Children as design partners in the development of a support system for children with cancer

Cornelia M. Ruland*, Laura Slaughter, Justin Starren, Torun M. Vatne

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Children with cancer experience many symptoms and problems that often remain unreported and untreated. We therefore, developed PedsChoice, a support system for pediatric cancer symptom assessment and manage ment to provide children with a 'voice,' and assist nur ses and physicians to better address children's sympto ms and problems in patient care. We used participator y design techniques where healthy children joined our design team. During this process we explored the role s healthy children can appropriately play to inform the design of a system for children with cancer and their contributions and limitations as participants in the design process. We found that healthy children can contribute considerably in the role as testers, informers and to some extent as partners. Children have very creative design ideas that can considerably improve the software. However, system development for seriously ill children also requires psychological and pedagogical insights and design and usability expertise. This limits the role children can play as full design partners.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationConsumer-Centered Computer-Supported Care for Healthy People - Proceedings of NI 2006
Subtitle of host publicationThe 9th International Congress on Nursing Informatics
PublisherIOS Press
Pages80-85
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)158603622X, 9781586036225
StatePublished - Jan 1 2006
Event9th International Congress on Nursing Informatics, NI 2006 - Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Duration: Jun 9 2006Jun 21 2006

Publication series

NameStudies in Health Technology and Informatics
Volume122
ISSN (Print)0926-9630
ISSN (Electronic)1879-8365

Other

Other9th International Congress on Nursing Informatics, NI 2006
Country/TerritoryKorea, Republic of
CitySeoul
Period6/9/066/21/06

Keywords

  • Cancer
  • Children
  • Decision Support
  • Participatory Design
  • User-ComputerInterface

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Health Informatics
  • Health Information Management

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