Abstract
ObjectivesThe majority of all developed digital health technologies do not reach successful implementation. A discrepancy among technology design, the context of use, and user needs and values is identified as the main reason for this failure. Value-sensitive design (VSD) is a design method enabling to align design with user values by embedding values in technology, yet the method is lacking clear heuristics for practical application. To improve the successful design and implementation of digital health, we propose and evaluate a stepwise approach to VSD. MethodsThe approach consists of the phases: experiment, demonstrate, and validate. Experiment takes place in an office to create makeshift solutions. Demonstrate takes place in a mock-up environment and aims to optimize design requirements through user feedback. The validate phase takes place in an authentic care situation and studies how the novel technology affects current workflows. ResultsWe applied the stepwise VSD approach to the design of a hospital-based ambient intelligence solution for remotely and continuously monitoring quality and safety of patient care. We particularly focused on embodiment of the values of safety, privacy, and inclusiveness in the design. Design activities of the experiment and demonstrate phase are discussed. ConclusionsA stepwise approach to VSD enables a design to optimally meet the values of all users involved, while aligning the design process with the practical limitations of healthcare institutions. We discuss some benefits and challenges related to VSD and the potential for transfer of this approach to other digital health solutions.
Highlights
The application of digital health is expected to rise in the upcoming years.[1]
The discrepancy among technology design, the context of use, and user needs and values is identified as the main reason for this failure.[5]
With a team of researchers based in a university medical center (Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands), and a team of engineers of the company Ouva (San Francisco, CA), we applied the stepwise approach to value-sensitive design (VSD) to develop an ambient intelligence solution for remote, continuous monitoring of patients
Summary
The application of digital health is expected to rise in the upcoming years.[1] The term “digital health” refers to “proper use of technology for improving the health and wellbeing of people at individual and population levels, as well as enhancing the care of patients through intelligent processing of clinical and genetic data.”[2] The benefits of digital health are promising: it might improve efficiency and quality of care provision and reduce the workload of healthcare professionals.[3] With these benefits, it is remarkable that more than half of all digital health technologies do not reach successful implementation.[4] The discrepancy among technology design, the context of use, and user needs and values is identified as the main reason for this failure.[5] Considering a values-based design approach to digital health would improve the fit between technology and user values. Similar technologies are studied to comprehend how the identified values can be embodied in the novel technology in the technical investigation.[7]
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