Virtual Coaching for Rehabilitation: The Participatory Design Experience of the vCare Project

Abstract

End-user involvement constitutes an essential goal during the development of innovative solution, not only for the evaluation, but also in codesign, following a user-centered strategy. Indeed, it is a great asset of research to base the work in a user-centered approach, because it allows to build a platform that will respond to the real needs of users. The aims of this work are to present the methodology adopted to involve end-users (i.e., neurological patients, healthy elderly, and health professionals) in the evaluation of a novel virtual coaching system based on the personalized clinical pathways and to present the results obtained from these preliminary activities. Specific activities involving end-users were planned along the development phases and are referred to as participatory design. The user experience of participatory design is constituted by the two different phases: the “end-user's perspective” phase where the user involvement in experiential activities is from an observational point of view, whereas the “field study” phase is the direct participation in these activities. Evaluation tools (i.e., scales, questionnaires, and interviews) were planned to assess different aspects of the system. Thirty patients [14 with poststroke condition and 16 with Parkinson's disease (PD)], 13 healthy elderly, and six health professionals were enrolled from two clinical centers during the two phases of participatory design. Results from “end-user's perspective” phase showed globally a positive preliminary perception of the service. Overall, a positive evaluation (i.e., UEQ median score > 1) was obtained for each domain of the scale in both groups of patients and healthy subjects. The evaluation of the vCare system during the “field study” phase was assessed as excellent (>80 points) from the point of view of both patients and health professionals. According to the majority of patients, the rehabilitation service through the solution was reported to be interesting, engaging, entertaining, challenging and useful for improving impaired motor functions, and making patients aware of their cognitive abilities. Once refined and fine-tuned in the aspects highlighted in the this work, the system will be clinically tested at user's home to measure the real impact of the rehabilitative coaching services.

Co-design for stroke intervention development: Results of a scoping review

“…Researchers perceived co-design as a powerful agent for change in that it could help initiate change or priorities for change to improve stroke services [ 43 , 50 , 53 , 124 ]. Co-designed interventions were believed to be more likely to be adopted because they integrated multiple end-users’ needs, abilities and challenges, thereby minimizing or even eliminating the misalignment between end-users and solutions designed and increasing the acceptability and feasibility of the co-designed intervention [ 26 , 27 , 35 , 46 , 48 , 50 , 51 , 56 , 65 , 68 , 85 , 101 , 107 , 109 , 125 ]. Through their involvement, end-users could identify the strengths and weaknesses of the stroke care system, paving the way for improvements to the quality of healthcare and end-users’ outcomes and satisfaction [ 35 , 43 , 46 , 50 , 56 , 87 ].…”

“…Co-designed interventions were believed to be more likely to be adopted because they integrated multiple end-users’ needs, abilities and challenges, thereby minimizing or even eliminating the misalignment between end-users and solutions designed and increasing the acceptability and feasibility of the co-designed intervention [ 26 , 27 , 35 , 46 , 48 , 50 , 51 , 56 , 65 , 68 , 85 , 101 , 107 , 109 , 125 ]. Through their involvement, end-users could identify the strengths and weaknesses of the stroke care system, paving the way for improvements to the quality of healthcare and end-users’ outcomes and satisfaction [ 35 , 43 , 46 , 50 , 56 , 87 ]. In addition, co-design was seen as a vehicle for shifting the role of patients as receivers of health services to “experts by experience” [ 35 , 50 ] and improving the content and delivery of the intervention [ 119 ].…”

Developing a Multiprofessional Mobile App to Enhance Health Habits in Older Adults: User-Centered Approach

“…In the contemporary scenario, marked by constant technological changes, digital products have become an integral part of the context and social life [ 3 , 4 ]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop mechanisms that not only enable older adults to comprehend these tools and their potential but also enable older adults to have access to digital products that cater to their specific needs.…”

“…Involving the end user is a crucial goal during the development of innovative solutions, not only for evaluation but also in co-design, following a user-centered strategy. Indeed, it is a significant asset of research to base the work on a user-centered approach because it allows building a platform that will address the real needs of the users [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…Digital inclusion emerges as the primary gateway to the use of information and communications technology, enabling individuals to develop the capacity to seek, understand, and apply information according to their needs, acquiring information literacy and digital literacy [ 9 , 10 ]. However, older adults often face obstacles when dealing with these tools as many of them are developed without considering the limitations of users with limited or no digital knowledge and without addressing age-specific issues [ 3 , 4 ]. This mismatch between the condition of older adults and their effective inclusion in the digital environment demonstrates the need for tools that facilitate learning and interaction.…”