Co-Designing NESTORE with those who might use it
Based on a participatory methodology developed in the UK, researchers refined a co-design methodology that would eventually helped to communicate users’ perspectives into a shared language between older adults and technologists.
The challenge for the project team was to ensure that users' perspectives would be transferred to the technologists in the most accurate way. ‘Exhibition-in-a-box’ (Chamberlain & Craig) was the original co-design tool used in the first phase of workshops in the UK to identify user needs and values.
Objectives and implementation
Several users’ expert workshops have been performed in four locations: Sheffield (UK), Monza (Italy), Rotterdam (The Netherlands) and Barcelona (Spain) which engaged approximately 180 participants.
Four workshops with 6 to 8 participants were facilitated in each pilot country in order to build an understanding of the similarities/differences in requirements of older people in these countries. These activities also aimed at testing and understanding the transferability of the methodology developed and to consider a possible impact on healthy and active ageing behaviours for the analysis in a continuum, benefiting from the co-designed methodology for user involvement.
Co-Design workshop findings
• There was a high degree of consensus of the user requirements identified by participants in the UK
• However, climate and environment should be carefully considered in how it might impact on lifestyles
• The cost of accessing NESTORE to support a healthy lifestyle was a feature of discussion
• Another important aspect of NESTORE will need to relate to data privacy and security
• NESTORE must provide levels of options and user choice is critical to empower individuals
