Concepts for Analysis and Design of Mobile Healthcare Applications

In complex domains such as healthcare, careful analysis of user requirements is an important aspect of the development process. In recent years, ethnographic study has become a popular tool for building up an understanding of the healthcare domain. However, linking observational data with the design and development process is a challenging problem. A range of conceptual frameworks have been proposed which can aid in transforming these data into concrete requirements. In this paper, we argue that the framework and associated design concepts used will have a strong influence on shaping the outcome of design, and that the development team should consider carefully which are most appropriate to the problem they face. We use a case study based around a patient review process as an illustrative example.