Short answer
Actively involve children with disabilities in the persona creation process using visual and iterative techniques to ensure designs meet their specific needs.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Journal of Participatory Medicine (2022)
- Method
- Qualitative Thematic Design Analysis
- Sample
- 16 children with disabilities participated in persona generation, and 8 children without disabilities, 1 young adult with a disability, and 1 rehabilitation professional participated in validation.
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Integrating norm-creative and participatory design methods allows for the effective co-construction of personas with children with disabilities, leading to more inclusive design solutions. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2022 study published in Journal of Participatory Medicine. Using Qualitative thematic design analysis with 16 children with disabilities participated in persona generation, and 8 children without disabilities, 1 young adult with a disability, and 1 rehabilitation professional participated in validation., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Actively involve children with disabilities in the persona creation process using visual and iterative techniques to ensure designs meet their specific needs.
Co-created Personas for Children with Disabilities Enhance Design Inclusivity
Integrating norm-creative and participatory design methods allows for the effective co-construction of personas with children with disabilities, leading to more inclusive design solutions.
Journal of Participatory Medicine · 2022
Key Findings
- 01An image-based and iterative co-construction method for persona generation was developed.
- 02The method demonstrated effectiveness in enabling flexible co-construction and communication.
- 03The generated personas were validated within a games for health case.
Application
Design takeaway
Actively involve children with disabilities in the persona creation process using visual and iterative techniques to ensure designs meet their specific needs.
How to apply
When designing for children, especially those with disabilities, use image-based workshops and iterative co-creation sessions to develop personas that accurately reflect their experiences and needs.
Project actions
- 01Consider using visual tools like mood boards or storyboarding when working with participants.
- 02Plan for multiple, shorter interaction sessions rather than one long one to maintain engagement.
- 03Be prepared to adapt your methods based on participant feedback and observed engagement.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Employs a novel, norm-creative approach to a challenging user group.
- +Utilizes a mixed validation group to strengthen findings.
- +Provides a practical, replicable method.
Limitations
The effectiveness of visual methods can vary depending on individual artistic skill or comfort with drawing. The interpretation of images can also be subjective.
Reliability & validity
The iterative nature of the method and the validation process with multiple groups contribute to the validity of the generated personas. Reliability would depend on the consistency of application across different designers and participants.
Think critically
To what extent can 'norm-creative' approaches truly overcome deeply ingrained societal norms that may disadvantage children with disabilities, and how can designers critically assess and mitigate potential biases introduced by the method itself?
Design Principles
"Inclusivity in design is achieved through direct, participatory co-creation with diverse user groups, especially those traditionally underrepresented."
Traditional persona development often overlooks the unique needs and perspectives of children with disabilities. This research highlights a practical approach to ensure their voices are central to the design process, leading to products and services that are genuinely usable and beneficial for this demographic.
What This Means for Your Design
When designing things for kids with disabilities, it's best to ask them directly and work with them to create 'personas' (like character profiles) using pictures and by building things together. This makes sure the final product is actually good for them.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing your user research methodology, particularly if you are using participatory design techniques or targeting a specific user group with unique needs.
- 2.Use the findings to justify the inclusion of diverse participants in your user testing and persona development.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This design project adopted a norm-creative and participatory approach to persona development, inspired by Teleman et al. (2022), to ensure the authentic inclusion of children with disabilities. Through iterative, image-based co-creation workshops, detailed personas were developed that accurately reflect the unique needs and perspectives of the target user group, thereby enhancing the inclusivity and potential effectiveness of the designed solution.
Source
Journal of Participatory Medicine
A Norm-Creative Method for Co-constructing Personas With Children With Disabilities: Multiphase Design Study
journal · 2022
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about co-created personas for children with disabilities enhance design inclusivity?
- Actively involve children with disabilities in the persona creation process using visual and iterative techniques to ensure designs meet their specific needs. Evidence: Journal of Participatory Medicine (2022).
- Why does "Co-created Personas for Children with Disabilities Enhance Design Inclusivity" matter for design?
- Traditional persona development often overlooks the unique needs and perspectives of children with disabilities. This research highlights a practical approach to ensure their voices are central to the design process, leading to products and services that are genuinely usable and beneficial for this demographic.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Actively involve children with disabilities in the persona creation process using visual and iterative techniques to ensure designs meet their specific needs.
- What were the main findings?
- An image-based and iterative co-construction method for persona generation was developed.. The method demonstrated effectiveness in enabling flexible co-construction and communication.. The generated personas were validated within a games for health case.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative Thematic Design Analysis with 16 children with disabilities participated in persona generation, and 8 children without disabilities, 1 young adult with a disability, and 1 rehabilitation professional participated in validation..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2022 journal from Journal of Participatory Medicine.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing for children, especially those with disabilities, use image-based workshops and iterative co-creation sessions to develop personas that accurately reflect their experiences and needs.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused on a specific context (games for health) and may require adaptation for other domains. The validation group included a mix of participants with and without disabilities, which might influence the generalizability of findings.