Agile development for vulnerable populations

Abstract

In this paper we draw attention to the challenges of managing software projects for vulnerable populations, i.e., people potentially exposed to harm or not capable of protecting their own interests. The focus on human aspects, and particularly, the inclusion of humancentered approaches, has been a popular topic in the software engineering community. We argue, however, that current literature provides little understanding and guidance on how to approach these type of scenarios. Here, we shed some light on the topic by reporting on our experiences in developing innovative solutions for the residential care scenario, outlining potential issues and recommendations. KEYWORDSAgile development, human-centered design, vulnerable populations ACM Reference Format:

Untold Stories in User-Centered Design of Mobile Health: Practical Challenges and Strategies Learned From the Design and Evaluation of an App for Older Adults With Heart Failure

“…Many of our recurring challenges were related to logistics, such as meeting recruitment goals, preparing and managing materials (ie, instructions, presentations, and design documentation), and arranging a specific time for members and advisors to meet despite being geographically dispersed. Others have reported similar challenges in mHealth projects [ 57 , 58 ], but more often they are assumed and discussed informally between practitioners. This means that novice UCD practitioners tend to underestimate logistic challenges and have limited information on how to address them.…”

“…Others have described the additional costs of recruiting end users for UCD projects [ 20 , 57 ]. It is even more difficult to recruit a representative sample in a technology project when technology ownership and proficiency are among the eligibility criteria [ 62 ] or the notion of technology leads individuals to decline participation [ 63 ].…”

Untold Stories in User-Centered Design of Mobile Health: Practical Challenges and Strategies Learned From the Design and Evaluation of an App for Older Adults With Heart Failure (Preprint)

“…Others have described the additional costs of recruiting end users for UCD projects [20,57]. It is even more difficult to recruit a representative sample in a technology project when technology ownership and proficiency are among the eligibility criteria [62] or the notion of technology leads individuals to decline participation [63].…”

Designing Interactive Systems to Mediate Communication Between Formal and Informal Caregivers in Aged Care

“…With this RQ we aim at identifying sensible design choices -spanning information architecture, information flow as well as presentation aspects -that should guide the design process, while also contributing with a set of concrete design recommendation. Answering these questions is tricky: as we discovered, while in general caregivers state that they are in favor of information exchange and greater transparency when we drill down to details and discuss specific examples we uncover various forms of resistance [25]. For this reason, we proceed by designing a set of studies, first to understand the space of problem and opportunities and then to focus on specific cases and specific designs.…”