Developing an Online Resource to Support Parents’ Search for Apps in The First Year of Parenthood
Date
2020-08-19
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Abstract
Background: Parents’ mobile application (app) use is on the rise due to the affordability of smartphones and the convenience of accessing parenting support 24 hours a day. While apps can assist in parenting, it is hard for parents to find good quality apps that meet their expectations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to co-create a parenting app directory to supports parents' search for apps in the first year of parenthood and co-design a user interface to feature the directory. Methods: Spinuzzi's (2005) stages of the participatory design methodology guided this study and the project was divided into three phases. Phase one, parenting app review, was conducted to gain insight into the available apps for parents. Phase 2, focus group discussions with 18 first-time Canadian parents (15 mothers, 3 fathers) allowed researchers to understand parents' needs and preferences. Phase three, design sessions were conducted with three parents (two fathers and one mother) to learn about parents' preferred design elements. Results: In phase one, app review, 4,300 apps were identified on the initial search, of which only 16 (0.4%) apps met the quality criteria reflecting the extent of the problem parents face in finding quality parenting apps. The quality apps were further reviewed by parents in phase two, focus group discussions, to finalize the selection of apps and resulted in the co-development of the partnering app directory. The focus group discussions also explored parents’ needs and preferences and the inductive thematic analysis resulted in four themes. Phase three, design sessions, led to the co-creation of a user interface to feature the app directory. Conclusion: Despite the availability of evidence-based apps, parents continue to report difficulties in finding desired quality apps. The app directory is one of the solutions that establishes easy access to quality parenting apps. Initiatives should be taken within the healthcare system to equip front-line nurses and other healthcare professionals with adequate knowledge and training to support contemporary parents’ needs via digital means.
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mHealth, Participatory Design, Co-creating Webpage Prototypes, Co-developing an e-resource, Co-designing User Interface, First-time Parents, Parenting Apps, Mobile Applications (Apps), Digital Health
Citation
Virani, A. (2020). Developing an Online Resource to Support Parents’ Search for Apps in The First Year of Parenthood (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.