1. August 20, 2009International Workshop on Information Technology for Innovative Services 20091 Development of Web Counseling System ◎ Yasunori Shiono (Toyo University) Takaaki Goto (The University of Electro-Communications) Tetsuro Nishino (The University of Electro-Communications) Chieko Kato (Toyo University) Kensei Tsuchida (Toyo University)

2. 2 Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Background 1.2 Purpose 2. Development with Agile Methods 2.1 Development Method 2.2 System Requirements 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews 3. Online Web Counseling System 3.1 System Overview 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions 4. Conclusion

3. 3 1. Introduction 1. 1 Background 1. 2 Purpose

4. 4 1.1 Background Various technologies are being developed in the computer industry. –Online services and systems have been proposed in many fields. User satisfaction and cost-cutting are becoming increasingly important. User-Centered Design (UCD) is necessary. –Agile software development based on UCD has received a lot of attention.

5. 5 1.1 Background(cont.) User-Centered Design (UCD) –User requirements are considered right from the beginning and included into the development. –UCD are advocated in the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) literature. Psychologically-based statistical methods provide invisible user requirements.

6. 6 1.1 Background(cont.) The number of Japanese who stay in foreign countries –is now over 1 million –is increasing year after year The risk of suffering mental health problems is high due to problems such as – working away from home, language barriers, differences in culture, human relationships, and medical facilities.

7. 7 1.2 Purpose To construct an online web counseling system using agile software development for people assigned overseas in Asia –To develop effective online counseling system using psychologically-based statistical methods –To prevent mental health problems from worsening as a result of early negligence for those assigned overseas in Asia –To enable counselors to provide consultation via the Web without going to the client’s location

8. 8 2. Development with Agile Method 2.1 Development Method 2.2 System Requirements 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews

9. 9 2.1 Consideration of Development Method We needed to decide on specifications that satisfy the needs of counselors and clients for upstream operations. UCD was desired. We developed an online web counseling system in cooperation with a clinic using agile software development.

10. 10 2.1 Consideration of Development Method (cont.) Agile software development has the following features: –Iterations of analysis and design –People-to-people exchange –Response to changes –Bolstering cooperation with customers –Release of available software at the end of each iteration Effective system incorporating UCD

11. 11 2.1 Consideration of Development Method (cont.) Development flow: 1. Developed a prototype system based on system requirements. 2. Conducted interviews about the system. 3. Discussed and analyzed the interviews. 4. Completed the system based on the content of the interviews. In each stage, we repeatedly discussed and analyzed with the people in charge of the clinic.

12. 12 2.2 System Requirements The mail counseling should be managed by one mail server. –Confidentiality of counseling content is important. –Encrypting mail server communication is difficult. The server should be managed by an associate member. –Outside contractors are at risk of leaking counseling content. –We used open source software.

13. 13 2.2 System Requirements (cont.) User interface –Page color –Layout Basic functions –PDF uploading/downloading –Log function

14. 14 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling Seven people were interviewed before starting the online counseling system. Questions 1. What do you think of online counseling? 2. What information do you want to know when you use online counseling? 3. Do you have any concerns regarding the security of online counseling? 4. What do you think of our online counseling system?

15. 15 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling (Cont.) Results: 1. What do you think of online counseling? -It is easy to access. (3 people) -It does not take much time. (2 people) 2. What information do you want to know when you use online counseling? -I want to see the counselor’s face. (5 people) -I want information about the counselor’s background. (7 people)

16. 16 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling (Cont.) Results: 3. Do you have any concerns regarding the security of online counseling? -I’m not really concerned about their security. (2 people) -I don’t trust the security system now being used. (1 person) -If there is a warning concerning the security, I will read it. (1 person)

17. 17 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling (Cont.) Results: 4. What do you think of our online counseling system? -I want to know many things about the counselor. (5 people) -I want to know how many people are using this system. (3 people) -I would like to have more boxes to check regarding what’s troubling theme. (3 people) -I would like to have everything written closer to the center of the page. (2 people) -I want to be able to check the e-mail the counselor’s sent. (2 people)

18. 18 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling (Cont.) People had a good impression of online counseling, and nobody had a bad impression. Most people wanted to know about their counselor’s background. –They could not see his or her counselor’s face. –They were revealing many sensitive personal things. –They felt anxious.

19. 19 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling (Cont.) Most people were not overly concerned about security. –We thought they would be focused on security. –People that were interviewed did not know much about online security. –If people had been more conscious of security issues, the results of the interviews probably would have been different.

20. 20 2.3 Interviews Regarding the Overall Image of Online Counseling (Cont.) These interviews generated a significant amount of information from users. –Layout, colors, functions, etc. –The changes to the online counseling system were made based on their opinions. –Clients can feel more confident and trust the counselor and the system.

21. 21 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews Results of the correlation analysis (N=23)

22. 22 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews (Cont.) (r=-.201(df=23),ns) -Insignificant -Easy to use did not mean that the design was considered to be good. (r=-.201(df=23),ns) -Insignificant -Easy to use did not mean that the design was considered to be good. Design

23. Results of the correlation analysis (N=23) 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews (Cont.) (r=-.103(df=23),ns) -Insignificant -Beginners find this system easy to use. (r=-.103(df=23),ns) -Insignificant -Beginners find this system easy to use. 23 How well a person can operate a computer

24. Results of the correlation analysis (N=23) 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews (Cont.) (r=-.0.055(df=23),ns) -Insignificant -Users find that trust comes from other factors. (r=-.0.055(df=23),ns) -Insignificant -Users find that trust comes from other factors. 24 Trust

25. The system design was not poor to the point where it was hard to use. –This system’s user interface was effective in fulfilling the users’ requirement. If the system has a certain level of design, users require other things such as function because the purpose of use is clear. –This is different from game software for entertainment and commercial web sites. 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews (Cont.) 25

26. The system was designed to such an extent that it would be easy to understand. Thus, though expert users sometimes feel they are doing wasteful operations, this original system was not meant to be this way. To obtain trust, we needed to think separately about the design and the ease of use. 2.4 Correlation Analysis of Interviews (Cont.) 26

27. 27 3. Online Web Counseling System 3.1 System Overview 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions

28. 3.1 System Overview All software is open source software. Counseling took place by sending mail mutually on the web. 28 Figure 1. System configuration.

29. 3.1 System Overview (Cont.) All messages are stored in a database on the system to prevent the information from leaking outside. 29 Figure 1. System configuration.

30. 3.1 System Overview (Cont.) Clients access the system by using a Web browser and input contents of consultation to their own counselor after login. 30 Figure 1. System configuration.

31. 31 3.1 System Overview (Cont.) The system automatically sends notification mail to counselors. –This will enable reporting consultation mail to counselors without logging into the system. Figure 2. Notification mail.

32. 32 3.1 System Overview (Cont.) The counselors respond to the clients for the consultation after logging in. Figure 3. Login page.

33. 33 3.1 System Overview (Cont.) The system does not limit the time. –Because clients can send and receive messages at a time that is most convenient for them, they can feel reassurance — they are connected to someone Clients sometimes feel like they can talk about things over the internet that they cannot talk about face to face. Encrypted communication by SSL is enabled

34. 34 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions There are authorities for each user, and the utilizable operation differs –Administrator Counselor registration Counselor Assignment Confirmation of applications for counselors Confirmation of the account list Auto notification mail sending log –Counselor –Client

35. 35 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions (Cont.) Figure 4. Main page for administrator.

36. 36 The only person that can view the contents of a consultation is the assigned counselor. Figure5. Counselor assignment. 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions (Cont.)

37. 37 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions (Cont.) There are authorities for each user, and the utilizable operation differs. –Administrator –Counselor Mail browsing Mail sending PDF up/downloading Confirmation of access logs Change in registration information –Client Mail browsing Mail sending Change in registration information Counselor application

38. 38 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions (Cont.) Figure 6. Received mail list page for counselor.

39. 39 Anyone can acquire an account with client authority. If a counselor is not assigned to a client, the user cannot use counseling functions. Figure 7. Menu page for client. 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions (Cont.)

40. 40 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions (Cont.) Figure 8. Mail sending screen for client. The mail counseling is managed by one our mail server.

41. 41 3.2 Authorities and Their Functions (Cont.) Figure 9. Counselor application page.

42. 42 4. Conclusion

43. 43 4. Conclusion We constructed an online web counseling system using agile software development for people on overseas assignments in Asia. The system reflects user needs based on the feedback we received from the people in charge of a clinic and from interviews. We confirmed the system was user-friendly by the correlation analysis.

44. 44 4. Conclusion (Cont.) Future work –Provide additional evaluation of the system. –Improve the system from actual operations. –Increase the confidentiality and security by various approaches.