Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Social Sciences, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Technology, Public, Environmental & Occupational Health, Information Science & Library Science, Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary, Social Sciences, Biomedical, Social Sciences - Other Topics, Biomedical Social Sciences, communication, hospitals, research design, users' experiences, qualitative research, systematized review, SPATIAL EXPERIENCE, PHOTOVOICE, SPACES, users’ experiences, Delivery of Health Care, Environment, Humans, Neoplasms, Patient Satisfaction, Qualitative Research, Quality of Health Care, Research Design, 11 Medical and Health Sciences, 16 Studies in Human Society, 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Nursing, 42 Health sciences, 44 Human society

Abstract:

In research and design, Creative Research Methods (CRMs) are useful to gain insight into user perspectives. Reviews suggest that CRMs offer potential to engage people, yet little detail is available regarding their use in relation to built healthcare environments. Consider environments for cancer care, where patients are confronted with particular physical and emotional challenges. This review aims to synthesize what is known from existing literature about CRMs exploring user experience when researching and designing (cancer) care environments. Based on 16 items we evaluate the potential of CRMs, offering insight into why, how, where and when they are employed. Generally little consideration is shown for participants’ abilities and limitations. Our analysis further emphasises the importance of reflecting on visual methods, and the need to report research approaches transparently including where CRMs are used. A sophisticated research approach can leverage CRMs’ potential to study experience and carry artefacts forward to inform design(ers).