Abstract
This study outlines the use of exploratory observations as a scoping tool for design-based research in healthcare domains. It aimed to explore the current state of healthcare provision across women’s health services in Ireland to identify future research directions and opportunities for responsible design interventions. Amidst growing global sustainability challenges, there is a pressing need to leverage design to drive lasting, sustainable change in healthcare services. Furthermore, the lack of innovation in design for women’s health highlights an urgent need for focused, impactful design solutions within this under-researched field. Coupled with background research, exploratory observations were completed across a range of obstetric and gynaecological clinical settings in the Mid-West Region of Ireland. These settings included outpatient gynaecology clinics (ambulatory and referral clinics), a high-risk antenatal clinic, and guideline implementation meetings. In total, 31 hours of active observation were conducted across these settings to build an understanding of systems, processes, and products used within them. Observations were documented through detailed fieldnotes, which were subsequently used to identify opportunities for responsible design and future research directions in the field. This study found that conducting exploratory fieldwork at the outset of design-based research is a valuable tool for identifying opportunities for future research and for defining research scope. It also contextualised the realities of care provision within the sector, an insight essential for defining future research directions. This study triggered a future research direction focusing on reducing the environmental impact of maternity care services without compromising the quality of care provided.
Presenters
Ihsan KamilDoctoral Researcher, School of Architecture and Product Design, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland Eoin White
University of Limerick Muireann McMahon
University of Limerick
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Exploratory Observations, Design Research, Design for Women’s Health, Responsible Design
