The chapter discusses the importance of Human Centred Design in information design and for the development of complex systems, particularly within healthcare. It emphasizes that users are human beings with diverse roles, needs, and socio-cultural contexts, and that their experiences are shaped by situation, environment, and power relations. Human Centred Design is described not as a single method but as an overall mindset in which understanding users, their contexts, and their lived experiences is central. In healthcare, this means that systems must be designed for multiple actors, patients, professionals, relatives, and technology developers, each with different perspectives and levels of influence. Iterative methods, ethnographic studies, and prototyping are highlighted as essential for creating solutions that are comprehensible, meaningful, and usable. The text also underlines the complexity of communication, especially in patient–professional interactions where expectations, life situation, and embodied experience affect understanding. The chapter argues that it is essential for the future of healthcare - shaped by digitalisation, sensor technology, and AI - to adopt Human Centred Design to provide health care systems that are safe, efficient, and responsive to human values

AI-tools can provide support in meeting communication needs for users with difficulties in understanding information. In an ongoing project a prototype based on generative AI for individuals with intellectual disabilities are being developed. The aim with project is to develop a solution that builds upon generative AI and that facilitates access to relevant public authority information on websites for users with intellectual disabilities. This paper will present the first phase of the project that has been focused on gathering user needs within the target group. Participants from the target group from three Swedish municipalities have participated at two occasions to provide information from their perspective. In the first session the focus was on challenges in searching for information, and at the second occasion the focus was on how to improve access to information provided by the municipalities. The outcome from the workshops have been summarized into a list of important aspects to consider when developing an AI-tool addressing needs related to information search for users with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND: Harnessing mobile health (mHealth) solutions could improve the delivery of mental health services and mitigate their impact in Uganda and similar low-resource settings. However, successful adoption requires that mHealth solutions have good usability. We have previously implemented a telephone service to provide mental health information and advice in English and Luganda, utilizing an automated interactive voice response (IVR) system linked to live agents, including mental health care workers and peer support workers. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the usage and usability of this mental health telephone service. METHODS: We obtained usage data from the system’s call logs over 18 months to study call volumes and trends. We then surveyed callers to gather their characteristics and assess usability using the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire. Additionally, call recordings were evaluated for conversation quality by 3 independent health care professionals, using the Telephone Nursing Dialogue Process, and correlations between quality and usability aspects were investigated. RESULTS: Over 18 months, the system received 2863 meaningful calls (ie, calls that went past the welcome message) from 1125 unique telephone numbers. Of these, 1153 calls (40.27%) stopped at the prerecorded IVR information, while 1710 calls (59.73%) opted to speak to an agent. Among those who chose to speak with an agent, 1292 calls (75.56%) were answered, 393 calls (22.98%) went to voicemail and were returned in the following working days, and 25 calls (1.46%) were not answered. Usage was generally sustained over time, with spikes in call volume corresponding to marketing events. The survey (n=240) revealed that most callers were caregivers of patients with mental health issues (n=144, 60.0%) or members of the general public (n=46, 19.2%), while a few were patients with mental health issues (n=44, 18.3%). Additionally, the majority were male (n=143, 59.6%), spoke English (n=180, 75.0%), had postsecondary education (n=164, 68.3%), lived within 1 hour or less from Butabika Hospital (n=187, 77.9%), and were aged 25-44 years (n=160, 66.7%). The overall usability score for the system was 4.12 on a 5-point scale, significantly higher than the recommended target usability score of 4 (P=.006). The mean scores for usability components ranged from 3.66 for reliability to 4.41 for ease of use, with all components, except reliability, scoring higher than 4 or falling within its CI. Usability scores were higher for Luganda speakers compared with English speakers, but there was no association with other participant characteristics such as sex, distance from the hospital, age, marital status, duration of symptoms, or treatment status. The quality of call conversations (n=50) was rated at 4.35 out of 5 and showed a significant correlation with usability (Pearson r=0.34, P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: We found sustained usage of the mental health telephone service, along with a positive user experience and high satisfaction across various user characteristics. mHealth solutions like this should be embraced and replicated to enhance the delivery of health services in Uganda and similar low-resource settings. 

This paper describes the work of developing a prototype of an interactive solution that supports reminiscence and communication with older adults. The interactive solution developed consisted of a mini-game for gathering information about preferences and interests, as well as interactive hand-held devices capable of presenting relevant topics to support conversations. A first explorative user study examining the functionalities and the usage was conducted. Older adults living at nursing homes and the care staff tested the interactive solution and provided feed-back through interviews. The participants found that both the mini-game and the interactive device were engaging to use and that they supported the conversation. The participants in the interviews pointed out the possibilities of using the solution in different ways in different contexts, and they also suggested new ways of using the solution

BACKGROUND: Mental health conditions are a significant public health problem globally, responsible for >8 million deaths per year. In addition, they lead to lost productivity, exacerbate physical illness, and are associated with stigma and human rights violations. Uganda, like many low- and middle-income countries, faces a massive treatment gap for mental health conditions, and numerous sociocultural challenges exacerbate the burden of mental health conditions. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the development and formative evaluation of a digital health intervention for improving access to mental health care in Uganda. METHODS: This qualitative study used user-centered design and design science research principles. Stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, mental health care providers, and implementation experts (N=65), participated in focus group discussions in which we explored participants' experience of mental illness and mental health care, experience with digital interventions, and opinions about a proposed digital mental health service. Data were analyzed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to derive requirements for the digital solution, which was iteratively cocreated with users and piloted. RESULTS: Several challenges were identified, including a severe shortage of mental health facilities, unmet mental health information needs, heavy burden of caregiving, financial challenges, stigma, and negative beliefs related to mental health. Participants' enthusiasm about digital solutions as a feasible, acceptable, and convenient method for accessing mental health services was also revealed, along with recommendations to make the service user-friendly, affordable, and available 24×7 and to ensure anonymity. A hospital call center service was developed to provide mental health information and advice in 2 languages through interactive voice response and live calls with health care professionals and peer support workers (recovering patients). In the 4 months after launch, 456 calls, from 236 unique numbers, were made to the system, of which 99 (21.7%) calls went to voicemails (out-of-office hours). Of the remaining 357 calls, 80 (22.4%) calls stopped at the interactive voice response, 231 (64.7%) calls were answered by call agents, and 22 (6.2%) calls were not answered. User feedback was positive, with callers appreciating the inclusion of peer support workers who share their recovery journeys. However, some participant recommendations (eg, adding video call options) or individualized needs (eg, prescriptions) could not be accommodated due to resource limitations or technical feasibility. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a systematic and theory-driven approach to developing contextually appropriate digital solutions for improving mental health care in Uganda and similar contexts. The positive reception of the implemented service underscores its potential impact. Future research should address the identified limitations and evaluate clinical outcomes of long-term adoption.

This paper takes a system approach to implementation of future health and welfare technology aiming at prolonging independent life. A study was conducted where different relevant stakeholders such as older adults, care staff, managers, and decision makers were interviewed about their visions and attitudes towards the use of technology in a future context. Further, the paper elaborates on how information design can contribute to the understanding of different needs and how it can be applied in the development of health and welfare technology that empowers future older adults and contribute to a prolonged independent life. Finally, communication and interaction design are discussed in relationship to the usage of future health and welfare technology.

This Limited physical reserve capacity in older people might be a risk factor for further functional decline and complications after surgery. Shorter time between diagnosis and cancer surgery has made it more important to focus on effects of a short exercise program with high intensity and frequency. Studies have shown that patients with cancer need personalized support to perform preoperative exercises and that they prefer to do it at home or close to home. This work describes the development of a digital application consisting of exercises, feedback on performance, support, and motivational features

Life stories are gathered information about a person, for example history, preferences, or habits. The method is often used in healthcare and care with the aim to support personalized care. This paper describes a project that explores how life stories can be gathered and made available by using interactive digital technology in new ways that supports a multi-sensory experience. Two workshops were conducted with participants from elder care, researchers, and designers. The aim with the first workshop was to frame the concept and to gain a deeper understanding of important aspects to consider. The aim with the second workshop was to gain a better understanding of the different user groups. The insights from the workshops are presented with respect to content, users, usage and interaction with different user groups. Important aspects that were brought up was ownership of the solution. This aspect is important since it is likely to affect what kind of information the users are willing to share. The kind of information a person is willing to share are also dependent on if it is friends, family or care giving personnel that will have access to the information. Further, it will be necessary to decide about how the solution will be used and if its focus should be on presenting information about a person’s history or if the focus should be on creating value in the moment

Thanks to its non-invasive nature and high-resolution imaging capabilities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable diagnostic tool for pediatric patients. However, the fear and anxiety experienced by young children during MRI scans often result in suboptimal image quality and the need for sedation/anesthesia. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a smartphone application called COSMO@home to prepare children for MRI scans to reduce the need for sedation or general anesthesia. The COSMO@home app was developed incorporating mini-games and an engaging storyline to prepare children for learning goals related to the MRI procedure. A multicenter study was conducted involving four hospitals in Belgium. Eligible children aged 4–10 years were prepared with the COSMO@home app at home. Baseline, pre-scan, and post-scan questionnaires measured anxiety evolution in two age groups (4–6 years and 7–10 years). Eighty-two children participated in the study, with 95% obtaining high-quality MRI images. The app was well-received by children and parents, with minimal technical difficulties reported. In the 4–6-year-old group (N = 33), there was a significant difference between baseline and pre-scan parent-reported anxiety scores, indicating an increase in anxiety levels prior to the scan. In the 7–10-year-old group (N = 49), no significant differences were observed between baseline and pre-scan parent-reported anxiety scores. Overall, the COSMO@home app proved to be useful in preparing children for MRI scans, with high satisfaction rates and successful image outcomes across different hospitals. The app, combined with minimal face-to-face guidance on the day of the scan, showed the potential to replace or assist traditional face-to-face training methods. This innovative approach has the potential to reduce the need for sedation or general anesthesia during pediatric MRI scans and its associated risks and improve patient experience.

This paper presents insights from applying the method Design Fiction together with high school students. The students both participated in workshops where the method was used, and they also led design workshops themselves. Results from a short questionnaire and textual feedback from the students showed that they thought it was easy to start to use method. However, access to internet during the workshops might lead to ideas taken from the web instead of being based on creative thinking and discussions