Holistic Stakeholder Analysis Enhances Health Technology Adoption

Why It Matters

This approach ensures that innovations are not only functional but also equitable and readily adopted by the intended communities. By considering the entire ecosystem surrounding a technology, designers can proactively address potential barriers and foster greater success.

Key Finding

Focusing solely on the device and its direct user leads to adoption problems; a broader view including all stakeholders and the environment is essential for successful and equitable health technology.

Key Findings

• A technocentric design approach creates translational gaps in health technology.
• Incorporating diverse stakeholder needs and contextual understanding early in design is crucial for equitable adoption.
• Existing frameworks can guide human- and equity-centered design processes.

Research Evidence

Aim: How can a human- and equity-centered approach, incorporating broad stakeholder analysis and contextual investigation, improve the adoption and impact of health technologies?

Method: Literature Review and Framework Analysis

Procedure: The research reviewed existing frameworks and human- and equity-centered approaches for stakeholder engagement and contextual investigation in health technology development. It also presented case studies of medical device design that applied these principles.

Context: Health Technology Design and Biomedical Engineering

Design Principle

Design for adoption by considering the complete user and environmental ecosystem.

How to Apply

Before finalizing a design, map out all potential users, caregivers, administrators, regulators, and community members, and investigate how the technology will fit into their existing workflows and environments.

Limitations

The review focuses on health technology, and the applicability to other domains may vary. Specific frameworks may require adaptation for different contexts.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: To make health gadgets work well for everyone, don't just think about the person using it. Think about all the people involved and where it will be used.

Why This Matters: This research shows that good design isn't just about making something that works technically; it's about making sure it works for people and society, especially in important areas like health.

Critical Thinking: How can designers ethically navigate conflicting stakeholder needs when designing for complex systems?

IA-Ready Paragraph: A human- and equity-centered design approach, as highlighted by Rodriguez et al. (2023), is crucial for the successful adoption of health technologies. This involves moving beyond a technocentric view to a holistic understanding of broader stakeholder needs and the intended context of use, thereby bridging translational gaps and ensuring equitable access and impact.

Project Tips

• When starting a design project, list everyone who might interact with or be affected by your design.
• Spend time observing and talking to people in the environment where your design will be used.

How to Use in IA

• Use this research to justify the importance of user research and stakeholder analysis in your design project's introduction or rationale.
• Refer to this paper when discussing the need to consider broader impacts beyond the primary user in your design development.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of how a design impacts a wider community, not just the immediate user.
• Show evidence of engaging with diverse user groups and considering contextual factors in your design process.

Independent Variable: Design approach (technocentric vs. human/equity-centered)

Dependent Variable: Health technology adoption and equity

Controlled Variables: Type of health technology, specific health context

Strengths

• Provides a comprehensive overview of human- and equity-centered approaches.
• Offers practical guidance through case studies.

Critical Questions

• What are the ethical considerations when prioritizing certain stakeholder groups over others?
• How can the long-term impact of a technology on health equity be effectively measured?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the adoption challenges of a specific health technology in a particular community by mapping stakeholders and their contextual influences.
• Develop a framework for stakeholder engagement tailored to a novel medical device concept.

Source

Thinking Beyond the Device: An Overview of Human- and Equity-Centered Approaches for Health Technology Design · Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering · 2023 · 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-081922-024834