Dialogue Appropriate to Assistive Technology Product Design: A Taxonomy of Communication Formats in Relation to Modes of Sensory Perception

This article reviews the use of dialogue and associated communication formats within the context of participatory or co-design decision-making processes in the development of assistive technologies. My professional experience as a designer, researcher, and educator suggested the dialogue among the designer, end-user, and associated stakeholders is critical to effective and economic product development. The research I report on here is a systematic analysis of that understanding. First, I conducted a literature review which established that there was no standard meaning for the term “dialogue.” The literature review highlighted the challenges of reduced options for communication through the compounding constraints of culture, language, and impairment. I then conducted a summative content analysis on twenty case studies to identify and define the terminology and points to consider in collaborative dialogue between designers and people who need assistive technologies. This analysis led to the development of a taxonomy of communication formats matched to specific sensory inputs and these have been structured to work as a heuristic design tool. Of the forty-one formats defined, around two-thirds were used in the literature reviewed. Notably, more than half the studies used just over a quarter of the formats. The definitions of dialogue and the design heuristics I put forward in this paper require further debate and refinement to be effective to wider applications. Keywords: Dialogue, Communication formats, Summative content analysis, Assistive technology product design, Design tools, Taxonom

Mapping the Organisational Landscape of the UK FMCG Industry: A Review of Packaging Design and Development Professionals

Packaging design can be acknowledged as a significant strategic avenue within New Product Development (NPD) for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). Packaging can have direct impact on sales conversions, consumer visual and brand perception. However, packaging design and development (PD&D) remains underutilised in organizations, viewed as a risky activity and unnecessary additional cost. Limited research has been conducted to address how PD&D activities are managed. This study expands our current understanding of the PD&D landscape through content analysis and frequency of occurrence measures, of a sample of LinkedIn profiles (n=200) to begin to identify and categorise professionals involved in PD&D for the FMCG sector through their own perception of self. The contribution of the study is to assist in understanding the synergy of key decision-makers and influencers in the industry landscape, expanding on existing design management literature to provide an expanded comprehension and more strategic outlook of characteristics and capabilities of those involved

Additional file 4 of Mapping age- and sex-specific HIV prevalence in adults in sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2018

Additional file 4: Supplemental results.1. README. 2. Prevalence range across districts. 3. Prevalence range between sexes. 4. Prevalence range between ages. 5. Age-specific district ranges