Online Focus Group Discussion Research Articles

The experiences of podiatrists prescribing custom foot orthoses and patients using custom foot orthoses for foot pain management in the United Kingdom: A focus group study.

Foot pain can be a significant burden for patients. Custom foot orthoses (CFOs) have been a mainstay in podiatry treatment for foot pain management and improving foot function. However, little is known about podiatrists' experience of prescribing CFOs or patient experience of using foot orthoses (FOs), including CFOs, for foot pain. A focus group (FG) discussion with three FOs users (Female=2 and Male=1) was conducted in November 2022 within a private podiatry practice. This group represented non-experts from the general local population of individuals with existing or previous foot pain who have personally experienced using either over-the-counter FOs or CFOs. An online FG discussion with five musculoskeletal (MSK) specialist podiatrists (Female=2 and Male=3) was also conducted in December 2022. This group represented podiatrists with specialist knowledge in foot biomechanics and clinical experience in CFO provision. The FG discussions were recorded and lasted 49 and 57min respectively. Transcribed data was manually coded, and a thematic analysis was undertaken to identify patterns within the collected data. The participants in the patient FG detailed mixed experiences of the prescription process and CFOs received, with reports of limited involvement/input in their prescription, the need for frequent adjustments and high costs. The impact on footwear choices, replicability and transferability of CFOs into different types of shoes and technologies to aid design were also highlighted. In the podiatrist FG, lack of confidence in design and manufacture processes, prescription form language, relationship and communication building with manufacturers, variability in the CFOs issued and the need for better student education in CFO provision emerged as key themes. Patients and podiatrists shared similar views on CFO provision, namely poorcommunication with manufacturers leading to dissatisfaction with the CFOs prescribed causing negative impacts on patient experiences. Podiatrists called for greater education at registration level to increase new graduate podiatrist knowledge in CFO design and manufacture and better collaboration with manufacturing companies.

"Why should care workers be any different from prison workers?" A qualitative study of second-hand smoke exposure during home-care visits and potential measures to eliminate exposure.

Despite world-leading measures in place to protect employees from second-hand smoke exposure in workplaces in the United Kingdom, workers who deliver health and social care in private homes remain unprotected legally in this setting from second-hand smoke exposure (SHS). Fourteen individuals took part in either an in-depth telephone interview (n = 11) or an online focus group discussion (n = 3), including home-care workers (n = 5) and managers (n = 5) based in Lanarkshire (Scotland) and local/national policy makers (n = 4). Participants were asked about the extent to which exposure to SHS is an issue during home visits and possible additional measures that could be put in place to eliminate exposure. Participants highlighted the difficulties in balancing the provision of care in a person's own home with the right of workers to be able to breathe clean air and be protected from SHS. Current strategies to reduce staff exposure to SHS during home visits were often reported as inadequate with SHS not a hazard considered by managers beyond protecting pregnant staff or those with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma. Simple respiratory protective equipment (as used during the COVID-19 pandemic) was rightly identified as being ineffective. Methods such as nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarettes were identified as potential ways to help people who smoke achieve temporary asbstinence prior to a home visit. Implementing appropriate and proportionate measures to protect home-care workers from the harms posed by SHS should be a priority to help protect the health of this often overlooked occupational group.

Experiential Learning Values Based on Kolb Theory: A Qualitative Output in the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Clinical placements serve as workplace-based experiences, which is essential for medical students to develop their skills to become competent doctors. Multiple teaching and learning methods are implemented to achieve these goals, e.g. lectures, problem-based learning, simulations, community-based education, and work-place based learning, i.e. in hospital settings. Three online focus group discussion (FGD) were conducted to explore student’s experiential learning in clinical placement. Thematic analyses were implemented to emerge the themes. Nine themes which were derived: authentic work-process experience, gaining insights from patient conditions, contextual feedback, conceptualised professional attributes, ideate future career, enhance self-regulation, practice communicative approach, practice collaborative learning and acquisition of clinical skills. The themes were discussed according to the phases in the Kolb experiential learning cycle. The findings can serve as the basis for reflection and feedback in clinical placements.

Shining a spotlight on the inclusion of disabled participants in clinical trials: a mixed methods study

BackgroundIt is crucial to include a wide range of the population in clinical trials for the outcome to be applicable in real-world settings. Existing literature indicates that under-served groups, including disabled people, have been excluded from participating in clinical trials without justification. Exclusion from clinical trials exacerbates disparities in healthcare and diminishes the benefits for excluded populations. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate potential obstacles that prevent disabled people from participating in clinical trials in the United Kingdom (UK).MethodsThe study was carried out through an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The Imperial Clinical Trials Unit devised and implemented an online questionnaire-based survey (with open/closed-ended questions) and an online focus group discussion. The target population were disabled people, family members/carers of disabled people and staff involved in clinical trials, whereupon the sample was recruited by convenience sampling methods via posters and emails through various networks. The Qualtrics XM survey system was used as the host platform for the online survey, and Microsoft Teams was used for an online focus group discussion. The focus group discussion was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the themes identified from the survey responses. We analysed responses to the survey via descriptive analysis and used thematic analysis to synthesise the free-text answers from the survey and focus group discussion.ResultsWe received 45 responses to the survey questionnaire and 5 disabled people took part in a focus group discussion. Our findings highlighted the differences between the perspectives of researchers and those “being researched” and different types of barriers experienced by disabled people: opportunity barriers (inadequate recruitment strategy and ambiguous eligibility criteria), awareness barriers (perception of disability) and acceptance/refusal barriers (available support and adjustment, and sharing of trial results).ConclusionOur findings support perspectives drawn from the Ford Framework regarding the need to consider all barriers, not just up to the point of enrolment into trials but also beyond the point of inclusion in clinical trials. We support calls for the introduction of legislation on including disabled people in clinical trials, implementation of industry/community-wide participatory approaches and the development of guidelines, a combined public–private approach.

Phenomenological Study of Women Entrepreneurs and Their Impact on Socio-Economic Growth in Malaysia

The study was conducted on women entrepreneurship and socio-economic growth in Malaysia. The study on women entrepreneurship in Malaysia was on Women entrepreneurship is said to be the emerging phenomenon of the 21th Century. It has been recognised that today women are as likely as men seeking business opportunities around them. Women entrepreneurs are able to contribute to socioeconomic development of the country. However, women entrepreneurs were found to encounter internal and external barriers to their business growth. Based on the literature review on entrepreneurship highlighted numerous constraints and barriers to women entrepreneurship which include amongst others gender-biased, lack of entrepreneurial and business skills, finance and even the personality characteristics of women. In this study there were four factors and barriers facing entrepreneurship growth were identified. They were personality traits, business skills, knowledge and training, the need for government support system and support systems that contribute to women entrepreneurship growth and the socio-economic growth of the country. In order to answer these four objectives, this study conducted a focus group method in order to clearly understand the phenomenon of women entrepreneurship in Malaysia. It has been informed the focus group approach is commonly used in social science research. A selected group of 10 key person women entrepreneurs answered the interview and discussion via online focus group discussion. The structured questionnaires were also distributed to the 10 entrepreneurs participated and responded in focus group discussion. The focus group discussion centred on four themes on women entrepreneurship development, women and its contribution to socio-economic growth, including household income, employment and society wellbeing. Data collection on entrepreneurial psychological factors, barriers to women entrepreneurship success and growth, government support systems and the social and economic growth of the country were gathered from the focus group discussion and were analysed using NVIVO software package. The results of the study were tabulated based on four themes and sub themes. In conclusion this research has established a woman entrepreneurship socio-economic model in Malaysia. A causal relationship model configured variables as a main guidance for entrepreneurship stakeholders and practitioners. This study was a phenomenological study on woman entrepreneurship and its effect on women socio-economic growth in Malaysia. The study provided implications to stakeholders in addressing women entrepreneurship problems and barrier to women business growth. It was recommended that further research on women entrepreneurship will be based on industrial and business sectors dominated by women.

How University Students Evaluate the Role of Social Media in Political Polarization: Perspectives of a Sample of Turkish Undergraduate and Graduate Students

This study aimed to find out if there is a relationship between social media and political polarization in Türkiye from the perspective of Turkish students. To reach this aim, the needed data were collected through qualitative and quantitative approaches. A total of 303 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The sample consisted of university Turkish students across undergraduate, masters, and PhD levels in Türkiye aged between 18 and 50+. As well, an online focus group discussion with six Turkish students from different universities and education levels was conducted to gain a more in-depth understanding of the study’s problem. The results of the study showed that the perspectives of the Turkish students were that social media had a weak-to-moderate effect on political polarization in Türkiye. Furthermore, the results indicated that the studied sample of the Turkish students does not rely on social media platforms to obtain political news, and most of them do not follow political leaders on social media. Moreover, communication platforms did not encourage many Turkish students to express themselves, which is an indication that social media algorithms have contributed to a medium degree in creating filter bubbles through the content they suggest to users. Results have also shown that Turkish students are afraid that their posts and comments are being censored.

Online Focus Group Discussions to Engage Stigmatized Populations in Qualitative Health Research: Lessons Learned

Community participation in research involving stigmatized populations has been sub-optimal, and digital tools could potentially increase participation in qualitative research. This study aims to describe the implementation of an online chat-based FGD (Focus Group Discussion) with men who have sex with men (MSM) in China as part of formative research for the PIONEER project, determine the advantages and limitations associated with the approach, and assess the feasibility of deepening community participation in STI research. Participants were involved in four days of asynchronous FGDs on sexually transmitted diseases and answered questions about the online FGD method. Online FGDs allowed us to deepen participant engagement through bidirectional communication channels. Data from online FGDs directly informed recruitment strategies and community participation for a clinical trial. Overall, 63% (29/46) of men who had never participated in offline LGBTQ + activities joined online FGDs. Many participants (89%, 41/46) noted that online FGDs were more convenient, less socially awkward, and more anonymous than in-person qualitative research. We highlighted potential risks as well as mitigation strategies when using online FGDs. Online FGDs were feasible among this group of sexual minorities and may be particularly useful in many cities where stigma limits in-person research participation.

Stakeholder Perception of Sustainability Attitudes Among Responsible Travellers for Sustainable Tourism Destinations

Sustainability has become an important consideration for the tourism industry. An online focus group discussion is made with five panels of tourism stakeholders that represent the local tourist perspectives to discuss the attributes of sustainability attitudes among responsible travelers for tourism destinations. The sustainability attitudes reflect the tourist attitudes toward sustainable practices at the destination. The findings highlight the sustainability attitudes that focus on economic, social, and environmental attributes. This study can be used as a preliminary understanding of the potential of sustainable tourism destinations and it can be used as a tool for developing the surveys on Sustainability attitudes of tourists. The practices can give benefits the destination’s marketing and tourism stakeholders in planning and developing a sustainable tourism destination.

Evaluating the Use of Information Communication Technology and Its Full Integration into the Educational System in University of Jos

In this present age globally, information and communication technology has transformed the educational system positively. Africa, Nigeria in particular, is not left out in the quest for full automated education. This study evaluated the use of information communication technology and its full integration into the educational system in University of Jos. Five research objectives and questions were designed to find out the level of use of different ICT platforms for teaching and learning. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The population and sample size of the study consisted of 100 academic staff, non-academic staff and students. The instruments for data collection were an online questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Descriptive statistics of percentages were used to analyse the data. The result of study revealed that the level of ICT integration into the university of Jos educational system is fairly in place. Based on the findings, the study recommended that there should be adequate funding to take care of the numerous challenges and intended policies outlined. It also recommended that effective mechanism be put in place to monitor its disbursement and implementation of such funds.

The management of multilingual adults with aphasia in Malaysia: current practices, needs, and challenges

ABSTRACT Background Aphasia management can be challenging in multilingual settings. A lack of understanding of the needs and challenges faced by speech-language therapists (SLTs) might lead to insufficient capacity building and policymaking. To optimize aphasia rehabilitation, it is important to determine the current practices, needs, and challenges faced by SLTs in a multilingual context. Aims This study aimed to explore how SLTs in Malaysia approach aphasia assessment and intervention for multilingual people with aphasia (PWA). Further, it aimed to identify the challenges SLTs experience, as well as the resources and strategies drawn upon to support the management of multilingual aphasia. Methods & Procedures Fifty participants who are SLTs in Malaysia completed an online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: Language Use; Aphasia Rehabilitation; Service Provision for Multilingual Clients with Aphasia; and Background Information. Five participants who took part in the survey also participated in the online focus group discussion. Outcomes & Results For the first study objective, it was found that participants primarily conducted individual aphasia interventions (100%), utilized informal tests of aphasia (~80%), and focused on improving language and social communication skills (~80%). More than half of the participants reported the experience of not sharing their clients’ language and resorted to choosing a particular language for aphasia intervention. From the survey and FGD, participants indicated seeking assistance from family members to translate SLTs’ questions and instructions during aphasia intervention. In addressing the second objective, language barriers and lack of appropriate resources were identified as two prominent challenges in multilingual aphasia management. For the third objective, participants suggested involving professional interpreters who are trained in assisting aphasia management to reduce language barriers. Developing tools and materials in multiple local languages and best practice guidelines were suggested for addressing the shortage of resources for multilingual aphasia management. Conclusions Malaysian SLTs used rehabilitation approaches that were consistent with practices in other countries, such as the frequent use of informal approaches for aphasia assessments and the focus on improving language and communication skills of PWA. Challenges in aphasia rehabilitation in Malaysia were posed by several factors, including linguistic diversity and a lack of resources. There is a critical need to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate resources, including standardised assessment tools and best practice guidelines for multilingual aphasia rehabilitation. The involvement of professional interpreters in aphasia rehabilitation may enhance the quality of intervention.

Comparison of travel attitude study methods using online tools: The case of understanding public acceptance of autonomous vehicles

With the growing penetration of mobile phones, mobile apps and media platforms offer new ways to conduct travel-related research. The aim of this study is to compare two pairs of quantitative and qualitative research methods that leverage these tools: (1) an online survey versus a mobile chatbot interaction, and (2) an online focus group discussion over a live video conference versus a moderated discussion over a mobile messaging application. As a case study, we investigate the public acceptance of autonomous vehicles (AVs) for public transit in Singapore. 320 participants answered the same five research questions posed across the four methods, which were carried out over the first half of 2021. Across all methods, it was consistently found that there was cautious excitement about shared AVs in Singapore. Nevertheless, there were concerns about the safety of AV technology and uncertainty of how AVs will be implemented in practice. Compared to more conventional tools, the advantages of using mobile messaging apps to conduct travel-related studies are their low cost, scalability, and ease of analyzing resultant data. However, it was more challenging to recruit participants, mainly due to unfamiliarity, uncertainty of time requirements and a need to install the prerequisite mobile app. In chat groups, there was an observed lack of group interaction between participants. Overall, we found that while chatbots and chat groups hosted on mobile messaging apps were potential alternatives to surveys and focus groups to widen participation, there are still some inherent limitations to be overcome.

Stakeholders Perception of Smart Tourism Technology for Tourism Destination

Smart tourism has become the importance component in tourism development. Technology attributes that suitable for tourism destination need to be highlighted. This study explores the knowledge and attitude of tourists towards smart tourism attributes. This preliminary study used an online focus group discussion is made with five panels of tourism stakeholders that representing the local tourist perspectives to discuss the attributes of smart for tourism destinations. The findings highlight the technologies for smart tourism that focus on mobile app, website, QR Code application, physical infrastructure and other requirement also been highlighted. This study can be used as a preliminary understanding on the potential of smart tourism destination. The framework also can give benefits the destination’s marketing and tourism stakeholders in planning and developing the smart tourism destination.

Assessment of the Reading Curriculum in Basic Education in the Philippines Context

This study aimed to assess the reading curriculum in Philippine basic education. It specifically focused on determining the reading competencies, the approaches in reading instruction and assessments before and during COVID-19, and the alignment of the written and intended to the implemented and assessed curriculum. This qualitative research employed the following data gathering techniques: document analysis, online focus group discussion, and constructive alignment checklist. Findings reveal that the basic education curriculum includes reading competencies categorized into text processing and task management competencies. In terms of the reading levels, it was found that there are more instructional readers than independent readers in basic education. Further, a number of students from different year levels, including in the secondary level, were also found to be non-readers. Regarding the approaches to reading instruction and assessment, the approaches were more extensive, varied, and teacher-directed before the COVID-19 pandemic involving class and group dynamics, while in the new normal, teachers employed self-paced/independent reading using printed modules and a few digital reading resources. Finally, the curriculum assessment reveals that there is generally a low alignment between the written, assessed, and delivered curriculum in reading. This implies that there are learning outcomes specified in the K-12 curriculum guide that have not been processed and assessed by teachers.

Exploring Malaysian parents' and teachers' cultural conceptualization of adolescent social and emotional competencies: A qualitative formative study.

Global implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL) has been suggested to incorporate a systematic cultural adaptation process which relies on ground-up empirical data of a target cultural group in tailoring a culturally sensitive SEL intervention. Preliminary formative studies among local parents and educators were done to explore the conceptualization of social and emotional competencies (SECs) in various cultural settings, such as the continent of Africa and among the indigenous and refugee groups. Unfortunately, little scholarship has been devoted to studying the SEL adaptation process in Southeast Asian regions. This formative study aimed to explore Malaysian parents' and teachers' cultural conceptualization of adolescent SECs. This qualitative study interviewed 12 Malaysian parents and 10 Malaysian teachers comprising of Malay (82%), Chinese (9%) and Indian (9%) races in an online focus group discussion. Sampling is purposive to parents of adolescents and teachers at secondary school only. Data were analyzed thematically to determine the culturally sensitive SEL constructs for Malaysian adolescents. All themes and sub-themes of SEC regarded as crucial for Malaysian adolescents are aligned with CASEL's five domains of competencies. Our findings extended the conceptualization of subskills under CASEL's relationship skills and responsible decision-making domains, which reflect Asian cultural values. The main themes of social competency: (a) preserving interpersonal relationships, (b) utilizing intrapersonal skills, and (c) communicating effectively, are shared with the established CASEL constructs. However, the underlying subthemes denote the unique cultural manifestation of social competency in Malaysia. Two of the emotional competency themes represent the established CASEL constructs: (a) practicing self-regulation, (b) demonstrating help-seeking behavior, and the other two themes signify Asian values: (c) upholding altruism, and (d) maintaining cultural display rules. This formative study revealed the habitual use of experiential and expressive suppressions as adaptive emotion regulation strategies in Malaysian collectivist culture and offered a potential alternative emotion regulation pathway suitable for Malaysian adolescents. It also informed the feasibility of implementing SEL modules developed based on the CASEL framework in Malaysia and suggested two key lessons to enhance the cultural sensitivity of SEL in Malaysia: effective, respectful communication and expressive writing.

A Pilot Study on Pharmacists' Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards Medication Dysphagia via Asynchronous Online Focus Group Discussion.

Medication dysphagia (MD) refers to difficulty swallowing oral medications. To cope, patients may inappropriately modify or skip medications, leading to poorer outcomes. Little is known about healthcare professionals' (HCPs') perspectives in managing MD. This study investigated pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in caring for patients with MD. An asynchronous online focus group was pilot tested in seven pharmacists, with up to two questions posted daily on an online platform over 15 days. Thematic analysis of the transcripts revealed five interrelated themes: (1) knowledge about MD; (2) management of MD; (3) expectations of patient proactivity; (4) desire for objectivity; (5) professional roles. The findings provided insight into pharmacists' KAP and may be incorporated into a full-scale study involving various HCPs.

Factors influencing the use of therapeutic footwear in persons with diabetes mellitus and loss of protective sensation: A focus group study.

Persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) and loss of protective sensation (LOPS) due to peripheral neuropathy do not use their therapeutic footwear (TF) consistently. TF is essential to prevent foot ulceration. In order to improve compliance in using TF, influencing factors need to be identified and analyzed. Persons with a history of foot ulceration may find different factors important compared with persons without ulceration or persons who have never used TF. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine factors perceived as important for the use of TF by different groups of persons with DM and LOPS. A qualitative study was performed using focus group discussions. Subjects (n = 24) were divided into 3 focus groups based on disease severity: ulcer history (HoU) versus no ulcer history (no-HoU) and experience with TF (TF) versus no experience (no-TF). For each group of 8 subjects (TF&HoU; TF&no-HoU; no-TF&no-HoU), an online focus group discussion was organized to identify the most important influencing factors. Transcribed data were coded with Atlas.ti. The analysis was performed following the framework approach. The factors comfort and fit and stability/balance were ranked in the top 3 of all groups. Usability was ranked in the top 3 of group-TF&noHoU and group-noTF&noHoU. Two other factors, reducing pain and preventing ulceration were ranked in the top 3 of group-TF&noHoU and group-TF&HoU, respectively. Experience with TF and a HoU influence which factors are perceived as important for TF use. Knowledge of these factors during the development and prescription process of TF may lead to increased compliance. Although the main medical reason for TF prescription is ulcer prevention, only 1 group gave this factor a high ranking. Therefore, next to focusing on influencing factors, person-centered education on the importance of using TF to prevent ulcers is also required.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) trauma and mental health support during the UK lockdown: exploring women’s experiences

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to report findings from interviews with seven African-heritage women attending a female genital mutilation (FGM) Clinic in the north of England, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Clinic, established several years before the pandemic, provides specialist therapeutic support to women and girls from minority ethnic communities who are affected by harmful “traditional” practices, including FGM. The services provided by the Clinic include early interventions, peer support, community engagement and empowerment around FGM.Design/methodology/approachData was collected during an online focus group discussion with seven women who had received counselling for FGM, to gain insight into their lived experiences of therapeutic support during the pandemic.FindingsUsing Braun and Clarke (2006) six-step thematic analysis, four superordinate themes derived from the data: consistency and continuity; safety in shared experience and creativity; feeling heard, feeling stronger; and altruism and desire for change.Research limitations/implicationsIt is important to recognise some limitations within this study. It is based on one focus group discussion that involved seven participants, who had experienced FGM, were living in a targeted area and whose mental health had been further compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study indicate that it is essential to consider participants’ experiences of receiving therapeutic support during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was observed that emotional stressors linked with participants’ experiences of FGM may be exacerbated by those related to COVID-19.Social implicationsThere is a need to conduct similar research, perhaps on an individual basis, that would reach a wider sample of women from ethnic minority populations who are survivors of FGM, including those from FGM practicing communities who have been hospitalised through their deteriorating mental health. This would add to the small but growing body of evidence, to provide a better understanding of the experiences of their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps better identify effective therapeutic interventions.Originality/valueThese themes provide an insight into these women’s experiences of the trauma associated with FGM and receiving mental health support during the pandemic.

Managing the Nursing Shortage During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

Nursing care contributes to the safety and the quality of care of patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses became frontline care providers. A qualitative study was conducted using an online focus group discussion of eight nurse committee members from six hospitals. After the data were collected, the study continued with inductive thematic analysis. The data were organized and extracted to identify meaningful statements and formulate meanings. Inductive thematic analysis was used, resulting in three themes and six subthemes. The themes related to managing the nursing workforce, schedules, rosters, shifts, goals of re-design staffing, and the nurse-patient ratio. The management of the nursing staffing was modified to protect nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The nurse manager redesigned workforce planning to ensure a safe environment for nurses.

생산자 FGI와 전문가 FGD를 통한 지역농산물을 이용한 간편식의 생산 진흥 방안 모색

This study aimed to derive measures for promoting the production of convenience foods utilizing local agricultural products. In July 2022, qualitative data were collected through focus group interviews (FGI) with six producers of convenience foods utilizing local agricultural products. Two producer FGIs were conducted online in groups of three. Problems and difficulties faced by the producers in production, processing, and distribution were examined. Measures were derived for promoting the production based on the responses received in the FGIs. To evaluate and obtain opinions on the derived measures, an online focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted with three experts in the 6th industry in August 2022. The major problems faced by the producers were classified into five subject areas: supply of local agricultural products, supply to institutional food services, education and training, nutritional analysis, and employment and labor. To promote production, the measures derived for each of the above areas, respectively, were as follows: establishing information channels on farms and local agricultural products, establishing direct communication channels between producers and institutional food service managers, providing nutrition marketing education for the producers, providing information on nutritional analysis, and providing policy support to solve labor shortage problems. In the FGD with the experts, all five measures received positive responses and specific additional guidelines were suggested. The proposed five measures are expected to significantly contribute to developing further specific policies and programs that will enable promoting the production of convenience foods utilizing local agricultural products.

“What should I do today?” A Case Study on the Current Practices and Software Requirements Specification of a Web-Based Planner and Productivity Tracker

Productivity can be targeted and tracked in various ways. People may use the traditional pen-and-paper approach, or they can use various task-managing or productivity-tracking applications. This study aimed to determine the practices of faculty and staff of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) for planning and productivity tracking. It also aimed to identify useful features for a web-based planner and productivity tracker based on the needs of UPOU employees leading to the development of a web-based planner and productivity tracker. This study focused on gathering requirements and conducting a needs analysis for the said web-based application. Requirements gathering and needs analysis showed that different people have different approaches to planning tasks and tracking productivity. However, based on identified user needs, it is still worthwhile to propose a possible solution that attempts to cover current practices and address most user needs. The output of this research was therefore a System Requirements Specification (SRS) developed using information gathered from an online focus group discussion and an online survey conducted on UPOU employees. The SRS will be used for Phase 2 of the study. Phase 2 will involve the actual development of the system and testing to determine the usefulness of the final web-based system. This study’s main implication is that the proposed web application could be able to help increase the productivity of those in the field of education while assisting them in their day-to-day planning. Further studies can be conducted to validate this upon the completion of the web-based system.
 Keywords: Requirements Gathering, Needs Analysis, System Requirements Specification, Task-Managing Application, Productivity Software