AUTHOR=Kent Lisa , Cleland Ian , Saunders Catherine , Ennis Andrew , Finney Laura , Kerr Claire
TITLE=A Systematic Multidisciplinary Process for User Engagement and Sensor Evaluation: Development of a Digital Toolkit for Assessment of Movement in Children With Cerebral Palsy
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Digital Health
VOLUME=3
YEAR=2021
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/digital-health/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2021.692112
DOI=10.3389/fdgth.2021.692112
ISSN=2673-253X
ABSTRACT=
Objectives: To describe and critique a systematic multidisciplinary approach to user engagement, and selection and evaluation of sensor technologies for development of a sensor-based Digital Toolkit for assessment of movement in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
Methods: A sequential process was employed comprising three steps: Step 1: define user requirements, by identifying domains of interest; Step 2: map domains of interest to potential sensor technologies; and Step 3: evaluate and select appropriate sensors to be incorporated into the Digital Toolkit. The process employed a combination of principles from frameworks based in either healthcare or technology design.
Results: A broad range of domains were ranked as important by clinicians, patients and families, and industry users. These directly informed the device selection and evaluation process that resulted in three sensor-based technologies being agreed for inclusion in the Digital Toolkit, for use in a future research study.
Conclusion: This report demonstrates a systematic approach to user engagement and device selection and evaluation during the development of a sensor-based solution to a healthcare problem. It also provides a narrative on the benefits of employing a multidisciplinary approach throughout the process. This work uses previous frameworks for evaluating sensor technologies and expands on the methods used for user engagement.