Proposing a Values Exchange Model: A Service Design Tool for Interpretation of Values Patterns in a Wellness Context

An aging society faces the challenges and burden of high medical costs incurred in caring for elderly and chronic patients. Given this situation, wellness goals have to include maintaining good health so as to reduce the pressures of medical costs. However, the context of healthcare involves numerous stakeholders and it is difficult to take each stake holder´s requirements into account at the same time. To provide a suitable service for different stakeholders, it is important to explore their requirements and values. The reference of customer values in the management field emphasizes the interaction between a user and a product at one point in time. How the complex values effects, among various stakeholders over time, are interpreted is an important issue for wellness service design. A ´Values Exchange Model´ (VEM) is proposed for exploring the values of stakeholders in a healthcare system. According to in-depth interviews with different stakeholders and the analysis principle of grounded theory, elements of VEM included: stakeholders, motivation, perception, influence behaviors and time axes. The oriental interview information was interpreted as a VEM. As a result, a pattern of values exchange in wellness activities can be obtained. This model tries to simplify the complex values interaction among various stakeholders in a healthcare system and attempts to help designers discover design effort points. In future study, a design probe according to VEM will be developed and a collaborated design workshop will be conducted. A design method for wellness service design that can meet various stakeholders´ requirements will be provided. The guidelines of service design for wellness activities and healthcare systems will also be provided.