SOFTWARE TO BRIDGE THE IMPLEMENTATION GAP

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO INCREASE THE RETURN REALIZED ON INVESTMENTS IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR PRESENTING HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION INFORMATION. THE IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE IS TO PRODUCE RELEABLE, EMPIRICALLY BASED, EASY-TO-USE SOFTWARE TO HELP DEVELOPERS AND INTENDED USERS OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES ANTICIPATE AND SOLVE IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS. PROMISING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TOO OFTEN FALL INTO "THE IMPLEMENTATION GAP," ENDING UP IN THE CLOSET OR STANDING IDLY MOST OF THE TIME RATHER THAN BEING AGGRESSIVLY INTEGRATED INTO ACTUAL PRACTICE. IN ORDER TO HELP DEVELOPERS AND END USERS OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND BRIDGE THE IMPLEMENTATION GAP, THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RECENT ADVANCES IN DECISION AIDING AND EXPERT SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES TO: 1) IDENTIFY FACTORS THAT PREDICT IMPLEMENTATION SUCCESS; 2) DEVELOP AND EVALUATE A STATISTICAL MODEL FOR PREDICTING SUCCESS AND ISOLATING PROBLEMS; 3) IDENTIFY INTERVENTIONS TO MITIGATE PROBLEMS; AND 4) USE THIS INFORMATION TO PRODUCE PROTOTYPE SOFTWARE TO FACILITATE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF HEALTH PROMOTION TECHNOLOGIES.