We explored how designers perceive and apply experience design in digital health, focusing on user experience (UX), patient experience (PEx), and digital patient experience (dPEx). Through semi-structured interviews with 24 international designers, we uncovered similarities and differences between healthcare and non-healthcare design and identified five dimensions to distinguish UX, PEx, and dPEx. Our findings aim to build a common language for experience design in healthcare and support improved collaboration and innovation.
What was the context of our study?
Design is increasingly shaping the future of healthcare by integrating human-centered and evidence-based approaches into both digital and non-digital environments. However, a lack of consensus about the concepts of UX, PEx, and dPEx in healthcare design creates challenges in aligning goals and methodologies across stakeholders. We aimed to clarify these concepts and provide guidance for designers in this specialized field.
What did we do?
We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 designers working in digital health across industry and academia. Participants shared insights from their projects, including their design processes, contexts, and experiences with UX, PEx, and dPEx. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis, focusing on design principles, user attributes, and contexts. We also examined the differences and overlaps among UX, PEx, and dPEx through five key dimensions.
What did we find?
- Similarities and differences in design principles: While healthcare and non-healthcare design share methodologies like human-centered design, healthcare design often emphasizes evidence-based approaches and rigorous quality assurance.
- Five dimensions of experience design:
- People: UX applies broadly to all users, while PEx and dPEx focus specifically on patients.
- Contexts: PEx and dPEx reflect continuous, emotionally loaded interactions, unlike UX’s focus on discrete touchpoints.
- Purposes: PEx and dPEx address well-being and emotional needs, whereas UX emphasizes usability and functionality.
- Means: dPEx highlights digital interactions but should complement non-digital PEx.
- Usage scenarios: dPEx targets specific use cases, while UX can encompass broader scenarios.
- Challenges in healthcare design: Designers face unique challenges, including regulatory constraints, privacy concerns, and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.
Why is this important?
Our findings provide a foundation for establishing a shared language in healthcare experience design, enabling better communication and collaboration among designers, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders. By addressing the unique complexities of healthcare, this work supports the creation of more effective, patient-centered digital health solutions.
Reference
Wang T, Qian S, Zhu H, Goossens R, Giunti G, Melles M. Building Understanding of Experience Design in Digital Health: Preliminary Results Based on Semi-Structured Interviews. In: Melles M, ed. Convergence: Breaking Down Barriers Between Disciplines. Springer Series in Design and Innovation, Vol. 30. Springer; 2024. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-32198-6_28.