Short answer
When designing for specific user groups with complex needs, such as children with ADHD, expand your user research to include their entire support network and aim for solutions that promote holistic well-being, not just symptom mitigation.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Academic Publication (2023)
- Method
- Multi-stakeholder co-design and interview study
- Sample
- 31 participants
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Designing for children with ADHD is most effective when it involves their entire support network and moves beyond a purely symptom-focused, medical model. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Academic Publication. Using Multi-stakeholder co-design and interview study with 31 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing for specific user groups with complex needs, such as children with ADHD, expand your user research to include their entire support network and aim for solutions that promote holistic well-being, not just symptom mitigation.
Co-designing for Children with ADHD Requires a Holistic 'Care Ecosystem' Approach
Designing for children with ADHD is most effective when it involves their entire support network and moves beyond a purely symptom-focused, medical model.
Academic Publication · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Current design approaches often fail to engage all relevant stakeholders in the care of children with ADHD.
- 02A focus solely on symptom management, following a medical model, overlooks the broader well-being and intrinsic interests of neurodivergent individuals.
- 03Communication and reflection are identified as crucial elements for empowering children with ADHD and their care ecosystem.
- 04A multi-stakeholder, co-design approach is essential for developing effective and holistic design solutions.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing for specific user groups with complex needs, such as children with ADHD, expand your user research to include their entire support network and aim for solutions that promote holistic well-being, not just symptom mitigation.
How to apply
Before finalizing a design for a specific user group, map out all individuals and entities that interact with or support that user, and consider how your design can positively impact those relationships and interactions.
Project actions
- 01When defining your user group, consider their 'ecosystem' – who else is involved in their life and support?
- 02Use co-design methods to involve a diverse range of stakeholders in your design process.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Employs a multi-stakeholder, multi-step research methodology.
- +Moves beyond a purely medical model to a more user-centred, ecosystemic perspective.
Limitations
The specific needs and support systems for children with ADHD can vary greatly, so a design developed for one group might not be universally applicable.
Reliability & validity
The use of multiple research methods (interviews, co-design, focus groups) and a diverse sample size (N=31) enhances the study's reliability and validity. However, the qualitative nature of some findings might introduce subjectivity.
Think critically
To what extent does the 'care ecosystem' model apply to designing for other conditions or user groups beyond neurodivergent children?
Design Principles
"Design solutions holistically by considering the entire user ecosystem and their interconnected needs."
This research highlights the limitations of designing solely for an individual's diagnosed condition. By considering the broader 'care ecosystem'—including family, educators, and therapists—designers can create solutions that are more integrated, supportive, and aligned with the user's overall well-being and intrinsic interests.
What This Means for Your Design
When you design something for a child with ADHD, don't just think about the child. Think about their parents, teachers, and doctors too, and how your design can help everyone work together better. Focus on making things that help them communicate and think, not just fixing problems.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of stakeholder involvement and a holistic approach in your design project's user research or design strategy sections.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research emphasizes the critical need to move beyond a singular focus on user symptoms and instead adopt a holistic 'care ecosystem' approach. By involving all relevant stakeholders, such as family, educators, and therapists, designers can develop solutions that foster overall well-being and integrate more effectively into the user's life, as demonstrated by the identification of communication and reflection as key design concepts for children with ADHD.
Source
Academic Publication
Children with ADHD and their Care Ecosystem: Designing Beyond Symptoms
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about co-designing for children with adhd requires a holistic 'care ecosystem' approach?
- When designing for specific user groups with complex needs, such as children with ADHD, expand your user research to include their entire support network and aim for solutions that promote holistic well-being, not just symptom mitigation. Evidence: Academic Publication (2023).
- Why does "Co-designing for Children with ADHD Requires a Holistic 'Care Ecosystem' Approach" matter for design?
- This research highlights the limitations of designing solely for an individual's diagnosed condition. By considering the broader 'care ecosystem'—including family, educators, and therapists—designers can create solutions that are more integrated, supportive, and aligned with the user's overall well-being and intrinsic interests.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing for specific user groups with complex needs, such as children with ADHD, expand your user research to include their entire support network and aim for solutions that promote holistic well-being, not just symptom mitigation.
- What were the main findings?
- Current design approaches often fail to engage all relevant stakeholders in the care of children with ADHD.. A focus solely on symptom management, following a medical model, overlooks the broader well-being and intrinsic interests of neurodivergent individuals.. Communication and reflection are identified as crucial elements for empowering children with ADHD and their care ecosystem.. A multi-stakeholder, co-design approach is essential for developing effective and holistic design solutions.
- What research method was used?
- Multi-stakeholder co-design and interview study with 31 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2023 journal from Academic Publication.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Before finalizing a design for a specific user group, map out all individuals and entities that interact with or support that user, and consider how your design can positively impact those relationships and interactions.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings may be specific to the cultural and social contexts of the participants and may not be directly generalizable to all populations or conditions without further research.