Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

Despite a push towards integrating design and designers in the innovation cycle, the development of health-related technologies is still driven by and largely limited to operational, IT, and clinical perspectives. As a result, the role of design is limited to improving users/patient experiences through aesthetic/functional adaptations. This paper explores the implications of such limitations placed on design by examining the collaboration between the authors, a public health researcher and a design strategist, in studying technology adoption processes among older adults. Insights gathered by the public health researcher on older adults’ decision-making processes and the role of social structures within these processes, prompted the design strategist to analyze, from a theoretical perspective, how existing social structures are represented in the technology development processes and the consequences and potential pitfalls for design strategy. The authors discuss the implications of such collaborations in the context of business and research practice, and applications of the study findings for business and design management.