[u' @inproceedings{gomez-carmona_tailoring_2024, address = {Cham}, title = {Tailoring {Digital} {Middleware} for\xa0{Rural} {Needs}: {Insights} from\xa0{User} {Feedback} {Analysis}}, isbn = {978-3-031-77571-0}, shorttitle = {Tailoring {Digital} {Middleware} for\xa0{Rural} {Needs}}, url = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-77571-0_68}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-031-77571-0_68}, abstract = {The digitalization of rural areas is essential for bridging the socio-economic gap between urban and rural communities. However, the adoption of digital technologies in rural environments faces significant barriers, including limited infrastructure, technical knowledge requirements, and user accessibility challenges. For this reason, middleware platforms aim to enhance digital infrastructure and interoperability in rural areas by providing user-friendly digital services. This paper presents an evaluation of the feedback obtained on the AURORAL middleware for rural areas to understand its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. By analyzing insights from focus groups and questionnaires with eight pilots, we aim to highlight the real-world challenges and benefits experienced by participants when interacting with the middleware. This feedback is crucial for refining such solutions to meet better the needs of diverse stakeholders, including those providing and accessing services, and ensuring its successful adoption. Moreover, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of user-centered design in overcoming digital barriers, enhancing usability and accessibility, and promoting sustainable development in rural areas, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive digital transformation.}, language = {en}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the {International} {Conference} on {Ubiquitous} {Computing} and {Ambient} {Intelligence} ({UCAmI} 2024)}, publisher = {Springer Nature Switzerland}, author = {G\xf3mez-Carmona, Oihane and Buj\xe1n-Carballal, David and Casado-Mansilla, Diego and L\xf3pez-de-Ipi\xf1a, Diego}, editor = {Bravo, Jos\xe9 and Nugent, Chris and Cleland, Ian}, year = {2024}, pages = {716--728}, } ']