Co-designing cooperative artifacts with MACI people: A study of empowering practices and artifacts in rehabilitation and co-design

Abstract

This thesis explores empowerment in two equally important contexts. First, patient empowerment in rehabilitation. Second, empowerment of people with Mild Acquired Cognitive Impairments (MACI) in Participatory Design (PD) sessions in which cooperative artifacts for MACI’s empowerment in rehabilitation are co-designed. Empowerment in this thesis is understood as a compound of outcomes, practices, values, and artifacts. A Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) perspective was applied to study patient empowerment in rehabilitation. Findings describe empowering practices and implications for design of empowering artifacts that support patient participation in decision-making, understanding, and having control of their own care process while cooperating with healthcare practitioners. A PD process was applied to study how to co-design with MACI people. Findings describe empowering practices and empowering artifacts contributing to MACI people having a say, influencing decision-making, and influencing design outcomes in co-design of cooperative artifacts that support their empowerment in the care process. The thesis contributes to the field of PD by involving a marginalized group in co-design. Further, it contributes to the field of CSCW by applying its concepts in a new context and finally brings both fields together in the pursuit of empowerment. A detailed account of the extensive empirical work is provided.