User-Centered Design in a Clinical Context: Challenges and Success

Abstract

Background Abstract Involving users into every step of the design process materialized into a design approach called User Centered Design (UCD) to which more and more adhere in order to increase the usability of their products. Aim Starting from a history of products that are abandoned in the medical field, this thesis aims at establishing the state of the art in applying UCD in the clinical field as well as document the benefits and challenges behind this process. The results shall be collected in a guideline that can be use for the development of medical systems. Methodology The thesis starts with a systematic literature review and continues with an empirical study that further verifies the results of the review. Throughtout the literature review, articles documenting medical systems development and the process behind it have been scrutinized for UCD methods applied and their knowledge of UCD in general. As part of the empirical study, interviews have been performed with developers, designers and researchers of medical systems in order to collect their experiences on employing UCD as well as the benefits and challenges related to it. Conclusion In conclusions of the thesis, the most used methods as well as the general design process behind clinical systems are presented and discussed. A guideline on best practices and a path to creating relevant and usable products is described.