Participatory Design: Addressing Speech-Language Pathologists' Challenges through Collaborative Interface Design

Abstract Co-design, a form of participatory design that centers stakeholder viewpoints, is increasingly important in healthcare technology development. Despite their critical role as communication specialists in schools, rehabilitation centers, and hospitals, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are not commonly sought as participants in co-design. This article presents a case study of an SLP co-design workshop, where SLPs were asked to create an ideal digital dashboard for speech therapy sessions that incorporate ultrasound imaging for feedback about tongue motion in children with speech disorders. Using the generative co-design framework for healthcare innovation, workshop facilitators (design specialists) and research team members coded the transcript recorded from the co-design workshop to identify themes and design needs for digital dashboards. SLPs prioritized elements that assisted in capturing clinical variables of interest and showed strong preferences for customizable dashboard configuration, real-time ultrasound image display, and free-form note writing. In addition, SLPs engaged in relational practices during the co-design workshop and were able to generate extensive, relevant design ideas for digital dashboard prototyping in a short time. Co-design with SLPs is suggested as a means of widening stakeholder input in the design of healthcare- and education-related technology.