Participatory Design Approach Research Articles

'Through education, we can make change': A design thinking approach to entry-level dieteticseducation regarding eating disorders.

To co-create strategies and identify opportunities to integrate eating disorder content within dietetics curricula at one Australian university with stakeholders using a design thinking approach. A pragmatic mixed-methods, participatory design approach was used. An online survey explored the learning needs of dietetic students and recent graduates regarding eating disorders. Following the survey, a one-day design thinking retreat was held with stakeholders who were identified from the research team's professional networks. Eating disorder dietitians, learning experts, dietetic students, graduates, and those with lived experience were asked to identify strategies to enhance students' confidence and competence to provide care for people living with eating disorders. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analysed using inductive coding and reflexive thematic analysis. Sixty-four students (n = 55, 86%) and recent graduates (n = 9, 14%) completed the online survey (26% response). Seventeen stakeholders attended the retreat. Four themes were identified: (1) changing perceptions of eating disorder care from specialist to 'core business'; (2) desiring and advocating for a national change to dietetics curricula; (3) importance of lived experience at the centre of curriculum design and delivery; and (4) collaborating to co-design and deliver eating disorder content at university. Raising awareness, upskilling students and educators, enhanced collaboration between universities and stakeholders, and the inclusion of lived experience were key to preparing students to provide care to people seeking support for eating disorders. Further research is needed to assess the impact these strategies have on dietetic students' confidence and competence.

An Iterative Participatory Design Approach to Develop Collaborative Augmented Reality Activities for Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities.

Over four million older adults living in long-term care (LTC) communities experience loneliness, adversely impacting their health. Increased contact with friends and family is an evidence-based intervention to reduce loneliness, but in-person visits are not always possible. Augmented Reality (AR)-based telepresence activities can offer viable alternatives with increased immersion and presence compared to video calls. However, its feasibility as an interaction technology for older adults is not known. In this paper, we detail the design of two dyadic collaborative AR activities that accommodate diminished physical and cognitive abilities of older adults. The findings include a general design framework based on an iterative participatory design focusing on preferred activities, modes of interaction, and overall AR experience of eight older adults, two family members, and five LTC staff. Results demonstrate the potential of collaborative AR as an effective means of interaction for older adults with their family, if designed to cater to their needs.

The image of Gresik Town Square based on participatory design of multicultural society in Gresik

Gresik Town Square, or Alun-alun Gresik, was originally an open space that was used by local residents for various activities. However, in 2017, the Gresik Town Square was converted into an Islamic Center, which caused pros and cons in the society. This refusal is based on the position of the Gresik Town Square as a cultural heritage and the conditions around the Square are not only based on Islamic culture. This is marked by the existence of the Pentecostal Church and Kim Hin Kiong Temple near the Alun-Alun. This phenomenon generates a “placelessness”, which describes the ignorance of special feature of places in the creation of the new landscapes. The existence of Alun-Alun Gresik, which is an Islamic Center, can slowly replace the special meaning of places, such as the Pentecostal Church and Kim Hin Kiong Temple which are also highly related to the cultural traditions. Based on this problem, the multicultural condition of the Old City of Gresik is the basis for restoring Gresik Town Square by respecting other cultures. Using participatory design approach, this project is trying to involve participants’ contributions in seeing this issue and giving aspirations on the design of multicultural Gresik Town Square. The research employs field observation, interview, survey, and literature review for data collection. The results showed that two groups (accepting and rejecting the design) are likely to have multicultural image of the town square, supported by activities and facilities that accommodate each communities’ culture.

Collective intelligence for fighting food waste: changing the way things are done with participatory design

PurposeThis study aims to explore the use of a double diamond design method to engage the industry in a sector-wide response to the issues of food waste as constructed by consumers. This particular design method is achieved by an exploration of a collective intelligence-participatory design (CIPD) project to engage industry participants in understanding and responding to consumers’ perceptions of the role of packaging in reducing food waste.Design/methodology/approachUsing the UK Design Council’s double diamond design method as a guiding conceptual principle, the project recruited industry participants from medium to large food businesses across various food categories. Two scoping workshops with industry were held prior to the initiation of a 12-stage project (n = 57), and then two industry workshops were held (n = 4 and 14). Eighty participants completed an online qualitative survey, and 23 industry participants took part in a Think Tank Sprint Series. The Think Tanks used participatory design approaches to understand barriers and opportunities for change within food industry sub-sectors and test the feasibility and acceptability of package designs to reduce consumer waste.FindingsFor CIPD to work for complex problems involving industry, it is vital that stakeholders across macro- and micro-subsystems are involved and that adequate time is allowed to address that complexity. Using both the right tools for engagement and the involvement of the right mix of representatives across various sectors of industry is critical to reducing blame shift. The process of divergence and convergence allowed clear insight into the long-term multi-pronged approach needed for the complex problem.Originality/valueParticipatory design has been useful within various behaviour change settings. This paper has demonstrated the application of the double diamond model in a social marketing setting, adding value to an industry-wide project that included government, peak bodies, manufacturing and production and retailers.

Designing a tool ensuring older patients the right medication at the right time after discharge from hospital– the first step in a participatory design process

BackgroundOn average, older patients use five or more medications daily, increasing the risk of adverse drug reactions, interactions, or medication errors. Healthcare sector transitions increase the risk of information loss, misunderstandings, unclear treatment responsibilities, and medication errors. Therefore, it is crucial to identify possible solutions to decrease these risks. Patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals were asked to design the solution they need.MethodsWe conducted a participatory design approach to collect information from patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals. The informants were asked to design their take on a tool ensuring that patients received the correct medication after discharge from the hospital. We included two patients using five or more medications daily, one relative, three general practitioners, four nurses from different healthcare sectors, two hospital physicians, and three pharmacists.ResultsThe patients’ solution was a physical location providing a medication overview, including side effects and interactions. Healthcare professionals suggested different solutions, including targeted and timely information that provided an overview of the patient’s diagnoses, treatment and medication. The common themes identified across all sub-groups were: (1) Overview of medications, side effects, and diagnoses, (2) Sharing knowledge among healthcare professionals, (3) Timely discharge letters, (4) Does the shared medication record and existing communication platforms provide relevant information to the patient or healthcare professional?ConclusionAll study participants describe the need for a more concise, relevant overview of information. This study describes elements for further elaboration in future participatory design processes aimed at creating a tool to ensure older patients receive the correct medication at the correct time.

Experiences, Lessons, and Challenges With Adapting REDCap for COVID-19 Laboratory Data Management in a Resource-Limited Country: Descriptive Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges requiring timely health data sharing to inform accurate decision-making at national levels. In Botswana, we adapted and integrated the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) and the District Health Information System version 2 (DHIS2) platforms to support timely collection and reporting of COVID-19 cases. We focused on establishing an effective COVID-19 data flow at the national public health laboratory, being guided by the needs of health care professionals at the National Health Laboratory (NHL). This integration contributed to automated centralized reporting of COVID-19 results at the Ministry of Health (MOH). This paper reports the experiences, challenges, and lessons learned while designing, adapting, and implementing the REDCap and DHIS2 platforms to support COVID-19 data management at the NHL in Botswana. A participatory design approach was adopted to guide the design, customization, and implementation of the REDCap platform in support of COVID-19 data management at the NHL. Study participants included 29 NHL and 4 MOH personnel, and the study was conducted from March 2, 2020, to June 30, 2020. Participants' requirements for an ideal COVID-19 data management system were established. NVivo 11 software supported thematic analysis of the challenges and resolutions identified during this study. These were categorized according to the 4 themes of infrastructure, capacity development, platform constraints, and interoperability. Overall, REDCap supported the majority of perceived technical and nontechnical requirements for an ideal COVID-19 data management system at the NHL. Although some implementation challenges were identified, each had mitigation strategies such as procurement of mobile Internet routers, engagement of senior management to resolve conflicting policies, continuous REDCap training, and the development of a third-party web application to enhance REDCap's capabilities. Lessons learned informed next steps and further refinement of the REDCap platform. Implementation of REDCap at the NHL to streamline COVID-19 data collection and integration with the DHIS2 platform was feasible despite the urgency of implementation during the pandemic. By implementing the REDCap platform at the NHL, we demonstrated the possibility of achieving a centralized reporting system of COVID-19 cases, hence enabling timely and informed decision-making at a national level. Challenges faced presented lessons learned to inform sustainable implementation of digital health innovations in Botswana and similar resource-limited countries.

Personalized Management of Fatigue in Individuals With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long COVID Using a Smart Digital mHealth Solution: Protocol for a Participatory Design Approach.

Fatigue is the most common symptom in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID, impacting patients' quality of life; however, there is currently a lack of evidence-based context-aware tools for fatigue self-management in these populations. This study aimed to (1) address fatigue in ME/CFS and long COVID through the development of digital mobile health solutions for self-management, (2) predict perceived fatigue severity using real-time data, and (3) assess the feasibility and potential benefits of personalized digital mobile health solutions. The MyFatigue project adopts a patient-centered approach within the participatory health informatics domain. Patient representatives will be actively involved in decision-making processes. This study combines inductive and deductive research approaches, using qualitative studies to generate new knowledge and quantitative methods to test hypotheses regarding the relationship between factors like physical activity, sleep behaviors, and perceived fatigue in ME/CFS and long COVID. Co-design methods will be used to develop a personalized digital solution for fatigue self-management based on the generated knowledge. Finally, a pilot study will evaluate the feasibility, acceptance, and potential benefits of the digital health solution. The MyFatigue project opened to enrollment in November 2023. Initial results are expected to be published by the end of 2024. This study protocol holds the potential to expand understanding, create personalized self-management approaches, engage stakeholders, and ultimately improve the well-being of individuals with ME/CFS and long COVID. PRR1-10.2196/50157.

A human-centric decision-support system for smart and sustainable tourism management in urban settings

ABSTRACT This paper presents a human-centric decision-support system for planning a sustainable daily sightseeing tour in cities with diverse cultural and historical attractions. The system, personalised and with a particular emphasis on sustainability, is developed through a participatory design approach based on a survey targeted at tourists and evaluations from two focus groups involving stakeholders in the tourist industry. The tour is determined using an optimisation model that tackles the Green Tourist Trip Design Problem, considering user preferences such as budget, time availability, transportation modes, and the inclusion of dining options within a specified time window. The objective is to maximise a trip score while minimising CO2 emissions. The proposed model is tested in an urban setting, encompassing 58 Points of Interest (POIs) in the city of Reggio Calabria, Italy. The Analytical Hierarchy Process is employed as a multi-criteria decision-making method to assign scores to each POI. Additionally, a mobile application is developed to implement the optimisation model, providing a user-friendly interface for tourists to set parameters. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach, underlying the importance of a continuous improvement in developing systems with a great collaboration between smart technologies, sustainability, and participatory design.

The Town Crier: A Use-Case Design and Implementation for a Socially Assistive Robot in Retirement Homes

The use of new assistive technologies in general, and Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) in particular, is becoming increasingly common for supporting people’s health and well-being. However, it still faces many issues regarding long-term adherence, acceptability and utility. Most of these issues are due to design processes that insufficiently take into account the needs, preferences and values of intended users. Other issues are related to the currently very limited amount of long-term evaluations, performed in real-world settings, for SARs. This study presents the results of two regional projects that consider as a starting hypothesis that the assessment in controlled environments and/or with short exposures may not be enough in the design of an SAR deployed in a retirement home and the necessity of designing for and with users. Thus, the proposed methodology has focused on use-cases definitions that follow a human-centred and participatory design approach. The main goals have been facilitating system acceptance and attachment by involving stakeholders in the robots design and evaluation, overcoming usage barriers and considering user’s needs integration. The implementation of the first use-case deployed and the two-phase pilot test performed in a retirement home are presented. In particular, a detailed description of the interface redesign process based on improving a basic prototype with users’ feedback and recommendations is presented, together with the main results of a formal evaluation that has highlighted the impact of changes and improvements addressed in the first redesign loop of the system.

Supportive communication between apprentices and supervisors: development of a digital role play game

PurposeThis paper describes the development of a digital role play game (RPG) designed to help construction apprentices to better communicate with their supervisors about issues with the potential to impact on their physical and psychological health and safety.Design/methodology/approachA participatory approach was adopted to utilise the knowledge and insights of the target users to inform the digital RPG development. Apprentices and supervisors were interviewed to identify characteristics of effective supervisor-apprentice communication, which became the RPG’s learning objectives. The scenarios constructed in the RPG were drawn from lived experiences shared by the apprentices in the interviews. During the development process, consultations were conducted with an advisory committee comprising of apprentices and supervisors to improve the realism of the RPG scenarios.FindingsThree scenarios were developed for the RPG. In each scenario, players are asked to make decisions at various interaction points about how the characters should respond to the unfolding and challenging situations. Scripts were developed for the game, which were acted out and motion captured to animate digital MetaHuman characters embedded in a virtual construction site. Two example situations are introduced in this paper to illustrate the development process.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, the RPG introduced is one of the first applications of digital game-based training in the construction industry. The adoption of a participatory design approach ensures that the game content relates to real-world experiences. The digital RPG is highly interactive and engaging in nature and presents a novel approach to developing “soft” skills in construction.

Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture in the Semi-Arid: A Case Study of Northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Gender inequality affects agricultural production and rural households’ capacity to build climate resilience, especially in developing countries. However, empirical research on promoting women’s empowerment in the face of environmental threats is limited, particularly in areas vulnerable to the impact of climate change, such as semi-arid regions. This study identifies factors promoting women’s empowerment in semi-arid regions and the mechanisms behind them. This mixed-methods case study was conducted in a semi-arid area in Northeastern Brazil, utilizing household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus groups. Results show that accessing targeted credit lines and extension services was significantly associated with empowerment. The qualitative findings suggest that adopting participatory mechanisms in policymaking and utilizing feminist pedagogy and popular education in the intervention delivery process was crucial to achieving women’s empowerment in the study area. HIGHLIGHTS Climate change increases risks for rural livelihoods, highlighting the need for resilience. Women’s empowerment is key to bolstering agriculture’s resilience in semi-arid regions, such as northeastern Brazil. Participatory approaches in policy design are crucial for women's empowerment success. Inclusion of feminist pedagogy in interventions enhances rural women’s empowerment.

228 Investigating the Transitionary Process from Pediatric to Adult Care and Improving Transitional Readiness for Youth with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) through Co-Designing an Intervention

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The goal is to use a participatory design approach involving patients and healthcare providers to create an intervention aiming to improve the transition readiness of youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) when going from pediatric to adult care in Ontario. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The study employed a participatory design approach, utilizing co-design and community-consulted design practices. The co-design process involved three design sessions with 7 adult participants (3 with SCD, 3 with SCD working in healthcare, and 1 without SCD but working in healthcare) to actively involve them in designing an intervention that addressed their unmet needs. A thematic analysis of the first design session was conducted to gain insight into their experiences. The community-consulted design included three internal research team sessions to synthesize the participants' insights. Zoom was used for all sessions, and Miro as the online collaboration tool for participatory design activities, resulting in a prototype that reflected the collective input of the target users and the broader community. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: With the thematic analysis, one prominent theme emerged, labeled as 'Barriers to Successful Transition,' which consisted of four subthemes: 1) Lack of Education and Awareness; 2) Constraints in Healthcare Delivery, 3) Managing Multiple Transitions; and 4) Racial Bias in Healthcare. The word 'hospital' emerged as the most frequently mentioned word, following closely were the terms 'school,' 'person,' 'sickle cell disease,' and 'education.' This analysis underscores the crucial involvement of hospitals and healthcare providers in facilitating the transition of youth with SCD. Following the design sessions, the most desirable/feasible intervention was to create an accredited digital educational module for adult healthcare providers specifically focusing on youth transitioning with SCD. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: 3,500 people in Ontario have SCD, with an average age of 24 years, where one-third are aged 14 or younger. Youth with SCD face unique challenges, so effective communication and comprehensive care coordination are needed from healthcare providers. The digital module will increase awareness and ultimately improve transition readiness.

Human-Computer Interaction Techniques for Explainable Artificial Intelligence Systems

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems become more widespread, there is a growing need for transparency to ensure human understanding and oversight. This is where Explainable AI (XAI) comes in to make AI systems more transparent and interpretable. However, developing adequate explanations is still an open research problem. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is significant in designing interfaces for explainable AI. This article reviews the HCI techniques that can be used for solvable AI systems. The literature was explored with a focus on papers at the intersection of HCI and XAI. Essential techniques include interactive visualizations, natural language explanations, conversational agents, mixed-initiative systems, and model introspection methods while Explainable AI presents opportunities to improve system transparency, it also comes with risks, especially if the explanations need to be designed carefully. To ensure that explanations are tailored for diverse users, contexts, and AI applications, HCI principles and participatory design approaches can be utilized. Therefore, this article concludes with recommendations for developing human-centred XAI systems, which can be achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration between HCI and AI. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems become more common in our daily lives, the need for transparency in these systems is becoming increasingly important. Ensuring that humans clearly understand how AI systems work and can oversee their functioning is crucial. This is where the concept of Explainable AI (XAI) comes in to make AI systems more transparent and interpretable. However, developing adequate explanations for AI systems is still an open research problem. In this context, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is significant in designing interfaces for explainable AI. By integrating HCI principles, we can create systems humans understand and operate more efficiently. This article reviews the HCI techniques that can be used for solvable AI systems. The literature was explored with a focus on papers at the intersection of HCI and XAI. The essential methods identified include interactive visualizations, natural language explanations, conversational agents, mixed-initiative systems, and model introspection methods. Each of these techniques has unique advantages and can be used to provide explanations for different types of AI systems. While Explainable AI presents opportunities to improve system transparency, it also comes with risks, especially if the explanations need to be designed carefully. There is a risk of oversimplification, leading to misunderstanding or mistrust of the AI system. It is essential to employ HCI principles and participatory design approaches to ensure that explanations are tailored for diverse users, contexts, and AI applications. By developing human-centred XAI systems, we can ensure that AI systems are transparent, interpretable, and trustworthy. This can be achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration between HCI and AI. The recommendations in this article provide a starting point for designing such systems. In essence, XAI presents a significant opportunity to improve the transparency of AI systems, but it requires careful design and implementation to be effective.

Co-designing strategies to implement long-acting injectable PrEP for sexual minority men in Chicago: a study protocol for an innovation tournament and implementation mapping

BackgroundParticipatory design approaches can improve successful selection and tailoring of implementation strategies by centering the voices of key constituents. To reduce incidence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the USA, co-design of implementation strategies is needed for long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA), a new form of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, among the disproportionately impacted population of sexual minority men (SMM). This manuscript describes the protocol for participatory design approaches (i.e., innovation tournament and implementation mapping) to inform implementation of CAB-LA among SMM (≥ 12 years), particularly Black and Latino populations, in Chicago.MethodsThis research incorporates innovative methods to accomplish two objectives: (1) to crowdsource ideas for the design of implementation strategies for CAB-LA through a virtual innovation tournament and (2) to leverage the ideas from the innovation tournament to operationalize implementation strategies for CAB-LA thorough the systematic process of implementation mapping. A committee of constituents with diverse expertise and perspectives (e.g., SMM, implementation scientists, HIV clinicians, public health leadership, and community partners) will provide input throughout the design process.DiscussionThis research will produce a menu of co-designed implementation strategies, which can guide plans for CAB-LA integration in Chicago and provide insights for other EHE regions. Further, as the first innovation tournament focused on HIV prevention, this research can provide a framework for participatory approaches across the care continuum. Given that the co-design of implementation strategies often does not involve the participation of individuals with lived experiences, this work will center the voices of those who will benefit most.

Adapting Technology for Dementia Care: The Case of Emobook App in Reminiscence focused Music Therapy

INTRODUCTION: Life Story books are frequently employed to facilitate reminiscence interventions, but their use in Music Therapy remains limited in the scientific literature. There is a paucity of research detailing the design processes involved in this context.OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to report on the adaptation of the Emobook Life Story Book App for a Reminiscence Music Therapy Program for people living with dementia.METHODS: An interdisciplinary team comprising an interaction designer, a software engineer, a music therapist, and a research assistant engaged in a Participatory Design process. The study comprised two distinct phases: "Adaptation Phase," aimed to identify features requiring adjustment to integrate Emobook into MT effectively and the "Implementation Phase," focused on evaluating the adequacy of these changes for Emobook's use within the Music Therapy ProgramRESULTS: By merging the requirements identified during each phase, additional improvements were generated, leading to the decision to evolve Emobook Post-Prototype towards a version tailored specifically for Music Therapy.CONCLUSION: Collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts are essential in advancing the incorporation of technology into music therapy practice. This study demonstrates the value of a Participatory Design approach in this regard.

Communicating the results of risk-based breast cancer screening through visualizations of risk: a participatory design approach

BackgroundRisk-based breast cancer (BC) screening raises new questions regarding information provision and risk communication. This study aimed to: 1) investigate women’s beliefs and knowledge (i.e., mental models) regarding BC risk and (risk-based) BC screening in view of implications for information development; 2) develop novel informational materials to communicate the screening result in risk-based BC screening, including risk visualizations of both quantitative and qualitative information, from a Human-Centered Design perspective.MethodsPhase 1: Interviews were conducted (n = 15, 40–50 years, 5 lower health literate) on women’s beliefs about BC risk and (risk-based) BC screening. Phase 2: In three participatory design sessions, women (n = 4–6 across sessions, 40–50 years, 2–3 lower health literate) made assignments and created and evaluated visualizations of risk information central to the screening result. Prototypes were evaluated in two additional sessions (n = 2, 54–62 years, 0–1 lower health literate). Phase 3: Experts (n = 5) and women (n = 9, 40–74 years) evaluated the resulting materials. Two other experts were consulted throughout the development process to ensure that the content of the information materials was accurate. Interviews were transcribed literally and analysed using qualitative thematic analysis, focusing on implications for information development. Notes, assignments and materials from the participatory design sessions were summarized and main themes were identified.ResultsWomen in both interviews and design sessions were positive about risk-based BC screening, especially because personal risk factors would be taken into account. However, they emphasized that the rationale of risk-based screening and classification into a risk category should be clearly stated and visualized, especially for higher- and lower-risk categories (which may cause anxiety or feelings of unfairness due to a lower screening frequency). Women wanted to know their personal risk, preferably visualized in an icon array, and wanted advice on risk reduction and breast self-examination. However, most risk factors were considered modifiable by women, and the risk factor breast density was not known, implying that information should emphasize that BC risk depends on multiple factors, including breast density.ConclusionsThe information materials, including risk visualizations of both quantitative and qualitative information, developed from a Human-Centered Design perspective and a mental model approach, were positively evaluated by the target group.

Designing a Digital Business Study Program using Lean Startup Methodology

In the ever growing digital era, the need for adaptive and innovative business education is becoming increasingly important. This research focuses on the central problem of the lack of integration between traditional business theory and dynamic digital business practices, as well as the need to develop entrepreneurial skills that are relevant to today's market. The aim of this research is to design a digital business study program that utilizes the Lean Startup methodology to promote action-oriented and experimental learning. The method used in this research is a participatory curriculum design approach, involving stakeholders from academia, industry and digital entrepreneurs. Data is collected through surveys, in-depth interviews, and case studies, which are then analyzed to identify best practices and principles of effective learning. The conclusion of this research shows that the integration of Lean Startup in digital business study programs can increase students' adaptability and innovation capabilities, preparing them for success in a rapidly changing business environment. The designed program emphasizes iterative learning, rapid market validation, and scalable business model development, all of which are crucial for modern entrepreneurship. This research provides a framework for more responsive and practical digital business education, which can be adopted by educational institutions to develop curricula that meet current and future industry demands.

Development and usability of a virtual reality umbilical venous catheter placement simulator.

Exposure to procedures varies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). A method to teach procedures should be available without patient availability, expert oversight, or simulation laboratories. To fill this need, we developed a virtual reality (VR) simulation for umbilical vein catheter (UVC) placement and sought to establish its face and content validity and usability. Engineers, software developers, graphic designers, and neonatologists developed a VR UVC placement simulator following a participatory design approach. The software was deployed on the Meta Quest 2 head-mounted display (HMD). Neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) from a level 4 NICU used the simulator and completed an 11-item questionnaire to establish face and content validity. Participants also completed the validated simulation task load index and system usability scale to assess the usability of the simulator. Group 1 tested the VR simulation, which was optimized based on feedback, prior to Group 2's participation. A total of 14 NNPs with 2-37years of experience participated in testing. Participants scored the content and face validity of the simulator highly, with most giving scores ≥ 4/5. Usability was established with relatively high average system usability scores for both groups (Group 1: 67.14 ± 7.8, Group 2: 71 ± 14.1) and low SIM-TLX scores indicating manageable load while using the simulator. After optimization, Group 2 found the UVC simulator to be realistic and effective. Both groups felt the simulator was easy to use and did not cause physical or cognitive strain. All participants felt the UVC simulator provided a safe environment to make mistakes, and the majority would recommend this experience to trainees.

Using a participatory design to develop an implementation framework for integrating falls prevention for older people within the Chinese primary health care system

BackgroundChinese National Essential Public Health Service Package (NEPHSP) has mandated primary health care providers to provide falls prevention for community-dwelling older people. But no implementation framework is available to guide better integration of falls prevention for older people within the primary health care system.MethodsThis is a two-stage online participatory design study consisting of eight workshops with stakeholders from three purposively selected cities. First, two workshops were organised at each study site to jointly develop the framework prototype. Second, to refine, optimise and finalise the prototype via two workshops with all study participants. Data analysis and synthesis occurred concurrently with data collection, supported by Tencent Cloud Meeting software.ResultsAll participants confirmed that the integration of falls prevention for older people within the NEPHSP was weak and reached a consensus on five opportunities to better integrate falls prevention, including workforce training, community health promotion, health check-ups, health education and scheduled follow-up, during the delivery of NEPHSP. Three regional-tailored prototypes were then jointly developed and further synthesised into a generic implementation framework by researchers and end-users. Guided by this framework, 11 implementation strategies were co-developed under five themes.ConclusionsThe current integration of falls prevention in the NEPHSP is weak. Five opportunities for integrating falls prevention in the NEPHSP and a five-themed implementation framework with strategies are co-identified and developed, using a participatory design approach. These findings may also provide other regions or countries, facing similar challenges, with insights for promoting falls prevention for older people.

Immersive participatory design of assistive robots to support older adults

Assistive robots have the potential to support independence, enhance safety, and lower healthcare costs for older adults, as well as alleviate the demands of their care partners. However, ensuring that these robots will effectively and reliably address end-user needs in the long term requires user-specific design factors to be considered during the robot development process. To identify these design factors, we embedded Stretch, a mobile manipulator created by Hello Robot Inc., in the home of an older adult with motor impairments and his care partner for four weeks to support them with everyday activities. An occupational therapist and a robotics engineer lived with them during this period, employing an immersive participatory design approach to co-design and customise the robot with them. We highlight the benefits of this immersive participatory design experience and provide insights into robot design that can be applied broadly to other assistive technologies.