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September 02, 2006
Simplicity
Features are constantly being added to mobile phones and most people really just want use them to talk. Bluetooth is a great addition to mobile devices but pairing a Bluetooth device is never an easy task. I've paired a pda, a headset, a computer and a car and each time the process created challenges. Using Bluetooth for add-on health applications is a sound technical direction but companies will need to make sure these devices talk to each other seamlessly.
Features and add-ons are great for the consumer but are often ignored because of the learning curve is too high and benefits are not often apparent. Health companies hoping to sell mobile health products and services to an aging population will need to address simplicity as a core strategic component of their offering. My experience tells me that older adults are more than willing to try new technology but have very little patience with complicated solutions to simple needs. Comments to MarkCarp@stanford.edu
Mark Carpenter
Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab
Posted by Mark at September 2, 2006 10:43 AM