Context-specific design methodologies

In this research line we work on the development of participatory design tools such as the context-specific design framework to design medical equipment that reduces barriers to use in LMICs.

We believe that we should expand our current design practices within the field of biomedical engineering to ensure that equipment fits the context of use in the often challenging settings of use in LMICs.

We therefore developed a context-specific design methodology that guides the designer or project team to in ensuring that the design requirements are based on the contextual factors that influence the use in LMICs. We published a first version of this design framework here, we use this methodology during all our design project.
And we are very happy that this framework has also been used by another research group from the University in Leeds (1, 2).

Our context-driven approach consists of four phases:
1. Phase 0: the identification of a clear need
2. Phase 1: Researching the context of use by identifying contextual factors
3. Phase 2: setting up the context-specific design requirements
4. Phase 3: Prototyping by an iterative process in close interaction with end-users (e.g., surgeons, BMETs, nurses etc).

An important tool that we use during this design methodology is the unraveling of the surgical equipment journey of the technology that we are focusing on.

We will analyze our own and others experience in using the design methodology to develop a second iteration, that we will test both in Delft as in collaborative projects together with our partners.

Since reducing the environmental impact of global healthcare systems on the wellbeing of our planet is becoming more and more urgent, we are expanding our focus in this design methodology not only on ensuring equipment fits the context of use, but also on how to reduce its footprint. We are therefore focusing on the use of circular economy principles in our design work, we recently published a paper to define the current use of these principles in medical device design specifically in Africa. Please find this publication here. Our current research is focusing on effective use of these principles in context-specific design projects and to determine their impact on reducing the environmental footprint.

Additionally, we focus on increasing local manufacturing capacity and prototype development. For example, by setting up a collaborative 3D print ecosystem between Delft University of Technology, Kenyatta University and Moi Teaching and Referral hospital in Kenya. We are currently testing the implementation of 3D printers in the hospital and the local manufacturing of one of our designs.