Twente Intervention and Interaction Machine (TIIM) is a software created by The BMS Lab. Researchers, Teachers, and Students at the University of Twente can use the dashboard’s web application to create interventions, longitudinal studies or questionnaires. Subsequently, through the TIIM’s mobile application, the researcher/teacher/student can gather data and/or distribute information/content to participants about different topics.
TIIM for Research and Education #
At the BMS Lab, TIIM has been used to conduct a wide variety of research. One example is the IsolatieCoach. This research used TIIM as an interactive and personalized eCoach in order to support people during their process of isolation and quarantine. Participants engaged in an interactive questionnaire where based on their answers, the app provided them with feedback. All organized under different modules.
For the full article see: https://bmslab.utwente.nl/isolatiecoach/
Another example is the research named Using motivational interviewing combined with digital shoe-fitting to improve adherence to wearing orthopedic shoes in people with diabetes at risk of foot ulceration: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial. In this research, TIIM was used to securely collect the participant’s biometric data through their wearables. The collected biometric data included the participant’s steps, heart rate, and sleep.
For the complete published research article click here
Best Practices #
To reduce potential issues and challenges, keep the following points in mind before using TIIM for your research:
Planning Your Research Design #
- 1. Think about what you would like to measure? When? What will it deliver afterwards? And how does TIIM fit within your research. This helps you realize what you need to build, when and how much time it will likely take.
- 2. Take practical aspects into account: is there an easier way to do it? Uncertain? Ask the BMS Lab.
- 3. Consider the limitations of the software to your study. Keep in mind that TIIM is in continuous development which means that bugs might be introduced as a result.
Developing Your Research #
- 1. Ensure that you have approximately 2 – 3 weeks to build your research. You might need to adapt your methodology based on TIIM’s functionalities (see “Further Support” section) or you might need time to get an answer from the BMS Lab.
- 2. Your introduction screen should adequately inform your participants and meet the BMS faculty’s ethical standard on informed consent.
- 3. Any time you make new additions, make sure to regularly test your research from the participant’s perspective.
- 4. Duplicate your research to have a clean back-up version.
- 5. Test your final version as a participant.
- 6. Download your data metrics to ensure that the data output fits with your research.
- 7. Found a bug or issue? Go to the troubleshooting section and fill in the form.
- 8. Read more best practices here.
FAQ #
– How can I start using TIIM in my study?
Browse to https://bmslab.utwente.nl/get-started/. Then, sign-up your new project or Reserve for an Existing one. Afterwards, fill in the form and then reserve TIIM as a software on https://bmslab.utwente.nl/sign-up-your-project/start-reserving/
– After signing up my study and reserving the TIIM software, how can I start a study?
Browse to https://dashboard.tech4people-apps.bms.utwente.nl, log in with your account. This will open the dashboard page. On the right click on ‘start a new study’, select the TIIM survey button and click on create new study
– How do I extend the duration of my study if it is not (yet) closed?
It is not possible to re-open the study after the end date. In the study details you can change when the study begins and ends and under the subscription page you can decide when to open and end the subscription. These two data don’t have to overlap.
– How can I register participants?
Participants can subscribe via the subscription URL. This can be found on the study home page and/or the subscription page.
– My participant is not able to fill in their information on the subscription page. What can I, as a Researcher, do?
When the participant wants to fill in their details, it is not possible to click on the grey word that details which information they have to fill in. They should either click on the right of the word or on the grey bar underneath it.
– What happens when I send participants an email?
The email is sent by the BMS Lab email account, yet the participant will see it as if the e-mail had been sent by the researcher who created the study. This will allow the participant to reply to the researcher.
– My participant does not receive notifications. What can I, as a Researcher, suggest them to do?
In the app under settings, the participant should see if the push notifications and email notifications have been checked.
– Can I use the Likert Scale for calculated variables?
Yes. Calculated variables can also be made with the numerical item types: Number Input, Number Slider, Number Dropdown and Number Choice.
– What operations can be done on the calculated variables?
You can create an equation based on basic logical operators (+, -, /, (), * or 2^2) and so on.
– The timing of modules within my intervention is incorrect. What can I, as a Researcher, do?
Check if the dates of the time rule is set after the subscription date and the study start date.
– How can I download data?
1. On the left menu of your study, click on the “metrics” tab.
2. At the top of the screen, click on the “Download” button.
3. Click the “Download” blue button next to the intervention or module.
It will automatically download the data as a CSV file on your device.
– How can I import my data in Excel?
After you have downloaded your data from the TIIM’s dashboard:
1. Open Excel.
2. Click “Data tab”.
3. Click “from Text/CSV”.
4. This will open a preview screen.
5. Select the file.
6. Click on “get data”.
7. A pop-up screen will appear.
8. In step 1, there are no changes needed. Click on “next”.
9. In step 2, set the delimiter as comma.
10. Click on “next” again.
11. In step 3, there are no changes needed. So, you can click on “finish”.
12. Lastly, select where you would like your data to be placed.
13. Then, click on “ok”.
You can now see your data in excel.
– How can I import data in SPSS?
After you have downloaded your data from the TIIM’s dashboard:
1. Open SPSS.
2. Click “File”.
3. Click “Open”.
4. Click “data”.
5. This will open a new window.
6. Make sure your files type is set to CSV.
7. Find the document you would like to open.
8. Select it.
9. And, click on “open”.
10. The text import wizard window will open.
11. In step 1, there are no changes needed. So, click on “next”.
12. In step 2, under the question “Are variable names included at the top of your file?” click yes.
13. Then, click “next”.
14. In step 3, there are no changes needed. So, click on “next”.
15. In step 4, under the question “which delimiters appear between variables?” tick the box next to “comma”.
16. Then, click on “next”.
17. In step 5, there are no changes needed. So, click on “next”.
18. Then, in step 6, the last step, there are also no changes needed.
19. Click on “finish”.
You can now see your data in SPSS.
Want to use TIIM? #
Go first through the steps on how to reserve the software or go directly through our project registration to start the reservation process.
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