Decoded: Exploring user involvement in the early stages of software development

This research aims to explore how user involvement in software development can contribute to innovation in interfaces and system functionality as well as create supporting literature for human-centered design in the software development process. To achieve this, a mixed-methodology approach is used to validate users as co-creators in the early stages of development. This is done through direct engagement with users, the adaption of the GOMS framework to develop human-centered methods for engagement, and the use of evaluative surveys. By combining GOMS and human-centered design, researchers could frame engagement methods for the elicitation of system functionality and interface design requirements. Researchers then synthesized requirements from user generated data, developed a prototype, and compared it to a prototype developed without user involvement. Early results show that user-generated prototyping provides key insights into the development of software features, user flow, and information architecture

Tomee — Understanding reader’s choices in books to read

poster abstractToday the amount of information available to individuals is staggering and they often are at a loss when choosing to purchase products. In the case of readers, they have an infinite amount of book available to read. However, they often do not know how to give credibility to the books that are available to them. In this class project we look at “How might we help readers make an informed decision about choosing books.” This research focused on the influences that affect reader’s decisions to purchase literary items. When people buy books there are many things that influence their decision. These influences can be internal perception (wants and needs) or they can take the form of external influences. In the case of influences, the strongest motivation seems to be a communal engagement and a shared experience. As such people place a high value on the perceptions of individuals around them. In our study we look at how people who are interested in books would share information and what outlets would they use to communicate to others. We focus on a qualitative methodology utilizing a co-design process. Our process was to involve readers within the idea generation process to study the effectiveness of working simultaneously to understand people’s needs while utilizing co-design principals to understand how to meet those needs. Our research found, individuals place high value on information from their community members, when making decisions on what books to read. Based on our research, readers would be interested in a way to categories and share their reading choices. We believe there is a need for a platform that allows individuals to share their reading interests with other members of their community

After Visit Summary: Not an Afterthought

The After Visit Summary (AVS) is provided to patients after clinical visits to summarize what happened during the visit and guide future care. Despite its potential to improve shared decision-making, self-management, and communication, the design of the typical AVS is not optimized to communicate useful information in an understandable way. The AVS usability challenge is magnified in vulnerable patient populations such as those served by community health centers (CHCs). The purpose of this research was to evaluate and refine a redesigned AVS intended to better communicate information to CHC patients

Connecting Care – Empowering The Patient Through Their Waiting Experience

poster abstractWaiting at a hospital is a challenge for patients and their families. Many individuals go to the hospital, waiting for hours to receive their tests and results. This waiting experience places a burden on individuals and causes stress in a tense time in their lives. This research was a partnership between healthcare providers and graduate program of Design Thinking and Leadership, Department of Visual Communication Design, Herron School of Art and Design. The goal of this people-centered research was to examine and enhance the patient waiting experience at the Registration, Lab and Radiology service areas of a Carmel Hospital. To understand the patient experiences, we approached the project utilizing people-centered design methods. The design research team conducted ethnographic observations and interviews involving patients and staff within the Laboratory, Registration, and Radiology spaces at a hospital. In responding to defined problems within these spaces, the design team identified the desirable patient communication flow and developed an integrative communication system that aligned with the touch points of the patient journey. This communication system included wrist bands, digital message boards, an expanded pager system, as well as redesigned interior spaces. The two major findings from the research were: One, current communication levels between provider staff and patients resulted in negative patient perceptions of the service. Two, patients wanted more integrated ways to maintain communication between service providers and themselves. From these findings, it was recommended that service providers adapt a more integrated communication system to deliver an optimal patient experience