Active advice

The ongoing research conducted by the ActiveAdvice consortium revolves around user from different groups, which seek information and advisory on AAL. In order to deepen the understanding of user information needs, three core groups were identified to benefit from ActiveAdvice: older adults and their relatives (consumers, AAL2C), businesses in the fields of care and technology (AAL2B) as well as governments and public bodies (AAL2G). A study on relevant organisations, technology businesses, care providers, public institutions and other stakeholders from the six consortium countries revealed, that there is a need for further structuring of the stakeholder landscape. Therefore, each end user group is broken down once more into two to four subgroups, each having different interest and information need in the field of AAL. These will be considered in more detailed in upcoming activities concerning ActiveAdvice concept and business model development.

Involving Experts and End Users

Building on the outcomes of the initial research, the consortium created an intuitive questionnaire, in order to identify essential user needs and expectancies towards the ActiveAdvice solution. This questionnaire is used to conduct semi-structured interviews with end users of ActiveAdvice in the countries of the consortium members as well as with members of the Expert and Advisory Board. For every group of end users (AAL2C, AAL2B and AAL2G) a specific set of questions is constructed based on their approach of using ActiveAdvice. The qualitative information gained from the interviews are essential to shape the conceptual design of the ActiveAdvice digital and non-digital solutions. While the ActiveAdvice platform will provide an information retrieval workflow similar to the one described by end users, the Authorised Active Advisor Network consulting approaches will be set out to support the decision making and solution selection.

Joining Forces with the AAL Market Observatory

The Central Management Unit of the AAL programme, which funds ActiveAdvice, recently announced the tender party for implementing the AAL Market Observatory. Technopolis Group from United Kingdom will work closely with the ActiveAdvice consortium, providing additional market knowledge and investor fairs to promote AAL uptake across Europe. In the official kick-off event, the ActiveAdvice and AAL Market Observatory coordinators got to know each other and decided on the collaboration proceedings, creating the foundation for a fruitful cooperation. ActiveAdvice will provide hosting space for market intelligence and product collection shared by the Market Observatory. In exchange, ActiveAdvice will profit from the added value generated by the expanded portfolio of featured AAL products and services, improving the advisory capabilities of the digital solution as well as the advisor network.

Going “From Research to Concept” in Zurich

In November the first full face-2-face consortium meeting after the kick-off will be held. The team from the seven partners from six different European countries will come together in Zurich, Switzerland to conclude for two days the first work package. The host and work package lead ZHAW as well as task lead CINT will present essential findings on the target audiences illustrated above, in order to pave the way for the conceptual project work. This covers on one hand side the software architecture and design of the ActiveAdvice platform, as well as the advisory workflow for human advisors within the Authorised Active Advisors Network. The meeting will furthermore be used to progress in the development of the initial business plan for ActiveAdvice, considering essential findings from research work package as well. Additionally, future dissemination and communication activities and materials will be discussed and planned, in order to spread word on the project.