Knowledge exchange and learning in mobile instant messaging spaces: Design and facilitation principles for a global health workforce

Globally, mobile device networks are near ubiquitous. The wide spread of mobile instant messaging(MIM) spaces provides new tools in communication and collaboration techniques to facilitate knowledge exchange and learning with people working and living in low resource settings. In the field of global health workforce, benefits were found related to the implementation and usage of mobile instant messaging spaces to support health workers in rural areas. However, it remains unclear how to best realise the found benefits within health worker mobile instant messaging spaces. This study, based on a systematic literature research and an empirical study, addresses this gap. The outcome of the systematic literature search reveals that there is only a limited number of literature available addressing the ‘areas of usage’, ‘effects and outcomes’ and ‘design and facilitation principles’ to facilitate professional connectedness and knowledge exchange within mobile instant messaging spaces used by health workers. The empirical study, consisting of qualitative and quantitative research methods, addresses planning/design and moderation facilitation key determinants for health worker mobile instant messaging chat groups in regard to acceptance, engagement, professional connectedness and knowledge exchange.