Codesign of healthcare technology with children: a scoping review
Leandro Miletto Tonetto, Roberta Rech Mandelli, Raíssa Schmitt Fontoura, Jennifer R. DuBose, Craig Zimring · Design for Health · 2024
The codesign of healthcare technologies with children harnesses their creativity to generate outputs that resonate with them. However, codesigning with vulnerable children can present challenges due to the complexities inherent in such projects. Traditional research tools, such as interviews, are commonly utilized in codesign processes, enabling children to share their previous experiences but may not actively engage them in idea generation. Studies incorporating creative tools have yet to undergo comprehensive review, hindering a deeper understanding of how children are involved in such projects. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review to identify how creative design tools are employed in the codesign of healthcare technologies with children. Our analysis of research papers published in peer-reviewed journals revealed that children are often involved as subjects in the design process, providing valuable information to guide designers’ decisions, but are not fully integrated into idea generation. Additionally, these studies reported flexible applications of design tools in terms of structure and timeframe. In response to these findings, we propose a framework to facilitate the planning of codesign workshops with children in healthcare technology projects and reflect on the practical and ethical challenges associated with such practices.