Project 467168

Given Nova Scotia's ageing demographic and impact on patients, their communities, and the healthcare professionals who work with them, it is critical to understand how and in what ways design and design pedagogy intersect with the design of new healthcare services, environments, and products (HSEPs). The research questions how the use of these services, environments, and products is currently defined in the healthcare system. Drawing on research in health science, design anthropology, inclusive design, and focusing on the challenge of HSEPs in an ageing population, the project challenges the value of working with a single definition of a user. Instead, drawing on methods from user experience design and design anthropology, the research replaces the idea of a single user with a community of users that include the patient's carer(s), client communities and healthcare providers. The research aims to understand how and in what ways expanded definitions of a service-user can challenge conventional design pedagogy and can lead to the design of better HSEPs. I will examine user experience of designed services, environments, and products from the perspective of healthcare professionals, clients, and client communities in geriatric facilities. Research methods and practice will further facilitate the collection of in-depth, qualitative data with respect to diverse users. Drawing on my professional experience as a healthcare assistant and designer of adaptive apparel, and on, my experience supporting my father with dementia and Parkinson's disease, the project will evaluate the data to examine design gaps of HSEPs and their relationship to design pedagogy. The goal is to generate actionable insights into how innovations in design pedagogy can lead to improve HSEPs.