Title: Use-centred design of medical and healthcare technology: a pilot study of field tests as a development tool

Authors: I.C. MariAnne Karlsson, Pontus Engelbrektsson, Lena E. Larsson, Lena Pareto, Ulrika Lundh Snis, Bo Berndtsson, Lars Svensson

Addresses: Division Design and Human Factors, Department of Product and Production Development, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden. ' Division Design and Human Factors, Department of Product and Production Development, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden. ' Region Vaestra Gotaland, Regionens hus, SE-462 80 Vaenersborg, Sweden. ' Department of Economics and Informatics, University West, SE-461 86 Trollhaettan, Sweden. ' Department of Economics and Informatics, University West, SE-461 86 Trollhaettan, Sweden. ' Department of Economics and Informatics, University West, SE-461 86 Trollhaettan, Sweden. ' Department of Economics and Informatics, University West, SE-461 86 Trollhaettan, Sweden

Abstract: The purpose of the project has been to develop a process through which users, staff as well as patients, can be involved in field evaluations of medical and healthcare technology. Interviews with different stakeholders and the experiences from four case studies have led to the following conclusions. Users have the potential to act as active evaluators rather than passive subjects or participants only. However, user involvement in field evaluations must be supported by a formation of facilitators or |door openers| to the healthcare organisation, moderators enhancing the dialogue between developers and users, and mentors for the users acting as evaluators.

Keywords: user-centred design; user-centred product development; user involvement; product evaluation; user–developer collaboration; medical devices; healthcare technology; moderators; mentors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2011.038470

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2011 Vol.5 No.1, pp.11 - 28

Published online: 21 Jan 2015 *

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