There has been increasing recognition that design solutions for smart and connected communities can be substantially improved by incorporating community values into the design process. This project will investigate how the concepts of "values" (ethical principles) and "value" (resource allocation priorities) influence the design of solutions in smart and connected communities. The investigation will be carried out in the context of the aging-at-home community that is active in urban areas, is confronting failing capacities, and relies heavily on city services to cope with urban living. Specifically, the research will provide a better understanding on the design of health information management solutions for this growing populace. New insights will be provided on the challenges this community faces on the sense of control and the smart technology that assists them in understanding and managing their own health. The investigator will reach out to stakeholders and citizens, as well as the Councils of Aging in multiple urban areas to share the findings of this research. In addition, the executive and political branches of urban administration units will be active participants in the research, with a view to impacting policy measures.

Urban environments pose opportunities as well as significant challenges on the quality of life for aging-at-home citizens. This is a rapidly growing community in many urban areas and these individuals seek a sense of control and dignity in managing their own health as they seek the freedom to share experiences with their friends and family. This project will focus on two core questions: (1) How can individual and community values be identified and articulated in a theoretically sound yet operationally feasible manner? (2) How should these values in conjunction with other urban priorities influence design decisions for smart and connected community solutions? The research will use a mixed methods approach. Primary data from community participants will be content-analyzed to discern individual and community values, and interviews with city officials and secondary sources will be analyzed to understand urban area priorities. The empirical procedures will provide prototype solutions to understand the influence of values and value on design decisions, and assess their impact on outcomes.