experience labs: co-creating health and care innovations …radar.gsa.ac.uk/4250/1/reformatted...

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ExperienceLabs:co-creatinghealthandcareinnovationsusingdesigntoolsandartefacts

TaraFrencha*,GemmaTeala,SnehaRamana

aInstituteofDesignInnovation,TheGlasgowSchoolofArt*Correspondingauthore-mail:[email protected]

Abstract:Forhealthcareinnovationstobesuccessful,thevoicesofthosereceivingordeliveringsuchinnovationsneedtobeheardmuchearlierinthedesignprocess.Thisisnoteasyastherearelikelytobemultiplestakeholdersinvolved,andtheirdifferentbackgrounds make it difficult to challenge or evaluate potential innovation in theearly stageofdevelopment.Thispaperpositions theExperienceLabasameansofco-creating sustainable, innovative solutions to healthcare challenges. TheExperience Lab offers participants, both receiving and delivering healthcare, theopportunitytoengageinthedesignprocess,shareinsights,experiencenewconceptsand imagine new ways of responding to challenges. The material artefacts andbespoke tools provide the conditions through which to create newmeanings andsharedexperiences.ThispaperpresentstheExperienceLabapproach,artefactsandtools,providingexamplesoftheseincontext.Thepaperconcludeswiththeneedforfurther research to understand the role of artefacts and tools in supporting detaildesignand implementationbeyond theLab,and thepotentialof theLabapproachforothercontexts.

Keywords:participatory;healthcare;creativity;materialartefacts

1.IntroductionInScotland,oneinfouradultsover16reportsomeformoflongtermillness,healthproblemordisability(ScottishGovernment,2009).Wefaceincreasedcareneedsduetoourageingpopulation,withapredictedriseof38percentinthenumberofpeoplewhowillbeover85inthepopulationby2016,anda144percentriseintheover85sby2031(ibid).Thechallengesofincreasingdemandandcostsarecompoundedbydecreasingbudgets,whicharenotpredictedtoclimbbacktotheir2009-10levelsuntil2025-26(Christie,2011).

The‘2020’VisionsetoutbytheCabinetSecretaryforHealth,WellbeingandCitiesstatesthatbytheyear2020“everyoneisabletolivelongerhealthierlivesathome,orinahomely

TaraFrench,GemmaTealandSnehaRaman

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setting”(ScottishGovernment,2011).Toenablethisvisiontobecomearealitythereisaneedforthefocusofhealthcaretoshiftfromoneoftreatment,tooneofprevention,anticipatorycareandsupportedself-care,encouragingpeopletotakeincreasingresponsibilityandagencyintheirownhealth.

TheChristieCommissionontheFutureDeliveryofPublicServices(Christie,2011,p.vi)calledforasignificanttransformationofpublicservicestomeetthesechallenges.Ithighlightedtheneedforreformto“empowerindividualsandcommunitiesreceivingpublicservicesbyinvolvingtheminthedesignanddeliveryoftheservicestheyuse”,andtheopportunitytousethetalentsandassetswithincommunitiesto“supportself-relianceandbuildresilience”(ibid,ix).TheScottishGovernment’sCommunityEmpowermentActionPlan(2009,p.8)makesacommitmenttosupportpeopleandcommunitiestohave“morepowerandinfluenceoverwhatmatterstothem”.

Livedexperienceofpatientscanoftencomplementtheexpertiseofhealthcareprofessionalsandinvolving“layperspectives”inhealthresearchcanleadtoanumberofbenefitsforthequalityandimpactoftheresearch(Entwistle,Renfrew,Yearley,Forrester&Lamont,1998,p.463).Governmentandpolicymakersplacegreateremphasisoninvolvingthepublicindecision-makingandthereforeinnovationinthehealthandsocialcaresectorisbecomingincreasinglyparticipatory(ScottishGovernment,2009).

Thekeydifferencebetweenparticipatoryresearchapproachesandconventionalresearchapproachesliesprimarilyintermsofthe“alignmentofpower”withintheprocess(Cornwall&Jewkes,1995,p.1668).Variousmodesofparticipationexistincludingcontractual,consultative,collaborative,andcollegiate(Biggs,citedinCornwall&Jewkes,1995).Inparticipatoryapproachestheresearcherisnolongerthepersonwhoconductstheresearch‘on’participants,butresearches‘with’participants,becomingalearnerandfacilitator(Cornwall&Jewkes,1995,p.1668).

Inthispaper,wepositionExperienceLabsasaparticipatoryapproachthroughwhichtoharnessthelivedexperienceofparticipantsinacreativeenvironmenttoco-createsustainableinnovationinresponsetohealthcarechallenges.Wedescribeourparticipatoryresearchapproachandthedesigntoolsandbespokeartefactsusedintheprocess.Thetoolsandartefactsareillustratedwithexamples,andtheirroleinembodimentandlearningisdiscussed.

2.ParticipatoryapproachestohealthcareinnovationThevoiceofresearchparticipantsneedstobeheardmuchearlierinthedesignprocess,i.e.priortoideageneration,inordertoexplorechallengesandidentifyneeds(Teal&French,inpress).Participatorydesignisbasedonthepremisethatinvolvingparticipantsinthedesignofproductsandsystemswillachieveenhancedresultsintermsofefficiencyandusability(Bowen,2010).Engagingwithparticipantsattheearlystagesalsoallowsforadeeper

ExperienceLabs:co-creatinghealthcareinnovationsusingdesigntoolsandartefacts

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understandingofexperienceinordertoidentifyunmetneedsforideation,andcanleadtopositivebenefits(Sanders&Stappers,2008)andcreateuser-drivensolutions.

Pressureisincreasingonhealthcareservicesanddigitaltechnologyisproposedasapotentialsolutiontoovercomemanyofthechallenges.Designisincreasinglyconcernedwiththe“futureexperiencesofpeople,communitiesandcultures”,andincreasingemphasisisplacedontheroleofgenerativedesigntoolstoimaginethese(ibid,p.10).Employingparticipatorydesignisthereforeimportantindevelopinginnovationtoensurethattheproductsandservicesdesignedwillmeetthefutureneedsofthepeopletheyaredesignedfor,i.e.thosedeliveringandreceivinghealthcareservices.

Thereisagrowingrecognitionoftheroleofdesigninshapingfutureservicesinthehealthandsocialcarecontext.Forexample,theNHShasemployedtheuseofdesignthinkingwithinhealthimprovementandincreasedadoptionofapproachessuchasuser-centredhealthdesignandevidencebasedco-design(Bowenetal.,2013;Robertetal.,2015).Thedevelopmentoftoolkitsandtheavailabilityofonlinedesigntoolshavemadedesignprocessesmoreaccessibletothosewhoarenotformallytraineddesigners(Bevan,Robert,Bate,Maher&Wells,2007).Whiletoolkitsmaysupporthealthcarestafftoinvolvepatientsinongoingserviceimprovement,itisunclearwhethertheseprocessesleadtotransformativeandsustainableserviceinnovationinresponsetothechallengesfacingourpublichealthandcareservices.Theseresourceshavealsoledtocriticismsofariskofdevaluingtheroleofdesignerswithintheprocess.Healthcareisacomplexadaptivesystem,andinadditiontoskillsandexpertiseindevelopingnewideas,designerscanprovidealevelofobjectivitythatpeoplewhoarepartofthesystemmayfinddifficulttoachieve.

3.Researchapproach:ExperienceLabsExperienceLabsareadesign-ledapproachtoco-creatingsustainablehealthandsocialcareinnovations.TheLabsaredevelopedandledbyamultidisciplinaryteamattheInstituteofDesignInnovation,TheGlasgowSchoolofArtandarecurrentlyatthecoreoftheDigitalHealthandCareInstitute(DHI),aninnovationcentrebasedinScotland.Weareexploringthepotentialofourapproachacrossawiderangeofprojectsinhealthandsocialcareinordertoshareourknowledgeandlearningwiththewiderdesigncommunity.Wehypothesisethatourparticipatoryapproachcanrespondtothechallengesfacedinthiscontextthroughthespacewecreateforcollaboration;supportingparticipantstowardscreating“preferablefutures”(Dunne&Raby,2013;McAra-McWilliam,2014,p.25);throughdesigningbespoketoolsandartefactstosupportdesignmethodsandactivities;theskillsoftheteamandtheenlightenedevaluationoftheapproachtosharetheknowledgeandlearning.

3.1CreatingaspaceforcreativityandcollaborationExperienceLabsprovideasafespaceforcreativityandcollaborationamongthosewhoparticipate.TheLabofferstheopportunityfornewcommunicativespacesandexperiential


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learning(Reason&Bradbury,2013)leadingtothedevelopmentofcollaborativerelationships.ExperienceLabsareanemergentprocess,similartoParticipatoryActionResearch(ibid),andasaresulttheenvironmentneedstobeflexible.Flexibilityallowstheresearchteamtogainarichunderstandingofparticipants’experience,behavioursandattitudesasparticipantsexploreandexperiencedigitaltechnologies.QuestionsposedintheLabaresometimesnotfullydeveloped.Developingthequestionissometimesasvaluableasfindingtheanswer.Thisisallpartofacreativeprocess,whichencouragesparticipantstothinkbroadlytowardscreatingapreferablefuture.FlexibilityisalsoaninbuiltpartoftheplanningofaLabgiventhatitisacreativeprocess,predominantlyfocusedonengagingparticipantstothinkcreativelyintermsoffutureexperiences.

ExperienceLabsaredesignedtooperateprimarilyatthecollaborativemodeofparticipation,butcanalsocutacrossallmodesofparticipationasthedesignprocessevolves.IntheLabstheacademic,businessandcivicstakeholders,togetherwithrelevantusergroupsassumetheroleofco-creators.Co-creationinvolvesabroadrangeofactivitiesthatareundertakenthroughtheentireresearchanddesignprocess.Thismeansinvolvingparticipantsatanearlystageintheprocess,asearlyasscopingandplanningresearch;andkeepingtheminvolvedatthelatterstagesofthedesignprocess,allowingideastoevolvefromaconceptstagetodevelopingprototypesinaniterativemannertowardscreatingaproofofconcept.

Whileresearchers,designersandthevariousstakeholdersareexpertsintheirrespectivedomains,theusersareexpertsoftheirownexperiences.TheLabsvaluethecollectiveknowledgeandsharedmotivationsofallparticipants,andpresentoutcomesthatrepresenttheinterestsofeveryoneinvolved.Overall,theLabsaimtoempowerthoseinvolvedtofeelalevelownershipoverwhatevolvesasaresultoftheLabprocess.

3.2ExperienceLabactivitiesPreparationandearlystagesofExperienceLabsaimtogainanunderstandingofthelivedexperienceofusers,inordertodesignbespokeactivities,artefactsandtoolstofacilitateco-creation.Inclusionofend-usersisconsideredascrucialtothesuccessoftheinnovationbeingexploredtoensurethattheconceptdevelopedmeetstheirneedsandpreferences(Kline&Rosenburg,1986).Scopingactivitiesmightincludeethnographicobservationsandinterviewsintheuser’shomeorworkenvironment.VisualandexperientialmappingactivitiesareoftenusedintheearlystagesofExperienceLabs,aimingtoexplorethepeople,places,productsandservicesinvolvedtocreateasharedpictureoftheuserscurrentexperiences.

ExperienceLabactivitieslargelyinvolveobservation,brainstormingandtheembodimentandtestingofideasasphysicalandexperientialprototypes.Prototypingallowsthinkingandideastoevolvethroughphysicalmakingandcreatesasafespaceforfailureleadingtofasterlearning(Coughlan,Fulton&Canales,2007).Italsoprovidesencouragementandpermissiontoexplorenewbehaviours(ibid).Thissupportsrapidcyclesofmakingandtrialling


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experientialprototypesfornewproducts,servicesortechnologyandextrapolationoffutureexperiencesinthenewcontext.Prototypingoftenbeginswithlowfidelitymodelsandgraduallyleadstoexperimentationwithafunctionalprototypeasideasarereviewed,adaptedandrefined(Swann,2002).ThisreflectstheexperimentalnatureoftheLabswiththeterm‘laboratory’representingtheexperimentationofnewideasandprototypesleadingtouser-driveninnovation.

LaterstagesofExperienceLabsoftenuseroleplayactivities,andmayinvolvetestingprototypesinrealisticenvironmentstounderstandhowparticipantsinteractwiththeprototypesandhowitchangescurrentworkingpracticesorexperiences.ExperienceLabactivitiesarerecordedandfootageislateranalysedtogaindeeperinsightsintohowparticipantsengagewithtoolsandwithothers.Avideographerdocumentstheexperienceoftakingpartasakeyoutcomeoftheresearchactivitytoaccompanyafullreportdetailingresearchfindingsandthemes,userrequirementsandideas,togetherwithiteratedprototypes.

3.3DesigntoolsandbespokeartefactsExperienceLabsareexperientialinthattheyallowandprovidespaceforparticipantstoexperiencenewproductsorservicesinordertocriticallyreflectandgivefeedback.Theroleofdesignwithinthisprocessistocreateboththeenvironmentandartefactsinorderforparticipantstobeabletodothis.Designtoolsandbespokeartefactscreatea‘newreality’(Niedderer,2013p.6),whichallowsparticipantstoexperienceaconceptthatisunknowntothem.Inthisway,thereisnoonemethodthatfitsall;eachLabisuniquetothecontext,participantsandcollaboration.TheLabsusearangeofgenerativetoolsincluding,experienceprototypes,scenariobasedtools,storyboards,androle-play.ThetoolscanalsobeusedintheLabtoexplorecurrent,nearfuture,andspeculativefutureexperience(Sanders&Stappers,2014)althoughitisapremiseoftheLabstoensurethatparticipantsareguidedtoconsiderpreferablefutures.Thesetoolsaretypicaltocollaborativeactivitiesfacilitatedbydesignersandcanrevealunderlyingpatterns(ibid),inadditiontoprovidingarichunderstandingofparticipantexperience.Designtoolsencourageparticipantstosharetheirexperiencesandbuildoneachother’sideas.Thetoolshelptoopenupthedesignprocesstomultiplestakeholders(Koskinen,Zimmerman,Binder,Redstrom&Wensveen,2011).ManyparticipantscometoaLabwithfeelingsofapprehensionanduncertainty,butthetoolsandartefactsgentlyeasethemintotheprocess.

MaterialartefactsarecreatedandmadebydesignerswithintheLabteamtosupplementthetoolsandenableparticipantstogainamorerealisticexperience.Artefactsproviderichinsightsintopeople’severydayexperience,actasamediatorandcoordinatorofinformationandprovide“anunderstandingofimportantprocesses,protocolsorconventions”(Vyas,Heylen,Nijholt&VanDerVeer,2009,p.106).ArtefactscanbeusedatdifferentstagesoftheLabprocesstoaidbrainstormingandexplorationofideas,enhanceinteractionsamongparticipants,enablethedesignofconcepts,andcollaborativeprototyping.Theartefactsare


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craftedaestheticallybutarenotfinishedtoaprofessionalstandard(Gaver,Dunne&Pacenti,1999)andenableparticipantstounderstandandimaginehowaproposedideamayworkforthemwhilsthavingtheflexibilityorambiguity(Gaver,Beaver&Benford,2003)tobechangedormanipulatedbyparticipantsthroughouttheprocessoftheLab.Theartefactsgeneratecreativediscussionamongstparticipants,theresultsofwhichareusedtoiteratethedesign.Theartefactsandtoolshelptocommunicateexperientialinformationtoparticipants,andthroughtheprocessofengagingwiththeartefactthroughthetoolduringtheLab,participantscanbegintounderstandhowtheproposedinnovationwouldcatertotheirneedsand‘fit’withtheireverydayexperienceorpractice(ornot).Artefactsnotonlyenablethetangibilityofapossiblesolutionbuttheyalsoprovidetheopportunitytoshareideas,reflect,envisionandrecord(Vyasetal,2009).ArtefactsandtoolscanthereforebeusedasbothadatagenerationmethodandaformofanalysisandevaluationofwhatoccursduringtheLab(Niedderer,2013).

TheartefactsfacilitatecommunicationwithintheLabsbyprovidingacommonlanguagethatallowspeopletoshareandbelistenedto:overcomingbarriersofdiscipline,hierarchyandculture.Theyallowparticipantstocommunicatevisuallyanddirectlywitheachother(Martin&Hanington,2012).Thetoolsandartefacts,likethemethod,areopen-ended.Theyhelptokeepthediscussionfocussedandprovideacommonmeansofexpression.However,thereisanadditionallevelofinterpretationandusethatisinvolvedinthecreationofanartefact.Eachartefactisthereforeunique.Anartefactprojectsthe“thoughts,feelings,anddesiresthataredifficulttocommunicatethroughmoreconventionalverbalmeans”(ibid,p.94)andthesharedmotivationofthegroupinvolvedinitscreation.Theyembodythenewknowledgethathasbeencreatedthroughthecollaborativeprocess.Thetangibilityofpossiblefutureinnovationsallowsparticipantstobegintodiscussandexplorehowtheconceptcouldbeembodiedandimplemented.

3.3RoleoftheLabteamWithinthecontextofExperienceLabs,thedesignprocessisopeneduptoincludeendusers,andthedesigner’staskistoensurenon-designersfeelsafeoutsidetheir‘comfortzone’,enablingcreativeconversationstohappen.Atthisearlystagetherearemanyunknowns,andtheopportunityidentifiedislikelytobedifficulttoarticulateatthefuzzyfrontend(Sanders&Stappers,2008)ofthedevelopmentprocess.Allthisuncertaintycanbeoverwhelmingtonon-designers,andfacedwiththetaskoftakingideasforward,itcanbetemptingtoreverttoinductiveproblemsolving,andtriedandtestedapproachesthatofferlittlescopeforrealinnovation(Bate,Robert&Bevan,2004).

Inhisethnographicstudyofdesigners,Michlewski(2015,p.53)highlightsthedistinctivedesignattitudeofdesignersinpositivelyembracinguncertaintyandambiguityinordertotake“acreativeleap"andinnovate.Inadditiontothisinherentattitude,designersgroundcreativeexplorationwithagenericdesignprocessthatisopenenoughtosupportemergenceandambiguitywhilstensuringtimelydecisionsaremade.


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TheLabsbringtogetherstakeholdersfromarangeofbackgrounds.Thismayinvolvethepublic,professionals,academicsandbusinesses.Itisthereforeimportantforthedesignertoensurethatthetoolsandartefactsemployedaresupportiveofthecollaborations.Whenworkingwithdifferentstakeholdersitisimportanttoestablishacommonlanguageandwayofunderstanding,oftensupportedthroughthetoolsandartefacts,whichcanbreakdownbarriersandprovideaplatformforcommunication.WithintheLabitisimportantthatparticipantsaremadetofeelcomfortableandareencouragedtobecollaboratorsengaginginopendialogue(Maxwell,Woods&Prior,2013).ItisalsoimportantthattheresearcherswithintheLabshavetheabilitytonavigateroles(Maxwelletal.2013)andaltertheseinresponsetotheLabactivitye.g.facilitate,observeorbecomeanactiveparticipant.

TheLabteamemployanasset-basedapproachtoempowerparticipantstobecreative,sharetheirskillsandexperience,towardsidentifyingopportunitiesforhealthcareinnovation.Assetbasedapproachesaimtopromotehealththroughtheidentificationofhealthassetssuchasskills,capacities,interests,andnetworks,whichfosterhealthandwellbeinginindividualsandcommunities.Participantsareencouragedtobecomeactiveagentsintheprocess,tacklingthechallengesasopportunitiesratherthanfocussinguponproblemsanddeficits(Foot&Hopkins,2010;Morgan&Ziglio,2007).

3.3EvaluatingtheprocessInadditiontodevelopingdigital,serviceandsocialinnovationforhealthcarechallenges,theExperienceLabteamdocumentandresearchthedesignprocesses,methodsandtoolsthatcontributetoeffectivecollaborationanduser-centreddesign.WithinonecurrentstrandofinquiryweareexploringtheroleofartefactswithintheExperienceLabtounderstandandsharethekeyattributesofeffectivetoolstoenablenon-designerstomeaningfullyparticipateinthedesignprocess.

4.SituatingthetoolsandartefactsincontextDesigningthetoolsandmakingmaterialartefactsplaysavitalpartindocumentingthelearningandhelpingtoshapenewandbetterquestions,whileatthesametimeembodyingthenewknowledgecreatedandfutureopportunitiesfordesign.Whetheranobjectfunctionsasatooloranartefactdependsonthestageinthedesignprocessthatitisbeingused.Designtoolsoffersomestructuretofacilitatethedesignprocessandhencetendtopossessalevelofclarityandprecision,whileanartefactrepresentsknowledgethatdoesnotyetexistandhasalevelofabstractionorvagueness.Toolshelptosetacommongoalandofferageneraldirectionfortheco-creationprocess,andartefactsembodytheoutcomesthatrepresentthelivedexperiences,sharedknowledge,recognisedneedsanddesiresandmutuallyagreedopportunities.InordertoillustratethetypesofartefactsandtoolsthatareusedwithintheExperienceLab,examplesaresituatedwithinthecontextandpurposetheyweredesigned.


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4.1Scenario-baseddesignAneffectivewayofbringingconceptstolifeisthroughstorytelling.Scenario-baseddesigniswidelyusedwithinsoftwaredevelopmentteamstomakeconcepts‘concrete’andallowunderstandingoftheactivitiesthatneedtobesupported,thenallowingtheseactivitiestodrivethedesign(Carroll,2000).WithinExperienceLabsscenario-baseddesignisusedtoillustrateareallifeormockscenario,whichactsasastimulustogeneratediscussion.Scenario-baseddesignor‘stories’canalsobeawaytodemonstrateproposedideas,whichmaybeunimaginabletoparticipants(Muller,2003).Forexample,asetofscenariocardspresentedpossibleoptionsforanewsystemtoassistolderadultstoremainindependentathome(Figure1).Theillustratedscenariosbroughtoptionsforsystemfunctionalitytolifeandenabledmeaningfulconversationwiththeintendedenduserstoexploreusefulnessanddesirability.Theconceptisembodiedthroughthestories,whicharetoldthroughthescenariocardartefact(Sanders&Stappers,2014).Thelearningthatoccursthroughthisprocessistwofold.Throughthesharingofthescenariostheresearchteamareabletounderstandwhichscenariosweremostappropriatetotakeforwardtothetestingphaseforthesystem.Fortheparticipants,thescenariocardswereabletomaketangiblethetypesofscenariosthesystemwouldbeabletoassistwith.

Figure1 Participantsreviewingandvotingonscenariocardsdescribingoptionsforsystemfunctionality(photo:JeroenBlom).

4.2PrototypingInExperienceLabs,participantsareoftenintroducedtolowfidelityprototypestotestapotentialsolution.Participantscanbeengagedbothintestingtheinnovation,andindesigningtheinnovationcollaboratively.Whendesigningandcreatingprototypeswith


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participantswemayuseavarietyoftechniquesortools(Figure2),includingbespoketemplates,orofftheshelfequipment(e.g.electroniccomponents,modelmakingkits,dollshousesandtoys).

Figure2 Materialsforcollaborativeprototypingintheearlystagesofconceptdevelopment(photo:JeroenBlom).

BothcreatingprototypeswithparticipantsanddesigninginadvanceasaprovocationinvolveasignificantamountofcollaborativePre-Labworkandpreparation.InnovationprojectsofteninvolveaseriesofExperienceLabsinordertogaincontext,testtheconceptanditerativelydeveloptheprototypetotherequiredlevelofresolutiontoenablecommercialisationandsecurefurtherfundingforsoftwaredevelopment.Prototypeshelpparticipantstothinkthroughdoingandcanbeiteratedtoprovidealternativeideastobetrialled.Learningaboutthedesiredfunctionality,physicalattributesandinteractivequalitiesoftheconceptexploredandembodiedintheprototypeisobtainedfromstudyingtheprototypeasanartefactalongsidetranscriptsofconversationsduringtheprototypingactivityandsubsequentdiscussion.

4.3Participatorybodystorming‘Bodystorming’(Oulasvirta,Kurvinen&Kankainen,2003)orsimplydesigningincontext,involvesdesignersactingouttechnologyscenariosandideatingproductsorinteractionsintheplacewheretheyareintendedtobeused.ExperienceLabsuserole-playandbodystormingtechniquestodesignandmakeprototypeswithintendedendusersasparticipants.Oneexampleofsuchanactivityinvolvedembeddingaco-designsessionwithinarole-playactivity.Participantswerefirstaskedtoenactascenarioofanambulanceattendanceusingcurrentworkingpractice.Thefacilitatorthenaskedthemtorole-playit


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imaginingtheywereusinganewapplicationtosearchforinformationtosupportthemindeterminingwheretotransportthepatientanddescribingthecontentofeachscreentheywouldaccessinordertofindthenecessaryinformation;meanwhileadesignersketchedthescreensonpaper.Thedeckofhand-sketchedsequentialpaperscreensweretheninsertedintoasimpleplasticframecreatingamocktablet,andthescenariowasactedoutoncemoreusingthelowfidelityprototype(Figure3).Bybreakingthisuserscenariodownintoindividualstepsandscreenstheparticipantswereabletomovefromavagueconcepttoawell-definedprototypewithinoneshortsession.Itwaspossibletotakethisprocessastepfurtherbyusingasoftwareapplicationtotakephotographsofthescreensandlinkthesetogetheronatablet.Thismadetheapplicationappeartoworkasintended(i.e.sketchedbuttonslinkedtothecorrectnextpage)andthisfunctionalprototypewasusedinanotherrole-playactivitytotestwhethertheapplicationmettheneedsofparticipants.Theactofmakinginthisexampleinvolvedtheconstructionofmeaningbyparticipantsthroughenablingtheparticipantstoexperiencethewayinwhichtheconceptcouldthenbeimplemented(Sanders&Stappers,2014).Learningaboutthestructure,contentandorderingofinformation,alongsiderequirementsfornavigation,interactionandsystemfunctionalitywereembodiedintheprototype.

Figure3 Participantsusingthehand-drawnpaperscreensinaplasticframeduringtheparticipatorybodystormingsession(photo:LouiseMather).


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4.4Role-playDesignersoftencreaterealisticsettingstoallowparticipantstoexperiencetheprototypeinitsintendedenvironmentandenablethemtoembodytheexperience,recognisinghowtheproposedsystemwouldworkandidentifyinwhatwaysitwouldmeettheirneeds.Laterintheprojectdescribedin4.1,wewereabletobringfurtherresolutiontothesystembybuildinga‘wizardofoz’prototypetoenableparticipantstoexperiencewhatthechosenscenarioswouldfeellikeinarealistichomeenvironment,encouragingfeedbackanddrawingoutrequirements.‘ExperiencePrototyping’enablesfirst-handappreciationofexistingorfutureconditionsthroughactiveengagementwithprototypes(Buchenau&FultonSuri,2000);inthiscasethroughrole-playbasedonouruserscenarios.Participantswereaskedtoreacttotheprototypesystemandatouch-screeninterfaceonatablet.Therole-playscenariowaslargelythesameforeachparticipantalthoughsomeaspectswerepersonalisedbasedonourunderstandingoftheirdailyactivities.Therole-playwasrecordedusingaspecialistcameraandviewedbytheprojectpartnersinacontrolroomsetup.

Throughundertakingtherole-play,participantswereabletoexperienceandenvisionhowtheconceptwouldbeimplementedwithinthehomeenvironment.Thetasksandactionswithinthemockhomeenvironmentallowedparticipantstofurtherunderstandtheconceptandtheirreactionstoit(Vyasetal,2009).Theexperienceprototypeenabledparticipantstoembodytheexperience,andlearningwasobtainedfromboththeirinstinctivereactionstothedifferentsysteminteractionsandtheirreflectionsduringgroupdiscussionfollowingtherole-play.

Figure4 Role-playusing‘wizardofoz’prototyperecordedusingspecialistcameraequipment(photo:SanneReeBarthels).

4.5DesignfictionMembersoftheresearchteamenacteduserscenariosforanewsystemtosupportpeoplelivingwithdementiainaseriesofshortfilms,whichdemonstratedpossibleoptionsforsystemfunctionality.Thisapproachistermed‘designfiction’andhasbeenusedeffectively


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inconceptevaluationanddevelopment(Blythe,2014).Thisapproachcanalsobeusedasagenerativetoolbydeliberatelybuildingambiguityintothefilmedscenariostoinvitetheparticipantsto‘fillintheblanks’andarticulatewhattheyunderstandhastakenplace.Briggsetal(2012,p.534)termthisapproach‘InvisibleDesign’andarguethatthistechniquecreates“aspaceforcriticalandcreativedialogueduringparticipatoryconceptdevelopment”.Inthisexample,designfictionsuspendeddisbeliefbyenablingparticipantstoimaginewhattheproposedsystemcouldofferandallowthemtogivefeedbackandmakesuggestions.Designersobservedthatdespitetheintroductionofunfamiliarnewtechnologyparticipantswereabletounderstandwhatwasbeingproposedanddiscussoptionsforimplementation.Thisdiscussioncreatedlearningaroundwhothesystemshouldbetargetedat,andthedesiredsplitbetweenfunctionalitythatshouldbedeliveredbythesystemandfunctionalitythatshouldbedeliveredbyapersonpromptedandfacilitatedbythesystem.

5.AssessingthetoolsandartefactsThedesigntoolsandmaterialartefactsusedintheExperienceLabsprovidetheparticipantswithasafeandcreativewaytoengageinthedesignprocess.Thetoolsandartefactsillustratedintheexamplesdemonstratethewaysinwhichconceptscanbeembodiedandideascanbemadetangibleforparticipants.Inaddition,thetoolsandartefactsaidcommunicationwithintheLabsthroughbothallowingparticipantstoexternalisethoughtsandfeelings,andgeneratediscussion.TheexamplesalsodemonstratetheuseoftoolsandartefactsatvariousstagesoftheExperienceLabapproach.Vyasetal(2009)proposethatmaterialartefactsneedtobeassessedatthreephasesofdesign:exploration,attheearlystageofdesign;communication,atthecollaborativestageofideaandconceptdevelopment;anduse,whereideasaretestedandevaluatedwithusers.

MaterialartefactsusedearlyintheExperienceLabs,attheexploratoryphase(e.g.4.1)enabledadeepunderstandingofparticipant’sexperiencesandeverydaylife.Visualisationsusedatthisstageactedasavehicletoallowparticipantstointerpret,express,discussandreflecttheirideas(Sanders&Stappers,2014),whichallowstheresearchteamtotaketheseinsightsforwardintothedesignofthetoolsandartefactsforlaterstagesoftheLab.Artefactsallowparticipantstoconsiderchallengesandturntheseintoopportunitiesforthefuture.

MaterialartefactsusedasformsofcommunicationintheLab(e.g.4.2)allowedatwo-wayformofcommunication.Fortheresearchteam,theartefactsprovidedawaytoconveyexperientialinformation(Vyasetal,2009)abouttheproposedideatoparticipants.Fortheparticipants,theartefactsprovidedawaytoexternaliseandcommunicatetheirthoughtsandreactionstotheidea,allowingthemtogivefeedbackinameaningfulway.

Finally,materialartefactsusedlaterintheExperienceLabapproach,whenideasaretestedwithusers(e.g.4.3,4.4),enabledparticipantstogainanunderstandingandexperienceusingtheproposedideainarealisticenvironment.Thisallowedtheresearchteamtogain


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feedbackontheideainadditiontoprovidinginformationonkeyuserrequirementsandsystemfunctionality.

6.ConclusionExperienceLabsareaparticipatoryapproachtohealthandcareinnovation,involvingstakeholdersfromacrossacademic,businessandcivicorganisationsasco-creatorsintheprocess.ExperienceLabsusedesigners’capabilitiesandtoolstodetanglethefuzzyfrontendofthedevelopmentprocesstoenablenon-designerstofeelcomfortableexploringintangibleorambiguousconceptsforcollaborativeinnovation.

TheLabsinvolvedesigningabespokeexperienceforparticipantsusingdesigntoolsandmaterialartefacts,providingaplatformforuser-driveninnovation.MaterialartefactsusedwithintheExperienceLabembodytheknowledgecreatedfromLabsbutalsobuildonourinternalresearchprocesses,contributingtoourunderstandingofwhatthismeansforthewiderdesignresearchlandscape.IntheLabswehavecompletedtodate,thebenefitsofusingartefactsarealreadyemerging,howeverwedonotyetknowthefullextentofthepossibilitiesofthisapproach.

FutureresearchwillinvolveexplorationofthepotentialreusabilityandapplicationofartefactsandtoolsinotherLabsandcontexts,e.g.forprojectsindifferentareas,toexplorewhetherthetoolorartefactcanbeusedinotherways,bydifferentpeople,orcanbealteredinsomeway.Wearealsointerestedintheroleoftheartefactinmuchlaterstagesoftheprojectstodeterminethetransferabilityofknowledgeembodiedintheartefactandthepotentialoftheartefacttobecomeatoolinfurtherexplorationoftheconceptbydevelopersandduringtestingandimplementation.Thiswillallowustoevaluatethetoolsandartefactsingreaterdetailandcontributetoourbodyofknowledge.Finally,weaimtobuildinopportunitiesinfutureLabstogatherspecificfeedbackonthetoolsandartefactstoexplorewhetherparticipantsexperienceotherbenefitsthanthoseintended.

Acknowledgements:Wewouldliketothankourcolleagues,projectpartnersandparticipantswhohavebeeninvolvedinExperienceLabprojects.

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AbouttheAuthors:

Author1TaraFrenchisaResearchFellowattheInstituteofDesignInnovation,TheGlasgowSchoolofArt.Tara isaPrimaryResearcheron the Experience Labs, tackling health and social care challengesusing Design Innovation approaches. Tara leads projects that arecentredonenhancingwellbeingandqualityoflife.

Author2GemmaTealisaResearchFellowattheInstituteofDesignInnovation at The Glasgow School of Art, working in the area ofhealth and wellbeing. Her work focuses on opening up the designprocess to meaningfully engage academic researchers from otherdisciplines, industry partners, health professionals, people withhealthconditionsormembersofthepublic.

Author 3 Sneha Raman is a Research Associate at The GlasgowSchoolofArt,andworksondevelopinganddeliveringtheExperienceLabs.Hercurrentresearchfocusesontheroleofspacesandartefactsin enabling collaboration and creativity, and the quality of co-creationbyexaminingwhatmakessomeapproachesmoresuccessfulthanothers.

experience labs: co-creating health and care innovations …radar.gsa.ac.uk/4250/1/reformatted...

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