Towards A Framework for Holistic Contextual Design for Low-Resource Settings


Type
Article
Change log
Authors
Aranda Jan, CB 
Jagtap, S 
Abstract

Healthcare inequality is ubiquitous globally, but the effects are most striking in low-resource settings. In these settings, current methods for the design of medical devices are failing to address specific needs. The associated publications rarely describe how the context was studied at the front-end of design. There is a latent need for a holistic contextual framework for guiding the design decision-making process for devices in these complex contexts. We present results from a systematic literature review and expert interviews that informed the development of a framework for contextualized design for low-resource settings. The contextual factors identified are described and compared for different types of medical devices. This taxonomical framework aims to guide designers towards gaining a better understanding of the context of use when designing products for global challenges in low-resource settings.

Description
Keywords
design for development, context of use, frugal innovations, developing countries, healthcare
Journal Title
International Journal of Design
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
1991-3761
1994-036X
Volume Title
10
Publisher
International Journal of Design
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
The National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) in Mexico supported this research.