Solution Tag: Time research

ESSnet Trusted Smart Surveys

Posted on February 5, 2020 by -

The framework

In September 2002, the Directors General of the National Statistical Institutes (NSI) decided that more synergies were needed for the statistical data collection within the European Member States.

In order to achieve this, the ESSnet was established. ESS stands for the European Statistical System. The expertise within the various European NSIs is brought together and specific projects and action points are launched.

The ESSnet is a network of several ESS organisations aimed at providing results that will be beneficial to the whole ESS.

TUS and HBS as a basis

The new ESSnet project aims to develop a reference architecture at European level. The starting point of the new project is the end point of a previous funding framework around ‘Innovative tools and sources for diary-based surveys’.

The Time Use Survey and the Household Budget Survey are two ESS research methods that are carried out by the NSIs on a regular basis and provide insights into how people and families spend their time and money.

MOTUS as a TUS tool

MOTUS was evaluated as a software platform within the Eurostat-funded SOURCE TM project, in collaboration with Statbel (Belgium) and Destatis (Germany).

In a first phase within the ESSnet project, more European countries have the opportunity to get to know MOTUS. This applies to both the web and mobile application (front-office), as well as to the management tool behind MOTUS (back office).  The MOTUS back office makes it possible to set up the research design and to carry out and coordinate the fieldwork.

MOTUS goes SMART

MOTUS also makes it possible to receive data from other sources. This is done by so-called Microservices or Plugins.

In this project a geolocation plugin will be tested that extracts information from the sensors in a Smartphone.

Respondents no longer have to fill in all the information themselves via the MOTUS app, but part of the information is already processed in the respondent’s timeline beforehand.

The respondent can then accept or modify this information.

The timeline

The project runs from the beginning of January 2020 until the end of December 2021. In the first period until September 2020, the MOTUS tool will be tested by the countries and adjustments will be applied.

From 2020 onwards, pilot projects will be carried out in various countries in order to gather input about the user experiences from a larger group of people. These user experiences will then be re-analysed and processed in a new version of the application.

 

 

Expert assignment SOGETI

Posted on August 31, 2018 by -

The motivation

In 2017, EUROSTAT instructed consultancy bureau SOGETI to investigate the availability of different tools used for the collecting of data on time-use and consumption patterns. The investigation also includes source that contain partial information (e.g. administrative databases, Apps, sensors, wearables, etc.) and that can be linked to other databases.

The project

This project exists of four stages:

  • An inquiry among EU-memberstates and other international institutes about their expertise in collecting data on time-use and consumption patterns;
  • Create an overview of (administrative) databases, Apps, sensors, wearables, etc., that contain information about time-use and consumption patterns;
  • Draw up an inventory about these tools according to the CSPA guidelines; and
  • Propose several prototypes.

The consortium

The project is led by Hubertus Cloodt (EUROSTAT), Maria Miceli (SOGETI) and Eniel Ninka (SOGETI). The academic partners include Uku Varblane and Siim Espenberg of the University of Tartu (Estland) and Joeri Minnen of thee Vrije Universiteit Brussel and hbits.

“Joeri Minnen (VUB-TOR, hbits) acts as an expert on tools and techniques for time registration.”

The project runs until the end of 2019.

Mapping the context: teachers’ workload

Posted on January 5, 2018 by -

Background

It is the paradox of the teaching profession: a heavy workload and high time pressure versus the idea of short working days and lots of holidays. The discrepancy of what teacher say they are doing and the picture society has about what they think they are doing is persistent. It leads to discussion bout the misconception of the teaching profession and the number of tasks not related to teaching, both in society as well as as in politics.

The assignment

Against the backdrop of the political discussion about the teaching profession, the Minster of Education Hilde Crevits ordered a study, which is aimed at objectively measuring the working time and workload of teacher in primary and secondary education (including special secondary education). On top of that, information on teachers’ working conditions should provide additional context. The MOTUS software platform will be used to collect context-rich behavioural data.

“MOTUS maps the workload and context of teachers: what they do, how much, when, where, with whom, with what sort of technological support, and with what motivation.”

The project

The project period runs from January to April 2018 and participation entails sevensteps:

  1. A media campaign asks all teachers (approx. 155.000) in Flanders to participate in the study.
  2. To participate, teachers submit a valid email address on an informative website hetgrotetijdsonderzoek.be.
  3. MOTUS sends out a confirmation e-mail, that includes a unique username and password, together with an invitation to complete a profile questionnaire on motusresearch.io. This profile questionnaire includes an identifier to be linked with administrative data.
  4. Based on the completed profile questionnaires, teachers will be dispersed over the fieldwork period.
  5. Teachers will be invited to fill in a pre-questionnaire which asks about their demographic characteristics and characteristics of their school and class.
  6. Hereafter teachers start their 7-day time-diary registration.
  7. To finalise their participation, teachers complete a post-questionnaire which asks about the previous registration week.

The results

After data collection and preparation of the datasets, multiple reports will be handed over to the Minister of Education Hilde Crevits and the steering committee, which includes educational umbrella organisations and education unions. When the project ends, teachers will get an overview of their own time registration and a possibility to compare their results with the averages of comparable others, all with guarantee of privacy.

Impact of a 30-hour workweek on daily practices

Posted on January 5, 2018 by -

Reviving societal debate(s)

The debate on reducing working hours is reviving. Researchers, as well labour movements and even political parties see advantages in a collective decrease in working time. Working time has been decreasing since the beginning of the 20th century, due to increases in technological productivity. However, in some countries this trend has reversed in the last decades. Arguments for a workweek of 8 hours less than the usual 38 have risen. The arguments are displayed on the personal, household, societal and economical level.

Experiments abroad

The debate on reducing working hours in Belgium resembles the debates held in other countries. In some countries, mostly Scandinavian, some organisations have adopted the 30-hour workweek and evaluated the outcomes of this reduction in working hours.

Most discussions turn to one experiment in Sweden: the retirement home in Svartedalen where the nursing staff works only 6 hours per day over 5 working days, after the new working time arrangements were adopted. The experiment took place between February 2015 and December 2016. To compensate the loss in working hours, almost 15 FTE were hired.  Two control groups were used in this experiment. The findings of the shorter workweek turned out to be the following:

  • [Personal] Reduced working hours had a positive impact on the employees’ health
  • [Client] The quality of the service was improved
  • [Societal] The decrease in working time had created more jobs
  • [Economic] The financial cost had increased

Femma vzw

Situated in Schaarbeek (Brussels) Femma employs 62 women and one man. Most of them work full time, and are higher educated. In 2016 Femma outlined multiple strategies to balance the responsibilities for work and family.

Besides supporting an experiment in Belgium, Femma as a woman organization wants to supplement this debate by showing how these extra 6 hours a week have a positive impact on the combination of work-and-family. In doing so, Femma raises this debate from an intrinsic individual story to the societal level where the 6 extra hours influences multiple life spheres and in which more than only the employee has a benefit. Furthermore, the collective reducing of the working hours has been a feminist demand since the 1970s. The idea is that this will help reduce gender inequality in paid and unpaid work.

Action-research

In 2019, an ‘action-research’ will be kicked-off in which these employees and their family members will encounter the reduction in working hours in real life.  During the period of one year all employees will work 6 hours per day, with their wages being unchanged.

Have a look to the project poster of Femma

The main goal of this research is to build up practical knowledge in how a 30-hour workweek supports the combination of work and family. Therefore, not only the employees but also their partners will be asked to participate in a research of two times one week during 2019.

The research consists of time recording through MOTUS including activities related to work and private spheres. In this way, an insight in how work and family interrelates is achieved.

Two questionnaires will also be filled in by all the participants. In 2018 a preliminary research will be carried out and in 2020, when Femma employees return to their 36-hour week, respondents will be asked to complete a time registration once again. In this way, an insight in how work and family interrelates in different working time schedules is achieved.

Goal of Femma

Besides their contribution to the societal debate, this research should be understood as real-life case study in which an investment shows both the costs and benefits on all levels. So not only less work and higher cost but also the impact on the absenteeism, the living standards, and the happiness in life will be a valuable addition to our knowledge.

The first large-scale online time use survey

Posted on February 14, 2017 by -

A leading method overtaken?

After the early applications in America, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union in the 1910s and 1920s, the diary method was supported by UNESCO in the 1960s, making the method truly international.

With the diary method, respondents keep a record of everything they do via a standardised 10-minute diary. Not only recording what they do, but also the location where it happened and with whom they did it.

The result is a nuanced look at the behaviour patterns of people and families in various areas of life. Since that time, the diary research method has been a leading method for the UN for highlighting the issue of unpaid work in developing countries. It is also used for the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US and EUROSTAT for examining the cultural differences and trends between countries and states. The context regarding behaviour makes these differences more understandable.

This contextual setting is both the strength and weakness of diary method research. It provides a detailed survey, but collecting data is labour-intensive and hence expensive. As a result, data can only be gathered with significant intervals and usually only on a population level.

A solution involving both an online and a modular strategy

Gathering data online is one obvious solution for reducing costs. However, you need a modular strategy for developing a research method that is both reliable and valid. The MOTUS software was developed to meet this need.

The MOTUS software platform makes it possible from a technical point of view to:

– define the research methods;

  • develop online questionnaires
  • put together online time registration systems (list of activities, length of intervals in between, number of reference days, etc.)
  • allocate context questions to activities and by doing so delve more deeply into specific activities

– establish a research flow that supplies a survey or time registration system in a particular sequence;

– evaluate registered data via algorithms and reminders and have any errors corrected by the respondents themselves;

– carry out the research via a web browser (computer, laptop) or application (smartphone, tablet);

From an administrative point of view there are various possibilities:

– automatically allocate respondents to surveys, spread respondents (randomised) over the survey period, allocate start days, etc.

– monitor and follow up respondents in real-time during the survey via notifications on the screen and/or via automated e-mails and/or text messages.

– store input from respondents immediately, which makes the information usable in follow-up questions.

– track fieldwork via a dashboard

– follow up a longitudinal research set-up and use a behaviour panel

– offer surveys and research in various languages

By doing so, MOTUS succeeds in gathering context-rich behavioural information at a very low cost. It is also tailored to every research question and within every target group.

MOTUS gathers context-rich behavioural information at a very low cost.

MOTUS as a reliable and valid research platform

The aim from the outset was to gain faster and cheaper insights into the behaviour patterns of people and target groups. Not only by translating the traditional diary method into an online method, but also by reinforcing the method by taking a modular approach.

The MOTUS software platform first demonstrated its ability when collecting data from 3,260 respondents in Flanders.

Each respondent:

  • completed a socio-demographic preliminary survey
  • kept a record of his or her use of time for 7 successive days, and
  • to complete the process, filled in a follow-up questionnaire.

The data was collected between January and December 2013. At the same time, the Statistics Belgium division of FPS Economy also conducted a diary-based survey using the traditional pen-and-paper method, in line with EUROSTAT guidelines, this time for one weekday and one weekend day.

A comparative study showed that MOTUS recorded the general behaviour patterns in an equally valid manner, while at the same time it was better in terms of travel movements and media usage. And by collecting the data online, MOTUS also managed to gather more context regarding behaviour – faster and at a lower cost.

Occupant-home interaction before and after renovation

Posted on February 14, 2017 by -

Our home: 5 features

We spend more than 90% of our time indoors, much of which is also spent in our own home. Studies show that the technical condition of a home also affects the physical and mental health of the people who live in it.

A healthy home usually has 5 features:

  • good sleeping conditions
  • comfortable indoor temperature
  • fresh air
  • plenty of natural light
  • good humidity level

Renovation: necessary, but not straightforward

In Europe the renovation of houses is an important focal point when it comes to energy efficiency. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 dwellings today will still be lived in by 2050. However, approximately 3/4 of these homes are not energy-efficient and so score poorly on at least 1 of the 5 features stated above. In fact, usually on several points. Yet despite that, many home-owners still hesitate to undertake the renovations needed due to a lack of knowledge and budget.

Affordable renovation in social housing

So how can we make sure that more homes are renovated? This is the question that VELUX asked when it embarked on a project in Anderlecht (Belgium), in the working-class district of Goede Lucht.  The project involved tackling a house built in the 1920s [JS1] where there was a significant need for structural renovation. Most of the residents of the area are tenants of the Social Housing company ‘Anderlechtse Haard’, which owns the building in question.

With this in mind, VELUX outlined an affordable renovation concept in which automatic controls play a key role: RenovActive.

From prototype to stereotype

Part of the affordability of this renovation project stems from the ability to replicate the renovation principles used. And so it was that the first renovated house was able to become the blueprint for 86 similar renovation projects in the neighbourhood. This means that RenovActive is now evolving from prototype to stereotype: millions of houses owned by social housing companies in Europe can use these same renovation principles.

OK – but what really changes for the occupant?

Every architect and manufacturer will argue based on the potential of the project or product in question. So it may be possible the effect that the renovation has on the way in which occupants actually use their house differs from the initial theoretical assessment.

A user analysis of the residents gives us an insight into the question of ‘how do various aspects of renovation have an effect on interaction between the occupant and the house?’.

Mixture of methods

Underlying the overall question, our aim is to gather knowledge about the 4 dimensions of the interaction between the occupant and the house:

  • Overall wellbeing
  • Satisfaction/happiness with the house
  • Perception of health
  • Patterns of behaviour

For this project hbits is using a combination of different data collection methods. There’s the (online) questionnaire, individual conversations and group discussions – and then there’s the MOTUS app for examining user behaviour.

The occupants use the MOTUS app to record their behaviour and answer context-related questions. The types of behaviour involve, on the one hand, the use/application of technical renovations (e.g. central ventilation, central heating, opening a window/door) and, on the other, day-to-day activities (work, domestic chores, free time, sleeping, etc.) at home/elsewhere, alone or with others.

The MOTUS app will also be used as an intermediary for communicating technical indicators (such as the consumption of heat) to the occupants and to ask extra questions about them. By doing this, we can link technical input with sociological input.

Before and after comparisons

All family members in the participating families are asked to take part in the screening at different periods of throughout the RenovActive project. The screening begins with a t-1 measurement at their old, unrenovated house and hence before they move back into their newly renovated home. Shortly after moving into the new dwelling, a t-0 measurement is carried out. A further 7 measurements are then carried out over a period of 2 years to assess any changes in behaviour and opinions. By doing this, we can also even out any seasonal variations.

The study began in 2016 and will end in 2018/19.

Study time: who studies what, how much, when and why?

Posted on February 14, 2017 by -

Better future organisation of the study programmes

A study programme is a combination of the contents of the subjects and the number of study credits allocated for each one. A year’s education consists of an average of 60 credits, which converts to 1,800 study hours. Which is the same number of hours worked by a full-time employee.

The higher the number of credits for a subject, the more time a student needs to invest per subject. However, there is a major difference between the estimated study time and the actual study time. So the question is whether the current estimate for each subject is also realistic. An accurate time estimate can contribute towards the better organisation of the study programmes.

But it is difficult for a student to make an accurate estimate. That’s because there are classes, revision weeks and exam weeks. There is also mandatory attendance, group work and independent study.

A changing environment caused by the flexibility decree

Having a single process that applies to a large group of students is no longer the case on account of a number of factors:

  • students are able to shape their own study programme and hence study subjects in various faculties and disciplines;
  • new target groups can come into the equation via part-time programmes, bridging programmes, preparatory processes for students with poor earlier education in a particular subject;
  • students with a specific background (international, work students, etc.) can do subjects they select themselves.

Retrospective calendar registration

A flexible environment requires a flexible research set-up that creates insights into the questions of who studies how many subjects or attends classes, when and for what.

To find an answer to this, the students were given:

  • a questionnaire focusing on the student’s study programme, providing information about the factors that encourage and obstruct the ease of studying;
  • the request to register details of their study time for the previous week (7 days) via a study calendar for each subject on their study programme;
  • addition questions about context, depending on the subject and the activity (lecture study, exam, etc.);
  • a concluding questionnaire providing more insights into the registration week, study pressure and planning for the future.

A flexible study programme requires a flexible research set-up for gaining insights into who studies how many subjects or attends classes when and for what.

The survey asked the students to take part in the survey via the MOTUS software platform in both the first and second semester. This was done both during a normal classes week or during a revision or exam week. The introductory questionnaire was not presented again after the first questionnaire.

Added value for everyone: university, student and teacher

The results were on various levels:

  • the university and Department of Education policy succeeded in better assessing the workload – and hence the study credits – for each subject and hence identify possible problems;
  • the students were given an individual summary of their study time to be used as a valuable base for study programme guidance;
  • the teachers received important information about how their students evaluate their subject and how/when students invest time for their subject.

The study time measurement is repeated annually to detect changes and to adjust the policy.

Burn-out on the prowl: looking for real causes and effective remedies

Posted on January 15, 2017 by -

The assumption: a lack of time

In an annual survey, employees in the Department for Education & Training indicated that their work/life balance was becoming increasingly hard to achieve, leading to burn-outs. The main reason, according to the respondents, was a lack of time.

But what exactly was the reason behind this perception of not having enough time? Was it the jobs to be done at work or was family life involved? Or was there some other component at work, a subjective feeling that you can’t capture in terms of working time patterns and other activities?

The research method: from use of time to perception of time

The tasks that h:bits carried out for this survey included designing a time registration system using the MOTUS software platform. The first step was to make a list of 80 work tasks, setting out all of the tasks undertaken by staff.

The design of the survey also included the registration of private activities.  This brought the combination with family life into the spotlight. We then gauged each activity to the perception of time. To give the results proper context, the respondents also completed a questionnaire before and after the registration.

All 281 members of staff took part in the survey. This meant that various job profiles, levels and departments were all represented in it. In practical terms, members of staff were asked to record their working time and personal time in an online diary for a whole week (7 days).

The result: the causes were deeper

The method used to measure time brought a number of surprising results to light:

  1. The length of the working week and the way work was organised could not explain the feeling of not having enough time, because the working time:
  • was an average of 34 hours per working week, which is the same length of time as the average working Fleming.
  • work is usually carried out between 9 and 5.
  1. TWEE!! Time lost was caused mainly by inefficient working processes: e-mails, meetings and transport
  • More than 8% of all work-related activities involved dealing with and writing e-mails.  Usually, 10-15% of staff members were writing e-mails at any one time, with a peak of  25% at the beginning of the working day.
  • Consultation or talking time was more of an obstacle rather than a facilitating factor for working more efficiently. This was because of long, usually internal meetings. In the mornings, from 10 o’clock, at least 25% of staff were in meetings. In the afternoon, that figure was around 20%. More than 1 person in 3 thought that these meetings were (partly) pointless for themselves or their work.
  • Travelling time averaging almost 2 hours per employee per day was also a major source of frustration. This whereas staff also carried out work tasks at home ‘well’ to ‘very well’.

More than 1 person in 3 found meetings (partly) pointless for themselves or their work.

  1. DRIE!! The perception of time during work and combined with the family could be better.

Female employees reported very high pressure of time. This was related to caring for home-related and domestic matters. Limited time sovereignty also played a part. Men had the same working conditions, but appeared to carry fewer family responsibilities. That brought their perception of time far more into balance.

  • Work tasks with a great deal of autonomy deliver sufficient-to-high satisfaction.
  • Routine, somewhat instrumental tasks are rated ‘only’ as adequate.

The solution: a co-creative approach and externally focused communication

The staffing policy, along with the staff, needed to outline an improvement process designed to increase the feeling of autonomy. The greatest hindrances for a positive perception of time were e-mail traffic and the meeting culture. A phased implementation plan needed to focus on removing these obstacles. A travel audit would also appear to be of value in which working from home could be part of the solution.

In addition, the policy also needed to take a close look at external communication. The central issue: the workload (work and home) of the working woman in the Education & Training Department. As a result, only if partners redistribute tasks outside the work context will burn-out among employees be nipped in the bud.