Prompting technologies: A comparison of time-based and context-aware transition-based prompting

BACKGROUND: While advancements in technology have encouraged the development of novel prompting systems to support cognitive interventions, little research has evaluated the best time to deliver prompts, which may impact the effectiveness of these interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether transition-based context prompting (prompting an individual during task transitions) is more effective than traditional fixed time-based prompting. METHODS: Participants were 42 healthy adults who completed 12 different everyday activities, each lasting 1-7 minutes, in an experimental smart home testbed and received prompts to record the completed activities from an electronic memory notebook. Half of the participants were delivered prompts during activity transitions, while the other half received prompts every 5 minutes. Participants also completed Likert-scale ratings regarding their perceptions of the prompting system. RESULTS: Results revealed that participants in the transition-based context prompting condition responded to the first prompt more frequently and rated the system as more convenient, natural, and appropriate compared to participants in the time-based condition. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that prompting during activity transitions produces higher adherence to the first prompt and more positive perceptions of the prompting system. This is an important finding given the benefits of prompting technology and the possibility of improving cognitive interventions by using context-aware transition prompting.