As digital mental health technologies become increasingly integral in supporting children and young people (CYP), the need for effective and engaging interventions has never been more critical. The research article, Practitioner review: Co-design of digital mental health technologies with children and young people, highlights the importance of co-design in developing these technologies. This blog post will delve into the key findings and practical recommendations from the research, aimed at helping practitioners improve their skills and outcomes for children.
The Importance of Co-Design
Co-design involves the active involvement of stakeholders, including CYP, throughout the development process of digital health technologies. This collaborative approach ensures that the technologies are engaging, feasible, acceptable, and effective. The study identified several key themes related to the co-design process:
- Principles of co-design
- Methods of involving and engaging CYP
- Co-designing the prototype
- Challenges of co-design
Principles of Co-Design
Co-design is rooted in participatory design, emphasizing the importance of involving all potential users and stakeholders as active collaborators. This process aims to ensure that technologies meet the diverse needs and preferences of users. The principles include:
- Engagement with users before the project starts
- Acknowledging potential power imbalances between practitioners/researchers and CYP
- Establishing collaborative activities where all participants generate ideas
- Practitioners/researchers creating the final product with possible further collaboration with users
Methods of Involving and Engaging CYP
Engaging CYP in the co-design process can be challenging due to factors such as anxiety, stigma, and motivational difficulties. The study recommends various techniques to engage CYP, including:
- Well-designed information sheets, consent forms, posters, and websites
- Offering vouchers/expenses as a thank you
- Recruiting a diverse and representative range of participants
- Using focus groups, workshops, interviews, and surveys/questionnaires
Co-Designing the Prototype
The creation and testing of the initial prototype are integral parts of the co-design process. Data collection and analysis during the initial design phase are mainly qualitative, based on questionnaires, transcripts, notes, images, and other materials. Key considerations include:
- Refining content and design based on participant feedback
- Ensuring compliance with data protection regulations
- Creating technologies that can be personalized or address diversity in the user group
Challenges of Co-Design
Despite its benefits, co-design presents several challenges, including:
- Navigating funding panels and ethics committees
- Balancing the input of all stakeholders
- Engaging a diverse sample of CYP
- Evaluating the impact of the co-design process on the technology
Practice Points and Future Developments
Based on the findings of the review, practitioners and researchers should consider the specific target user group, the technology to be developed, and its context. A mixed-methods evaluation of the acceptability and feasibility of the process, as well as its potential impact on the technology, is recommended. Future developments in co-design practice and research may include more virtual groups and workshops, faster translation of findings into the community, and collaboration between academic, clinical, and commercial sectors.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Practitioner review: Co-design of digital mental health technologies with children and young people.
