A Collective Intelligence Framework for Lifestyle and Mental Health Management Systems (FLiMMS)

Purpose Current models of mental health care do not adequately address the complex challenges of mental illnesses. Mental health information systems are becoming a central fixture in the healthcare setting, but only a few frameworks currently exist to help their implementation to provide innovative sustainable solutions. Following the concept of collective intelligence i.e., knowledge, skills and collaboration outputs of diverse individuals, the development of the FLiMMS framework has been achieved. The purpose of this study was also to evaluate the proposed framework with different stakeholders to check for its robustness. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method comprising of qualitative and quantitative techniques were adopted for evaluation using four key parameters; efficacy, effectiveness, simplicity and flexibility. The design method was particularly divided into two main phases namely; document analysis and empirical analysis. While the document analysis phase involved documentary study and analysis of facts existing in the body of knowledge, the empirical analysis involved qualitative and quantitative experts’ validation of the proposed framework. Findings Various factors guided FLiMMS’s framework’s composition and its component classification. These components are layered to aid developers, software engineers and healthcare professionals in designing a reliable lifestyle management system for mental health. FLiMMS’s components are apportioned into three core layers namely; Research- Design-Evaluation (RDE) wrapper, Guides and Requirements (G&R), and Diagnosis-Prevention-Alleviation (DPA) layers, with robust flexibility that allows seamless integration of components in process of system development. A face validity index of 0.61 indicate good acceptance by expert and thus, denoting FLiMMS’s suitability for the development of mental-health management system, irrespective of development expertise. Research limitations/implications Although the framework has been successfully evaluated by expert judges to evidence its suitability for system development, its entirety was based on the application of lifestyle approach for managing mental health situation. Therefore, the framework is limited to lifestyle management and not beyond. Also, the framework is currently a representation of conceptual representation, a system implementation will be necessary to allow easy system deployment of this concept by its adopters. Further deployment and usability parameters may be implemented at future stage. Originality/value Advancement in technology encourages its deployment in health and medical sector. Wearable technologies are now utilised to gather lifestyle data of which some are associated with human mental health. This work carried extensive research of lifestyle factors associated mental health and utilised collective intelligence approach to develop a Framework for Lifestyle and Mental Health Management Systems (FLiMMs). This framework classifies lifestyle management as a potent approach for mental health management and provides a platform for the development of mental health systems pro lifestyle management.