-based research instead emphasises implementability and practical impact, and thus, may reflect other values and logics and challenge how high-quality practice-based research is defined. The aim of this study is to explore what characterises excellent practice-based research. Method: R&D staff at social and health care organisations in Sweden were invited to participate in a concept mapping study. Forty-eight participants were prompted to finish the sentence: ‘Excellent practice-based research is characterised by …’ in a brainstorming session. Next, participants (n=22) worked individually to sort statements by similarity and rate perceived importance (n=13) and experience (n=10). Data was analysed with multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis and t-tests. Lastly, a digital workshop with 50 participants was conducted to facilitate the interpretation of cluster solutions. Results: Eighty-three statements were distilled into 11 clusters from characteristics typical for traditional academic values (for example, ‘deploying appropriate methods’) and practice-based research (for example, ‘being actionable’) to characteristics emphasising the unique blend between them, such as ‘capturing and conveying reality’ and ‘embracing different agendas and perspectives’, the latter rated as the most important quality of excellent practice-based research, followed by ‘deploying appropriate methods’ and ‘being actionable’. Conclusions: Practice-based research is a complex field, addressing both ‘why things are’ and ‘how they work’. This study offers insights into how excellent practice-based research can be defined, broadening the view of what excellence entails.

Resilience agenda for gastronomy-driven tourism destinations

Purpose: This research aims to gather insights from industry experts in gastronomy tourism to identify and propose potential strategies necessary for enhancing the resilience of destinations in the post-COVID era and preparing them for future disruptions. Approach: To this end, the authors applied the digital whiteboard platform Mural to conduct a brainstorming session with seven industry experts. Findings: The outcomes of this research study unveiled a practical framework delineating a resilience agenda tailored for self-sustainable gastronomy-driven tourism destinations. This framework highlights four key strategies: (1) strengthening supply chains with local producers, (2) adopting sustainable waste management practices, (3) developing robust risk management plans, and (4) fostering community engagement and collaboration. Originality/value: This paper is the first to propose potential strategies from an industry expert’s perspective that can pull gastronomy tourism forward while enhancing destinations’ resilience. Incorporating these strategies into the planning and management of gastronomy-driven tourism destinations will be critical to ensure their long-term viability and success to adapt and thrive effectively in the face of future uncertainties.

A combined approach of design for Six Sigma, generic product development process and ergonomics-safety philosophy to reduce musculoskeletal disorder problems

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to decrease musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) problems using a combined approach including design for Six Sigma, generic product development process, and ergonomic-safety philosophies. Design/methodology/approach A total of 550 students voluntarily participated in this study. Kolmogorov–Smirnov and t-tests were used to analyze the collected anthropometry. A cause-and-effect diagram, Pareto’s chart, a brainstorming session, and a priority matrix were also used to extract the 22 design parameters of the product. Moreover, Cronbach’s alpha values were determined to verify the validity of qualitative and quantitative data. Findings Results showed that students are at a high risk of developing MSD issues. The most serious MSD problems among the students were neck pain (74%), back pain (73%), muscle and joint pain (67%), knee pain (57%), leg pain (54%), etc. Besides, all anthropometrics of males are higher than females except Hip Breadth. Among 12 anthropometries, two measurements and one measurement showed statistical significance at p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively. Six design parameters of the mounted desktop (Seat Height, Desk Height, Seat to Desk Clearance, Seat Width, Seat Depth, and Backrest Height) are the most crucial design parameters to design and develop the product. Practical implications The proposed design of the mounted desktop can be used in different tertiary educational institutes to reduce MSDs among students. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt that introduces a combined approach to reduce MSD issues by applying Six Sigma, a generic product development process, and ergonomics-safety philosophy to design and measurement of 22 design parameters of mounted desktop for university students.

Research Workshop for Students in the Center of Japanese Studies, University of Indonesia: A Community Service Activity

This article believes that university students should possess a higher level of critical thinking skills after they graduate, which can also be evaluated from their thesis writing project. The capacity to formulate a logical research problem based on empirical observation and academic evaluation is the indicator we are trying to have, thus, assess. This assessment is not the only agenda we are having in this community service activity; we also try to improve and elevate students' capacity of understanding how research works by providing further mentorship consisting of brainstorming and discussion sessions to ignite their critical thinking capacity. Nevertheless, this activity has a guiding question whether university students are able to critically identify and formulate research questions for their thesis writing project. By accepting and archiving their ideas and research proposals, we have found three important findings. First, the students are still struggling to start and set up their research proposals since many of their empirical observations are based on the subjective perception of reality, inspired from self-centered activities like hobbies and subjective preferences. Second, these subjective interpretations manifest into the low awareness of the existing previous literature for their own research, hence, making their research topic to be far from possessing an urgency of writing both empirically and academically. Third, it was also imperative that most of the students are not fully aware of the options of theoretical and conceptual framework they will use as the analytical lenses, left alone its definitions, its applications, and its debates.

Using Human-Centered Design to Improve Serious Illness Care for Older Adults with Advanced Dementia

ContextOlder adults with advanced dementia increasingly receive potentially non-beneficial, high-intensity life-sustaining treatments and goal-discordant care in the United States. Interventions to address this issue have shown limited success. ObjectivesTo use human-centered design (HCD) with clinicians caring for older adults with advanced dementia to develop intervention ideas to reduce high-intensity, goal-discordant treatments near the end of life. MethodsWe used the first two steps of HCD, inspiration, and ideation, to understand clinicians’ perspectives regarding challenges in providing goal-concordant care for older adults with advanced dementia and to generate intervention ideas. In inspiration, we conducted in-depth interviews with clinicians caring for older adults with advanced dementia. We analyzed interviews using thematic analysis to identify themes and insights, which we synthesized into design opportunities using HCD. In ideation, we completed structured brainstorming sessions with study investigators, physicians, and designers to generate ideas for interventions at different healthcare system levels. ResultsDuring inspiration, we developed seven themes about clinicians’ experiences providing serious illness care for older adults with advanced dementia. We identified six instances where two or more themes were in tension. We synthesized these tensions into five insight statements capturing clinicians’ key challenges, which we reframed as three design opportunities. Brainstorming sessions conducted as part of ideation generated 132 solution ideas for these three opportunities, with participants selecting nine for testing. ConclusionThe HCD process generated ideas at multiple healthcare system levels to address an enduring challenge in serious illness care by involving clinicians, researchers, and designers in intervention design.

The Role of Urban Community Leaders in Local Product Development Using Intellectual Capital: A Case Study of Bangkok, Thailand

This research investigates the role of urban community leaders in leveraging local intellectual capital for the design and development of community products. It examines how these leaders contributed to creating products that fostered self-sufficiency within their communities. Data were collected from 43 communities across 5 sub-districts in Dusit District, Bangkok, involving a total of 453 participants. The study employed a combination of explanatory and interdisciplinary research methods. The findings revealed that community leaders significantly contributed to accumulating intellectual capital for product development. Especially, the highest engagement observed in collective brainstorming sessions. The most actively engaged leaders were female, aged 40 years. In contrast, self-reliant leaders, who typically held bachelor’s degrees, exhibited cautious spending habits and a commitment to community rules and self-reliance without government support. Community leaders collaboratively designed the Dusit Brand logo and proposed a seven-stage process for urban community product development. This process includes incorporating local wisdom, reflecting community identity, fostering public participation, developing local knowledge, exhibiting products, building community reputation and recognition, and achieving community standards. The research highlights that sustainable community products are created through a process of understanding, accessing, and developing the local economy and society, with a focus on enhancing social quality for sustainability.

Design for Circular Manufacturing and Assembly (DfCMA): Synergising Circularity and Modularity in the Building Construction Industry

Modular construction is emerging into the limelight in the construction industry as one of the front-running modern methods of construction, facilitating multiple benefits, including improved productivity. Meanwhile, Circular Economy (CE) principles are also becoming prominent in the Building Construction Industry (BCI), which is infamous for its prodigious resource consumption and waste generation. In essence, the basic concepts of modular construction and CE share some commonalities in their fundamental design principles, such as standardisation, simplification, prefabrication, and mobility. Hence, exploring ways of synergising circularity and modularity in the design stage with a Whole Life Cycle (WLC) of value creation and retention is beneficial. By conducting a thorough literature review, supported by expert interviews and brainstorming sessions, followed by a case study, the concept of Design for Circular Manufacturing and Assembly (DfCMA) was proposed to deliver circularity and modularity synergistically in circularity-oriented modular construction. This novel conceptualisation of DfCMA is envisaged to be a value-adding original theoretical contribution of this paper. Furthermore, the findings are expected to add value to the BCI by proposing a way forward to synergise circularity and modularity to contribute substantially towards an efficient circular built environment.

Teaching Nigerian Heterosexual University Students About Homophobia, Heterosexual Privilege, Anti-LGB Oppression and the Need to Promote Social Justice and Social Inclusion for LGB Persons

ABSTRACT This article reports the findings, reflections and lessons learnt from teaching a module on anti-LGB oppression, heterosexual privilege, homophobia and the need for LGB inclusion. It reports the knowledge learnt by heterosexual-identifying university students in Nigeria and their attitudes and responses toward the challenges facing LGB persons. The author draws on evidence from brainstorming sessions, group discussions and other participatory methodologies utilized. The teaching intervention exposed the prejudice, stereotypes and implicit biases of the heterosexual-identifying students toward LGB persons and highlighted the importance of challenging these views in order to disrupt heterosexism. Many participants acknowledged their heterosexual privileges and the disadvantages LGB persons face in society. The teaching intervention led to an increase in the awareness of participants about homophobia and heterosexism as shown by the sympathy the students expressed toward LGB persons who face homophobic victimization and stress. The teaching intervention revealed that some participants have the potentials of becoming heterosexual allies of LGB persons and possibly agents of change in challenging heterosexism and homophobia in Nigeria. The intervention revealed some factors which influenced some students to agree with confronting heterosexism and homophobia as well as factors which contribute to the reluctance of heterosexual-identifying students in assimilating knowledge on anti-heterosexism.

Exploring innovative approaches to fundraising for palliative care

Palliative care is a holistic approach aimed at improving the quality of life for those facing life-limiting illnesses and their families. Palliative care services often face financial constraints that restrict their ability to reach all those in need. There are difficulties accessing traditional funding mechanisms; therefore, innovative fundraising strategies are required to sustain and expand palliative care initiatives. In this paper, diverse fundraising approaches for palliative care are described, based on group discussions and collective brainstorming sessions by clinicians undergoing a Fellowship in Palliative Care. Fundraising approaches that were deemed innovative, yet feasible to apply in each locality, were shortlisted and described, with their strengths and challenges outlined in detail. These approaches include art and photography exhibitions, “piggy-bank” projects, community-based fundraising, charity shops, lottery and lucky draws, shuttle bus services, grants from international organizations and collaborative networks, the use of tap-on technology, festive events, and restaurant partnerships. It is hoped that through these innovative approaches, collaborative efforts, strategic planning, and resource mobilization, it would be possible to generate funds to develop and provide palliative care services for those in need to fulfill a fundamental human right.

Development of A Radio Frequency Identification System for The Manufacturing Packing Process Via The DMAIC Approach

Quality has long been a critical metric for determining a company's competitiveness in the business world. The use of tools, methods, and concepts to improve and regulate product quality has been widespread. The purpose of this research is to solve the missing accessories issue that occurs during the packing process by using the Lean Six Sigma tool DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). As part of the Lean Six Sigma quality effort, the DMAIC technique is frequently defined as a problem-solving methodology and a data-driven quality strategy. The actual root cause for these missing accessories is the lack of a proper validation process during the packing process. A brainstorming session was held to develop solutions to this problem, and one suggestion was to employ the radio frequency identification (RFID) validation system. This new implementation was set up during the kitting process by pasting RFID labels for all accessories. These accessories were validated back during the packing process to ensure no missing accessories after the operator sealed the carton box. After implementing the RFID system, the company managed to reduce the cost of manpower and parts that needed to be replaced in case of missing data. It also improves the efficiency of the business, as the addition of a validation RFID system avoids mistakes by detecting missing accessories before the product is delivered to the customer.

Crisis preparedness exercise on food and feed safety for IPA beneficiaries 2024.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) within the framework of the Preparatory measures for the participation of IPA beneficiaries in the European Food Safety Authority 2023-2026 will organize a total of 3 crisis preparedness training events for the IPA countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo,* Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye). For 2024, EFSA requested to organise a simulation exercise focused on a multi-country incident related to biological risks in products of animal origin. The overall objectives of the training were: 1) to increase IPA countries' knowledge and understanding of crisis handling concepts and of EFSA's crisis handling procedures; 2) to improve preparedness and response planning for crisis situations in the domain of biological hazards; 3) to improve coherence, interoperability and coordination, to be prepared for communication and decision-making challenges in crisis situations. Working with the contractor Opera srl, EFSA organised a 2-day training on 26-27 June 2024 in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), attended by 24 participants (3 online) from 7 IPA countries, 2 representatives from EFSA and 1 representative from the hosting competent authority from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants were briefed on the IPA crisis preparedness training scheme, EFSA's crisis handling procedures, principles of crisis communication (remote mode), EFSA - ECDC Rapid Outbreak Assessment (remote mode), food safety risk assessment structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Most of the workshop was dedicated to the simulation exercise, that was organized in a tabletop format, with injects describing an evolving food safety incident and a debriefing after each inject. During the exercise, 1 audio-conference meeting and a TV debate were simulated. The exercise was concluded with a brainstorming session between the tutors and participants. Three recommendations were done to improve the organization of future events. Six recommendations were given for the improvement of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication in IPA countries. The objectives were achieved, based on the results of the knowledge test and on the feedback provided by participants in the course evaluation questionnaire.

Challenges and Possible Solutions to Pediatric Organ Donation and Transplantation in Turkey and the Middle East: Panel Discussion/Brainstorm Session Summary Report.

Organ transplantation is the best therapeutic option for children with end-stage organ failure. Pediatric transplantation centers and prioritization of organs for children are being established around the world. However, there is an important discrepancy observed when comparing high-income countries versus low-income and middle-income countries, as programs are active in some, but not in many others. Deceased organ donation is low in many places, which has led to an increase of organ shortage; consequently, there is a need to rely on the use of living donor organs. This is frequently the case for pediatric transplantation. To gather information about the possible reasons underlying these challenges and to propose possible solutions, a brainstorming session took place during the International Symposium on Pediatric Organ Donation and Transplantation in Ankara, Turkey. A description on different topics that were discussed is presented herein.

The Effectiveness of Participatory Health Literacy Promoting Programs among Diabetes Risk Groups in Community, Thailand

Introduction: The prevalence and incidence of diabetes are increasing worldwide. In Thailand, emphasis is placed on measures to enhance awareness of preventing the disease among high-risk groups and the general population. This study aims to determine health literacy (HL), health behavior patterns, awareness, and knowledge of diabetes prevention, and the effectiveness of promoting HL programs among diabetes risk groups in the Thai community. Methods: This study was designed for the research and development method and was conducted in April–October 2023. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 105 DRGs, selected using stratified random sampling from 10 villages. Data were collected through interviews and self-report questionnaires. In addition, a participatory program involving 43 stakeholders was designed to enhance diabetes prevention knowledge, using brainstorming sessions for activity planning, implementation, and evaluation. Pre- and post-test scores were analyzed using paired t-tests. Results: The analysis shows that nearly half of the DRGs are at a moderate level of HL, while the overall score falls below 55% of the total points. In addition, the health behavior patterns of the DRGs (3E2S) pose a risk for diabetes development. However, the results obtained from program utilization indicate that the potentiality for improved HL levels and promoting positive health behaviors are statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Healthcare professionals, particularly within the primary healthcare system, should devise strategies to enhance HL and consistently implement programs targeting diabetes prevention in the community’s at-risk groups.

A conceptual model for assessing the risk of unidentified pain

Untreated or undertreated pain is well established as a significant problem, but unidentified pain is a distinct construct that still needs to be clearly modeled or fully described. This paper aims to develop a conceptual model of unidentified pain in humans with the goal of future development of an unidentified pain risk tool. A multi-phase process was employed consisting sequentially of 1) brainstorming followed by consensus building, 2) peer-review and publication of an integrative theoretical review protocol for “unidentified pain,” 3) conduct of the integrative review, and 4) a repeated brainstorming session to identify areas of risk for unidentified pain to produce a conceptual model. Brainstorming led to a consensus on “unidentified pain” as the concept of interest, followed by developing a review protocol. Twenty-four abstracts were reviewed after database searches, and four articles were included for full-text review. Three pain risk areas (hazards) were identified: cognition/communication problems, being alone or in the absence of a surrogate/proxy report, and the presence of known painful conditions or treatments and a conceptual model was developed. The hazards are posited to have the potential to both interact and be cumulative, increasing the risk for unidentified pain. There is currently no risk tool for assessing unidentified pain. The development of this conceptual model will be used for future development and psychometric testing of a tool to recognize the risk for unidentified pain in humans. PerspectiveThis focus article describes the development a conceptual model for the concept of unidentified pain in humans. This pain may occur in individuals who experience one or more interactive and cumulative hazards: cognition/communication problems, being alone, absence of a surrogate/proxy report, or presence of known painful conditions or treatments.

Essential core competencies for health policy graduates: a multi-method consensus type study

BackgroundIn light of the multi-faceted challenges confronting health systems worldwide and the imperative to advance towards development goals, the contribution of health policy graduates is of paramount importance, facilitating the attainment of health and well-being objectives. This paper delineates a set of core skills and competencies that are requisite for health policy graduates, with the objective of preparing these graduates for a spectrum of future roles, including both academic and non-academic positions.MethodsThe study was conducted in three phases: a scoping review, qualitative interviews and the validation of identified competencies through brainstorming with experts. In the initial phase, a scoping review was conducted on the databases. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar search engine. Additionally, the WebPages of universities offering health policy programmes were manually searched. In the second phase, 36 semi-structured interviews were conducted with students, graduates and distinguished academics from Iran and other countries. These interviews were conducted in person or via email. In the third phase, the draft version of the competencies and their associated learning objectives, derived from the preceding stages, was subjected to independent review by an expert panel and subsequently discussed. In light of the expert panel’s findings, the authors undertook a subsequent revision of the list, leading to the finalization of the core competencies through a process of consensus.ResultsIn the scoping review phase, the analysis included six studies and nine university curricula. The results of the scoping review could be classified into five domains: health system understanding, health policy research, knowledge translation, multidisciplinary work and knowledge of public health. In the second phase, six core competencies were extracted from the interviews and combined with the results of the first phase, which were then discussed by the expert panel at the third phase. The final five core competencies, derived from the brainstorming session and presented in no particular order, encompass health policy research, policy analysis, educational competencies, decision-making and multidisciplinary work.ConclusionsIt is essential that the curriculum is appropriate and contextually tailored, as this is crucial to foster multi-dimensional competencies that complement the specific disciplines of future health policy scholars. These scholars must possess the ability to genuinely serve their health systems towards achieving health-system goals and sustainable development.

Advancing sustainable futures through education: A Montpellier case study on student-led advocacy for transdisciplinary approaches

This paper examines the transformative potential of integrating transdisciplinarity and systems thinking into educational practices, anchored in a participatory initiative by the Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions (MAK'IT). The study centres on engaging master’s and doctoral students in co-creating educational proposals, underscoring the importance of a student-centred approach to tackle the diverse challenges of the 21st century. A preliminary brainstorming session allowed students to express their motivations, identify key themes, and lay the groundwork for further development. This culminated in a public conference where students presented their transformative education proposals. This conference facilitated interactions between students, a panel of experts spanning education, research, policy domains, and a broader audience, fostering critical dialogue. Key findings from this conference underscore the necessity of allocating resources, dismantling knowledge silos, addressing student inequalities, and enhancing educator preparedness. The study highlights the significance of multi-stakeholder dialogues in co-constructing transformative educational frameworks and suggests that educational institutions have a pivotal role in bridging the gap between science, policy, and society. Despite the promise, several challenges to curriculum revision emerge, including the need for immersive learning environments that demand adequate resources. The structure of tertiary institutions, often segregated into distinct faculties and departments, presents another barrier to fostering transdisciplinarity. Additionally, administrative constraints, particularly for international students, add to these challenges and call for nuanced strategies in advancing transformative education.

Root Cause Analysis of Increased Referral Rates in a Sub-district Hospital, Tamil Nadu: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Background Sub-district hospitals in Tamil Nadu are critical in providing essential healthcare services, but they face significant challenges that can lead to increased patient referrals to higher-level facilities. High referral rates can overburden tertiary care centers, delay specialized treatment, and affect patient outcomes. This study aims to identify the root causes of increased referral rates in a sub-district hospital and implement targeted interventions to reduce unnecessary referrals. Methods A descriptive study was conducted at Sriperumbudur sub-district hospital in Tamil Nadu from May to August 2023. The study utilized a root cause analysis (RCA) approach, incorporating qualitative data from brainstorming sessions with healthcare providers and administrative staff, and quantitative data from hospital records on referral rates. A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram was employed to map causal factors, and Pareto and bar charts were used to analyze and present referral trends. Interventions were implemented using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. Results The analysis identified several key factors contributing to high referral rates, including inadequate diagnostic services, insufficient staffing, and lack of essential resources such as CT scans and blood components. Following targeted interventions, referral rates decreased significantly from 101 cases in May-June 2023 to 52 cases in July-August 2023 highlighting a reduction of over 48%. The most notable reductions were seen in referrals for road traffic accidents with head injury (38.7%) reduction, chronic kidney disease (CKD)/hypertension (HT)/diabetes mellitus (DM) (46.2%) reduction, and crush injuries (45.5%) reduction. Conclusions The RCA revealed systemic issues that were contributing to increased referral rates at the sub-district hospital. Implementing targeted interventions based on the RCA findings led to a significant reduction in referrals, improving patient care at the local level and alleviating the burden on tertiary care centers. This study underscores the importance of continuous quality improvement initiatives in strengthening healthcare delivery at the sub-district level.

The Effect of Creative Writing Activities on the Story Writing Skill In University Curriculum

This study explores the effectiveness of structured guidance and visual stimuli in enhancing college students' creative writing skills. Following a phased approach grounded in scholarly recommendations, students were guided through narrative text structure, free topic writing, and visual prompt utilization. The introduction of structured narrative elements facilitated comprehension and provided a framework for students to build upon. Additionally, brainstorming sessions and group discussions helped students overcome initial uncertainties and generate ideas. Visual prompts proved invaluable in stimulating creativity and providing a scaffold for story development. By applying Tredinnick's (2006) guidance, students produced well-structured narratives with engaging plots and character development. Overall, this study underscores the importance of incorporating structured guidance and visual aids in creative writing instruction to foster students' confidence and proficiency in narrative composition.

Exploring the Usage of Social Media Networking Platforms Among Medical Practitioners: Reasons, and Proposed Features for Improved Experience

Purpose This study aims to identify and prioritize the reasons for social media use among medical practitioners to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate social media platforms for healthcare providers. The findings of this study will help address the challenges posed by the wide variety of available social media platforms and assist healthcare providers in choosing platforms that best meet their professional needs. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study was conducted in the period of two months, i.e., August and September 2021. This study is based on the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method of the MCDM (Multi-Criteria Decision-Making) approach. In the first phase, a four-hour brainstorming session was held to identify the medical Practitioner’s reasons for social media usage; in the second phase, the identified reasons were linked with the top five social media platforms to determine the prioritized order of preference. Findings The top three reasons driving medical practitioners’ usage of social media platforms include “Getting an update on current affairs,” “Network with industry professionals,” and “Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Promotion.” In contrast, the bottom three causes include “Advocacy for causes,” “Get Updates about friends and family members,” and “Opinions and ideas sharing.” The prioritized order of social media platforms is LinkedIn, followed by Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. Practical implications This study helps solve the medical Practitioner’s dilemma of selecting suitable social media platforms that serve their intended functions. In the future, it is expected that the usage of SM platforms will increase for causes such as Institution Branding and Healthcare Issues related Advocacy as well. Originality/value Previous research has not adequately identified the reasons driving social media usage by physicians. This study is one of the few studies that has attempted to prioritize reasons for social media usage by physicians and has provided a prioritized list of social media platforms.

Could the utilization of Empathy Maps and Personas enhance the requirement elicitation process

There is a growing interest in the use of Design Thinking (DT) to enrich requirements elicitation processes. We carried out a quasi-experiment to compare the Effectiveness of Brainstorming sessions in terms of the number of ideas of requirements generated, and the Identified Stakeholders, complementing the Brainstorming sessions with two of the most widely used DT techniques: Empathy Maps and Personas. Therefore, we consider three treatments: Personas + Brainstorming, Empathy Maps + Brainstorming, and Brainstorming alone (control group). The quasi-experiment was carried out with 74 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Computer Engineering course at the Universitat Politècnica de València in 2021. The results reveal a statistically significant effect on Identified Stakeholders when using Empathy Maps. Descriptive analysis also shows an increase in Identified Stakeholders when using Personas, and in the Effectiveness of Brainstorming sessions when used together with Empathy Maps or Personas. There is also a variation in the type of ideas, with the number of functional ideas being higher, and that of non-functional ideas being lower when Empathy Maps are used. These results seem to indicate that Brainstorming sessions are improved when complemented with Empathy Maps or Personas techniques. Nonetheless, we still lack enough evidence to recommend either Personas or Empathy Maps, necessitating further validation.