GERONTE project: Participatory Rapid Appraisal for the co-design of a technology-supported improved care pathway for older cancer patients with multimorbiditywith

GERONTE is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 945218.

A poster presentation that identifies GERONTE's co-design method. 

GERONTE's novel co-design method combines existing empirical research method, Participatory Rapid Appraisal and Focus Groups, in a structured way that enables meaningful engagement with end-users across the design and implementation process.

Serial FG provide in-depth understanding of end-users’ needs across both stakeholders and FG iterations.

PRA enables rapid analysis, sense checking, and feedback of findings.

The combination of these methods, in a structured and sequenced way, provides a practical way to design, refine, and implement the care pathway and technology in the healthcare setting. The method continues to undergo testing by GERONTE Partners, but existing results indicate it is a practical, robust, time-efficient way to co-design technology-supported and complex interventions. 

The key steps in GERONTE's co-design method are overview of the three (3) design cycles aim and their outcomes

First design cycle

AIM: Identify participants needs and wants (for the intervention) and include these in the early design stage

Data collection: Focus Group or individual interview with end-user using semi-structed format. 

                         Focus groups can be mixed-participant or single-type participant depending on the aim (such as to identify need or to reach a consensus on the priorities) 

                         If possible, use practical supports such as audio-recording and auto-transcription to expediate analysis. Compliance with ethical approval, consent, anonymisation, data minimisation, and confidentiality are critical area to address.

Data analysis: Rapid analysis of the FG transcript. Create a short report outlining the findings (what were end-users' needs and wants). 

Participant feedback: to ensure robustness of data: Send the report to the participants (end users) and seek their feedback. Amend the report based on feedback. 

Output: Send the report to the design team. Design team to develop a design prototype based on end-users needs and wants.

Second design cycle

AIM: Gain end-users' feedback on the design prototype

Data collection: Focus Group or individual interview with end-user using semi-structed format plus simulation or scenario-based testing of the prototype's functionality and user-experience 

                         Focus groups can be mixed-participant or single-type participant depending on the aim 

                         If possible, use practical supports such as audio-recording and auto-transcription to expediate analysis. 

Data analysis: Rapid analysis of the FG transcript. Create a short report outlining end-users views on the design functionality and user-experience

Participant feedback (sense-checking): Send the report to the participants (end users) and seek their feedback. Amend the report based on feedback. 

Output: Send the report to the design team. Design team to refine the design based on feedback. 

Third design cycle

AIM: Gain end-users' feedback on refined design

Data collection: Focus Group or individual interview to check functionality and user-experience 

                         Focus groups can be mixed-participant or single-type.

                         If possible, use practical supports such as audio-recording.

Data analysis: Rapid analysis of the FG transcript. Create a short report outlining end-users views.

Participant feedback to ensure robustness of data: Send the report to the participants (end users) and seek their feedback. Amend the report based on feedback. 

Output: Send the report to the design team. Design team to refine if needed. 

       Complete additional cycles to further refine if needed or progress to next stage (such as implementation planning).