How to involve potential users in eHealth innovation: seven strategies from healthcare and design

Abstract

To arrive at viable eHealth applications, it is important that future users are involved in research projects. In practice, however, it is difficult to involve potential users and keep them involved. In a multiple-case study, we investigate ten eHealth projects in which design researchers and healthcare researchers worked together. We focus on how they involved potential users and kept them involved. Both domains have a rich tradition of involving potential users and see their involvement of potential (future) users in the early stages of innovation as essential. Therefore it is interesting to investigate projects in which design researchers and healthcare researchers intensively work together. We discovered seven strategies to promote the involvement of potential users in eHealth research projects: (1) use research methods based on building personal relationships; (2) build trust before introducing research methods; (3) facilitate the preconditions around the moments of involvement; (4) facilitate by introducing a prototype as a boundary object; (5) choose the method that fits the research context; (6) integrate the values behind the eHealth tool into the research method; (7) involve proxies instead of the potential users. These strategies may guide future projects where design researchers and healthcare researchers work together with potential users.

Keywords:

• User involvement
• research
• design
• healthcare
• eHealth

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all interviewees and the project team of the overarching project of the ‘Create Health’ program.

Authors’ contributions

W.v.B, W.B., and D.A. conceptualized the study. W.v.B. and M.Z. interviewed the respondents. W.v.B. analysed the data. All authors (W.v.B., E.H.M.M., D.A., W.B., G.v.d.V., and M.Z.) contributed to the final version and read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The dataset analysed and data extraction tools used during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMW) under Grant [443002001].

Notes on contributors

Wilke van Beest

Wilke van Beest works as a researcher at the Research group Research Competence at the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. Her research focuses on the impact of practice-based research. Since 2018, she conducts her PhD project at Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University. Her PhD work focuses on the implementation of self-management health innovations.

Wouter P. C. Boon

Wouter P.C. Boon is an associate professor in Innovation and life sciences at Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University. His research in the field of innovation studies focuses on the dynamics and governance of emerging technologies in science-based sectors, such as life sciences and healthcare. The theoretical focus of his work is on the role of user innovations, demand-side innovation policy, and markets in the context of transitions.

Daan Andriessen

Daan Andriessen is professor of Research Competence at University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. He specializes in optimizing the impact of practice-based research and the competence development of researchers at universities of applied sciences. His mission is to support researchers in doing research that matters; practice-based research that contributes to the development of knowledge, people, products, and organizations. He has a special interest in the dilemma between rigour and relevance.

Marieke Zielhuis

Marieke Zielhuis works as a researcher at the Research group Research Competence at the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. She is especially interested in the collaboration between research and practice partners. Since 2019, she conducts her PhD project at Delft University of Technology. This PhD work focuses on the challenges that arise when developing knowledge for design practice within academic design research projects.

Gerrita van der Veen

Gerrita van der Veen is professor Marketing & Customer Experience at the Research Institute Digital Business & Media of the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Her mission is to give direction and elaboration to important issues of innovation in a digital economy together with professional practice and education. Her research focuses on Brand- & Innovation Management and Marketing Technology.

Ellen H. M. Moors

Ellen H.M. Moors is professor of Innovation and Sustainability at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development of Utrecht University. Her research focuses on the dynamics and governance of health and life sciences innovations, the role of users and institutions in emerging technologies and sustainable or responsible health innovation models.