Short answer
Always consult and adhere to established, expert-backed definitions for scientific and health-related terms when designing products or content to ensure accuracy, credibility, and user understanding.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2017)
- Method
- Expert consensus meeting
- Sample
- 12 experts (authors listed)
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Expert consensus on scientific definitions, like that for prebiotics, reduces ambiguity and fosters consistent understanding across research, industry, and consumers. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2017 study published in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Using Expert consensus meeting with 12 experts (authors listed), researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Always consult and adhere to established, expert-backed definitions for scientific and health-related terms when designing products or content to ensure accuracy, credibility, and user understanding.
Standardized definitions improve scientific clarity and product communication in emerging health categories
Expert consensus on scientific definitions, like that for prebiotics, reduces ambiguity and fosters consistent understanding across research, industry, and consumers.
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology · 2017
Key Findings
- 01The definition of a prebiotic was updated to: 'a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.'
- 02The scope of prebiotics was expanded to include non-carbohydrate substances and applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract.
- 03The requirement for selective microbiota-mediated mechanisms was retained.
- 04Beneficial health effects must be documented for a substance to be considered a prebiotic.
- 05The consensus definition applies to both human and animal use.
Application
Design takeaway
Always consult and adhere to established, expert-backed definitions for scientific and health-related terms when designing products or content to ensure accuracy, credibility, and user understanding.
How to apply
When designing an app for dietary supplements, ensure all terminology (e.g., 'probiotic,' 'prebiotic,' 'postbiotic') aligns with the latest scientific consensus statements from reputable organizations. Provide clear, concise definitions within the app's glossary or information sections.
Project actions
- 01For projects involving scientific or technical terms, always look for official definitions from expert bodies.
- 02Explain complex terms clearly and consistently throughout your design, using the agreed-upon definitions.
- 03Consider how a lack of clear definitions could confuse your users or make your product less trustworthy.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a clear, updated, and expert-backed definition for a complex scientific term.
- +Broadens the scope of the definition to reflect new scientific understanding.
- +Aims to standardize communication across various stakeholders (research, industry, regulation).
Limitations
This paper is a consensus statement, not an experimental study, so it doesn't have traditional experimental limitations like sample size or control groups in the same way. Its 'limitation' is that it represents a snapshot of expert agreement, which can evolve.
Reliability & validity
As a consensus statement, reliability comes from the collective expertise and agreement of the panel. Validity is based on the thorough review of current scientific literature and clinical developments by these experts.
Think critically
How might the evolution of scientific understanding (e.g., new discoveries about the microbiome) necessitate future revisions to this consensus definition, and how would a designer prepare for such changes in their product's content?
Design Principles
"Clarity through Consensus"
When scientific terms lack clear, agreed-upon definitions, it leads to confusion, misinterpretation, and inconsistent application. This impacts trust, hinders progress, and can mislead consumers about product benefits and efficacy.
What This Means for Your Design
When scientists agree on what a word means, it helps everyone (researchers, companies, and people buying products) understand it better and use it correctly.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use consensus definitions to structure information architecture for scientific topics, ensuring consistent labeling and categorization.
- 2.Create a 'Glossary' or 'Definitions' section within your project, referencing expert consensus for key terms.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
According to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement (Gibson et al., 2017), a prebiotic is defined as 'a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit,' which informs our categorization of related products.
Source
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics
journal · 2017
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about standardized definitions improve scientific clarity and product communication in emerging health categories?
- Always consult and adhere to established, expert-backed definitions for scientific and health-related terms when designing products or content to ensure accuracy, credibility, and user understanding. Evidence: Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2017).
- Why does "Standardized definitions improve scientific clarity and product communication in emerging health categories" matter for design?
- When scientific terms lack clear, agreed-upon definitions, it leads to confusion, misinterpretation, and inconsistent application. This impacts trust, hinders progress, and can mislead consumers about product benefits and efficacy.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Always consult and adhere to established, expert-backed definitions for scientific and health-related terms when designing products or content to ensure accuracy, credibility, and user understanding.
- What were the main findings?
- The definition of a prebiotic was updated to: 'a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.'. The scope of prebiotics was expanded to include non-carbohydrate substances and applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract.. The requirement for selective microbiota-mediated mechanisms was retained.. Beneficial health effects must be documented for a substance to be considered a prebiotic.
- What research method was used?
- Expert consensus meeting with 12 experts (authors listed).
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2017 journal from Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing an app for dietary supplements, ensure all terminology (e.g., 'probiotic,' 'prebiotic,' 'postbiotic') aligns with the latest scientific consensus statements from reputable organizations. Provide clear, concise definitions within the app's glossary or information sections.
- What are the limitations?
- The consensus reflects the understanding at a specific point in time and may require future updates as science evolves. It is a definition, not an experimental study.