Rapid Translational Field Research Approach for eHealth R&D

Abstract

Successfully implementing eHealth research and design (R&D) requires a combination of rapid-cycle, flexible, and field-based design, development, and testing methods not readily achievable within traditional academic research programs. We report on an attempt to establish a model for facilitating and speeding up R&D projects, wherein academic faculty, design experts, students, and clinicians cooperate to produce, test, and deploy eHealth products in clinical practice. The first test of this model was performed in a project called Project T, a test of tablet use by older adults with depression, dementia, or both, recruited from a safety net health system. Fifteen tests were performed in a six-month period, which included purchasing, instrument development, approval, coordination, data collection, and interim analysis. The project exceeded its anticipated two-month timeline due to multiple barriers and delays. Having learned from this initial attempt, plans to reorganize the team’s working model for translational field research are described.

Human factors in mental healthcare: A work system analysis of a community-based program for older adults with depression and dementia

“…the use of HFE or human-computer interaction (HCI) methods such as user-centered design or usability testing for technology products such as smartphone applications for people with schizophrenia (Ben-Zeev et al, 2013) or tablet technology for older adults with dementia or depression (Holden et al, 2016);…”

Human Factors Analysis, Design, and Evaluation of Engage, a Consumer Health IT Application for Geriatric Heart Failure Self-Care

“…For this reason, and to increase the sample size for the usability evaluation phase, we are presently performing additional phases of testing with a refined prototype and testing protocol. While we acknowledge the importance of performing agile usability testing in natural settings with older chronically ill adults, we have also identified implementation barriers to performing this kind of rapid translational field research, from miscommunication with health system partners to cancelations and other scheduling discrepancies (Holden, Bodke, et al, 2016). In general, our research demonstrates that there are considerable challenges for performing field research with older adults in community settings (Holden, McDougald Scott, Hoonakker, Hundt, & Carayon, 2015), although several strategies can be used (Valdez & Holden, in press).…”

“…The last framework outlines a cycle of three phases for user-centered design of CHIT: study (or analysis); design; and evaluation (Holden, Voida, Savoy, Jones, & Kulanthaivel, 2016). The framework describes an iterative process wherein practitioners (i) seek to understand the users, their tasks, goals, different aspects of the surrounding environment, and broader contexts, (ii) design abstract representations or more traditional artifacts such as wireframes or user interface prototypes, and (iii) evaluate the designs against initial understandings of users and goals (Figure 1c).…”

“…In the following sections, we report the methods and results of each phase of the user-centered design framework (Holden, Voida, et al, 2016) applied in our development of CHIT for older adults with heart failure.…”

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.…”