Advancing Digital Health Solutions: Updates on User Research and Co-Creation

Updates on user research and co-creation

The current status of user research and co-creation involves a dedicated focus on advancing the development of the PDPID-app, scheduled for delivery before January 2023.

In early October 2023, Erasmus MC (EMC) conducted a co-creation session with patient partners to assess the general looks and feel of the User Interface (UI) and identify points to improve the app's usability. In apps used for medical data collection, it is of utmost importance that users know what is expected of them. Furthermore, users should be engaged with the app to a level that minimises missing data. 

Following this, bi-weekly meetings with patient partners were established to maintain alignment with their ideas. Furthermore, project partner FACULDADE DE MOTRICIDADE HUMANA (FMH-ULISBOA) is developing storyboards for the personalised gaming suite. Three co-creation sessions have been executed: one with healthcare professionals and two with patient partners.

Additionally, project partners The Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) and FACULDADE DE MOTRICIDADE HUMANA (FMH-ULISBOA) have been working with the clinical partners to identify movements for the video analysis tasks that will be included in the iPROLEPSIS-PDPID study. Multiple hand gestures and full-body movements have been identified for further assessment.

Key take-away messages

The development of the Digital health tools is still at an early stage. However, several take-away messages from the discussions about the PDPID app are:

• The general looks and UI of the miPROLEPSIS app have been approved by the patient partners. 

• Even though the PDPID-app is a data-collection app for research purposes, patients find it of utmost importance that they can review their own data entries.

• Participants indicated that the app needs to improve its’ visual cues of when they need to perform certain activities.  

Take-away messages from the discussions about personalised gaming suite development:

• Smart games meant for disease management should be highly tailored to the capabilities of the patients.

• Gaming is for patients a way of relaxation, any game designed should not incorporate any stressful factors.

• Patient partners expressed interest in the proposed gaming categories.

Future steps

Future steps involve initiating a round of user testing for the PDPID version of the miPROLEPSIS app to validate designs with patients not involved in the development process. Subsequently, attention will shift to developing recommendation systems for physical activity and diet, incorporating insights from experts in the field (occupational therapists, physical therapists & nutritionists) and patients themselves.

For the personalised gaming suite, the completion of the storyboard is planned for the end of December 2023, when the development of the first prototypes will follow.