People-Centred System Design I

The COMFORTage project prioritises people-centred care, focusing on treating patients as unique individuals and incorporating their feedback into the design of healthcare services. This principle is at the heart of T2.2 – “People-Centred System Design and Co-Creation”, which aims to understand user needs to support the development and refinement of prototypes, components, and tools matching these needs. A key milestone under this task has been achieved with the successful completion of the first round of COMFORTage Co-Creation Workshops (CCWS), conducted across thirteen pilot cases between July and November 2024. These workshops facilitated collaborative sessions with a diverse group of stakeholders, including healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients, caregivers, researchers, and medical students, to identify functional and non-functional needs and provide direction for the improvement of COMFORTage tools. The purpose of D2.4 – “People-Centred System Design I”, is to document the objectives, methodology, activities, and outcomes of the CCWS. A total of 168 participants were involved in the workshops. Using the Blueprint Persona approach, the Pilot partners identified the needs of end users, such as accessible, user-friendly tools combined with personalised support, developing 18 initial Blueprint Personas. This document compiles the results outlined in each CCWS report provided by the Pilots. Key insights include participants emphasis on tools that promote social engagement, accessibility, and simplicity, as well as concerns about the affordability, long-term engagement, and privacy of these solutions. These findings highlight the importance of balancing technological innovation with human-centric needs. Challenges such as ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations and maintaining stakeholder interest underscore the importance of ongoing training and support mechanisms for the effective adoption of these tools. The findings will inform the second round of CCWS, scheduled for 2025, which will be documented in D2.5 – “People-Centred System Design II”. Ultimately, these findings will contribute to broader project objectives, including the development of advanced social learning mechanisms and the creation of tailored healthcare solutions.