The virtual design studio: developing new tools for learning, practice and research in design.

The emergence of new networked technologies such as virtual learning environments (VLEs) and digital libraries are providing opportunities for the development of new virtual tools to assist the design researcher in exploring ideas with the aid of visualising and mapping tools and to provide interfaces that support interdisciplinary collaboration between design teams. In 1998 a research project was initiated to evaluate the potential of computer assisted learning within Art and Design. This resulted in the development of a virtual learning environment designed to support Art and Design students and staff (www.studio-space.net). This paper describes the design process used to develop this VLE and the underlying principles based on a constructivist approach to experiential learning. The on-going research uses the metaphor of the design studio to explore a range of technologies that provide generative tools for the representation of design practice and related research, including the development and evaluation of an online Personal Development Planning tool (PDP) and other information management systems. The paper explores some of the ways in which tools such as; information retrieval applications, white-boards, visual mapping and digital archives can be combined to provide a virtual online design research studio. A further extension to the metaphor provides opportunities for developing new facilities, for example the portfolio, drawing board, bookcase, modelmaking area. The virtual design studio has two potential uses: first, to provide a tool box for the design researcher/educator to undertake collaborative design practice using CAD/CAM applications; second, to provide systems that help to externalise design methodologies, thus making it possible to gain an insight into the design process itself. This latter outcome can be achieved through the use of meta data (such as author, date/time created, version number - i.e. design iteration, note pad) and the representation of critical decision paths and reflection points

What outcome domains are considered core to assessing the impact of adult specialist palliative care services in Wales? A rapid review

Assessment of palliative care delivery is essential for managing service performance and providing im-provement in care (Donabedian, 2005). However, such assessments have tended to focus on capturing process related outcomes (service volume, response times etc.) to demonstrate service activity, rather than consistently measuring impact of services on patient and family. There has been increasing emphasis on, and international consensus on the need for, outcomes which focus more specifically on impact, in particular on domains such as quality, effectiveness and efficiency of palliative care rather than just service activity (Davis et al., 2013, Clark et al., 2016). Recently, there have been several initiatives to standardise approaches to this type of outcome assess-ment and to encourage regional approaches which will meet local needs but also allow benchmarking at national and international levels. In Wales, the End-of-Life Board (EoLB) has prioritised the need to establish a standardised approach to the collection of this type of data set, by establishing a consensus on the domains of importance and to identify whether an existing approach such as the Outcome Assessment and Complexity Collaborative (OACC) (Witt et al., 2014) or Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) (Eager et al., 2010), may meet ‘needs’ in Wales or whether the specific health and social care economy unique to Wales man-dates for additional or different domains of care to be addressed. This project is a multi-stage study, with this first stage rapid review identifying from the published literature those outcomes for adult palliative care services that are considered most important to capture in order to assess service quality